 |
| Dinner and a snow. |
On President's Day weekend, 8 CLC youth and adults departed for a snow camping overnight to Stevens Pass. The
freeze-thaw cycles of the previous weeks had left the entire Cascade Range
heavily loaded with snow, and a high potential for avalanches. This left
Stevens Pass as our best option because of the shallow topography surrounding
the north parking lot.
After arriving at our snow caving site, the latent
architect in everyone came out to play. Dividing into teams of two, we
constructed three snow caves and a most excellent igloo/cooking area. Everyone
changed into new dry clothes after getting sweaty and snowy in the building
process, which set us up well to enjoy the rest of the trip.
Supper included a tasty parmesan salmon pasta, with
chocolate for dessert. Dark out, but not anywhere near bedtime, we descended to
the heated lodge at the base of the ski area for hot cocoa and cribbage. It
began to snow hard as we entered our snow caves and began to bundle up for the
cold night ahead.
We received over 16 inches of fresh powder overnight, which
made for a glorious morning entrance from dark cave to blinding snowiness.
After breakfast and a few snowball fights we packed up, collapsed our humble
abodes, headed down to the van, thoroughly delighted that we could spend such a
great weekend in the woods.
- E.S.
