Cold as Ice

A friend just returned from two weeks of backcountry skiing in the Teton Mountains with NOLS. I personally could not imagine anything more incredible than waking up each morning to snow capped mountains and spending the day shredding some powder. The catch to this incredible adventure: outdoor sleeping, at altitude, in the snow. Mind you, I love the snow, love skiing and could spend days outdoors as long as I am well bundled and this is the key part... have a warm place to go at the end of the day, preferably with a big pot of my mom's piping hot soup on the stove and a cracking, roaring fire in the fireplace. The idea of crawling into a cold sleeping bag, in a shelter made of snow and ice does not sound like the most relaxing end to an incredible day in the snow. I am always game for an adventure and I am sure I could get over my dislike of sleeping in the cold for an opportunity to spend 14 days in the backcountry.

It seems that sleeping on the ice is all the rage. Both Sweden and Japan have ice hotels. What do you think, does a week stay at the Ice Hotel sound like a vacation to you?

This bed is beautiful but I am not sure it is really where I want to snuggle up for the night.

Kevin is not very keen on roughing it. He prefers to have running water so he can wash his hands and take out his contacts. Although in my college years I spent plenty a night sleeping under the Maine stars, a toasty warm bed is always my frist choice. A while back Green Wedding Shoes posted this great idea of an upscale camping vacation. I am pretty sure I could talk the good doctor into this. 

Now that's my idea of a beautiful camp site. It is a little like Harry Potter or Mary Popins where magic makes carrying anything with you including your slate tile bathroom and enormous wooden bed. A girl can dream!