Juneau has a great trail and cabin system within a short driving distance of pretty much anywhere in town. In the winter, reservations for these cabins are easy to come by and getting out to one is a great way to spend a wintery weekend!

The Peterson Lake trail is about 4.3 miles each way and is relatively flat. I’d brought snowshoes with me for this hike, though you really don’t need them for the trail. They’re fun to have once you get to the cabin if you want to explore the lake, however. This particular trip didn’t start so well: I reached the trailhead, parked, and when getting everything together, I realized I’d forgotten all my water. I figured I could make it the length of the trail without water, which I did with no difficulty. Once at the cabin, I did need water to cook with, so I used a hatchet and cut a hole in the ice over the lake at the end of the dock – it wasn’t too hard since someone had done it previously, so the ice wasn’t very thick. I then spent the evening reading in super quiet solitude… then cranked some music. Ah, ALASKA!