Sledding to Granite Hot Springs

We all got up at 6 am and spent an hour making sure we had all of our gloves, long underwear, hats, coats, goggles, helmets, snow boots and snow pants. Seth, Jessica and Wind are like polar bears. The rest of us thought we were freezing to death. We drove to Alpine, Wyoming to pick up two extra sleds. It was a beautiful day, it couldn't have been any better. The news was saying there was a storm coming, but that came the day after. Here we are at the beginning of our trip, all ready to go. Behind us is a very large hill (just above Sundi's head). No sooner did we get there Wind comes flying off that hill over Seth's head. Luckily there were no injuries. That was our biggest worry, someone getting hurt and ending our day at the hospital. Seth and Wind were good about taking it easy. They are use to going to the top of mountains and flying off cornices. I wish that I had gotten pictures of the boys carving their sleds through the snow. Jessica would sit up front on Seth's sled hanging on while he stood on the one side and his other leg sticking straight out to the side while he carved circles in the snow. I just watched.
As we ride down the trail Seth and Wind are always jetting off the trail then coming back to the trail. We would try it and end up just getting stuck. Wind likes to be at the end and take his time. He watches where others go and decides what he wants to do. Seth on the other hand loves to go fast and be out in front leading the way. That must be why they do so well together.

This is WindKathy

These are the Granite Falls and there is hot springs here but they just run into the river.Here we ate some of our lunch of PP&J sandwiches, teriyaki sticks (from Seth's deer meat), oranges and rice crispy treats. Sundi cracks me up, those sunglasses make her look "HOT". The only part of her exposed was that cute little face.

Blue and Sundi

Troy and KathyWhile sledding we saw some 6-dog driven sleds. There were noisy sleds passing by all day, then there came these mushers softly gliding by on the snow with hardly a sound.

Once Seth jetted off the trail and we all were waiting for him. They came back after Seth threw both he and Jessica over the handlebars and loosing a fuse that prevented his sled from acceleratingly. We stayed in this field waiting for Wind and Seth as they rode back to the beginning of the trail hoping to find the fuse. They were lucky enough to get a fuse from a group that was traveling from Wisconsin. Meanwhile, we were sledding all around, eating and getting stuck. This tour guy saw us trying to dig our sled out of the snow and was kind enough to come over and help us. After he got that sled out we told him we had another one, "Right over there!" He told us we should stay on the trail.

Blue resting while the girls took off to find a place to make "yellow" snow!

Here we are in the pool at Granite Hot Springs. These springs come out of the Gros Ventre Mountains at 7000'. The water feeding the man made pool is 112 degrees. There was one room for changing, one for the men and one for the women. The springs were great, relaxing and refreshing.

Seth, Troy, Sundi, Jessica (with the soggy ball), Wind and Blue pointing up the hill.

Wind and Seth sitting where the hot water comes into the pool

Seth and jessica

Troy and Kathy

After we were bundled up again and ate the rest of our lunch, we were ready to head back. We had the best time and want to do it again next winter. We left with the best of feelings from being with our children. It was the perfect memory. Our children are the best. The boys are so talented and I am so grateful for their sledding skills. We said good bye after dropping the rented sleds off in Alpine. It was a sad to leave them.