Eklutna Lake Winter Adventure
Winter doesn't need to limit your adventures, in fact it provides unique opportunities! Like skiing across a frozen lake to get to your cabin in the woods instead of having to go laboriously around on the trail up and down hills. The flat lake made an amazing surface to pull sleds loaded with gear.
One of our very own, Carly along with her sister, brother-in-law, and cousin went on this late January adventure. Along with adorable husky Ash.
Alaska is studded with an amazing resource, public use cabins. These cabins, available for nightly rental online, provide users the opportunity to stay in a wide variety of beautiful locations year-round. When I think back over the past few years my most treasured memories are from cabin camping trips like this. But enough of my reminiscing, on to Carly's adventure!
It was finally above 0 when the four humans and one canine loaded up backpacks and sleds and skied three miles down Eklutna Lake to the Yuditna Cabin. Kendal was the lucky one who had Ash helping her out, but no one objected as she does have a bun in the oven ;)
These cabins have wood stoves for warmth, wooden bunks, a wooden table and an outhouse. Unless you enjoy being cold and sleeping on wood beds you need to bring firewood, sleeping bag and pad, lighting and your own means of cooking the food you brought. By some standards that would be considered primitive, but we think that's part of the fun!
Dinner was a delicious combination of sausage and gravy with biscuits followed by cobbler. Food made out camping always tastes better than at home! A relaxing evening of board games ensued followed by storytelling, all accented by the crackling fire in the stove. Connecting with each other in an environment free of electricity and electronics bring out creativity and conversation.
One night was too short of a stay at this cozy abode in the woods. Packing up the next morning to leave was sad. Thankfully there are always more adventures to look forward too!