Maui provides a welcome glimmer of unattainable warmth in a very odd and awkward time, and we'll return to Maui very soon. But before we do, some images of race training and the moon on a cold morning in Girdwood offer a brief and bracing interlude of winter realism. 

The Chugach Mountains surround Alyeska.

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Giant slalom training normally goes pretty much as planned, especially for UAA's racers (senior Michael Soetaert pictured). 

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Above, a merged sequence of UAA senior Rebecca Fiegl.

But now and then things happen, as when Alyeska Ski Club U19 Ava Liles was high-sided and did a 180-degree flat spin and half flip. She was not hurt and skied away.

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But things are soon back to normal, as UAA's Nicole Mah, a sophomore, demonstrates.

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Another ASC junior is obviously happy to be on course. A92I2517

The moon, just past full, was setting in the early dawn on a cold day, silhouetting this spruce.

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Lights illuminate the ski hill before the ski day begins.

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The setting moon sinks behind a ridge.  To a photographer on a cold day, it seems to take a long time to drop.

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The black shapes are ravens, frolicking in front of the moon.  This is a single exposure, not a Photoshop trick.

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The moon seems to sink faster as it approaches the ridge and starts to set. EF4A7138 EF4A7206 EF4A7237