Mendenhall river

Skiing with Jane Vincent.
It is a beautiful sunny day, somewhere around minus 8 C.
We leave from her house, cross the Alaska Highway and go onto the bluff. She is breaking trail, the conditions just perfect. From the bluff we take the trail towards the Mendenhall river. And hang a left to follow the meadows for a while.
The trail goes from meadow to meadow following little natural dikes. Both of us have been here many times, but it is always a puzzle again. We turn South crossing the second meadow we come upon, to find the river.

In the photo you see this meadow on our way back. Looking South into the Sifton Range, you see 'jozina maria mnt.', 'nipple mnt.', and 'the fire tower mnt'. The white ones in the back, yet, unnamed.

We both recognize where we come out, and Jane finds a little trail she cut long time ago, to get to the river. Easy as pie! With our skis on we drop onto the river. ( easy for her, i follow and actually easy for me too). The river is frozen over and all ready covered with an inch of snow.

I love the river! The way it meanders. Where it bends back on itself, i don't really notice it , till i look to my side through the trees and see Jane skiing the opposite direction, just 20 feet away.

We come to open water in the middle of the river. It is what i am afraid of; it is a flowing river and this time of year the channel could be insufficiently frozen to carry us. But up to the opening, the ice appears quite thick and i even lay on my stomach on my skis to have a drink; delicious.

At the next opening, Jane sees a bird flying off; a Dipper maybe.
Here we turn around.

At home i look at google earth, wondering if this is a nice route to ski to Jo-Jo Lake. Maybe. As always; lots of country at my doorstep to be explored. This way
bypassing the 911 pond. It would make it more attractive, being able to start skiing right from the house.