Montana XMas = Family & Friends
We split our holiday celebrations between our families in Missouri and Montana. Usually, we alternate each year, but for the past couple of years, we’ve spent Christmas in Missouri and Thanksgiving in Montana. This year, we finally got back on schedule—we’re headed to Montana to spend Christmas in Whitefish! It’s been over a year since Amity has been in Whitefish, so we’re excited to see family, catch up with friends, and, of course, get some skiing in!
Mile: 60,024
Quote of the Blog: “Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas". - President Calvin Coolidge
Song of the Blog: “Carol of the Bells” - Trans Siberian Orchestra Live
Our journey to Whitefish started a full day before we actually arrived. We were flying out of Logan International Airport in Boston, and our flight was so early in the morning that we had to stay at a hotel near the airport the night before. Luckily, we found a hotel where we could park our car and take a shuttle to and from the airport. That was a game changer—it made everything so much easier. Plus, the hotel had a Mexican restaurant inside. Win-win!
Traveling to Montana went relatively smoothly. We expected chaos flying on Christmas Eve, but surprisingly, it was quiet. We later learned that American Airlines had grounded their morning flights due to computer issues, which made the airports feel almost empty. When we landed in Kalispell, we checked out the newly renovated airport—complete with the first escalator in Northwest Montana—so naturally, we had to ride it! Driving back into Whitefish felt like we had never left. Our first stop was my mom’s house to say hi and check in. My oldest sister, Tori, was there too. It was great to see them again! After catching up, we headed to Kalispell to pick up some pizza from my other sister Cassie and her boyfriend Seth’s new restaurant, Flathead Pizza. It was incredible to see their hard work pay off. They’ve put in so much effort to build this place, and they should be really proud of what they’ve accomplished—we sure are! With a pizza in hand, we made our way back to Whitefish to stay with Craig and Amy Moore for the trip.
Before we left for Whitefish, we told the Moores we were getting them matching Christmas pajamas. They thought we were joking, so we let it be. When we arrived, we handed them their gifts—not only matching PJs for them but also for their dog, Wally, and their cat, Marley! I didn’t think there was a chance they’d actually wear them, but as I write this, I’m still not sure they’ve taken them off. They loved them—well, Marley didn’t, but Wally, Amy, and Craig did. Call it a Christmas miracle. We spent the rest of Christmas Eve catching up, waxing skis, and getting ready for an epic week in Montana.
The next morning came faster than we wanted, but we didn’t mind—we were going skiing! This is a Marcial family tradition. My mom has worked for the ski resort for as long as I can remember, which means she always works Christmas morning. So, we ski first and celebrate Christmas in the afternoon when she’s off work. It was a beautiful day on the mountain—the sun even made an appearance, which in Montana is a gift in itself! Amity hadn’t skied at all last winter, but she jumped right back into it like she’d never left. For me, skiing feels fresh and exciting again. Just being on my skis is a testament to the time, energy, and effort I put into rehabbing my knee. It feels amazing to have my body finally keep up with what my brain envisions on the mountain, without the fear of reinjury. One of the best parts of being back on Big Mountain is seeing all our friends again. Skiing has always been a social experience for us, and we’ve missed our people! Even a simple chairlift ride means so much more now. After skiing, we had a beer at the Bierstube in my dad’s honor. When we got there, the Moores were still rocking their matching PJs and fanny packs! We nearly died laughing—next-level fun. The Stube, as always, was packed with familiar faces. We could have stayed there all night, but in the words of Radness, it was DTRMF to mom’s for dinner.
Dinner with the family was fantastic from start to finish! The last time we saw Shane was in Phoenix, and I couldn’t even tell you the last time I saw his dog, Mickie. It was crazy to see how much Cassie’s kids, Brady and Evie, have grown—they’re practically adults now. Our niece Cadence is a full-blooded Marcial—she keeps things real and the energy high. With the whole crew—Mom, Cassie, Seth, Amity, and me—the house was packed! We had a great dinner, including a ham glazed with New Hampshire maple syrup we had brought for Mom. Delicious. After dinner, we unwrapped gifts and played a Yankee Swap, which is basically a White Elephant exchange but with a name that makes more sense in New England. We wrapped up the night playing a board game with the kids, making for an awesome Christmas celebration.
Thursday was another ski day—no rush to get to the mountain, so we expected big crowds by the time we got there. But for some reason, it wasn’t too busy. We had another great day of skiing and met up with our friend Sarah Lyman. That night, Amity and I split up—she had dinner at Kenny and Abby’s, while I went to Bobby and Fiorella’s. Amity had a great time catching up and loved hanging out with their little one. Abby is pregnant again, so they’re gearing up for a new addition to their Montana crew! Meanwhile, Bobby, Fiorella, and I made tacos, caught up on travel stories, and played Pigs—a ridiculous game where you toss plastic pigs and score points based on how they land. No skill involved, just pure luck. Amity joined in halfway through, and we ended up playing three rounds. I got lucky and won the third round with a solid showing!
On Friday, we mixed things up and… went skiing! Shocker. We were slower getting started, and by the time we arrived, the crowds had finally shown up. We parked way in the back, but Big Mountain does a good job spreading people out. Our goal was to meet up with Craig and our friends Ashley and Brian Seefeldt since we had dinner plans with them and Maggie and Michael Conry. With long lift lines, Amity and I spent 45 minutes waiting for Chair 7—but skiing was still so much fun. We made a few runs with everyone before heading to Hellroaring Saloon for some legendary nachos. Are they as good as they used to be? We may never know, but nostalgia alone makes them worth it.
Dinner at the Conrys’ was Chinese takeout (IFYKYK), and it actually arrived! Michael and Maggie are from Massachusetts, so we had a hilarious time going over the bizarre local pronunciations of town names. The way “Holyoke” is pronounced had us in tears. We also got some solid travel tips for New England. We kept it an early night since I had an early chair ski session with Craig, while Amity was going cross-country skiing in Essex.
Saturday’s early chair was worth it—a couple of inches of fresh snow and some great turns. I got to meet up with Zak Anderson and Jason Robinson to ski with along with Craig and Amity. We all hiked up to Radio Tower for the best runs of the day. Meanwhile, Amity cross-country skied where we got married, the Izaak Walton Inn, now called Loge Glacier. She was happy to see it kept its charm despite the change in ownership.
Our last night was spent at Tupelo with Collin and Emilienne Moll—great food, great company, and a nightcap at Remington Bar. We havent seen them since we live in Washington. This feels like a long time ago, but it is only around 13 months ago. Crazy how time gets distorted with our travel lives. We loved dinner with them, especially the bread pudding part! Tori met up with us for drinks at the Remy, so we knew a total of three people out on a Saturday night in Whitefish. Wild how things change!
Sunday morning, we had one last breakfast with my mom at The Buffalo before heading to the airport. This has become a standard last activity in Whitefish. We love taking my mom out for breakfast! Pretty sure that we all order the same thing every time too! This time Shane joined us to share a little more family time before we left. It is always sad to leave Montana, but this time we are brining our skis with us. Now we get to really get after New England and learn all about the east coast ice everyone has told me about.
Montana, until next time. Now, it’s time to #SkiTheEast!