Sugar Bowl Spring Break

We ordered the weather for the kids’ spring break up in the mountains: highs in the fifties (teens in celsius) on the slopes every day and plenty of snow after 10 feet of blizzard powder a couple of weeks ago. The Taylors joined us for a couple of nights to kick off the week, all the kids get on so well together and go 110% during their waking hours. Fun to watch.

Little Colette – aged six – had been on the slopes once before but didn’t get past the magic carpet. I dug deep back to my Ice Arena days when I taught kids to ski during my teenage years and spent the morning with her going over the basics. She was off like a rocket after a few runs and cruising with the rest of the kids by early afternoon, such fun to see her so pumped on skiing and getting the hang of it so quickly. She actually managed a ride up Lincoln by the end of the day (although I think Kevin carried her down partway!). The kids were in full spring break swing with all kinds of decorations to their ski outfits, Max got lots of comments from other skiers on his banana.

The Taylors’ kids spring break wasn’t aligned with Lilia and Max’s, so we had a day solo on St. Patrick’s day after the Taylors headed back to Sonoma County. The kids were in full St. Patty’s swing, with a hot tamale and flying banana on the slopes with us for the day. Lisa wasn’t about to let the day pass by without a St. Patty’s car bomb – even though her usual car bomb partner Amy wasn’t with us – so we stopped by Old 40 Bar and Grill on the way home to keep up the tradition. Lots of questions from the kids: what do they taste like, why does it curdle, can I try some…

We’d been trying to get Gramps up to ski with us this season, but he was waiting for blue skies and warm temps before committing to any time on the slopes. With such magic weather in the forecast he ventured up to the cabin and managed to convince his younger brother Alan to join us, a great mini-reunion for us all at Powder Haus for a few days. The two Young brothers still had it on the slopes, schussing down the groomers for a couple of days with the kids and showing us all how it’s done in their mid-seventies. I can only hope I’m still skiing when I’m that age! So fun to have three generations on the slopes all at once…

Post-ski adventures with Uncle Al and Gramps were almost as much fun as our days on the slopes. We wound our way back to Old 40 Bar and Grill one day for fried pickles (Max’s request) and a few drinks; and after hearing Lisa’s description of our Irish car bombs the day prior Uncle Al wasn’t about to miss out on the fun so joined Lisa on the deck at Donner Ski Ranch for his first car bomb at age 74! We also took the crew for an adventure through the old Donner Summit train tunnel. I’d driven past the opening to the tunnel many times over the years but never ventured through. Lots of history from Gramps about the tunnel’s construction and a very eerie walk over the ice with flashlights through the darkness, but it was well worth the reward of some brilliant views over the eastern Sierra slopes and Donner Lake on the other side. I think we’ll be venturing back through the tunnel with our bikes this summer once the ice melts.

It was Lilia’s birthday in the middle of our time up in the mountains – we now have a teenager – so, in addition to gifts from friends and family, she planned the schedule for the day to usher in the first day of her fourteenth year. Gramps made her fresh cinnamon rolls for breakfast and took us all out for a pizza lunch at Old Town Tap in Truckee (NB: mushroom mac and cheese is to die for!), the kids spent a couple of hours frolicking in the pools at the Truckee recreation center, an afternoon boosting tabletops in the park back at Sugar Bowl, followed by Lilia’s request of burgers at her favorite Burger Me! back in Truckee. Oh, and to finish off the kids plowed through a monstrous milkshake each. What a day! (I think Max may have actually enjoyed it more than the birthday girl, if that’s possible: on the chair mid-afternoon on Judah he noted it had probably been the best day of his life, and that he still had burgers and a whole milkshake coming his way!)

We finished up the week with another day of blue skies, hot laps in the morning and terrain park in the afternoon. I managed a couple of laps on my new touring gear with Paris up to Donner Peak and Eagle Rock while the kids skied with AJ and Alex, a couple of Max’s friends from school. Lilia and Max always have a blast skiing with friends their age, so it was great to be able to link up with classmates for some turns. Beautiful to be out in the open in the backcountry with such magic weather, the snow conditions could have been better (= powder) but I’m not complaining, by any means!

It’s always a theme when we take extended trips to ask the kids their top three from the adventure. Great to hear from both of them that in their top three was having so many guests and friends link up with us during our week in the mountains: the Taylors, Uncle Al, Gramps, classmates from AVS, Paris for a quick tour… That’s what Powder Haus is all about!