Eight Straight

Today was our 8th straight day of breaking trail in a foot or more of snow for the majority (if not all) of the outing - what a workout!

"Hi! We are having the best time! We love breaking trail!" say happy Max & Zorro at
our midpoint of the outing.

It is days like the last 8 straight when I am honored to know Siberian Huskies - sled dogs built to go (& happily go) in any and every condition. Sure, packed trails are fun & fast; but watching them work and drive through any terrain gives you insight into why the breed was developed and what it can do. Such an honor to be able to hang out behind these sled dog machines!

According to Breckenridge Ski Resort, we have had 46 inches of snow in the last 7 days and it certainly shows as we have been breaking trail in deep snow for 8 days straight! Today was no exception:

At the trailhead and the set track is only "1 Siberian Wide" - I do not think we have ever started
in single-file skijoring configuration as the trailheads are almost always packed wide!

After about a 1/2 mile, all existing tracks disappeared and we were breaking trail in at least
10 inches of snow for the rest of the day (and often more)!
The strange looking "fence in the forest" to our right separates the trail from a shooting range
on the other side of it. Do not worry, the shooting range is closed in the winter...

That little brown "stub" sticking out of the snow (to Max's right) is a trail marker that stands
about 3-4 feet tall in the summer! What a nice snow pack!

As I was gliding along behind my trail breakers today, I was reminded of one of my favorite books: Ten Thousand Miles with a Dog Sled by Hudson Stuck. I could not help but feel like I have had a small glimpse into the life of Hudson Stuck the past 8 days of constant trail breaking :)

Totals for the day: 7.1 miles with 750 feet of elevation climbed and breaking trail for over 6 miles of the outing!