Well, That Was Fun

Winter's over, spring's exploding (in Oregon, at least, although Montana isn't far behind), and I'm soon on to the next adventure. But before that, a quick photographic tour of the winter:

It was a low snow year, to put it kindly. When the parents came to visit in January we went on an excursion to Glacier Park and found coverage even more lacking than on the mountain.
Mom and Dad check out Lake McDonald Falls, where we ate lunch, watched ouzels (a.k.a. American Water Dippers) frolic in the frigid waters, and tried to duct tape Dad's disintegrating cross country boots. It would have worked, we just didn't have enough.

Did I mention it was a low snow year?

In the beginning of February I had the opportunity to join my aunt Julie on a cat skiing trip up in the great land of Canada. Once I got there it was awesome. The two hour trip ended up taking me nearly five: first, I drove as far north as Eureka before realizing my boots were still sitting on my doorstep, and then got stopped by the friendly state trooper on my way back north just short of Eureka because it was 5:37 on the last day of the month and he had to meet his quota. Despite all this the snow was fresh and soft, if not deep, and the company was exceptional.

March brought more adventures, to Lookout Pass, Schweitzer, and Big Sky. Then before you knew it the season was at an end and I turned 26. My friends, sweet as ever, couldn't contain their excitement and threw me a surprise party. Not just any party, but prom, complete with big dresses, cheesy photos, and tuxedo t-shirts. Below: Nathan and I strike a pose pre-party.

Just some of the lovely ladies and their girls - Maggie, Abby, princess for the day, and Sarah.

It was hard to leave Whitefish but arriving in Portland was like the moment in "Wizard of Oz" when it switches from black and white to color. This place in spring never ceases to amaze me. I'll be here for another week hanging out with my parents and catching up with friends, then it's off to the next adventure: ocean, mountains, big bears, bigger trees, lots of rain, boats and float planes. That translates to working for the Forest Service out of Ketchikan doing cabin maintenance. I'll be an honest-to-goodness government employee until the end of September. While I'm spending a fair amount of time in the woods, the blog will be up and functional, so check back if you're bored or just feel like being a stalker. I'll try to keep you entertained.