March 29, 2025
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
Throughout Paradise Meadows, signs of winter’s slow demise are everywhere. Though over two meters of snow still blankets much of the landscape, evidence of the coming summer is undeniable. Patches of open water are appearing along the edges of the lakes, and in some places, we could see water nearly twelve inches below the snow’s surface.
This was my first time tackling this route in winter. Typically, snowshoers take a direct path across the frozen lakes, but with the increasing melt, we opted to follow the shoreline instead. It was the safer choice.
Morning greeted us with fresh snowfall from the night before, but as the day warmed, low clouds crept in, shrouding the hills. The snow softened, and the melt accelerated.
At Ball Lake, we considered ascending the ridge but decided against it. Fog clung below the ridgeline, obscuring any potential views. Instead, we lingered at the lake, enjoying snacks and conversation before turning back.
On our return, we followed our original track. However, with the rising temperatures, the forest felt more like a monsoon than a winter wonderland—dripping snowmelt cascaded from the trees.
Still, it was a lovely day out in the hills, and a perfect escape from the usual Elma snowshoe route.