One activity we definitely didn't want to miss is the Ski Train! Heather wasn't scared off by a long weekend with the kids and watched them so we could go hang out with our friends in the middle of nowhere, Alaska! (Technically, Curry, but the description is accurate)
We had a super small crowd last year because of all the uncertainty with layoffs last year, not very many people wanted to sign up for an event months away. But we have a whole bunch of new people in Alaska and we had gotten most of them excited about the fun times to be had on Ski Train!
Some people were so excited, they climbed the first hill them could find and slid / tumbled down. It always take a while to get everyone geared up and ready to hike, so the faster ones usually get antsy waiting for the slower ones. And yes, that is a pea-in-a-pod outfit on the right. Some people take their ski train outfits very seriously!
The long walk up has not changed from last year. And the weather was remarkably nice again this year. Not sure how we lucked out again!
Part of the group! It's hard to keep everyone together, but Matt was nice enough to take a photo of those of us that made it up in this cluster. Clearly we lost the skiiers, this is just a subset of the snow-showing contingent. :)
And someone was also nice enough to take a photo of Matt and I! Matt looks like he is ready to go out hunting - I am much too bright in comparison for that. ;)
Several people hiked sleds up to have an easier way on the downward part. Except that at least one of the sledders was a little wild and crazy and may have almost taken out several people - ha! I got in front of her to take photos a few times, but very safely off the trail!
Our ever beautiful Alaska colors were waiting for us to return and head back home! But this was the first time I have ever seen that door at the front of the engine open! I wanted so badly to snuck up there and peek inside, but I didn't want anyone getting mad at me and leaving me there... Curry is a long ride from home!
Safe and sound, back in Anchorage. There was so much tasty food this year that we were all quite stuffed by the time we got home. And unlike most year, all of our namesake (the cheesy poofs) were eaten. I think it may have to do with one of the guys tossing them at anyone who walked by to catch in their mouths. And most everyone who walked by tried it - the camraderie on this train is hard to beat!
Until next year, Ski Train!