College Friend Visit

I got one of my best Christmas presents early this year. Over the course of the Fall I had been trying to plan my winter break vacation time with four goals in mind: 1) ski and ice climb as much as possible, 2) enjoy a family reunion in Colorado, 3) visit college friends in Wyoming and CO, and 4) catch up with friends and family back in Kalispell. The first was a struggle as the winter across the contingent states has thus refused to cooperate very well for powder snow pursuits and I lacked a consistent climbing partner. Numbers 2 and 4 went as well as I could have hoped, seeing a good number of friends while home and enjoying the company of my family in Colorado almost too much (particularly the food prepared!).

The third goal was potentially going to fall through the cracks based on limited time and money on my end, until the Pickles suggested they come up carpooling with my Wyoming buddy Alex and visit me in Bozeman. Needless to say I was overjoyed, both at the opportunity to see them and to share my beloved home.

Getting the uphill ride at Moonlight Basin.

Sarah surprising us all with a splash of snow during a
self-timer group photo.

Two Pickles in front of the Pickle Barrel with ice cream
filling home-made waffle cones!

Alex "planking" the 45th Parallel. Bravely done, my friend.

They arrived on a Friday night for some hangout time at a friend's house in town. Saturday saw us up and out of the house early for a beautiful ski day at Moonlight Basin. We went to church on Sunday morning and tromped around in the snow in Hyalite Canyon during the afternoon followed by sampling the local flavor of Bozeman: Colombo's Pizza and Pickle Barrel ice cream. On Monday, we made an excursion down to Yellowstone National Park to view animals, play in the snow, experience some of the thermal features, and bathe in the Boiling River hot springs. The hot springs were something else! I have never experienced something like that before and I will surely do it again it was so wonderful. Our evening time was filled with a game Nathan and Sarah brought called Cosmic Encounters. Many a boisterous guffaw were spent and friendly grudges kept in a Risk-like game of alliances, devious strategies, and the mysterious powers of strange alien races.

An attempt at being artsy, BW photo of Mammoth Terraces.

Is that excitement or terror on their faces? Can't tell.
Nathan and Sarah pre-dip at the Boiling River. 

A little capt'n in all of us eh? Here is the group after a
wonderful soak in the Boiling River. 

I cannot express the ecstasy and the love and joy that filled my heart with their visit. I feel fortunate to have such amazing friends and my hope is that we will have many more such memories in the future!