I’m making a list and checking it twice. Not for Christmas but the final push, er dig in my target area. Snow, ice, frozen sand and rocks call for a serious tool selection. Might be a suitable time to try out a rental generator and electric jack hammer. Add a heater and tarp to break any breeze in cold temperatures.

Are studded tires still an option? Or better yet, superior tire chains. Ice under snow is always a cause for concern especially on narrow forestry trails near a ski hill. The cold weather is essential to my success. Sounds wrong I know. Digging into a stream bed anytime of the year produces water. Cold water. But in cold weather I may be able to stall that problem as it freezes.

So while nurses and staffers at the hospital are headed south to Phoenix, Vegas or Mexico, I’m gathering cold weather clothing and tools. More than my previous quests, this one needs thorough planning.

Again I emphasize how decades of prairie training prepared me for the season and effort required. The historic DuMont Ranch offers a B and B with everything I required in comforts including a wood stove to recover from the cold day and a tub to hold gallons of hot water.

Mentally prepared, mechanically ready. Opportunity awaits the challenge. I hope to hear a wolf howl too.

TBC