Wow, what a trip! We hiked/snowshoed over 10 miles in two days! On Wednesday, the first 3 miles or so were completely bare of snow. It drizzled rain, slush, and then snow! The last mile had some snow but not enough to need snowshoes. The last leg of the trip is the toughest as it is a pretty steep hill but as soon as the children caught sight of the hut they charged!After exploring the hut, picking sleeping spaces in the loft, and getting a snack, it was time for the first thing that was on all the children’s list....sledding! It’s hard to believe that after hiking 4.5 miles, with a pack the entire way for some, that there would still be energy to sled but, sure enough, they went out to sled! Remember that steep hill we had to climb to get to the hut? The children have probably hiked that hill countless times as they climbed up for another sled ride down!
We woke up the next morning to discover fresh snow covering the trees and ground! What a sweet surprise! A few children made pancakes for us and then we spent the morning on the sledding hill. After lunch, it was time to put on our snowshoes and do some exploring. We followed a few trails, saw a glimpse of Mt. Rainier, and enjoyed the sun peeking out. And what did we do when we returned to the hut? You guessed right if you said sledding! We have some pretty unforgettable sledding stories to tell!
That evening, the time finally arrived to read Sasquatch! The children have been wishing for this book as our read aloud for some time and we decided we would read the book while on our trip. It was a great read with some mystery, suspense, and twist. We all enjoyed it and I think I can safely say we all love the sweet Sasquatch! Thanks for the book Maggi!
We woke up the next morning to discover fresh snow covering the trees and ground! What a sweet surprise! A few children made pancakes for us and then we spent the morning on the sledding hill. After lunch, it was time to put on our snowshoes and do some exploring. We followed a few trails, saw a glimpse of Mt. Rainier, and enjoyed the sun peeking out. And what did we do when we returned to the hut? You guessed right if you said sledding! We have some pretty unforgettable sledding stories to tell!The next morning some of us enjoyed reading what we had written in the hut book last year and wrote a new entry for this trip. We said goodbye to our home in the mountains and headed back to the sno-park. We made record time with the help of the cold and rain and anxious children to see their families!
It was a very full three days (Cedar even lost a tooth!). I am so impressed with all the children’s perseverance, strength, courage, and support for one another. And thank you parents that came along! Woohoo, we could not have done it without you! I hope you have all recovered!
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Wow Wow WOWWW!!! Thanks so much for telling us your story! Zac and I thought about all of you many times while you were up there. We talked about the snow (or lack of it), the weather (was it cold enough to snow??), hoped that you got more of it (you did!!) and then wanted to hear all the stories. Oh, yes, and we got excited about going next year!! Sounds like a real great time....we are so impressed at how long you had to walk with all your stuff!
ReplyDeleteWell, see you on Monday!
-Zac, Jody and Rachel
Thank you all (and especially Jeriann and Brandon) for creating such a special, memorable trip for the children. Galen was sooooooooo jealous, and of course excited for his turn next year.
ReplyDeleteIt is so sweet to see the kiddos all bundled up with their sleds and snowshoes. - Beth