Snowshoeing at Smuggs in Vermont

My family and I ventured to Vermont for a long weekend away. I took off Friday and Monday for our trek into the chilly crispness of the Green Mountains. Having gotten 2 feet of snow just about a week before we got there, we weren't sure what conditions that we would find. (That and the fact that I've never been up there in the dead of winter had us packing an abundance of warm clothes.) We stayed with the Dumelin family in the small town of Hinesburg, VT. Susie, Joe and baby Bruce were "in town" (on the East Coast) for the week and we were invited to spend the long weekend with them playing in Vermont. We arrived from a long day of driving on Friday evening, enjoying Grand-dad Bruce's 3-alarm chili and polished off several bottles of wine as the babies (baby Bruce and Julia) slept upstairs. Susie and I planned a snowshoeing trip to Smuggler's Notch that next day. Joe and the guys were headed for backpacking at another location. Nanni Dumelin and Mom-mom Peterson were watching the kids as we all headed out.
I had picked up a magazine about a week ago that highlighted many winter outdoor activities as well as the calorie burn that you get from performing these activities for an hour. Snowshoeing provides approx 550 calories burnt per hour. NICE!!! Susie and I proceeded to snowshoe for about 45 minutes up through the mountain road that runs through Stowe and Smuggler's Notch. In the winter it is hard to clear the snow through these areas and the road is closed, making a fantastic path to snowshoe, cross-country ski, or just plain hike. There was at least 2 feet of snow separating Susie and me from the pavement. Snowshoes were optional as there had been many feet that had come before us on the path. The weather was chilly, but not offensive. It was easy to take in the beauty of nature around us. The pictures below do not do the scene around us justice.

After our outdoor adventure, we trekked into town (Burlington) to meet my brother and his friend Cristina at Muddy Waters for a hot drink and a snack prior to the lasagna fest that we were about to partake in back at the Dumelin's house. We filled Muddy Waters with 11 winter warriors that warmed up with the likes of mochas, lattes, herbal teas and some hot funky beverage that my brother got that I can't remember the name of. (It's the one in the pic just to the right of Julia's pink Sigg bottle.) So although I probably ate more calories than I expended this weekend, it was still a wonderful little get-away with wonderful friends. Back to serious training next week!