Talk about instant seasonal changes! Whew! We went from fall right into mid-winter. Then we got a touch of spring rains, followed by Arctic blasts. And all in just one week!

The snow helped me get into the spirit of the season, and I’ve managed to squeeze in some browsing time (not enough, however) to scout out some Christmas gift ideas for those outdoors folks on your list. (See below for some suggestions.)

Saturday’s and Sunday’s storm surprised three hiking groups, stranding them in the western part of the state where snow depths ranged to 30 inches. The three groups (one with 10 Oxford Hills High School students and two adult leaders, one with three Unity College students and one party of two) survived without injury, but wardens had their work cut out mounting three separate searches. The larger group was brought out on snowmobiles, the Unity students were found in their car and the party of two was airlifted because deep snow precluded their walking out.

The bad news is, these folks needed help in getting home, but it’s good to hear everyone seemed to be well equipped for cold-weather excursions. Unfortunately they didn’t or couldn’t get accurate weather forecasts. I’d like to think anyone venturing out would have checked out the weather expectations.

I may not be one to talk, however. I ventured out Saturday morning on a portion of the Appalachian Trail – the western end of the 100-mile wilderness in Monson. Three of us, well aware the storm was coming, planned to walk three miles from Route 15 to the Leeman Brook Lean-to, have lunch there and hike back out.

We were pretty well equipped and our excursion went according to plan. I met Robert Causey and Karen Francoeur, my companions in adventure, for breakfast at the Countryside Restaurant in Corinth, then headed north to hit the trail. It was a good workout (for me anyway, since hiking with a pack has not been in the cards this year) and we managed to get to the lean-to and back to the car before dark and the snow arrived.

This section of trail takes you past the southern end of Spectacle Pond, and close by Bell and Lily ponds. All were frozen-over and along the trail we were treated to wondrous displays of frost spikes, some as tall as six or seven inches. They resemble stag horn choral in appearance, only they’re much more delicate. In places pebbles sat atop these pencil-thin shafts. We speculated the whole day about how they grow upward from the ground looking much like they were extruded through a screen.

We’re still speculating. I had to stop to rest my brain we speculated so much.

Come Wednesday it was time to think ahead – to spring – for the fourth annual Paddle Smart from the Start safety symposium. Brad Ryder, owner of Epic Sports; Francoeur, owner of Castine Kayak Adventures; the Coast Guard, the YMCA and several of us sea kayak guides are beginning the task of organizing next year’s event for May, so stay tuned. It promises to be better than ever and quite likely will be spread out over Friday night and Saturday. I’ll keep you posted.

While I was at Epic Sports Wednesday morning at the planning session for Paddle Smart, I took advantage of Ryder’s hospitality and hit him up for some ideas for that outdoor-type person on your list. (Actually, there are some suggestions for anyone who leaves the house in the winter.)

So let’s get to it. Here, in random order (like a kid flitting about a candy store) are the ideas:

Snowshoes: We have snow! Check out the Tubbs and Atlas lines. There are more the top-of-the-line features trickling down into the recreational-class shoes. Tubbs has snowshoes designed for women, and there are now two sizes for children as well. You can spend from $130 to $270 depending on how high-tech you want to go.

Snowboards and cross county skis: I’m not a boarder, but there’s a cadre of folks who are, and the equipment is evolving. The same goes for cross-country skis. They’re shorter and wider and some are designed for back-country use. Packages for poles, boots, skis and bindings will run upwards of $190. You can also rent a package for $15 a day or $25 for the weekend.

Traction control for your feet: There are at least a half-dozen different types of rigs you can strap onto the bottom of your boots to keep you from slipping on ice. “Stabilicers” make several right here in Maine (Biddeford) that cost $39 to $49. There’s a brand called Yaktrax that is elastic and snaps on over your boot. It costs $29.

Boots: And speaking of snapping something over your boot… There are insulated varieties for recreating in the snow that will keep you warm and dry and don’t weigh a ton. Solomon and Columbia brands both are aimed at the active, outdoor type – one with a few bucks to spare. They run around $110, but you’re bound to get many seasons out of them.

Toboggans: Here’s an old favorite, and it’s made in Maine (Paris) as well. There are five- and six-footers and they run $99 and $115, cushions extra.

Booties: These are the cat’s meow for the cold-footed among us. Epic has a few brands, one Sierra Designs, one is Marmott, the third is Mountain Hardware. All are down-filled – the Marmot has goose down and a synthetic insulation; the Mountain Hardware has a hard sole. All would be great for after skiing or around camp. They cost $35-$99.

Long underwear: Speaking of the cold, check out Icebreakers. They’re way cool long underwear (tops and bottoms) made of non-itchy Merino wool. I’m not sure if there’s a guarantee to keep you warm, but there should be at $70 apiece. Then there’s the latest rage in the soccer-hockey-football set – Under Armor. It’s a snug fitting base layer that athletes are gobbling up, Ryder told me. At $50 they’re flying off the racks.

All-round winter sports pants: Check our Sporthill’s XC pants. While they’re aimed at cross country skiers, they’re way more versatile and they’re rugged as well as hydrophobic. They’re about $75.

Over-pants: White Sierra has a snow pant that’s lightly insulated, wind and water resistant, reinforced at the knees and bottom and best of all it’s only $40 – one of the truly great bargains I found.

Dressy: Do you have a special lady on your list, one who is out and about but needs to be less sporty and more dressy? Check out the Icelandic Design and Ibex-lined sweaters. At close to $200 they’re pricey but darn good-looking – and warm to boot!

Outdoor “toys:” Here’s some ideas for the gearhead on your list:

. Suunto’s wrist altimeter, barometer, compass, watch and heart-rate monitor. At $329 it’ll tell you just about anything you want to know when you’re outdoors, but don’t forget to take along your GPS.

. 180-Degree earmuffs. At $20 a pair, these ear warmers clamp onto your ears from behind your head leaving room on top for your favorite NASCAR cap. Now you’ll never have to give up wearing that old greasy thing and your ears will stay warm all winter.

. How about a head lamp. Petzl has come out with the TikkaPlus with four LEDs and a few triple A batteries. It’s bright enough to find your way in the darkest of nights and light enough so you’ll not know it’s on your head. It costs $32.95. While you’re standing at that rack there are several Petzl lamps in the Myo series. They vary by the number of LEDs, but each has a bright incandescent bulb. They cost between $33 and $70.

. Windmill’s windproof, waterproof lighter will guarantee you a light even in the foulest of weather. There are two models – $49 and $59.

. Snowpeak’s collapsible, self-stowing chopsticks made of metal and wood are just the ticket for your rice and beans. They take up less room than a pencil and cost $25 for a pair.

. From the FAR OUT department, checkout titanium tent stakes ($3.75 and $4.25 each. They’re so light you won’t know you have them with you. You could pick up a titanium cookset ($55.95) and still be right around a pound of weight. And then there are the ice climber’s dream ice axes, the Aztar, from Petzl. At $175 apiece (you’ll want one for each hand) they’ll practically climb a sheer wall by themselves.

. Tree ornaments that also act as wall ornaments throughout the year – they come in the shape of canoes, kayaks, outhouses, lanterns, paddles, backpacks etc.

. Banff Film Festival tickets are on sale for the Feb. 12 show. Get them now, they’re always a sell out. This year the show will be at Peaks Auditorium at Bangor High School.

. And from the WAY FAR OUT department, there are three models of National Geographic telescopes for sale from $179 to $499. You get a tripod and multiple eyepieces and you’ll be able to count the blemishes on your favorite Martian from right here on earth!

. If you’re doing some winter hiking, snowboarding, back-country skiing, etc., you’ll want to check out the Zulu pack from Gregory. This top loader will hold all these winter toys and more and has 2,700 to 2,900 cubic inches of space to hold the rest of your winter toys all accessible from the front through a zipper. It costs $189. It’s brother, the Ekko, has all of the same features except the snowboard-holding accessory. It costs $159.

So there you have it. Go forth and shop ’til you drop!

Jeff Strout can be reached at 990-8202 or by e-mail at jstrout@bangordailynews.net.