Some friends of ours (Tann and Angela Jones) who convinced us to learn to Cross Country Ski also told us how much they anjoy getting out to snowshoe here in Alaska. So I spent a lot of time looking for snowshoes and outfitted the kids and hoped it would help them enjoy being outside. Special thanks to REI and Facebook Marketplace for making this happen. Of note, Camille's snowshoes were shipped all the way from New York for these adventures. Crazy out FB has changed the way we do business.
First time out we went to Icemen Falls here on base and simply walked around the tree lines. I did not bother to adjust my snowshoes before going out so once we were out there I could not get them fit right and left them in my truck and simply walked with the kids. It taught me quickly that even though you still sink the powder in snowshoes, it is nothing compared to not having them.
We did not go that far and instead found some ice for the kids to play on. It had warmed up before this and much of the snow melted. This photo is at at the base of a small ski hill where the snowmelt had accumulated and then frozen. The kids enjoyed running and diving on the ice to slide like little penguins.
Round 2 was a few days later in the early evening where Charlotte and Camille and I went out behind our house to the marsh land to wonder around just to play in snowshoes. The lighting makes it look like light outside but it was actually fairly dark and the headlamps did help - my phone simply made it look light for some reason
It was cold and we were not out for long. I think it was around -25 if I remember right
Not sure my headlamp was built for these temperatures...
Next adventure was after Thanksgiving dinner when we went for a small walk down an dike-like elevation that runs along a road just behind out house.
This time Jari came out with us and helped me drag the kids along.
I was the source of light though the kids had a headlamp also.
How far did we go? Honestly, I would bet about 0.3 miles out and then the kids wanted to go back inside. The effort required to get the kids outside is real...
On another morning, prior to anyone waking up (I think during the Christmas break when I did not have to be a work) I went out on my own and found a small road to walk down on my own and took these pictures.
It was so quite (when one was still, my snowshoes are kind of loud actually) in the early morning hours when I was the only one out. I found moose tracks and fox tracks. I followed the moose tracks down a small path towards one of the small lakes on base and found where it had laid down for a while and then got up and wondered off. Glad I did not meet up with it as moose can be aggressive.
When you wear a mask your breath collects on your lashes given you frost mascara. Once it builds up enough your lashes will stick together so you cannot open your eyes until you deglove and pull the frost off with your warm fingers. You can see the buildup on my hat and the space spared where my headlamp was.
The next adventure was with our friends the Jones family up behind Iceman Falls!
Again it was a cold day (-15 F) and we went much longer this time (nearly 3 miles total. Good job kids!)
We also went up hill so the kids were a bit worn out.
You can tell Camille was loving it.
Tann Jones started from the top at the small cabin and built a fire and got some hot chocolate brewing. I will saw it that it would take a fire going for 24 hours to warm that hut. It was just not insulated enough to make it warm.
Here we are in the "warm" cabin.
Enjoying some hot cocoa.
After that the Jones were kind enough to take our kids off the mountain back to their home on base so that Jari and I could snowshoe back to the car with Angela as our guide.
I don't know that the kids will ever enjoy the outdoors like I do but I am glad they are willing to let me drag them out and through the woods; even at sub-zero temperatures.
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