First Local Slush Cup at Ohlson Mountain

Spectators in costume watch as someone pulled a kayaker down the hill through the slush cup

When I first heard there was going to be a slush cup at Ohlson Mountain as a fundraiser for a local boy who has a rare form of cancer and will be in chemo in Seattle for almost the next year, I was like, "What's a slush cup?" But I recalled watching the annual slush cup at Alyeska, and quickly connected that event with Homer's event, though I couldn't quite picture a huge pit of watery, snowy, slush at the bottom of Ohlson Mountain. However, via a many, many hoses run from the nearest house, they made it happen!

This was actually was of the funnest events I've been to in Homer in awhile. It was a beautiful 40ish degree day, with a mix of sunshine and snow. A downhill ski slalom preceded the slush cup, with kids and adults competing for prizes on skis, snowboards and with costumes and style.  A huge turnout made Ohlson Mountain Road look incredibly busy, with cars lined up quite a ways up and down the road. (As an aside, with such nice weather I was afraid we were going to be in the middle of spring breakup and the road would be a mess, but despite warm temperatures the road was mostly still frozen.)

Lots of food, a silent auction, music, many Homer neighbors made it what we call a "so Homer" event.  The slush cup got the spectators seated on the snow in perfect viewing, some around the fire, some on tarps, others in chairs. A teacher from the high school went first and made it across the slush without dunking. Then came a couple of Hoxie's cross-country ski team teammates, also dressed in costumes. It seemed like about 40 folks attempted the slush cup. Most made it over. Some dunked on purpose. Some made it over with help of a couple assistants in the water. The big sled made it, pulled and pushed over the water after crashing a few times down the hill. The kayak made it with assistance as well.  It was all good for lots of laughs and a good hunk of change was made to help out the family with expenses in this coming challenging year.

I joked with someone that we need to do a slush cup every year...we're guessing it would grow, though a good cause helps. Here's to wishing Hoxie well!