PRINCETON, Mass. - Most people probably decided to stay inside on Saturday, but the few who chose to venture out into sub-zero temperatures were more than happy to have the great outdoors to themselves. 

When people arrived at Wachusett Mountain early Saturday morning, temperatures were hovering around -13 degrees. It would take roughly 11 minutes for frostbite to set in, so those on the mountain said the first rule of thumb is to prepare accordingly. 

"Layers," said Ed Schauffele. "You have to be very careful not to overdress so you don't sweat or perspire, because that can be very dangerous."

Schauffele was up on the summit of Wachusett, but he wasn't getting ready for a smooth ride down the mountain. Believe it or not, he was coming back down from a hike. 

"I got into winter hiking a couple of years ago and absolutely love it, it’s exhilarating," Schauffele said. "We recently did Kearsarge in Central New Hampshire and Mount Cardigan, and we're planning on doing North Kinsman maybe in another week or so."

For everyone else on the mountain, a quick slide down the slopes with the promise of a warm base lodge at the bottom made it a little bit easier to contend with Mother Nature. Even so, Wachusett was much less busy than a typical Saturday morning. 

"It’s great for the customers because there's no one here, you can expect a million runs and be able to come in and grab a table or 10 and have no other people around," said co-owner Carolyn Crowley Stimpson. "It's frustrating as an operator because we put all that snow up there and we're waiting for you guys to show up and there's no one here!"

Following one of the warmest Januaries on record, it’s also been a plus to have the snowmakers working in full force these past few days. The trails will need it, because Sunday and the week ahead won't be nearly as cold. 

"It’s crazy, isn't it?" Crowley said. "Tomorrow is going to be 40. What is that? I've never heard of that, that's crazy."