In the winter a few years back, my partner, Eric, and I found ourselves ready for some new adventures. Part of that was deciding it was time to bring a dog into our lives. We weren’t looking for a puppy, but rather a furry friend who was a little older and more low-key. That’s when we saw Donnie’s photo on our local shelter, Nuzzles, Instagram page, and instantly knew we had to meet him.

After a full day on the slopes in Park City, we drove over to meet him and took him home for a trial night. Donnie had come to Utah from LA with a group of small dogs and had already been adopted once before, only to be returned three months later. He was a little unsure at first, but his calm, curious energy won us over. Two nights in, we knew there was no way we could bring him back.

Since he is travel-sized, we packed him up for his first airplane ride for Christmas with Eric’s family in Chicago. The trip was eventful to say the least, driving to the airport in a storm, missing a connection, and sitting through an 8-hour delay. If Donnie wasn’t already overwhelmed by his new humans, he was about to find out what kind of adventures we get into.

As soon as we returned from the holidays, we were packing again, this time for a backcountry yurt trip to ring in the New Year. When we pulled into the snowy trailhead, reality set in: the storms in Utah had delivered so much snow that we had to shovel out the parking lot before we could even start. With gear piled high and Donnie bundled in, our group set out in waves, some on snowshoes, others skinning, and a few with the snowmobile.

We weren’t exactly packing light thanks to the snowmobile, which meant the luxury of king crab legs, filets, and garlic mashed potatoes waiting at the yurt. Inside, the space was rustic but cozy. The smell of woodsmoke from the stove, laughter from card games, cocktails clinking, and Donnie curled up in blankets while the wind howled outside. At one point, when we thought the snowmobile wouldn’t restart in the cold, there was a moment of panic, but eventually, it sputtered back to life.

Sometimes the best holidays aren’t about tradition at all, but about trying something different and seeing where it leads. For us, that meant celebrating New Year’s Eve in a yurt with good friends, great food, and a new four-legged family member.

Looking back, that weekend turned into more than just a New Year’s getaway, it was a reminder that the best adventures rarely go as planned. Between the snowstorms, late starts, and cold nights, we found warmth in good company, comfort in simple moments, and joy in the kind of unpredictability that makes mountain life what it is. Sometimes the most meaningful traditions aren’t the ones you plan, they’re the ones that find you when you lean into the unknown.

Here’s to creating new traditions, embracing the storms, and finding connection in every season. What new traditions are you carving out this winter?