Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 01/03/2008 - 02:25

WowKirkIamrunningoutofsuitableexpressivelanguage!

 I am saving all your photos in case you forgot all the stuff you did while you are their; I believe I will copy that other teacher and print out your journal for my students. ½ of me says that bucket-head experience was a way to warm up but 3/4 of me says it was a white-out experience stimulator.

 I am going back to work (in my classroom) today (Thursday) if that makes you envious, well I understand; as soon as the temp rises above zero anyway. Thank-you so much for the detailed explanations and photos of snow surviving school, I even woke up Michele to get her to look at the photos.

 Did you have those way cool light weight camper stoves?

I assume the visibility was good enough that you were never in (too much) danger on your long hike?

Was the walking the “crunch crunch” of a thin layer of snow on ice or the  “goosh goosh” of sinking deep into the snow with each step, which I assume took more effort?

 I keep telling myself this is a cold desert.

 I suppose it is difficult to judge distance when everything is white?

Thank-you again for making all this possible for all of us back here and there!

 Mike Blanco Dweller Texas

Kirk Beckendorf

Hey Mike,You only get one guess ... but I will tell you that one of yours was correct. 
Tell Michele that I apologize for waking her up. 
 Yes we had light weight MSR Whisperlight stoves. Part of our instruction was making sure we could take it apart and put it back together.
It was definitly a crunch crunch. It was a tough walk, about 4 inches of snow while wearing huge bunnie boots.
It s very difficult to tell distance, very little depth perception at all in blowing snow, when everything around you is also snow. On the way back we had to really concentrate on the snow to be able to walk in the "path" we made on the way out. No danger at all but just hard to see your tracks.
Thanks again for writing and have fun at school.
kirk