JVC Winter Retreat and Glacier National Park

Since our winter retreat was scheduled for Flathead Lake, thirty minutes south of Glacier, we decided to make a trip out of it. We left on Wednesday morning at 7 AM and arrived in Kalispell, at the apartment of Stephanie’s college roomate, Angie, 13 hours and one white-out-snow-storm later. (Thankfully Steph was driving -- no problem for an Idahoan.) With six JVS, four pairs of skis, food for three days and clothes for six, the van was riding low. On Thursday, Cassie hit the slopes of Big Mountain, Susan explored the coffee shops of Whitefish, and Matt, Joe and I went cross country skiing on a local golf course. It was Joe's first time and we enjoyed a couple stellar wipe-outs. Thursday evening, thanks to Mrs. Pung and her winnings from a Super Bowl bet, we went out for some Valentine's dinner and dancing.
On Friday, we headed north into Glacier. We drove the first ten miles of Going-to-the-Sun Road (the rest is closed for the winter) and spent the afternoon hiking, skiing and snow-shoeing around McDonald Lake. After run-hiking for an hour and a half in the trees (novel after eastern MT) the vistas and the expansive quiet, things were pretty good in my world. From Glacier we headed south again, passed through Kalispell and continued down to our retreat center in Lakeside. There, we reunited with the JVs from Billings, Omak and Spokane for a weekend of Ignatian Spiritual Excercises led by a fascinating, elderly Jesuit called Father Bob. Though he now serves on the Colville reservation, along with the Omak JVs, Father Bob spent the majority of his priesthood living in solidarity with the homeless and in protest communities surrounding nuclear and weapons-manufacturing sights. Guided by his humor, simplicity and vibrant spirituality, we all (Ashland-kids at least) left the weekend changed. The place wasn't so bad either -- below is the view from our meeting room window.
It was an awesome weekend for our community. Seeing Glacier, going dancing, working with Father Bob and hanging out with the other JVs gave us a boost of energy to bring back to Ashland.