Fresh to First

Starting the morning laying fresh tracks in a light layer of new snow in the backcountry. Wheeee!

Just enough new snow to safely open the skijoring throttle
on single track backcountry trails!

After starting the day touring backcountry trails, we dropped into Gold Run Nordic Center to enjoy some groomed trails too. The plan was to do two laps on the upper nordic loop and then finish on the main nordic trail to the trailhead. We were peacefully gliding along lap 1 when the kids' moose alarms went off!

"Moose went THIS WAY!" declares the moose inspectors.
Rudy is standing in a moose trough from long moose legs.
Jack is following the moose trail into the trees.

Despite some very excited sniffing and looking from Jack & Rudy, we failed to spot the moose. But I knew it was nearby given their intensity!

If you cannot find the moose, you might as well make use of being first tracks on the recently groomed nordic trail! Come along for today's video highlight as we are first tracks on the groomie zoomie and topped 24 MPH skijoring along this fast stretch of trail.

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Here's a fun action shot take from the prior video clip:

Fast running cannonball Jack & missile Rudy!

As I mentioned, the plan was to do 2 laps on the upper nordic loop. As we completed the first lap, Jack & Rudy insisted on a "stop, drop and roll" event to cool off before lap number 2 :)

"Wait, we need to roll and cool the jets before lap #2!" declares the snow
rolling sillies. The center of this photo above Jack & Rudy shows the backcountry
trail we used to enter the nordic center to begin our two upper loops.

Snow angels done, time for lap #2. As they typically do, Jack & Rudy swapped sides for the second pass. It's a different trail (or at least a different feel) being on one side versus the other each pass :)

Roughly the same location as the action shot above from lap 1 with the
kids swapped positions to enjoy lap 2.

Finally, once done with the two upper loops and it was on to the main trail where they kids almost always catch some air:

Zooming & catching air!

Back to the trailhead and the kids' new activity this season: find a snow wall to climb to get end of run treats from me in a standing position.

Not the highest snow wall they've scaled this season, but still high enough
for me to stand and hand out treats.

Fresh tracks in the backcountry to first tracks on the nordic center, fun day: 9.0 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 24 MPH.

2022/2023 Season to Date: 117 days on the trails covering 1037.8 miles with 94,400 feet of elevation climbed.