Seven spirited club members took part in one of this season’s last snowshoe outings on Saturday, March 12th, when Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists trekked the half loop at Lightning Lakes, a distance of 4.5 km. It was snowing heavily as we set off on the trail, which lent a hushed and tranquil quality to our first half hour, especially as there were still several feet of snow on the ground. Soon, however, the sun began to shine brightly on the lake, filtering through the evergreens and onto our path, which cut across steep banks above the water. The diverse shades of green were striking as we hiked through the woods, mosses and lichens combining with an assortment of conifers, and we were enticed to make a number of photo stops. This trail is rated moderate in its level of difficulty, and is an interesting walk. We had numerous large, fallen trees to climb over as well, a tricky maneuver with snowshoes and poles to consider! We crossed at Rainbow Bridge and made our way back to the day use area, where we enjoyed our lunch. The picnic tables were buried in snow, so we stood in the sunshine and watched as Gray Jays boldly attempted to steal our food. This trek took just over 2 hours, and we met a few friendly folk on the trail, mostly people who had traveled from the lower mainland for a day’s outing. We in Princeton are privileged to have Manning Park in our own “backyard” – this scenic spot is a true treasure!