When snow covers the hills there is a period of time when hiking becomes more difficult, but the amount of snow is not enough to put on snowshoes.    Some of the lower trails become stomped in by community hikers, but the upper hills see little hiking.    On a snowy day a rough route plan was to hike a loop through the Ironmask Hills.   The first time I hiked the areas was in 1977, but there are now many bike trails in the area.    The hike for this day was on some of the original double and single tracks, but also on some of the more recent single tracks.  The north-facing slopes of Pineview Valley and the Ironmask Hills are forested.  

From the hilltops are viewpoints down to the Thompson River Valley. 

A few wind-shaped trees stand (or slant) on the slope-breaks.  

Snow and frost covered the trees, the lichens, and the grassy slopes.    The views toward Greenstone Mountain and Sugarloaf Hill were shrouded in snowy clouds.  A few snags stood in the forest.  

The hiking up the double tracks was slow, but steady.    The steep downhills were very slow, but I wore microspikes and descended with care.  

At this time of year, hiking in the snowy hills has a special flavor, a fir-scented snow stomp.