...Tsalteshi skate ski

The sign at the beginning of the ski trails. A trail map sign.

Mrs. Huffy skate skis down the trail.

Okay.

Mrs. Huffy skis the shortest trail to school.

The past couple of Saturday mornings we have been skate skiing on the Tsalteshi ski trails near Soldotna. They are well maintained and great fun. There are many rolling hills and sharp corners as well as long open stretches. Lots of variety. So, it's always fun when we go on a...Tsalteshi skate ski.

...another ski tour to Gooseneck Lake

The Route: Stormy Lake Overlook to Gooseneck Lake and back.

Distance: 5.3 miles.

Time: 3 hours, including picnic.

Terrain: Snow covered road, lake, swamp, 200 yards bushwhacking.

Gearing up for the ski to Gooseneck Lake.
A picnic on the edge of Gooseneck Lake.

Doug and Lori emerge from the bushwhack zone.

Mrs. Huffy looks forward to skiing on the wide open swamp after emerging from the bushwhack zone.

Booking it across the ice of Stormy Lake on our way back to the truck.

The back of the ski truck loaded with gear.

We have been skiing a lot this week. Conditions have been great with warm temps and partly sunny skies. This afternoon Liz, Lori, Doug and I put on our skis at the Stormy Lake Overlook and skied out to Gooseneck Lake for a picnic in the snow. It was great cruisng through the swamps and over lake ice. We just had one short segment of bushwhacking which wasn't too bad. The trip was 5.3 miles according to my GPS, a good distance for...another ski tour to Gooseneck Lake.

...on the wild side

Mrs. Huffy cruises across a snow covered swamp on the wild side of Stormy Lake.
Gabby, Emily, and Mrs. Huffy on the move.

Mrs. Huffy stashed a couple of treats for the girls in her backpack--Pixy Stix!

The Hufford girls on their skis.

It was a perfect afternoon for a ski. Warm temps and sunny breaks through thin clouds. We had been planning the ski so the weather was a bonus. We loaded the truck with kids, skis, backpacks, dog kennel, dog, and Pixy Stix. All the ingredients for an afternoon of fun. In no time we were gliding across Stormy Lake destined for the snow covered swamps and spruce trees on the opposite side of the lake from the highway. It was like entering a whole new world. It was quiet and the sign left by the wildlife let us know we were in a wild place.

We followed ski tracks we had made on previous trips until they stopped and we had to make our own trail. After a while we stopped for a break and the girls ate the Pixy Stix which had been stashed in Mrs. Huffy's backpack. Reluctantly we turned around and headed back to the boat ramp happy for the brief reprieve we had...on the wild side (of Stormy Lake).

...Girdwood

Emily and Carol pose at the Moose Meadow Park sign.

Carol and Emily at the beginning of the ski.

Skiing and visiting.

Carol gives Emily some pole placement pointers.

Emily skis the tracks while Carol skate skis.

This guy was riding a Pugsley bike. It's built for riding on soft surfaces like snow. Note the HUGE tires.

A team of sled dogs went past us, too.

Emily enjoyed a chocolate dessert at the restaurant after a day on the snow.

We went to Girdwood to do some skiing. Emily, Carol, and I stayed on the cross country trails, while Liz and Laura hit the slopes of Alyeska. The weather was beautiful and we saw all sorts of different trail users including: skate skiers, classic skiers, bike riders, walkers, runners, and sled dogs. After a day on the snow we finished up with dinner at Jack Sprats. All in all it was a good day to be in...Girdwood.

...Gooseneck Lake ski tour

The Route: Stormy Lake to Gooseneck Lake.

Distance: 5.5 miles.

Time: 3.5 hours (including picnic).

Terrain: snow covered lakes and swamps, some dense woods.

Mrs. Huffy on Stormy Lake right after we got started.

Adjusting the backpack.

Self portrait on the swamp behind Stormy Lake.

Mrs. Huffy poses next to a ladder/tree stand most likely built by moose hunters. You could see a wide area of swamp from this vantage point.

Adjusting the iPod on the trail.

Mrs. Huffy, tough and fearless Alaskan wife, about to enter the bushwhack zone of dense trees and brush.

Mrs. Huffy emerging from the bushwhack zone.

A beaver lodge on Gooseneck Lake.

The view of Gooseneck Lake from our picnic site.

Mrs.Huffy enjoys a picnic while sitting on a space blanket 'picnic table' on the edge of Gooseneck Lake.

Girl Scout cookies. We ate lots of these for dessert.

Gabby the ski hound.

Mrs. Huffy makes tracks on the return portion of the ski tour.

Finally, we are back at the truck after a great ski trip.

For about the past ten days I have been planning a ski tour from Stormy Lake to Gooseneck Lake. Mrs. Huffy said she was game, so I started looking at maps and satellite images from Google Earth to determine which route would be the easiest and most direct. I had several ideas when we left the Stormy Lake boat ramp area, but nothing solid. Turns out were able to follow snowmachine tracks, which made the going much easier, until we got to within about 3/4 mile of Gooseneck Lake. Then we had to do some bushwhacking before crossing the final swamp and arriving at the lake.

Once at the lake we found a spot out of the wind and set-up a picnic lunch which included a significant number of Girl Scout cookies for dessert. There was a beaver lodge nearby which we gave a good looking over before we left.

We cut through some different swamps on the way back and ended up on the very far end of Stormy Lake. We skied across the lake, past some ice fishers, and then back to the truck. We got back to the truck tired, but already planning another...Gooseneck Lake ski tour.

...Swanson River Canoe Landing Ski Tour

Super model and bushwhack skier, Mrs. Huffy, hydrates on the trail.

Silhouette of a skier on the swamp behind Stormy Lake.


Ski tips follow Mrs. Huffy as she bushwhacks toward the Swanson River Canoe Landing.

Gabby the ski dog cools off by rolling in the snow.

Self-portrait of a goggled skier.

I have to admit that the Swanson River Canoe Landing is not on the destination list of many people in the middle of winter. In fact, it's pretty much snowed in unless you drive a snowmachine out there or happen to get lucky and have someone plow the road in between storms. In any event, Mrs. Huffy and I made it our goal for the afternoon.

I should mention that we were starting on our skis from the Stormy Lake boat ramp to get there. So, the trip began with a lake crossing, then we went through the woods, over a swamp, and finished up with some bushwhacking for about half a mile. Once we reached the canoe landing we turned around and did the whole thing again. It was fun. Big time fun.

Surprisingly, just after entering the swamp on the other side of Stormy Lake, we ran into a couple out skiing with their dogs. They said they ski a portion of this route on a daily basis. I was surprised because it really wasn't an established trail by any means.

When we got back to the truck we checked the GPS and found that we had skied 2.6 miles. It was a great trip under beautiful skies and perfect snow conditions. And, now we can't wait for our next...Swanson River Canoe Landing ski tour.

...Stormy Lake afternoon

The Hufford girls pose with their skis at the Stormy Lake boat ramp. That's where our tour began.

Mrs. Huffy stopped skiing for a photo op.

Laura listens to her iPod while skiing around Stormy Lake. She wore goggles to protect her eyes from the sun. It was very bright.

Emily looks across the lake while she follows ski tracks made by the photographer.

The Hufford girls ski single file across the surface of the lake.

Clear sunny skies and perfect February temps were the order of the day. After running errands in town we couldn't help but load our skis in the truck and take the drive out to Stormy Lake for a ski tour in the sunshine. We stepped into our bindings while Gabby checked out the parking lot and before we knew it we were cruising toward the opposite shore. We made frequent stops to soak in the rays and comment on the perfect snow. Hoarfrost fell from the trees on breezes that were almost imperceptible. We made it to a point where we decided it was time to turn back. I remembered I had my GPS in my pack so I turned it on so we could see how far we traveled. When we got back to the truck it read that our one-way trip back to the parking area was 10+ miles and had taken us almost 90 minutes. I knew that couldn't be correct and then I realized that I had not cleared the previous track. So, I'm not sure how far we skied. But, it really didn't matter. I was just glad we were able to experience a...Stormy Lake afternoon.