Winter Light over Pawlet

Winter brings more than deep snow and frigid temperatures to Pawlet. With the changing of seasons, comes a changing of the guard of local birds and an absence of hibernators roaming the forests. Snow becomes quilted with the crossing tracks of mammals and indented with their resting spots. Vibrant wildflowers transform into drab skeletal stalks that release more of their seeds with each gust and storm. Soundscapes and footfall become muffled by the padding of snow.

Winter also brings a drastic shift in how sunlight settles across the mountains and valley. The lower angle of the sun in the sky creates more dramatic shadows — especially as the sun sets and the light takes on warmer evening colors as it travels through more of the atmosphere than in other seasons. Snow-frosted mountain tops turn rosy with the last minutes of daylight. On one of the darkest days of the year, it can be worth chasing the last light with a climb to the top of the hill.