In describing the Greek expedition against the Persians around 500 B.C., the Greek historian Herodotus wrote: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

If you add dogs to the list, then you've got the perfect motto for the United States Postal Service, and one that mail carrier Jeff Little takes to heart.

With temperatures hovering in the mid-teens on a bleak morning last week, a whisper-thin Little made his way through his postal route on the city's west end. It had snowed a few inches the night before and the city plows pushed the white stuff off Little's route as he delivered the mail.

Clear streets are a welcome sight for the 11-year postal veteran. They mean a break from traversing the substantial drumlins of snow that have accumulated on many of the sidewalks on his route.

"You just have to walk the streets if the sidewalks haven't been shoveled," Little said while working, maintaining his brisk delivery clip.

Winter is hands-down the worst season for mail carriers. Over the summer, carriers must often contend with snarling dogs, burning sun and a fleet of children's toys scattered across the lawns.

But during the winter, the risks of the job multiply. Freezing temperatures, impassable snow mounds and icy steps and sidewalks make for hazardous working conditions.

And it's not as if the carriers are only outside for a brief moment.

For six hours a day, maybe seven depending on the conditions, they're walking the sidewalks delivering the mail whatever the weather. But over the years, Little has gotten used to it.

"You condition your body so you don't get real tired. And you limit what you take out in a day. Then you manage as best as possible," he said.

Little's been delivering mail for many years here in Auburn, but the Texas native actually grew up in the desert.

He's accustomed to sandstorms, not snow drifts, but he became a mail carrier after he was laid off from another government job. Working for the USPS allowed him to keep his government time and retirement money.

Plus, it keeps him in great shape.

His route, around the Derby Avenue and Barber Street neighborhoods west of Auburn Correctional Facility, stretches for about 12 to 14 miles of criss-crossing roads. On an average day, Little makes 690 deliveries during the six hours he's outside.

During the winter, about the middle of December, the volume of mail picks up exponentially with the holidays. After the Christmas rush ends, the bitter cold arrives.

Little said January and February are brutal.

"It's the coldest time of the year. The temperature has dipped below zero and it's a challenge to stay alive during those months," he said.

This winter, with its yo-yoing temperatures, hasn't been as bad as winters past, but every winter can be treacherous for carriers, depending on their customers' response to the elements.

Little estimates that prior to our latest snow pummeling, about 70 percent of the walks on his route were not shoveled. He says this isn't unusual because people generally "don't sweat a couple of inches."

"Once a big storm hits, everybody's frantic and then they shovel. I've only had to stop four deliveries since the big snow, which is good for this route," he said.

On this day, the sidewalks were pretty clear and Little's path was largely unobstructed. It's getting to the sidewalk that's a bit of a quagmire.

With most of the corners plowed in, Little would be better off with crampons than his USPS-approved overboots.

"You just have to find your way in," he said as he plunged a booted foot into a knee-high snowbank. "That's the challenge of the day."

Little's overboots are part of his winter get-up that includes fingerless gloves with attached mitten tops, winter-weight pants, a multilayer jacket and a USPS knit cap.

This delivery day was a two-layer day, Little said, but he anticipated needing three layers the following day when temperatures were predicted to drop to -6 degrees Fahrenheit with the wind chill.

Frostbite is a concern at these temperatures, especially for Little's exposed fingers. His face is pretty well protected by his red-tinged beard that he's grown out a bit for the winter.

But if he dresses properly, the weather is rarely Little's biggest worry.

"You can't be too bulky or you can't see your mail and you can't move," he said.

During the summer, Little weaves his way through "the gauntlet," a stretch of his route full of rottweilers and pit bulls. In the winter, the dogs aren't as much of a concern as are the pathways to the mailboxes.

"The biggest risk is the quality of the places you're delivering to. A lot of the steps are bad and there are old railings. The Pennysavers in plastic wrap on the steps are the worst. You can slip and fall really easily on those," he said.

Already this year, according to Auburn postmaster John Moore, a carrier has broken an ankle due to sidewalks which weren't cleared. He recommends moving your mailbox if it is difficult for the carrier to reach during the winter and encourages everyone to shovel their walks regularly.

With his spaceman-style moon boots, Little can go just about anywhere, whether the path is clear or not. But he'd prefer safety over adventure.

"There's nothing that important worth risking my life over," he said.

Staff writer Lauren Ober can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or lauren.ober@lee.net