We are tromping through fresh, untouched snow in Gooseberry State Park when we see a track of prints moving along the top of the log. What could have made these tracks? Where was the critter going? Put on your detective hats, kids, we have a mystery to solve!
It might be useful to download or print out the common animal tracks in Minnesota, courtesy of the MN DNR. Ah ha! Yes, now we know we are following a grey squirrel. But where is he going?
Atop the fresh snow, we can see the path he took from one tree to a pile of pine comb debris, where he grabbed a snack. Then the trail leads on and crosses paths with another squirrel trail, and tracks scatter everywhere. Was there a battle? Or simply playing a game? Hmm… The investigation is ongoing.
The snow is thick on the North Shore right now, and new snow seems to arrive weekly. With it, new stories are unfolding all around us on the forest floor. But instead of being written in words, these stories are written in footprints, waiting to be discovered, until the next round of snow erases them.
If the snow is getting deep, you can borrow a pair of snowshoes at any Odyssey Resort, and we offer guided trips too, with local experts who can help untangle the mysteries of the snowy woods.