The weather has turned warmer. The snow is melting. White landscapes are becoming pock marked with tall grass and dark swatches of bare land showing through. The memories of fun in the sun on snow swept hills are beginning to fade. But wait. Let’s run those tapes just one more time.
In our continuing quest for the ideal winter venue, we visited yet another site with lodgings, food, and acres upon acres of forrest and a solidly frozen lake.
Let’s take a little tour. As always, the program starts with arriving in time for dinner. The building containing the main dining hall is named Founders. It is so named for those who took the leap of faith to purchase the Sky Lake property way back in 1947. If you visit this link, you can learn all about the early history of the retreat center and how the property was developed through the years to the present day facilities. http://skylakecenter.org/camp-and-retreat-center/site-history
Our sleeping quarters were the buildings Underwood and Riley. We were a few persons over the number that could be comfortably accommodated in Underwood so part of our attendees bedded down in Riley. The buildings are about 80 yards apart with Founders being situated nearly midway between the sleeping quarters. Underwood is set up much like a small hotel with rooms off a central hallway and appointed as well as any modern motel. Underwood had a downstairs area with a large common room and full sized (perhaps double sized) kitchen. We made good use of both.
While Riley has many of the same features as Underwood (large common area, kitchen, meeting room) the rooms were a bit spartan by comparison. That is not to say they weren’t comfortable but the layout was more military or camp style – as in bunk beds and large shared toilet facilities. Privacy was assured but if there were mixed genders involved, the coordinators would have an interesting task regarding room assignments.
But let’s not dwell on the indoors so much. We came here to play on the snow, cross country ski, snowshoe, and to explore our new outdoor surroundings. There was a frozen lake on which to ski and miles of forrest trails over which to snowshoe.
The first couple of days were spent exploring. We set out to discover what trails went where and whether or not they were ski-able. Marilee and I donned skis and set out on a trail into the woods. Not even 50 yards in and we sank into powdery snow up to our knees. Obviously, this trail was going to need a little “conditioning.” We attempted to turn around but found that only a few feet either side of what passed for a trail was far worse than the trail itself. Now we were sinking into the snow up to our hips!
Just about that time, Bjørg and another participant happened by using the tracks that Marilee and I had forged several minutes ago. She gave me some advice on my situation regarding deep snow. “You shouldn’t be over there.” And then she added, “Put your skis back on or you’ll sink in deeper.” I couldn’t argue with either observation and, in fact, I agreed one hundred percent. But at the moment, I was trying to help Marilee get upright on her skis. I had removed my skis to afford me some degree of normal movement to assist, as it were, albeit impeded by very deep snow. After much effort and a few fits of laughing at ourselves flopping around in the snow, we finally made back on the trail and back to the lodge. By that time, lunch was ready.
As the week wore on, guides and participants shared their discoveries. Some trails were good snowshoes only while other trails could be dual use. Well, anything was snowshoe-able and we all did a fair amount of snowshoeing. The frozen lake was the ideal spot for just skiing out for an hour circuit but the wind was somewhat fierce at times.
By the end of the week, we had several well snowshoed and skied trails through the woods with several different pathways to various areas of the lake. We named them completely unimaginative names but they did describe the trails adequately. There was the Low trail, the High trail, and the Quarry trail. The Sky Lake staff informed us that we had been combining one or more trails to come up with our various routes through the woods. Since the markers were sometime buried in snow, this was understandable.
Jenna, our primary retreat center staff member got into the act as well. In an effort to provide variety and more choices in trail selection, she spent an afternoon stomping out a connector path between what we were calling the Low trail and the High trail. Several participants and I went up the connector and found it to be great exercise.
Along the way we saw evidence of wild life transiting the area. There were tracks left by large animals, most likely deer, and lots of little critters probably rabbits, coons, and squirrels. There was an interesting depression in the snow by a stand of trees. Large animal tracks were leading up to it. I’m not exactly a woodsman but I’m guessing I may have observed where deer had bedded down for the night huddled together in deep snow. There were no signs of blood so I don’t believe there was a scuffle between predator and prey.
Thus our days were filled with the comings and goings from lodge to forrest to meals and back to the lodge for the evening’s activity.
Our evenings were quiet. Well, save for the hilarity over the gift exchange. But after that, we just relaxed. It took us all week to figure out exactly what we wanted to do with the kitchen.
Astrid played the “mom” that she is and ensured everybody had a sufficient supply of popcorn, nuts, and their choice of teas provided by several members. Some years ago, she worked for SAS airlines as what was called in those days a Ground Hostess tending to celebrity customers such as royalty, movie stars, and heads of state. I can tell you that she has not lost her knack for service. (Thank you, Astrid.)
The kitchen was large and well equipped with appliances and flatware. If we return to this facility, some forethought can be put toward better exploiting this resource. (Anybody want to volunteer to be the morning chef?)
Suddenly, it was Sunday morning! Where did the week go? We were just getting started. We had finally got the trails groomed just right. So we had our breakfast, said our goodbyes, and launched into the growing snow storm.
So here ends the wrap-up letter but by all means keep remembering. Recall the good times on the snow, the frozen lake, the paths through the tree portals, and the time together as the SFL family.
