1/16/22 – 1/20/22
by Ted Scheinman, Trip Leader
The third time was the charm! After last year’s Covid trip cancellation and this year’s cancellation on Amtrak, we finally made it – and it was worth the wait! Thirteen people, out of the original 25, were able to change their schedules and were thrilled with the experience.
Five participants rented a car at Whitefish to ski at McDonald Lake while the others continued to Essex and spent the day skiing on the groomed tracks at Izaak Walton–both in the sunshine. At the end of the day, when it looked like it was going to rain or snow, we headed to the outdoor hot tub to relax before our scheduled happy hour.
Although the next day looked like the conditions would deteriorate, the quality grooming made magic out of the potentially icy conditions. We had an enjoyable day skiing the rest of the track system and taking a sauna. The third day was again sunny, and some went to Marias Pass while the rest skied on the large groomed system. In the evening, we headed back to Portland on our overnight train.
A few photos show the enjoyable skiing that we had, but they do not show the closeness of the group and the friendships that were made and renewed. An ONC ski trip provides great skiing at some of the best places in the country, but it also provides the opportunity to engage in wonderful social environments.
