1/8/14: The Reno/Alta/Snowbird/Solitude Winter Break and New Year's Bonanza

Hi everybody (and ESPECIALLY Uncle Kevin!) -- 

We hope you're having a great 2014 so far!!! Mattie and I had a good/interesting/exhausting/beautiful Christmas break up around Reno, then a week in Utah for some skiing with Danielle and Cole (and we even got to see Hayley for New Year's Eve!). 

Here's kind of how it went: 

Mattie and I drove up some day around 12/10 after a nice night with Yeti and Dad. We got to Greg's after a freezing drive over Donner Pass. We got settled in and it was relaxing. We did some work, ate great food, and spaced out inside during a frigid week in Reno. We spent some time with Sid and Anni, picking them up from school and hanging out while Scott was at work. They're insane and I love them. We all went to paint ceramics together and did all kinds of arts and crafts. We tried a few walks outside with Mattie, but everyone quickly agreed it was too cold. 

Total aside: one of Anni's new favorite phrases is "...I would be set for LIFE!" It's the greatest because she doesn't really understand how to use it. So she uses it with everything, and it's awesome.

"If I could get Taco Bell I would be set for LIFE!"

"If I could have an M&M I would be set for LIFE!"

"If I could watch My Little Ponies I would be set for LIFE!"

It kind of makes me want to say it about everything, too. 

Anni painting Christmas gifts. 

Sid takes arts and crafts seriously.

At Greg's we decorated and had an adorable fake tree (NO FOLIAGE. IT'S A FIRE HAZARD), gifts, stockings and all kinds of awesome Christmas stuff. Greg got into the Christmas spirit and put up some old-school giant colored bulbs (the best kind!).

The Anti-Scrooge. Greg hanging Christmas
lights and making me really happy.

I got to see my brother and nieces all the time, which was awesome.

I turned THIRTY with a great sushi dinner and drinks with friends and family, which was awesome.

We spent Christmas Eve having an awesome, cozy dinner at Greg's parents' house in Washoe Valley, which was SUPER awesome and delicious and warm and everything else. There was a real tree, and Christmas decorations all over, and there was snow outside. We had leftovers for breakfast. Mattie loves it there - Nancy (Greg's Mom) totally spoils her, and they became quick friends.

The best part: my parents drove up to Reno on Christmas day, so we all had Christmas together with ham and potatoes and ramaki at Scott's place. Yaaaay Christmas! I'll steal some pictures of all of us together from my mom and throw them up here in my next post.

After a couple (sick) days hanging out with my family, we dropped Mattie off with Nancy (she was happy to stay with the Reynolds' for a week) and got on a plane for Salt Lake City. A few hiccups later, we were on our way in a bright blue Mustang up Little Cottonwood Canyon where we met Nell and Cole when they got off work at the Rustler later than night. We spent the week in the cozy home (with tons of games, and a hot tub, and great food) of Dianne & Joe (Cole's parents) in Draper, which is just a few left turns from the mouth of LCC.

A few more boot-related hiccups later and we got some mellow skiing in (some day there will be powder when I'm in Utah...), a LOT of pizza and beer at the Gold Miner's Daughter, and plenty of hot chocolate at the Rustler. And games. Charades. Scattergories. Head's Up. We caused a scene. Greg wins at impressions. Danielle wins at twerking. Cole may have just been totally baffled.

Later in the week Nell and Cole showed us around Snowbird, Alta (it's for skiers...so we got snowboarder Greg on skis for the first time in forever and he was awesome!), and Solitude.

Honeycomb Canyon at Solitude
(thanks to Danielle for these pictures!)

Me and Nell (apparently shaking our
booties) in Honeycomb Canyon, Solitude. 

Nell & Cole at Alta. They're the best in the west.

Honeycomb Canyon. It's quiet and beautiful.
And there are squirrels. 

Snowbird groomers and mountains for days.

And one of the best things about New Year's Eve at Alta (besides getting to spend it with my best friends...and seeing Hayley do what seemed to be a low-grade stripper impression while trying to act out "Earthquake" in charades, which was totally inspiring) - is the Alta torchlight ski parade.

After the mountain closes, you get a hot chocolate (or in our case, a shot of tequila and a quick beer from Alta Lodge's very own majestic bartender Mike Campanelli - yes, the same Camps from our summer adventures!), wait for dark, and get back on the lift to mid-mountain. There are fireworks being set-off that you pass on the lift. People wear christmas lights and sing and make noise and drink hot chocolate and whiskey in the lift lines and on the chairs.

When you get off at mid-mountain you wait in line for a torch. Then you ski down in a long line of people along the cat-track. When you're sitting in the lodges at the bottom, it looks something like this: https://www.skinsee.com/alta-torchlight-parade.

We were later on in the parade (due to our visit with Camps), but it was totally perfect. The firework finale went off right as we started skiing down, so we got to look down the mountain and the fireworks were going off right in front of us at eye level. It's a little impossible to actually describe it. But it's really special. And Greg got back on skis just to do it with us, because he's so awesome I can hardly handle it.

Nell and Cole in the torchlight parade.
Hey guys! 

Me 'n' my Alta torch. Greg had to keep
reminding me not to melt my helmet. 

On New Year's Eve we played Rollick (that was when the Hayley Earthquake Incident of 2013 occurred...), drank jalapeno margaritas and beers, and watched the ball drop on TV. Then I guess we just all kind of fell asleep? The next morning was mellow and lazy, and we skied at Solitude (Big Cottonwood Canyon is GORGEOUS) on New Year's Day. 

Then, after a beautiful week in the Utah mountains we took a short flight back to Reno. 

A HUGE THANK YOU to Danielle and Cole for having us out there, and to Dianne and Joe for letting us stay in their great house (and bunk house), making us great food and drinks, playing charades with us, and generally being really sweet and generous people. And to Hayley for bringing her A-game, like always. I'm so lucky to have friends like you guys. 

The next day I left Reno (I was sad) and headed for the coast...and work...after an awesome month with this guy. 

Hey! Hi! Come back to the cabin!

We drove to SLO, where my whole family (and Grandma & Grandpa!) was together for the first time in a long time. Mom, Dad, Scott, Dylan, and me in the same place - it doesn't happen often, and it was great. And there was a ton of delicious Indian food involved, so that was great, too.

Then we came back to our little cabin in the oak trees. I love it here. I have a lot of work to do (class started yesterday) and it has me a little stressed. But the turkeys are hanging around, Mattie is happy to be back at home (but misses her new buddies), the weather is beautiful and sandal friendly, and someday we'll get out climbing again.

We looked for artifacts yesterday at our secret spot in 70 degree sunny winter weather.

Things are almost perfect on Paradise Road.
Happy 2014 - we'll write more this year!


Love from the Sunset Cabin,

Allison & Mattie


PS - So my old email address (ahorst@umail.ucsb.edu) was deleted by the ultimate supreme beings at UCSB...but you can find us at allison.horst@gmail.com OR ahorst@bren.ucsb.edu. Either one should be working now.