"With the advent of freezing temperatures in late autumn and winter, salamanders tunnel deeper into forest soil, sometimes to a depth of a metre, or into well-rotted logs that may never reach freezing temperatures.
Layers of snow insulate against the penetration of colder air and help protect species living at the northern edges of their geographical ranges. During the winter months, salamanders enter a period of inactivity, or torpor, to conserve valuable energy for the next spring’s breeding." - From the Ontario Nature Website