Aki doesn’t want to leave the main trail to follow me onto Gastineau Meadows. I am on snowshoes so she knows to expect deep snow. If we were alone, she’d probably outright refuse.  But today the little dog and I are joined by two more members of her human family. Maybe she doesn’t want them to think that she is a wimp.  

            The little poodle-mix is right about the snow.  Ten inches of new fluff covers the meadow. The paws of a wolf that crossed the meadow last night sank six inches into the snow.  Aki’s chest is only five inches above the ground. She is right to be concerned. 

            She waits until all three of her humans have packed down a trail with their snowshoes before following. Now she has a workable trail. Then she discovers a cross-country ski track that set up overnight. Now she has a superhighway for crossing the meadow. Soon she is mincing down the ski tracks while her humans struggle in the soft snow.