The cold here in New Hampshire is different than in Salt Lake City, Utah. Sure, Utah has a fair amount of snow, and plenty of cold, cold days, but the Wasatch Mountains are incredibly protective, cradling the city in a safe bubble, and the air is dry that the cold weather doesn’t permeate. Rarely does that entirely bone-chilling cold appear. Here in Holderness, the air bites any exposed skin and breezes through layers of clothing in a way I have never experienced before. I’m told that this is only the beginning of it all- that within a few months, everything will be deeply entrenched in wet, heavy snow and Squam Lake will be covered in well over a foot of solid ice.
The first thing I noticed as we unloaded tools from the truck to start working on the trail was that the ground was frozen. Trail work and building mostly involves digging, breaking up layers of impacted dirt and plant litter. That becomes complicated when the ground is literally frozen solid. This, in combination with the fact that my hands immediately felt like they were about to fall off made me question my sanity in uprooting my life to drive across the country and serve an Americorps term with the Squam Lakes Association.
“Why would I do this to myself?” I thought to myself, even as I hefted a ground tool and a bucket and began the walk to where we would begin work. This question echoed in my mind as the winds battered us and chilled me entirely.
As I crunched across soil crystallized by hoarfrost, though, I started to notice the beauty of it all. Everything sparkled slightly, finely covered by gentle frost. There were mushrooms on every fallen log and poking through layers of fallen leaves. Those leaves have a special, sweet smell that I wish I could make into a candle. Wintergreen was everywhere, bright red berries catching my eye everywhere I looked. And the sun helped raise my spirits, as well as the temperature of the soil, just enough, that we could actually work on the trail in question. In turn, the digging warmed me up enough to remember why I was there.
I have a deep passion for conservation. I love the outdoors. I grew up surrounded by public land, and took it for granted for a very long time. I’ve hiked, rafted, climbed, and backpacked for as long as I can remember, which gave me such a deep love for the natural landscape and for wildlife. As I have recreated, I’ve been lucky enough to see some of the most beautiful parts of this world, from huge valleys full of frolicking marmots to craggy mountain peaks and beautiful lakes. I’m looking forward to helping conserve a little part of it.
When I left Salt Lake City, a month ago now, to drive solo across the entire country, Squam Lake seemed like something I had imagined. When I told friends and family that I was uprooting my life in Salt Lake City to spend my year plowing snow, building trails, and learning the ins and outs of conservation on an absolutely beautiful lake, they all told me that it sounded like a dream, and they were right. Despite the cold and despite the windchill, I am so excited to serve this year, and learn everything I can about this beautiful place.
Kodi is a full-time member serving at the Squam Lakes Association. She graduated from Utah Valley University with a B.S. in Behavioral Science and Outdoor Recreation Management. Learn more about Kodi here!