The original plan was to go snow tubing in South Dakota during our 'vacation', but we arrived and the snow didn't. Colorado has so many, many ski resorts and tubing places, but I think we found the best. A family owned tubing hill since the 70s, Historic Fraser Hill. Rates were great! The boys were small enough they couldn't have their own tubes so they rode on laps for free! The morning we left Dever to drive up it was cloudy and snowy, but as we sound up and around the mountains the sun came out, and the snow kept falling, and the sunlight on the powdering flakes looked like glitter. I imagine that what living in a snow globe would look like. :) We even turned on some Christmas music for the drive.....it just felt right!
Hwy 6 Tunnels
The snow was 63 inches deep at Fraser and at the Summit, Winter Park Ski Resort, was reporting 90 inches. I thought we were driving next to a cement wall or barrier, but realized it was all snow!
I have never been anywhere so bright! Not even the beach! At times I was reaching for my sunglasses not realizing they were already on. I'm glad I had bought the kids their own too.
Top of the hill, very family friendly relaxed place.
Snow Selfie
Ready for her first trip.
Isaiah claimed Aaron as his tubing buddy. That was a smart choice because Levi and I spilled out about halfway down the hill. I thought we were about done and trying to hold onto our tube and a bundled Levi, going 35 mph down a hill at 11,000 ft. elevation kinda overwhelmed me and I let go. Levi jumped to his feet right away, only to be hit the next second by Aaron and Isaiah flying past us. No one was hurt, but I learned quickly to hang on tight until you hit the fresh powder field at the end.
Rebecca was having a blast....she spend two hours on the hill going up and down and let me tell you it was hard work even with a tow rope!
Levi wished he could go down by himself. He really picked a bad buddy. After each run I had to stop and gasp for air....altitude sickness and asthma were really kicking my butt that day!
Isaiah and Aaron returning from the tow rope. This was our first experience with one and its pretty nifty. You just pull your tube over and hook your tube's rope over the metal hook on the tow, then plop down into the tube and the machine totes you to the top where you go over a hill and into a pit, this bumps your rope off the hook and you jump up and get outta there before the next rider comes into the pit.
The view was really, really amazing.....I know I keep saying that but this was the bluest sky and whitest snow I'd ever seen.
Next year they are expanding this place to include a restaurant, but I like the rustic hometown feel of the place as it is now.
Go Daddy!
After the first hour the boys and I returned to the van and cranked up the heat. Aaron and Rebecca made it for another hour.
Across the road is Fraser cemetery, but all but the very tallest monuments were buried.
View from the bottom of the hill.
I could see me in this cabin with a basket of yarn and cup of hot tea.
The piles at the edge of parking lots were two Rebeccas tall.
I think we worn them out!
Idaho Springs, CO
Old mining buildings.
Back at the hotel Isaiah had birthday gifts delivered from Grandpa and Ginger.
The tiniest model train ever.....so adorable.
You can see right where her sunglasses were and where we didn't put on any sunscreen. oops!
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