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Our first breakout of "unauthorized play & wrestling" on the trail this 2024/2025 skijor season :)

"I double dog dare you to poke me back!" says frisky Rudy to Jack.
"I triple dog dare you to try and catch me!" responds sly Jack.

Ok, unauthorized play session aside, it was a glorious morning to skijor around the trail in Dry Gulch.

We started the day laying fresh tracks in the backcountry. Wheeee!

Laying fresh tracks in a light layer of new snow with my fun pals!

We then did a side tour "out & back" to visit some of the old mining buildings in one of the many ghost towns in Dry Gulch:

Second tracks to ourselves are we return through this ghost town.
Notice Jack & Rudy have no need for our "out tracks", they wanted to
lay fresh tracks every direction :)

Finally, we finished the day on a trail that will become part of Gold Run Nordic Center's groomed trails once they open for the season. They will be opening soon and they had taken one of the snowcat groomers out to survey the trail conditions this morning. While the snowcat tracks were fresh & soft, Jack & Rudy had no interest in them - it was more fun for them to run down the middle as they continued laying fresh tracks all morning long.

Snowcat tracks on each side of us as we glide along in the middle shallow powder.

What was the most fun of the outing? Hmm, how about laying fresh tracks in the backcountry to start the day. Come along for a video glimpse into this ton of fun :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Of course, all that work laying fresh tracks means you need to roll snow angels with some real gusto to cool off at turnaround time. Silly kids!

"Aahhh, rolling to cool our jets!" goes the comedians.
Nice view, too!

Back to the trailhead and it was the usual "smiles all around" as Jack & Rudy climbed a nice snow wall to receive end of run treats!

"We had a BLAST today!" says the happy, happy huskies!

What a beautiful morning: 8.4 miles traveled with 600 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 11 days on the trails covering 86.0 miles with 7700 feet of elevation climbed.

Tuesday Freshies

Super happy kids coming back to me at our turnaround point on the trail this morning.

"Whee! We are having a blast!" says the happy Siberians!

It was a snow gorgeous, albeit cold for the human, morning to lay fresh tracks in French Gulch with light snowfall coming down around us all outing long:

Tuesday Freshies - wheeee!

We did an out & back in French Gulch, which means we got to reuse the tracks we set on the way out to go fast on the way back:

Jack & Rudy tucked in our out paw & ski tracks to go as fast as possible :)

This trail in French Gulch is actually a road under the snow. The road is closed to the public; but there are a handful of private cabins in the gulch. The owners have keys to unlock the gate at the trailhead so they can drive to their cabins. So, occasionally we will run into a 4WD vehicle going to or from the cabin. Today was such a day as we encountered a truck leaving a cabin partway through the outing. Not a problem, though, with such good snow. Jack & Rudy simply view tire tracks like a groomed trail and they go ZOOM :)

Rudy flooring it in one tire track while Jack is enjoying the side powder at first.
Notice my ski tracks to Rudy's left. I intentionally skied next to, but out of,
the tire track after we encountered the truck to pave a nice return path for
my pals (ski tracks for one, tire tracks for the other).

Now for today's video highlight to put it all together. We start the clip running tight in the tracks we set on the way out. Then, after two corners, we come up the driveway where the truck entered the trail. Jack & Rudy adjust to make use of the track to speed up. Powder Jack starts out running in the shoulder snow while Rudy is in the tire track. Finally, as the clip ends, Rudy finally moves left into the ski tracks so Jack can take the tire track and then we can really floor it :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Back to the trailhead and nothing makes a Siberian Husky happier than having snow frozen all over your head and face :)

Look closely, both have snow frozen on their noses and forehead with
some fun snow beard icicles on their chins. Siberian bliss!

Great day laying fresh tracks in French Gulch although the wimpy human (ME) cut it a little short due to extreme cold temperatures: 5.7 miles traveled with 500 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 10 days on the trails covering 77.6 miles with 7100 feet of elevation climbed.

Nordic Zooming

Jack & Rudy were FLYING around the trails at Breckenridge Nordic Center this morning!

Hang on human!!!!!

The hover huskies catching air as the fly along this excellent stretch of
recently groomed trail.

It has been a warm & pretty dry week after a great snowy week before. As a result, all of our favorite backcountry trails have turned to sheets of slick ice after warm days and cold nights. So, until it snows again, our only skijor option is the groomed upper elevation trails of Breckenridge Nordic Center. But, one option is better than none! So off to the nordic center we went this morning...

We went zipping by Kathy's Viewpoint Warming Hut:

"Who needs a warming hut? Not us!" says the flying duo.

We kept on zipping past the Hallelujah Warming Hut:

"Still not interested in a silly warming hut! Floor it!" says the speedy kids.

With all that zooming around, did we ever stop? Well, one thing can bring Jack & Rudy to a halt: MOOSE! While we did not see a moose today, we did encounter some fresh smelling moose prints on the trail. Apparently moose like groomie zoomie trails too :)

Jack's nose & head firmly planted in a fresh smelling moose footprint.
Rudy inspecting another moose footprint.
Look in the lower left (just below Rudy) and you can see another moose
footprint in the trail. Look just below Jack's head (almost the center of the
photo) and you can see yet another footprint between Jack & Rudy.
I'm told by my pals that these were very fresh smelling :)

Once done inspecting the moose prints and it was off to the races again. Come along for a great video clip of the action as we topped 22 MPH along this stretch. About 28 seconds into this clip and we come upon a right or left option in the trail. 90% of the time we take this right turn. But, today, the trail was in better condition to the left. So, I call out a "Left" then "Forward" to get the team going the non-traditional direction at this intersection. Good listeners :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

We also had to turnaround at one point along the outing. We first drifted off trail into the side snow and then the comedians did their usual Stop, Drop and Roll!

"Rub a dub dub!" goes snow rolling Jack.
"Ah, I love rolling snow angels!" adds blissful Rudy.

Finally, back to the busy trailhead (this is the only useable cross country ski trail right now) and it was time to get in close for end of run treats:

"You have my full attention!" declares focused Jack.
"This is a close as I can get without climbing on you!" adds tightly packed in Rudy.

A fun nordic zooming day: 8.8 miles traveled with 900 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 22 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 9 days on the trails covering 71.9 miles with 6600 feet of elevation climbed.