Snow is rapidly retreating in town and around our house. Our snowman from a couple of weeks ago is down to barely a snow hump of a body. But, the cool nights give us the nordic skiers' Spring gift - Crust. A nice crunchy firm layer that allows you to skate ski in the backcountry. We are usually limited to skate skiing on only groomed trails through the winter. A favorite Spring Crust ski is on frozen Portage Lake. It is about a mile or two ski to the face of the glacier. In the summer you could never get this close to the glacier safely, so it is a special treat to ski right up to it. When we did it last year it was windy and the kids and I never made it to the glacier. This year it was gorgeous. Calm, sunny, and although only in the 40's it felt hot with the sun beating off the snow.
Russell pulled both kids in the sled and I used the Chariot to shuttle lunch, extra clothing, and the kids skis. There were many other like minded skiers there and 4 other families with young kids. We played and skied around the back part of the lake by the glacier and hung out in the sunshine for several hours before heading back. By 1:00pm when we started back it was no longer crust but heavier wet snow. Still, the skiing was great. I could at last keep up with Russell for a bit. It was flat, he was pulling 100 pounds of kid, and he'd broken a pole so had only one. At least now I know how to adequately handicap him if I need to!
The pack of kids, dogs, Chariots, sleds, and skis.
Natalie and I doing races - her rules, of course. I with no poles and her with no skis.
View of Portage Glacier from across the lake.
