Natalie breaking trail while skiing on the Turnagain arm trail much earlier in the winter after a sizable snowfall. We are on track to have one of the snowiest winters on record. We certainly aren't experiencing Valdez like conditions, but it is the most snow we can remember in a while. We also had the coldest January on record with an average temperature (recorded at one of the warmest parts of town) of 3.6 degrees. Suffice it to say we spent a lot of January BELOW zero. Again, not Fairbanks, but colder than we in Anchorage are used to. So this week as it warmed up into the teens, 20s, and even 30s we were ecstatic! We haven't bothered to shovel the decks as it has been enough to stay on top of keeping the driveway clear. Below is a picture of our smaller deck off our bedroom. The railing is about 3.5 feet tall. The largest pillow we can recall!
Russell trying to give some scale to the size of the berm by our driveway. This is the tallest bit, but it is similar height on either side going down the driveway. It's one thing to move the snow out of the way. It is a whole separate challenge to find someplace to put it. When we work it as a team, I move the snow out of the way. Russell comes behind me to hoist it up onto the 2-3 foot berm. In this way it only takes 30-40 minutes to clear the driveway instead of almost twice that if Russell does it alone. Yeah, yeah, we could get a snow blower or hire someone to plow, but it would rob of us of that great work out, right? These enormous piles of snow, of course, are just begging to be made into snow caves. There is one with four tunnels at the far end of the driveway. Natalie and I came home yesterday afternoon after skiing(me) and swimming (Natalie) and found that Russell had excavated another adventure for the snow.
Here is the entrance to the Hood bobsled run. Above next to Russell and below looking into it.
Liam beginning his run shooting through the tunnel....
Looking down on Natalie as she is headed about halfway down. You can admire Russell's hardwork to build the trench all the way down. He and Liam were outside for about 3 hours yesterday working on it!
Russell and Natalie after a wipe out mid way down. The run didn't work so well with two going down at once.
Natalie at the entrance to the other snow cave. It had to be re-opened after the 12+ inches we got on Friday.
Every year on SuperBowl Sunday Anchorage hosts the Ski for Women. It is a fabulous fundraiser for the local shelter for abused women. Hundreds of women come out to ski a 4K course. Many dress up, participate as teams of friends, mothers/daughters, etc. I've done it a number of times over the past 14 years. The last time was a couple of years ago with a 5 year old Natalie. It was single digits with a frigid wind (as the conditions often are). Natalie and I bailed halfway through because we were both frozen. It is hard to generate enough heat skiing alongside a 5 year old, however tough she may be. I had also participated in earlier years pulling the Chariot with her in it - much easier and warmer! I think everyone was thrilled to have new snow, sunshine, and temperatures in the high teens and 20s. Natalie is a far more accomplished skier now and had no difficulty whatsoever skiing the whole course with me. We had fun picking out our fairy outfits and making our head garlands last night. We dubbed ourselves the Equinox Mother/Daughter Fairy Duo: Autumn and Spring.
Checking out all the other costumes is as much fun as skiing! Some of Natalie's and my favorites:The Octopi
The Kraken. Everyone thought it was a giant octopus. But, no, it was a representation of the giant mythical sea monsters that would lurk in the ocean and sink ships. Whatever it was, it was a great utilization of a lot of bubble wrap and spray paint.
The Giraffes. This is what I guess you do with a month of subzero temperatures.... craft really outlandish costumes for an hour of skiing!
