Last Sunday we awoke to a little light snow on the ground and a steady flow of flakes falling from the sky. My daughter called and asked if I’d like to join her and my grandsons for a short excursion to a snow park to satisfy our desire to really enjoy the white stuff. She prepared a picnic lunch while I filled up thermoses with hot chocolate and warm apple cider. About an hour later we were on the road, the car loaded up with sleds, boots, mittens, hats, coats and a couple of very excited little boys.

We were headed to Union Creek Snow Park, about an hour’s drive from my home on the way to Crater Lake National Park. The first half of the drive took us through small towns and alongside the Rogue River as we gradually gained in elevation and the snow began to accumulate a bit more. About 10 miles from our destination, we left pastures behind and entered the forest, a mix of fir and Ponderosa pines, the snow now falling steadily and blanketing the road and the branches above us. The boys in the backseat, who had been very patient up to this point, now sent out a persistent chorus of “When are we going to get there?”

Just past Union Creek, a rustic resort with cabins, a grocery store and Beckie’s Café (a must-stop for its pies for many who travel through here, all year ’round), we pulled into a wide parking lot hosting a number of vehicles, and just beyond them we could see people of all ages enjoying the snow. Before joining them, we ate our lunch in the car and then pulled on our layers. I’d forgotten just how much of a struggle that can be with two squirmy kids (especially when they decide they need to go to the bathroom just after you’ve pulled on the last mitten; thankfully, there were facilities — though rustic — nearby).

At last, sleds in tow, we burst out into the snow, now falling quite thickly, which gave us the opportunity to observe beautifully formed, individual tiny flakes as they settled on our jackets. Ahead of us were several sled runs sloping up into the trees. Some looked frighteningly steep and featured several large bumps which launched people into the air as they flew down the hill, while others looked better suited to our little guys.  At the base of the hill and tucked under large trees, people had lit campfires to warm themselves, and several had brought camp chairs and looked quite cosy.   There were just enough people to fill the air with fun and excitement but not so many that it felt frustratingly crowded or risky to not be wearing our masks, as distancing in the fresh, cold air wasn’t difficult. In fact, it felt wonderfully normal! As always, I found it soothing to my soul to just be outside, watching the snow sift down through the trees.

We tried out a few of the runs for a while, but the boys were just as interested in making snowmen and having snowball fights. The snow was quite light and dry, so we found it challenging to form good, tight balls, but other folks who’d arrived earlier in the day had clearly found a way, as we came across this enormous snow bear   with pine cone features and ears. The boys’ efforts yielded a somewhat smaller specimen, but they were nevertheless proud of their accomplishment.   Another family built a snow fort using a plastic brick form and graciously turned it over to us when they were ready to leave.    That provided at least another hour’s worth of fun as we worked to build up the walls and then proceeded to have a giggle-filled snowball fight.

At last, around 4 o’clock as the light was dimming, we had to insist on making our way back to the car, where we peeled off our layers and enjoyed another cup of still-hot chocolate before heading home. We thought the boys would quickly fall asleep after such an active afternoon, but they were still pretty hyped up and chattered for a long time, recounting all the fun. It wasn’t until we were about 10 minutes from home (of course) that it suddenly grew quiet in the backseat and exhaustion took over.

What fun that snowy day was, and I think we’ll pack a few more in before the winter is through!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor