SNOWSTORMS, SNOWSHOES & FUR
Running a snow-filled trapline can be challenging, well at least it was for me this past winter. Definitely a snowy winter wonderland — and then some. I was in some of the deepest snow of the century in my area whether I wanted it or not. I normally embrace any kind of moisture that comes to the driest state in the nation with open arms. This past year the United States received more moisture as a whole than any other time since record keeping began 120 years ago, according to a Washington Post article I read just the other morning.
There’s no doubt that large snowstorms can certainly hamper trapping efforts and spirits. Little things that trappers take for granted every time they run their line, such as easy walking or smooth roads, can change. If I move my ankle just right I can still feel a little ache from a head-over-heels slip off of a snow-filled trail while checking traps at night.
During dry, freezing conditions we can use a concoction of freeze-proof dirt, and in rain we can sift a little more dirt onto traps. However, snow changes things much more dramatically. Snow characteristics include: accumulations, thawing, crusting and properties that make the fluff freeze as hard as concrete.
Snow can also do some pretty magical things on the trapline, aside from being a photogenic environment. The onset of snow
