HYGGE, hygge

Our Hygge Hike is coming up quickly. I find myself lacking the normal nerves that lead up to the event because it already feels like April. Those nerves are helpful though, to ensure everything we can take care of to ensure a good time for you all, is in fact taken care of. I’ve only been out skiing a handful of times this year, and since the weather really turned, I haven’t actually been on the trails now for more than a week. That’s a pretty sad state of affairs for a Ranger in mid February. It just feels like sacrilege to be out on Montreal in regular boots this time of year - so I haven’t done it - but today I did. I took the dog out on the Hygge loop (Rose Wreath, out to the core shack and up the whistle hill to Deep Rock. Down Deep Rock to the Grade, just up from Gerry’s and back around the Number 4 to the trailhead) It wasn’t skiing, but it was awesome. I had to actively focus on not being depressed about being in street shoes, but once I convinced myself to just enjoy the walk… damn it was nice. I felt the nerves of anticipation bubbling back up too.

The trail is hard, not too icy, not sloppy anywhere, and the view into the woods is unusual and almost unsettling. It’s like that late fall visibility, but with the tundra-hue we expect for February. Weird, blue-grey everything - but more of it - deeper into the trees. You can walk and see everywhere. I recommend it.

So, that said, the Hygge Hike that NICER and the Rangers are putting together for the end of this month is going to be special this year.

Expect the event we’ve all grown to love - but just know that we’ll all be out there in defiance of the lamest winter any of us have experienced in our lifetimes. Come out and celebrate our bull-headed ability to enjoy breathing fresh air in the woods. Come share in the simple satisfaction of crunching around on month old snow that barely covers the frozen red mud. Join us in gazing through fire light into unfamiliarly barren trees and tailing piles. Celebrate our collective good fortune to be able to see the silver linings of a truly dismal winter - like the fact that it’ll be a full moon again for the hike this year. That’s a win. Rejoice, in spite of it all.

Skiing Freely will come again. I guess for now, the walking’s real easy so get out there and lean into it.

HYGGE HIKE. 02.24.24. Come get cozy with us.

KZ