Today a friend and I found that the road was open to Loneman Divide, about 15 miles from home and made a short “tune up” snowshoe hike from there up to the ridge above the pass and found it very refreshing. Another half dozen of those short hikes and we will be ready for something more serious.
We took “the trail less traveled”.
Snow-capped stump
The stump must have been hollow because the top looked like a doughnut.
To the east side of the divide.
To the west side.
Frost covered trees along the top.
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Montana Outdoors 
I love the look of the frost on the trees. When I saw the doughnut stump, that was my first thought, even before I read your note about it looking like a doughnut.
Beautiful photos of the snowy woods.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — January 15, 2016 @ 11:11 pm
The divide was only a couple thousand feet higher than the valley, but it was noticeably colder up there, hence the frost on the trees. The trees though were just standing there: if they had to hike up that ridge on snowshoes, that would have been beads of sweat on their branches instead of frost.
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Comment by montucky — January 15, 2016 @ 11:23 pm
Beads of sweat which would then freeze into that icy rain look. That would be an interesting photo.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — January 16, 2016 @ 9:18 am
Just wonderful.
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Comment by seekraz — January 16, 2016 @ 9:01 am
Not a long hike, but a good way to avoid “cabin fever”. The messages in the snow showed a cougar (at least one) was hunting Snowshoe rabbits, and there were plenty of them!
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Comment by montucky — January 16, 2016 @ 9:55 am
I understand that need to get out there to cleanse that “cooped-up” feeling from the lungs, heart, and mind. I’ll be out there tomorrow doing the same thing…in a rather different environment, of course, but out there nonetheless!
I loved finding those messages in the snow, as well…so intriguing…and spirit-moving. I’ve found some scat piles with some huge paw marks that scraped the trail dirt to cover the leavings, but have yet to see one of the cats yet who might have left it.
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Comment by seekraz — January 16, 2016 @ 11:13 am
Hi Terry,
The photos are lovely. I can nearly feel the cold crisp air! Burr! It is a foggy rainy morning here with more of the same due till Tues. We are grateful there are breaks i the rain for better absorption. All here is saturated but, no trees have come down here.
I’ll be a nice warm kitchen baking cookies.
Love, Laura
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Comment by Laura Townsend — January 16, 2016 @ 9:59 am
Hi Laura,
That’s what I should have tried today. Instead we had a snow day and I had to be outside in it.
I sent you an email.
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Comment by montucky — January 16, 2016 @ 7:03 pm
The trail less traveled is always the best one with the most to see, it seems.
I love the blue of the distant mountains and that snowy stump!
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — January 16, 2016 @ 11:10 am
It was a short trip, but pretty nonetheless.
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Comment by montucky — January 16, 2016 @ 7:04 pm
I am just glad there is someone like you out there hiking and showing all these wonderful photos you take. Thank you!!!!!
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Comment by Frances Schenck — January 16, 2016 @ 11:23 am
I’m glad that you like seeing the photos, Frances! I plan to get out a lot more this winter for more pictures!
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Comment by montucky — January 16, 2016 @ 7:04 pm
How beautiful that snow covered stump is – reminds me of a mushroom.
I love the snow, the crisp winter air and that simple palette of white, white and more white (mixed with green & brown).
A fellow blogger introduced me to the photographic work of Vincent Munier last weekend and I’ve re-viewed his works several times in the past few days. It’s work a look.
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Comment by Vicki — January 16, 2016 @ 6:30 pm
A mushroom is what I immediately thought of when I saw that stump too. And then a doughnut. The snow wasn’t deep yet at that elevation, but I could see it was very deep further up the mountain.
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Comment by montucky — January 16, 2016 @ 7:06 pm
It’s so beautiful — and there are so many shades of green, even with the snow. I can’t remember — do you have snowshoe rabbits there? I suddenly realized it must have big feet to get that name. I looked at some photos, and sure enough — natural snow shoes. It’s really neat to see the frost and snow combination again, too. I’m so glad you’re getting out and about to record this beauty for us — glad you can get out and about!
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Comment by shoreacres — January 16, 2016 @ 6:32 pm
Yes we have snowshoe rabbits. There had been about an inch of new the previous night, and the whole place was covered with their tracks. Also the tracks of a cougar who was hunting either the rabbits or the whitetail deer or both.
I’m also happy to be able to get out still. I need to do more training though to use snowshoes. I was a little tired even from the short hike of about a mile. Hopefully next week I will add to my winter arsenal too and have the ability to get up higher into the trails.
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Comment by montucky — January 16, 2016 @ 7:10 pm
I love how snow piles up on things .
good on you, keeping in shape for explorations.
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Comment by Tammie — January 16, 2016 @ 7:33 pm
I’m sure the snow piled up more today: we had about 3 inches here in the valley.
That brief snowshoe walk made me aware that I need to work harder on getting into shape if I want to do much more of it!
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Comment by montucky — January 16, 2016 @ 7:37 pm
I wouldn’t get very far if I had to hike there, I’d just be building snowmen!
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Comment by de Wets Wild — January 16, 2016 @ 7:55 pm
We are far enough into winter now that most of the snowmen have already been built. Today would have been good for one though because we had about three more inches of nice moist snow (that I’ll have to deal with in the morning).
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Comment by montucky — January 16, 2016 @ 8:45 pm
It is so beautiful where you live, just breathtaking. 🙂
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Comment by bayphotosbydonna — January 17, 2016 @ 10:52 am
Yes, the forests and mountains are always pretty to see if one goes out to see them! Yesterday I had some long walks in falling snow.
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Comment by montucky — January 17, 2016 @ 4:24 pm
I bet it was gorgeous, and hope you’ll be sharing some photos. 🙂
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Comment by bayphotosbydonna — January 17, 2016 @ 6:20 pm
Hi Montucky, Glad you took that snowshoe jaunt. Beautiful scenery. Thanks for sharing the gorgeous views. Have a great Monday holiday tomorrow.
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Comment by wildlifewatcher — January 17, 2016 @ 11:26 am
I’m glad that you like seeing this scenery! Have a great Monday too!
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Comment by montucky — January 17, 2016 @ 4:25 pm
I think I need to make a trip back home in the winter to enjoy the special beauty of that season.
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Comment by Ron Mangels — January 17, 2016 @ 7:19 pm
It has been pretty this year, although we can still use more snow. February is usually cold, so maybe this warm weather will go away and bring us some more.
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Comment by montucky — January 17, 2016 @ 8:46 pm
Looks like you had quite the successful trip. That stump resembling a powdered sugar donut made me laugh!
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Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — January 18, 2016 @ 8:59 am
If I had a doughnut that big it would last me until spring!
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Comment by montucky — January 18, 2016 @ 6:57 pm
Snowshoes, that’s pretty hardcore! I guess you’ll really see some remote areas doing that.
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Comment by Candace — January 18, 2016 @ 11:39 am
That’s the idea. At least areas that are remote in winter. The trail we were on used to be one of my favorite trails in summer when the hike to the divide is a whole lot easier!
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Comment by montucky — January 18, 2016 @ 6:59 pm
Beautiful photos. Some photos could be from Finland, those presenting spruce and pines. We have had here during three weeks very cold. This morning we have -27.4ºF. Brr!
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Comment by Sartenada — January 22, 2016 @ 1:56 am
It is much colder than here then. We have not reached below zero yet. It has been unseasonally warm.
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Comment by montucky — January 22, 2016 @ 3:39 pm
While I may have more colour in my landscapes at the moment during an Australian summer, your scenery is no less beautiful. The blue colour of the distant mountains against the snow is gorgeous. It’s such a completely different view to what I’m seeing. I love the shapes and texture of the pines with their white decorations. Your snowy mountain wonderland is spectacular to me! 🙂
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Comment by Jane — January 22, 2016 @ 7:15 pm
I’m glad that you enjoy winter photos. I can only imagine how they appear in the middle of your hot summer. We are in a warm spell now but I expect some heavy snow later in the winter and I’m anxious to get out in the middle of it!
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Comment by montucky — January 22, 2016 @ 7:47 pm
Wonderful to see some fresh snow! Hoping to get out again this weekend for some skiing:)
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Comment by Inger — January 22, 2016 @ 8:50 pm
We’ve had a setback here with warmer temps and rain. Oh well, there’s plenty of winter left to go.
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Comment by montucky — January 23, 2016 @ 11:26 am
Great trip. Love all of the photographs.
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Comment by the-worldwide — January 26, 2016 @ 4:25 am
Thanks!
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Comment by montucky — January 26, 2016 @ 11:35 am