The Yurt

So for all of you wondering what exactly a "yurt" is its basically a tee pee resembling, upside down funnel looking snow hut. There is one that Parks and Rec. rents out during the winter months and it's only accessible via a 4.5 mile cross country ski trek up Millcreek canyon. Last night we had 9 adventurers and it was great! Besides, underestimating how cold my hands would get on the trek up and passing out in the snow for a few minutes....the ski up was amazing. It was dark out and I didn't use a light cause I was enjoying the moon reflecting off the snow....it provided a very cool, almost magical vibe as I ascended. I haven't cross country skied since I was a cub scout and it took me a second to get used to the motion, but once I did it was gravy. The group started up at different times, group one left for the top in the early afternoon to get the stove burning, and group two started at 9pm. Depending on your pace up the mountain, it takes anywhere from an hour to three hours to get to the yurt and its not a very physically demanding climb. (unless you pass out from getting too cold and you decide that the only way to keep your bony little fingers from freezing solid in the paper thin gloves you're wearing is to sprint up the mountain at full throttle =) Once up there the conditions were more than comfortable; there is wood provided, a wood burning stove, propane tanks with lanterns and some pots and pans to cook with, not to mention bunks to sleep on. It was good times to just hang out with good friends and enjoy nature. I wish you could have been there, then it would have been perfect. =)