I meet lots of folks who think that I have the greatest job in the world. They are right, guiding is a great gig, except they do not understand what my job is really about. Most think that I am fishing or bird hunting or paddling a canoe or watching eagles all of the time. What I am actually doing is helping someone else do those things and be successful at it, safe and comfortable as I can make them.

Thirty-five degrees this morning with the wind in the southwest. It has been very cold since late December with several mornings in the range of twenty below zero. We have had plenty of snow. A good old-fashioned winter here in Maine. Although records were broken for lowest high temperatures and the longest stretch below fifteen degrees. Still the winter skies have been as clear and blue as they always are.

Yes, it has been cold here and there is not really a break in sight at least for the next ten days or so. This is the sort of weather that clients imagine we have all winter. Truth is that while this is not record-breaking cold it will be notable for its duration. How cold is it?