Pam and I met 5 years ago on a volunteer ski patrol trip at Mt. Rainier. We have been good friends since and make a point to volunteer for ski patrol every year so we can have our annual slumber party. She is also my role model for retirement. Pam hikes several days a week, travels to exotic locales at least once a year to backpack, trek, and do other fun things. She backpacks all spring and summer then nordic skis in the winter. What is not to idolize?
After our first year on Nordic Patrol, Pam has brought some of her Seattle friends into the fold and we try to fill the house that the park provides for us. Usually there's room for one or two more people but we're a tight group so it's not often other people want to join in. It's better that way.
Pam and I agreed to co-host this year. Pam's job was to coordinate with the other volunteers and the very important dishes for the potluck. I was assigned salad and bread but a latecomer actually brought salad fixin's. My job was to coordinate with the park ranger, get the truck, then make a loose plan for patrol that would either be accepted or rejected by the other patrolers. Generally, the loose plans were accepted and we had a great patrol on Saturday.
We all brought snowshoes because the snow wasn't fresh and no one in our group were experienced backcountry skiers except for me. That's fine; I don't mind getting close and personal with my snowshoes at least once per year.
Our primary job is to patrol the marked routes, reset any poles that have fallen over or are frozen in the holes, talk to all the visitors to make sure they have maps, permits for overnight camping, report pesky fox sitings, and generally make sure all is well in the park. Mission accomplished for Saturday.
Saturday night potluck is the best part. Marcia brought yummy split pea soup, I brought bread from the Bread Farm, Pam had provided appetizers which nearly spoiled my appetite for dinner but, sigh, I managed to eat all my dinner and Beth's yummy flourless cake for dessert too. That and a lot of red wine. Eivand was a champ and lead the charge on dishwashing.
Unfortunately all that great food left me with a rather vigorous bout of heartburn, which I never get. I'm sure the red pepper goat cheese I had at lunch had a lot to do with it. Topped by red wine and chocolate. Couldn't resist and suffered. Still, I slept to my surprise.
On Sunday we were prepare to either patrol more if the ranger came by to give us an assignment or clean up the house and leave the park for the groomed Tahoma Ski Trails. Ranger Dan came by and asked us to make more visitor contacts. Pam and I opted for the route up to Glacier Vista while the rest were aiming for Mazama Ridge.
The weather was dry but cloudy so we had pretty good visibility both days, which is surprising for that area. The snow was only good on Saturday at a particular elevation band — not high where it was wind-smacked, not low where it was warm but nice in the middle range under the shade of trees.
It was a great weekend and I look forward to next season! Here are the pictures.