Birthday up on Hatcher Pass

This weekend we joined a few friends to celebrate the 30th birthday of Leslie, a good friend whom Meghan met while in law school. The party was a surprise and all celebrants had to sneak up to the Hatcher Pass Lodge undetected. Although the Alaskan winter sun had set hours before, the drive up the pass to the Lodge was white and serene as fresh snow blanketed the area. We enjoyed hot drinks, halibut, a delicious cake, and shared a few laughs before heading back toward Anchorage. On the return trip down the Pass, Meghan used her headlamp to "shine," then tried to call in a bull moose crossing the road to no avail.

The Lodge at night

Leslie's husband Harry presents the piece de resistance

Harry provides levity for the bar-weary Meghan