Alaska - February 2007

We travelled to James' home town of Cordova, Alaska to visit family and to experience the Ice Worm Festival! My parents also made it to town and we visited Alyeska Ski Resort and the Anchorage temple. (photo taken along the highway to Girdwood and Aleyska.)

ICE WORM FESTIVAL

Here we are waiting for the parade to begin. Kathy's taking the photo. Left to Right: Kathleen, Sharon, and Dick. James & Jessi and Gil.
James' nephew Nick was in the parade, he got to help hold the parade sign.

Photo Op with the Baby Ice Worm.

The ICE WORM!

SURVIVAL SUIT RACE

One of the events during the Ice Worm Festival is the Survival Suit race. Teams of 4 run down the dock, put on their survival suits, jump into the harbor (OCEAN - in FEBRUARY) and swim to the survival raft. Prizes for the fastest teams and for the most creative teams- judged by Miss Ice Worm and her court (the event was also broadcast over the radio from the ship!).

We put together a last minute team with borrowed survival suits - James & I, Gil (my Dad) and Sharon (James' mom). We called ourselves "50/50" because 50% were Alaskan, 50% Idahoan. 50% female, 50% male. 50% in their 20s, 50% no longer in their 20s. 50% are a parent of the other 50%.

We weren't the fastest, but I think we travelled the farthest to get there - and I never even got to jump in the harbor. James & my dad threw me in!

Mt. Eyak

We got to ski a couple days at Cordova's local Ski Hill on Mt. Eyak. And earned our passes by patrolling one day.

The only chairlift is one of the original single chairs from Sun Valley. Dad thinks he might have used the chairlift at Sun Valley during his ski racing days. One of the days we patrolled in exchange for our lift tickets.

On the only not-foggy day we were in Cordova, James went hiking for his turns and for the beautiful views! On the foggy days, it was still incredibly pretty!

Wedding Open House

We were blessed to have an Open House at the branch meeting house. Sharon and the other branch members hosted a wonderful party and it was fun to meet so many people who think so well of my James! Plus it was a really really good cake!

James and his nephew, Nick

Someone even decorated our transportation!

ALYESKA SKI RESORT

We spent one day skiing at Alyeska - and we stayed at the fancy hotel at the base of the mountain. Get up in the morning, walk out to the tram and off onto the snow. Very firm snow, but it was skiing in Alaska!

Kathy & Gil

The chairs had 'shields' to guard against wind and snow. Luckily we didn't need them except for as a novelty.

ANCHORAGE

The Anchorage temple is only open on Weds - Saturday and only at certain times. So we barely managed to go to a session before our flight out. That meant the earliest session and then run to the airport, turn in the van, run through security and onto the plane. But it was worth it. (Photo taken the night before when we were scouting out the best route to the temple and then to the airport.)