More firsts...Harp Mountain!

After several hikes over the years exploring the ridges and intermediate summits along Harp Mountain, Willa finally made it to THE summit!


the summit

 It was a gorgeous sunny day but with a rather cruel icy wind blowing along the ridges!  As the trail wound it's way up taking its hikers from one side of the spine to the other, we vacillated between uncomfortably cold and quite hot.  It was probably the most challenging hike Willa has done to date and she rose to it despite feeling tired and at times not sure if she would make it.  I have always told my kids a hike can be tough...grueling at times....but that reward at the top!  It makes it all WORTH IT!  And the cool part is that once you've had a rest and refueled, you'll feel energized again-ready and strong for the trip back, or perhaps to take on a little more!  The top of Harp is a treat- a nice flat area to explore and hang out on with rocks above marking the summit.  It provides an amazing view of our valley and the next one over as well....we're always looking to spy our friend's house over there!  Willa found an eagle feather at the top and was very excited examining all the tiny details in that HUGE feather!  One small piece of an immature bald.  How did it get there?!  Did it just fall off?  We spied an eagle circling overhead and wondered if it belong to it.  Willa jumped around the rocks up there, arms outstretched, feather in hand feeling sure that the it was giving her extra loft. 

Not knowing that it is TOTALLY illegal to take an eagle feather :0 I let her carry it home to show Miles and to compare with her friend Lily's eagle feather.  Yup.  Bad Mommy.  Apparently it's around a $100,000 fine and/or jail time if you are found with an eagle feather???!!!  Zoiks!  Back up it goes!  Either we will take it back up ourselves when we go for the longer ridge hike that we have planned.....or we'll find a buddy to return to get it back sooner.  I did feel a little guilt when we took it....I was touched by Willa's excitement and awe of the feather, but I also felt that other people should be able to see and enjoy it....Take only pictures, right?  Sigh....so I will feel better once it is back up in it's home.  And I'm really proud that Willa could understand and agree with this, even though she was disappointed.

On our way back down the mountain we found a couple of snow fields that looked like they might provide some fun glissade opportunities so we gave it a go.  HOOKED now!!!!  It was SOOOOOOOOO fun!!!  I felt like a little kid!   We want to do some more sliding before all the snow melts in our valley!  Below are a couple videos I took of us slidin' on down.  Too fun! 

And then.... I slipped on some mud when trying to position myself to take that photo of Willa sliding below, over supinated my right foot and sprained it.  "Pop!", I heard.  Oi.  Pay back for taking the feather?  Hmmmmmm......Karma.  Well, better ME then Willa!  I was ok getting back down the mountain and I can walk just fine on it.  But running and hiking?  OUT for now.  I've been icing, elevating, compressing, and even letting Curzie adjust it(which actually feels good!).  We'll see how long this shit lasts......I don't do injury well AT ALL.

We'll put the feather back, I PROMISE!!!!!  Heal up, ankle, and I'll take it right back up there myself!!!!

And next time I won't wear minimalist running shoes on that type of terrain.  ;)

The mountains just go on and on!  Love that beautiful gradient!!!

Refueling.  See?!?!  You feel better already!

touch those clouds....

In awe of this child...this amazing creature...

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Grrr you stupid bow and arrow!

Hmmmm....Something Wonderful?  Well....it was NEW.  And Willa loved it.  Playing with bows and arrows.  We have 2 kid-type bows and a new target.  Willa and I practiced our archery acumen(LOL).  She kicked my ass.  And all I got for my efforts was a burned up arm for not knocking the arrow correctly.  Just call me Katniss.

While we were out goofin' around some, seriously dark clouds came over the ridge.  And then THUNDER!!! LOVE thunder in the mountains!  Rare here.  Suddenly the wind just started cranking so we packed it up and went inside.  Rain fell in sheets and it was actually the closest we've come to warm rain in years!  Here's Willa enjoying it on the deck:

One extra day of Spring Break

Spring Eve...
 Willa and I played hooky yesterday.  ;}  I wasn't ready for Spring Break to be over.  And the sun was boomin', so, we went snowshoeing up Bear Pass.  Willa has hiked up there many times, but this was her first snowshoe to the top!  It was quite a challenge for her and I wasn't sure we were going to make it.  Despite the moaning and groaning she was inwardly determined to get herself up there.  And that she did.  We ate our lunches, explored and played around up top for awhile before heading back down.  Down is always the best part because you can slide quite a bit with your snowshoes!  Hearing her laughing and yelling out,"This is the FUNNEST thing I've ever done!" made my heart sing.  I'm so glad and honored that we are able to give her this magic.
WONDERFUL day....

Almost there!

HARDCORE KIDDO!!!!

Made it!  Whew.

So tiny against those mountains!

LOTS of people have been skiing and boarding here.  Tracks everywhere!

Snow angels

Biffed!  Dragon likes it, though!



The Season of Snow is Upon Us

We've got about 2 -3 feet of snow-pack now and spent the weekend taking full advantage of it. This year's snow slides are being established on the property, and after cutting down so much brush this summer due to bears, we have a lot more area to use.

On Friday we joined Nature Lady and family for a ski out to the cabin they were renting for a couple of days. Nature Lady is the Head Naturalist at the Eagle River Nature Center and they have an extensive trail system including part of the original Iditerod Trail.

There are a few yurts and cabins sprinkled about and are available to the public throughout the year. It was a stormy looking day but beautiful none the less.

Since Lo has only skied a handful of times we brought the chariot for her to ride in in case she got tired on the way out. She was nervous about being on skis again but after awhile she got her ski legs back and did great! She skied most of the way to the cabin.

Dea, Leisel and Wolfman took off right away and were pretty much out of sight for the trip.

Once at the cabin the wood stove was fired up, lunch was eaten, whiskey was sipped, some knitting commenced, and there was much tawk. It was dark when we bid the O family farewell and we donned our headlamps, bundled a sleepy Lo into the chariot with her baby, and headed back down the trail toward home and Thanksgiving left overs.

On Sunday our friends from The Valley came up for a snow shoe and dinner. We had just received about 5 more inches from Sat nights storm and were still socked in but the trip was wonderful. Dea and Lo stayed back at the house for some sister time while the adults took off. We parked the truck about a half mile from the house and just headed up the valley to see how far we could get.

The JOY of snowshoes! They can get you anywhere! There is so much area in this valley that is inaccessible in the summer due to heavy brush but in the winter, it's a free for all! We spent about 3 hours playin in the back yard before heading back. Huz made some KILLER turkey soup which hit the spot-along with some homebrew-after our hearty snow-shoeing.

I promised myself our next show shoe outing will be UP. To the top of the ridge behind our house. Back there is a "bowl" where many a die hard skier/snowborder will climb and ski in the winter. You can follow a spine up to the top that will keep you out of the avalanche zone. Once you're at the top you've got a 360 of our valley and the next one over where the O family lives. Once, they were actually able to see Huz and I up there through their spotting scope! We gave them a call on our cell when we got to the top and they could see us jumping up and down waving our arms!

We just need a couple-3 hours and a clear sunny day and we're there...