The best thing, probably, for the travelers to have done in the emergency would have been to have turned round the moment it began to snow, and go back as fast as possible by the way that they came, as long as they were sure of the path, and then to wait until the fallen snow had melted.

If they found then that the snow did not melt, so that they could see the path again, it would be better to return altogether, as their chance of being able to follow the path back toward their home would be much greater than that of pursuing it forward; for they might expect to find some guidance, in going back, by their recognition of the place which they had passed in ascending.
Forester, however, did not happen to think of this; and so when it began to snow, his only immediate desire was to go forward as fast as possible, so as to get into the woods again where he and Marco would be in some measure under shelter.
Marco finding that Forester appeared somewhat anxious, began to feel some sentiment of fear himself.
"Who would have thought," said he, "that we should have got caught out in this snow-storm ?" "Oh, it is not a snow-storm," replied Forester.

"It is only a little snow flurry.

It will be over in a few minutes." "How do you know that it is not going to be a snow-storm ?" asked Marco.
"Because storms never come out of the west," replied Forester.
It snowed, however, faster and faster, and the ground soon began to be entirely whitened.

Forester pressed on, but he soon found himself at a loss for his way.