Backpacking through Snow for Fun?

We made an impromptu trip out to our family property this last weekend. The route was covered in snow 2ft+ deep, and was far too soft to drive on top of. My cousin quickly figured that out after getting his truck buried after only 100ft. However the ATVs we brought were light enough and we used them to haul the majority of our gear. The rest of our gear we hiked down on our frame packs.

Unfortunately I still haven't invested in snow shoes, so the hike was slow going. I was very impressed with my son who didn't complain once on the long hike.

We arrived at the lake to find it frozen over, and strong enough to walk across. We didn't want to push the limits, so we only ventured out a short distance onto the lagoon section for pictures. My girlfriend's grandmother has told us stories of her ice skating on the lake when she was little. That would be an amazing experience especially for my girlfriend who's an avid figure/syncro ice skater. I'll have to research the proper procedures and safety guidelines for skating on a naturally frozen lake.

Before dinner We spent a couple hours digging out the old fire pit, and building a curved wind break wall around it with the snow. For dinner we boiled water and ate a few dehydrated meals. I can't praise those enough, so simple and delicious. I especially love the chili-mac and lasagna dinners. After dinner we enjoyed some scotch & cigars around the fire pit. We also had some music thanks to my iPod and the surprisingly good/cheap travel speakers I bought earlier in the day.

It rained all night on us, but fortunately stopped long enough the next day for us to pack up and hike out. We also had to spend three hours digging my cousin's truck out of the snow. Very laborious, but a good educational lesson for my city slicker friends.

In all a great trip. I can't wait to come back and spend more time at the lake this spring!

Snow Trip!

We made a trip out to Cle Elum, WA this last weekend with friends to have some fun in the snow. A friend of mine has family there that generously let us all stay with them and ride their snow mobiles.

The fun began as soon as we arrived. We were treated to an evening snow mobile ride over the ridge to the Starlite Resort for drinks and food. Riding sleds at night with a bright moon lighting up the snow is a pretty cool experience. Last year we made a late night run up to Teanaway Butte which has a great view of Cle Elum, Roslyn, and the surrounding mountains & lakes.

This year I was impressed with how much my riding skills have improved. While I've driven all sorts of motosport toys, each one has their own environment and handling specialties. I used to ride snow mobiles avidly on family vacations when I was a kid, but haven't had the chance as an adult until just last year. This year I was able to throw my weight around more, ride at higher speeds, navigate tighter turns, and read the terrain better. I wish there was more snow in the winter where I live, so I had an excuse to own a snow machine of my own.

Saturday we setup a 9-hole pitch and putt golf course in the snow covered field to be played using tennis balls. We marked the tee boxes and hand dug holes with red paint so they could be seen from a distance. Everyone had a blast playing through the course. It was a sight to see, since everyone was in costume for the Sat night "Pimps & Hoes" party. We came prepared with velvet jump suits from Gen-X and tons of accessories.

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing. I thoroughly enjoyed the stash of Arturo Fuento Gran Reserva and Balvenie 12yr I brought along.

Can't wait for next year!