This year for St. Patrick’s Day, we planned to go to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park with Charles’ mom Jude and her husband Chris. We figured we would hike, and hang out, and enjoy the redwoods and sequoias – some of the biggest trees in the world are in that park.

But we were surprised – right before we got there, there was a huge storm, and the whole park was buried in snow! 

It ended up being the most phenomenal, magical weekend. Instead of hiking, we rented cross-country skis, and skied all day every day for three days. The first day, we got used to it on some steep uphill and downhill slopes, which were so beautiful. 

The second day, we did a full day – up to a vista point, a few miles of just winding switchbacks, uphill. Then a rest at the top, and all the way back down again.

I am spectacular at falling, and so on day 2 when I hadn’t fallen yet I was feeling so proud – then at the top when someone offered to take our picture, I immediately fell over. Oops! The rest of the day had plenty of crashes, but since I fall so often I’m back up on my feet in moments. Charles falls way less. 

Day 3 was maybe my favorite day, as we took a long trail, mixed uphill and downhill, with vistas seeing all the way to the California central valley – the long way around to the biggest sequoia grove in the park. It was so so so beautiful.

It was warm, the trails were completely untouched, and it felt so cool. Plus when we got to the big trees, we got to ski right up next to them! Snow makes redwoods and sequoias colors even more prominent.