My Back Yard: 03/18/17

An Intrepid, Beautiful Wedding

The newlyweds in front of Denali

-Brian and Naomi tie the knot with style.

“Brian, will you Marry me today?” Naomi had been asking for the last two days and it was looking like this might actually be the day. The two days prior had been too cold. “Alright.” said Brian.

The vintage Reeve Aleutian Airlines thermometer hanging outside the door on the first morning was pinned to 35 below zero. Nevertheless, we rigged up for glacier travel and skied down-glacier in hopes of finding the perfect place to join two very special people; Brian Gornick and Naomi Ducharme. It was decided that that perfect place was going to be somewhere in The Gateway to the Great Gorge on the Ruth Glacier which could quite possible be the most awe-inspiring place on earth. But both days turned us back due to the biting cold winds. As it turns out it’s hard to read vows through chattering teeth. “Are we going to miss our weather window?” I thought.

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Flashback three months: I was picking out chips at Fred Meyer’s in Wasilla. My cell phone rang, it was Brian. “Hi Brian what’s up?”

“Oh not much”, he said, “Naomi and I are just having a leisurely Sunday, I think we’ll watch some football today....oh yeah; will you join us over Spring Break at the Mountain house? Oh and if it wouldn’t be too much trouble would you marry us up there?”. I was excited and overwhelmed.

My answer was yes. The plan was for us to go up there and do-the-deed in a private ceremony. Naomi’s lifelong friend Haley would join us making us a party of four. “Don’t tell anyone”, Brian said and I promised that I wouldn’t.

“Of course Brian, my word is my bond.” I told him. We said our goodbyes in all the usual ways and hung-up the phone.

“Oh my God Tamra, you’re not going to believe this!” Several shoppers glanced over as I spilled the beans enthusiastically to my wife in aisle 7 of Freddies. Did I mention I’m not very good at secrets?

As it turned out it wouldn’t matter because they had a change of heart and sent out invitations to all: Please send us your words of wisdom, poems, quotes from literature for us to share at the mountain house on our special day. Sweet. The stage was set.

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The cold dry air followed me into the cabin as I shut the door behind me. It was 8:00 A.M. on the fourth day. My bladder had me up earlier than I was hoping for. “How cold is it?” Naomi asked.

“Fifteen below.” I said.

Brian’s eyes popped open “Fifty below?” he questioned. He was tucked deep into his red and grey cocoon and didn’t appear to be excited about the prospect of even colder temperatures.

“No no no, fif-TEEN below” I answered. Haley, Naomi, and I laughed. This is going to be the day, I thought. Slowly we got up, had coffee and fried Roadhouse bagels, and began suiting up for the big day.

The Don Sheldon Mountain House is situated on top of a rock outcropping near the base of Mt. Barrille on the mighty Ruth Glacier. Hexagonal in shape each side has big windows except the one with the door. Each window frames a different spectacular view. There is a wood stove in the center and padded benches around the perimeter of four of the sides that are suitable for sleeping on. It would prove to be a very comfortable and well thought out structure.

Furthermore it says this on sheldonmountainhouse.com:

“Don Sheldon, a master glacier pilot who was revered by the climbers he flew into the Range, intended the Mountain House to be a destination for mountaineers, skiers, photographers, and wilderness-seekers. Don tied lumber to the wing struts of his Cessna 180 and Super Cub, making numerous flights into the Gorge before he had enough materials to build the Mountain House. It was constructed in 1966 by two Talkeetna locals. The Mountain House sits on a spectacular 4.9 acre rock and ice covered outcrop located at the 5,800 foot level, in the middle of the Don Sheldon Amphitheater just above the Ruth Gorge; perhaps the most scenic and spectacular spot in Denali National Park & Preserve. The Mountain House is owned by members of the Sheldon family through the Mountain House LLC.”

After clicking into our skis and checking each others knots we started down the glacier. It wasn’t long before we emerged from the shadows of Mt. Barrille and into the blazing sun. The immediate difference in temperature was staggering.

Taking a break on the Ruth

It was no less than a glorious day with zero wind. The surface of the glacier had been relentlessly scoured by recent winds and had formed the irregular wavy ridges known as sastrugi. It made for easy travel. There was a lot of snow and it was firm. The chances of a crevasse fall today were slim. We picked our way around crevasses and made our way around the corner and into the Great Gorge.

The ceremony itself was conducted after I had probed-off an area that could be determined safe for all four of us to be able to stand together. One at a time we belayed each other onto the gentle rise. With all of us so close together with all of our gear strewn about the scene was more akin to a yard sale than than a wedding. Skis, poles, packs were strewn about and we were still linked together by snaking piles of blue rope going hither and thither. We took off our packs and somehow managed to shuffle ourselves into our matrimonial positions. The bride and grooms skis pancaked my own awkwardly but no one seemed to notice or care. I was sure that if one of us fell over, we would all go down like bowling pins.

The ice under the wedding spot has been estimated to be somewhere between 3,800 and 4000 feet deep. I was careful to not drop the rings as I pulled them out of my pocket. The towering 5000 foot granite walls of the Gargoyle and Mt. Barrille on either side were our cathedral walls and the aisle of the church was our ski tracks. Haley was the maid of honor, witness and reader of poetry and I standing in the middle, already choking-up was the Reverend. Rev for short.

Brian and Naomi had prepared vows for each other that were very touching and articulate. Intermittent tears of joy fell from our faces as they committed themselves to a life together. Haley recited a poem that they picked out among all of their incoming mail. Together they agreed to support, and love each other for the rest of their lives..... along with the Green Bay Packers.

“By the power vested in me by the State of Alaska, (I’ve always wanted to say that) I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss each other.” Some of Brian’s snot-cicles and mustache ice had broken off by now but miraculously after what could easily be considered the best wedding kiss ever, they were gone altogether. Love.

Brian and Naomi had pulled-off exactly what they had envisioned for their wedding. It was beautiful and perfect. We danced, we sang, we laughed (a lot), we cried and we ate incredible food and drank delicious beverages. We read poetry and personally written words, notes, and letters from over 50 people.

Haley's turn to read.

Through these words it was easy to see how much they are loved and supported by their incredible network of family and friends. And although these people could not be in attendance their love was felt immensely throughout the trip. Naomi pinned all the cards, letters, pictures and poetry to the clothes lines that criss-crossed the ceiling as we read them.

It was a trip I will never forget. Haley and I consider ourselves lucky and grateful to have been able to be a part of something so special; The joining of two people that belong together.