In 1930 Cliff Whyte and Cyril Paris found a little place with good skiing and no people. By 1931 Skoki Lodge was open for business. Eight decades later not much has changed. The fireplace is still crackling in the lodge, the skiing is still good, and perhaps the best part, there are still no people.
We made the eleven kilometre ski into Skoki on Christmas Eve. December is early season for the Lodge and skiing past windswept scree slopes quickly convinced us that we would not be experiencing powder conditions.
Arriving early allowed for overloading on the afternoon spread of cheeses, breads, and tea. Overeating was followed by relaxation so we could be ready for dinner.
For Christmas Day Santa Delivered some snow. With only a handful of AT or Tele skiers in the area, our 11:00 a.m. start was plenty early enough to garauntee us fresh tracks.
Some people might suggest that Skoki is only good for crosscountry skiing or snowshoeing… They're wrong.
Heading back home Boxing Day our only regret is that every day can't be Christmas.
