Today I went hiking with my friend, Joe, from the UK. After hours plunging through the snow, we both decided it was time to take a break. Entering the forest was sadly not an option… as the amount of rocks, hidden below the thick layers of snow were countless. Instead we chose to dig a speedy pit, leaving us with the perfect and almost instant shelter. Important to note that we dug until we hit solid ground, to create the perfect base for our fire.
My dog, Aritza, had decided to go ahead and fill the “leader” position, by showing us what to do and how to do it… haha, can’t say we didn’t have a laugh. The pit is perfect if you want your fire to stay ignited and be sure that it does not sink along the way and of course… being able to enjoy the wintery day without the cold, sneaky wind was a bonus! Spring is closing in, and the snow is slowly retracting… but as you can see, there is plenty left!
A quick tarp setup on our ski poles, anchored with snow at its ends, gave us a nice roof that kept us dry from the falling snow. It turned out to be the perfect time for Joe’s very first attempt to build a fire in the snow, by using a fire-steel and wood that we had found while hiking. He quickly came to the realization that building a fire in the summer is way simpler than building one in these cold, moist surroundings. If I remember correctly, there was a sigh of relief when the fire ignited and we soon after started to prepare our food and drinks.
With a fresh cup of tea, made out of pine needles we had collected during our trip and some home-made food, we could relax and enjoy the quality time. Although the journey is amazing, I personally love the part where we can sit down, make a fire, with food and drinks at our feet and breathe in nature’s fresh air. It does it for me every time! The feeling of accomplishment and all that nature has to offer will leave you feeling fresh and energized, so please join us on our next trip!
