Russian Jack

It was a gorgeous day for a hike on the Russian Jack Trails! The perfect late winter day we live for. The kind that makes winter seem bearable. We've been blessed with a lot of those days this winter. Today's theme was Terrain - how bumpy, steep or flat the trail was. The kids discussed how fast or slow they could go based on the terrain - fast on downhills, slower on the ups. Many chose to challenge themselves with some of the steeper topography by climbing the hills and banks on the trailside. At one point there were so many kids climbing a hill that it looked like a munchkin version of the Chilkoot Pass.

The Russian Jack trails are a great starting place for hikes with little walkers and skiers as these multi-use trails are groomed. There's a lot of options and it connects with the larger Anchorage trail system.  There's a fantastic sledding hill, a chalet to warm up in and the Municipal Greenhouse is located here too. A fantastic tropical oasis in the middle of the sub-arctic winter. I recently discovered you can rent the chalet for events for relatively cheap. It would make a great place for a winter birthday party, conveniently located next to the sledding hill. Here's a map from the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage's page:

Today happened to be my eldest's birthday. We brought some treats to share to celebrate with our friends. The original plan was to have them while warming up in the greenhouse post hike, but it was so beautiful we opted to indulge outside, rather than deal with removing and putting on gear inside. If your little one's birthday falls on a Trek day, feel free to bring a treat to celebrate, but do not feel obligated.