...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.

...Stormy Lake ski tour

Goggles helped keep the wind out of our eyes.
Mrs. Huffy glides down the edge of Stormy Lake. The photographer's shadow is there, too.

Mrs. Huffy skis on Stormy Lake.

Gabby follows the snowmachine track which made a super highway along the lake edge.

Mrs. Huffy on her way back to the truck.

More skiing was on the agenda this afternoon. After lunch we drove out to Stormy Lake with Gabby for a trek on the ice. The wind was still blowing like a banshee so we wore goggles to help protect our eyes from the gusts and make it easier to see. A snowmachine had gone around the edge of the lake creating a trail that was perfect for skiing. We left the parking area and in no time we were at the camping area on the opposite side of the lake. We turned around and headed back to the truck straight into the piercing wind. We didn't stop as frequently as we did on our way out so we were at the truck and putting our gear away quickly so we could get in the cab and out of the wind. Once out of the wind we were glad we had gone on a...Stormy Lake ski tour.

...Divide Mountain ski tour

A self-portrait at the beginning of the ski loops.

Part of the ski trails use the Iditarod National Historic Trail.

Beware! (It really wasn't that bad).

My idea of a name for a ski trail: Paradise.

The flag at Seward Middle School flapping in the wind. The wind was really whipping!

I drove to Seward this morning to watch Laura's volleyball team play a game against Seward Middle School. It was cold and the wind was really blowing, but the drive was beautiful thanks to clear sunny skies.

After the game I stopped by Divide Mountain Nordic ski area to ski a couple of loops on my cross country skis. The parking lot was frigid. When I put on my boots and I felt like a Popsicle by the time I was dressed in my gear. Once in the trees, however, it was very pleasant. I skied around Paradise Loop and talked with a couple from Seward who knew the trails well. Then it was back to the parking lot and the wind. I hurriedly removed my ski gear and hopped in the truck and turned on the heater for the drive home, glad to have the experience of a...Divide Mountain ski tour.

...Island Lake ski tour

Mrs. Huffy gives Gabby a treat for being a good dog during our ski tour of Island Lake.

Silhouette of a skier on Island Lake.

Mrs. Huffy takes a break to bask in the sunshine.

A skier wearing goggles.

Mrs. Huffy glides through the snow.

Island Lake was empty this afternoon. Even though the weather was beautiful and the snow conditions were perfect, Mrs. Huffy and I had the place to ourselves. So, where was everyone you ask? Ice fishers, snowmachiners, skiers, and snowshoers alike were undoubtedly sitting in their homes watching the Green Bay Packers play the Pittsburg Steelers in the Superbowl. Eventually we would be there, too. But, we had some skiing to do first.

We took off from our house and headed toward the other side of the cove. Then, we crossed to the point near Krogseng's before skiing around the back side of the island, back to our cove, and finally the house.

Gabby had a great time checking the abandoned ice fishing locations for bits of left-over bait and snacks left behind by ice fishers. We took our time skiing and made frequent stops to enjoy the weather and scenery which was devoid of the usual Sunday afternoon lake people. But, it wasn't long before we were sitting at the Zimmerman's house watching the game ourselves. We missed the first quarter, but that was okay because we had the memory of an...Island Lake ski tour.

...Dawgs v Huskies

Laura gets ready for volleyball action.
Laura at the net.

Serving the ball.

Final score of the second match.

The teams congratulate each other after the game.

We drove to Homer today to watch the Nikiski Middle School girls volleyball team play the team from Homer Middle. It was a spectacular day for a drive with sparkling snow, water, and skies.

The Homer Huskies won the first match but Nikiski played well during the second and third, and won the game. There were plenty of great serves and good volleys by both teams. It was exciting to watch the...Dawgs v Huskies!