New Year at Sleeping Lady Resort

During the heat of August I had the inspiration to go away for New Year to Sleeping Lady.  This was 90% because they have dog friendly room (canine companion suites) and I knew that Josh would be more likely to agree if Beezle could come and 10% because I hoped to be near snow, conceptually, spiritually. I have discovered that snow makes one feel good.  Not necessarily being IN it but as contex.  I am pleased to report that both objectives have been accomplished.

Beezle enjoying resort life.

A Room With a View

This is the view from our bedroom window.  I have just cranked the heat up to 73 degrees because it is something like 17 degrees outside.  Beezle is on the bed enjoying resort life and Josh has taken the boys to see the latest installment of the Hobbit.

The room is lovely.  It has high loft ceilings with whitewashed beams.  The beds are comfortable with amble pillows and they have nice big glasses for wine in the rooms.

Our visit here co-incided with a very cold snap.  I haven't been in such cold temperatures since I was 18 and skiing in Austria during a cold snap that caused tourists to lose fingers.  It is very cold here.  Last night it was 10 degrees F or -12 F.  I found that my fingers became disabled while cross-country skiing at 3pm.  The shadows brought bone-numbing ice and we had to retreat to the hot pools.  The weather is so cold that the rocks around the hot pools were sheets of ice from water splashing out.  Also, when I climbed out wet my feet froze to the ice and it was painful to pull them off.

This is not so fun.  Especially since the first night we didn't know we had to bring towels with us and so we had to walk back to the room wet.  Can someone say "cold"?

What was fun was cross-country skiing for the first time.  After Wren's footwear malfunction was resolved it was great.

Wren and Josh ski in the grooves

Frost skiing in his PJs and the puffy coat Grandad gave him.

The Snowshine

There are about 8km of trails in the area.  We skied for a couple of hours.

The Glorious Snow Dog

As we arrived at Sleeping Lady we met a family who have a boy in Frost's class.  They were returning from a Nordic skiing vacation in the Methow.  They said they stopped at Sleeping lady "for the food".  I can see why.  Its an all-you-can-eat buffet with good quality organic food.  The only constraint is your stomach.  This morning I found that one can eat once and return later (I went alone early and again an hour later with Frost since neither Josh nor Wren wanted to eat breakfast).  This phased breakfast approach helps if one does not have a second stomach.

All in all our first trip to Sleeping Lady has been a great success.  We are languid with cold and over-feeding and ready to return to a more temperate and active lifestyle in the city.  The dog is happy.  

This will definitely be a place to bring visiting guests in the winter season.   Visiting guests, be warned :)