Winter fun

We had 4 days off over Martin Luther King weekend, with an extra day because of inauguration. Gonzaga's parking lot was being used by the National Guard and the Hirshhorn is right on the mall . . so we journeyed north to Lake Placid to try the skiing there. We had never been in the Adirondacks in winter, unless you count Lapland Lake, on the southern edge park. I hiked in the high peaks area numerous times while taking summer classes at RPI, 10 years ago now! We stayed in a little cabin just outside Lake Placid. Tatiana and I did "tag team" skiing, while one of us hanging out with Calista inside. We skiied at Mt. VanHoevenberg, where the 1980 Olympics were held, and on the Jackrabbit Trail, a long-distance linear trail that connects several backcountry and groomed ski areas. On the way out we also made a stop at the Adirondack Loj, which is a classic backwoods lodge that provides trail access to the high peaks region. More pictures here.

Christmas

We enjoyed visiting family during Christmas break. Calista got to hang out with both sets of grandparents, as well as Uncle Tyson and Aunt Sarah, and Uncle Mike and Aunt Susanna. We went skiing at Muskegon State Park and at Big M between Cadillac and Manistee, and also stopped at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and Cuyahoga Valley National Park for breaks between Michigan and Maryland. Calista got lots of gifts from grandparents, aunts and uncles, and even great aunts. Check out more pictures.