Winter is a special time of year. So when the signs of spring come peaking around the corner, I try to soak up every last possible snowflake, frolic in the crisp air, and enjoy the solitude of the outdoors.

Algonquin Provincial Park is gorgeous in any season, but to me, particularly in winter when the trees are dusted with snow and trekking without snowshoes guarantees at some point landing knee or waist deep in a drift. Then the onset of spring signals even more opportunities to get outdoors.

There are many different ways to identify the first day of spring including meteorologically, astronomically, culturally, based on naturally events, or even ecologically. Ecologically reckoning spring is achieved using biological indicators such as the blossoming of plant species, the activities of animals, or the temperature of soil. Typically spring (first day of) in the Northern Hemisphere is marked by the astronomical March equinox, and the Northern solstice (around 21 June) is taken as the last day of spring.

But no matter the season you are in, catapulting yourself into the outdoors can be a life-changing experience, providing a greater sense of purpose and understanding, via the road less travelled!

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