On a mild winter day I drove up through the Lac du Bois Grasslands to the upper end of the Nature Conservancy.    Snow covered the tracks of the route I had chosen so I stomped through the snow past a few animal tracks, but no other human footprints.    The low winter sun shone over the chain of ponds as I hiked up into the forest.  

An old double track leads to the eastern end of Clay Lake.    On the shoreline is the old Reid Homestead, built in 1912.  

All was quiet on the lake.    Later in the season I will return here on snowshoes.   

An old track climbs the slope bearing south, emerging into the grasslands at a marsh.  

I looped back across the upper grasslands to complete my 1.5 hour loop route, coming back past the old Nesbitt Homestead on the lower pond.

I spotted various tracks – snowshoe hare, deer, coyote, and small rodents.   But all of the animals stayed hidden.   All was quiet in the Conservancy.   A few images are shared here.    Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.  

above the upper marsh

on the edge of the lower marsh

douglas firs on the edge of the upper grasslands

a snow-covered skeleton

remains of the Nesbitt homestead by the lower pond

the Reid Homestead (1912)

A YouTube video shares some of the moments: