Kanuti Hotsprings

I have a long history with Kanuti, but it'd been a long time since my last trip there.
I was thinking of organizing another trip there sometime soon, taking advantage of our extended winter, when Jay asked me if I wanted to join their trip.  No organizing?  Sounds perfect.

We broke trail the whole way

Tom, Jay and Remus.

It may seem like I've resorted to Instagram-esque gimmickry in my photos, but rather the new lens hood rotates itself into my photos.  It adds a mildly neat effect and I'm not interested in spending the time to crop it out of a bunch of photos. I am going to return it, however.

We made it into the trees, and Echo breaks some trail.

Happy doggy.

Route finding decisions.

I am determined (by the magical device) to be wrong, and move to the back of the pack.

After much more trail breaking, we arrive at the hotsprings.  Echo was uncertain.

Erica.

Jay.  Not as cooperative with posing as Erica.  My photo of Tom, however, was not worth posting, so Jay is actually in the middle.

Algae.

Lots of it.

The springs, prior to being de-gunked by Jay.

Remus suffers in any temperature higher than -30F, and the day took it right out of him.

You might suggest that it is an awfully long way to drive and ski in order to sit in a mud puddle with a couple of guys with hairy backs, but I would tell you to stop being so negative.

Jay lights the fire, but look closely...

You can take the hippie out of Wasilla, but you can't take the Wasilla out of the hippie.

Remus is uncertain whether this is love or torment.

Echo was beyond indignant about the sleeping arrangements.  She was certain that she was just as entitled to my down sleeping bag as I was.

The geothermally heated ground picked up some frost during the night.

The trip really deserves a 2nd night, but modern civilization has adopted every labor-saving device with the startling exception of the three day weekend.

The 2nd day was much more grey.

Either the lighting changed dramatically, or I used the "auto-contrast" feature on this photo.  Jay skis the final slopes down to the car.

Thanks Jay, Tom and Erica for a fun trip!