Westport, NY, Jan 25, 2011 — This week, temperatures in North Country plummeted to 35 below zero Fahrenheit, as arctic air from Canada settled over the Northeast.

Schools were forced to close and communities opened shelters for people who needed a safe place to sleep and warm up.

During the cold snap, Brian Mann set out on his snowshoes to get a taste of that frigid winter weather. He sent an audio postcard from the Champlain Valley.