Final Day--Homer Rope Tow

Well, our time has finally run out!  Though there is still lots of snow out there, it is melting at a fast clip, even with our unseasonably chilly weather.  Today dawned brilliantly sunny so when I suggested to Denver that we head up to the Homer Rope Tow, he jumped at the chance to have one final day snowboarding this season.

Homer Rope Tow--last day of 2013 season, May 19th

As gorgeous as it looks (like, it ought to be warm!), the slopes were icy today so conditions were less than ideal.  And "the gully", just off the picture on the left, which is a favorite run for the teens, was bare and not skiable.  Douglas and I decided to bike Ohlson Mountain Road while Denver 'boarded, and with the odometer on Doug's bike discovered that the road is 9.5 miles (we went just shy of that because there was still deep snow at the top of Ohlson Mountain so we couldn't quite go all the way to the end of the road) round-trip, from Skyline drive all the way up past the barrier to the gravel pit.

Rope tow put in perspective with the overall area.

Since we were up there I took a picture of the Rope Tow from there, to give you an idea of what it looks like in the landscape (a shrimp!).

Rope Tow take-off point

This picture of Denver is amazing.  Just a few short weeks ago (like when I biked Ohlson Mtn. Road recently), there was 6-8 feet of snow where Denver is standing right now.  Normally at this spot there are steps carved into the snowbanks to get to the trail to the rope tow.

The Rope Tow's new sign, taken earlier this winter

I just had to include this sign because I was soooooo excited when it went up this year!  For 5 years now we've been coming to the Rope Tow and there was no sign, or some handwritten sign on a post that said "open" or "closed" and nothing else to indicate what this place was--that it existed.  So for the Rope Tow to get a sign (to go with the new deck, warming huts for operators and outhouse, all courtesy of HEA) was a major move up in the world...after all these years!  My aunt and uncle in Ninilchik, who have been there for 45 or so years, would drive down every weekend of the winter 30 years ago and ski here!

Frankly, I'm ready to move on to summer activities and am not sad the Rope Tow is FINALLY closing.  Snow begone!  Summer come!