Trying new things is a great way to feel alive. Cross country skiing came across as an exhausting activity and I have never done that before. Recently, I had that lively first-time cross country skiing experience.
Yosemite is the most accessible National Park from where I live. I have been there a number of times with my family and friends over the years. There was the half-dome hike, there was the firefall watch. Yet, I have not stayed in the historical Ahwahnee hotel nor cross country skiing in the Badger Pass. Late February, my husband and I decided to check off these two items on a 3-day, 2-night trip.
Day 1 was a commute day where we drove our Subaru outback SUV to Casa De Fruta for a relaxing lunch, and stopped at Oakhurst for an overnight stay.
Day 2 was cross country skiing and buffet dinner at the Ahwahnee hotel. Cross country skiing seems more enjoyable to watch than to do. My husband reminisces about cross country skiing in his school days and is motivated to prove he is still fit to do it. We started early and after some deliberations, went with a 2-hours beginner’s class. Our instructor was a lanky young kid, with long hair and looked to have a record low BMI. He taught us patiently for a couple of hours on the basics, before letting us go loose to wander the Badger pass. The basics were pretty simple. Cross skiing at a pace was not for me, as such we went at a slower-than-walking pace among the forest. The cross-country ski seems a bit harder to stop than a downhill ski, even with a very gradual slope and it scared me in the more narrow area to imagine rolling down the downhills slope. I went from walking pace to crawling speed. There were not that many cross country skiers along the way. It was peaceful and surreal to be in the mix of snow and forestry for hours. While the minds felt refreshed, physically, we felt the fatigue in the thighs in the afternoon.
Ahwahnee hotel awaited with red carpet entry, a well decorated and super spacious lobby. We checked in our room early to maximize our time in the hotel which charged a hefty +$400 per night. The expensive price tag of the hotel has more to do with the location, than its service. The hotel room is more spacious and comfortable than luxurious. There is a corner view of the mountain. It is nice but not unforgettable. We made a reservation at the expensive restaurant downstairs. Decades ago, we had breakfast in the restaurant after the half-dome hike the day before. It felt nostalgic to be back in the pandemic times, and we had a satisfying buffet dinner with a nice meadow view. The food was delicious with some highlights, the dessert came across as a bit too sweet. We walked around after dinner to check out the hotel amenities and to burn some calories. We were too tired to stay late enough to watch the starry starry night.
Day 3, we woke up and enjoyed coffee in the room with the mountain view. We wandered a bit around the area, caught the Yosemite fall view with a splash of misty rainbows. There was still snow in some areas. It was quiet and beautiful. The open areas in the lobby areas have characters and reminisces in various lobby spaces. These lobby attractions come across as Ahwahnee hotel highlights. We found an area with tables and tall windows overlooking the meadow area outside. The view made the instant noodles more delicious. After breakfast, we took a dip in the heated outdoor swimming pool. There were only two of us. It was chilly outside but very comfortable in the water with the gorgeous view of the Yosemite mountains and the Ahwahnee hotel. Ahwahnee hotel stood up to its reputation and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We detoured to check out the Tenaya lodge and have lunch before heading home.
oliviatamccue 