Firsts

Another skijor outing putting smiles on the faces on oncoming skiers as Jack & Rudy flirt and cruise on by!

"Hi! Bye! Made you smile!" says the flirting kids cruising on by.

Today's skijor outing had a lot of firsts for our 2024/2025 season. We had FIVE firsts in all!

The first first was skijoring Dry Gulch, one of my favorite trails. I was unsure if there would be enough snow to skijor this trail safely and, boy, was I (happily) wrong as there was a TON of great snow!

The second was our first time encountering moose tracks crossing the trail this season. Not much can cause Jack & Rudy to come to a halt on the trail, but moose tracks most certainly bring them to a stop. You HAVE to sniff moose tracks afterall!

"Sniff, sniff, aaaahhh, fresh moose tracks!" says the track inspectors.
The moose had come from the trees to the right, crossed the trail and exited
to the left. How do I know the direction? Well, because Jack, the expert mooser,
always points himself in the direction the moose went :)

The third was our first time laying fresh tracks this season. We found 3-5 inches of fresh, untouched snow for about the first 1/2 of the outing! This particular trail is closed to vehicles in the winter (open in the summer). But, our local open space & trails department did not put out the winter gate to block vehicles until sometime Monday. Before they officially closed it, someone had driven it. As a result, you can see the indentations of two tire tracks in the photo below. Jack took one track, Rudy the other and I glided in the deeper middle powder - fun!

First time laying fresh tracks this season - yay!

The fourth was our first time breaking trail in deep snow this season. At one point we veered away from where the vehicle had driven to enjoy a side trail. Well, this trail was UNTOUCHED!!!! We found ourselves blasting through upwards of 12 inches of fresh snow. What a fun workout!

Cool deep snow indentations behind Jack & Rudy hopping and towing me
through some nice deep powder!

Today's video highlight goes along with the first photo above. Come watch as we are skijoring along in a wonderful layer of fresh snow until we come upon an oncoming skier. So, it's move to the left, put a smile on the skier's face as she watches fun Jack & Rudy and then put the pedal to the metal a few seconds after we pass the skier. Wheeee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

The final and fifth first of the day: Our first time climbing a snow wall for end of run treats this season. Jack & Rudy had been climbing snow walls occasionally since skijoring with Zorro. But, last season, the silly kids took it to a new level and climbed EVERY available snow wall to get as close to eye level with me for the treat celebration. 

Climbing a snow wall leftover in the recently plowed trailhead parking lot
to get to my level for end of run treats. Fun kids.

5 season firsts in one outing, what a fun day: 6.7 miles traveled with 400 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 18 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 3 days on the trails covering 19.7 miles with 1700 feet of elevation climbed.

Quick Run

Cruising by the historic Sallie Barber Mine, from the 1800s, on this morning's skijor!

Zipping on by - wheeee!

As I mentioned yesterday, we've had a slow start to this skijor season with yesterday being our first outing of the season and only one significant snowstorm to date (this past Sunday night). So, very few trails have enough snow to be skiable yet; but it is coming.....

Yesterday was Boreas Pass Road (one of our usual "early season" routes) and today was a quick run up & down the front side of the Sallie Barber Mine Trail. The front side is more gentle and is protected from the warm afternoon sun. The back side of this trail is very steep & rocky at the beginning, so needs more than one snowstorm to be skiable.

But, a short, quick run up and down the front side is better than nothing at all! We typically pause for a moment after the initial climb to the mine. Well, Jack & Rudy were both in midseason form on today's short pause. The patented "stop, drop & roll" snow angels from Jack and the harmonious "wooooo" from Rudy:

"Ah, stop, drop and roll!" goes snow rolling Jack.
"Woooooo!" sings melodic Rudy.

Jack & Rudy love encountering and flirting with other skiers or snowshoers on the trails. They get all giddy and fly on by, putting smiles on the oncoming faces :)

"Hi, bye! Made you smile!' says Jack & Rudy cruising on by this oncoming skier.

Today's video highlight: a fun section of the Sallie Barber Mine Trail where we lean into a tight left, then into a gentle right and finally take off on a fast straightaway. As the clip concludes, we encounter the oncoming skier pictured above. Jack & Rudy love to flirt and cruise on by oncoming traffic :) Wheeee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Finally, back to the trailhead and "quick run" or "long run" and it's the same from my great pals: focused and smiling for end of run treats:

"We'll take any distance 'toes on snow' over dry & boring conditions!" states
the happy, happy kids.

As I write this, it is starting to snow nicely out the window. Hopefully a series of snowstorms starting last Sunday and throughout this week will open up some new and longer terrain for us to skijor! Today's quick tally: 3.9 miles traveled with 400 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 2 days on the trails covering 13 miles with 1300 feet of elevation climbed.

FINALLY: Let the 2024/2025 Season Begin

 Let the 2024/2025 Skijor Season Begin! Wheeee!

Gliding to the finish of this morning's 9.1 mile run with smiling
Jack & Rudy running hard to the end!

I have been skijoring since 2010 (Max/Zorro, Zorro/Jack, Zorro/Jack/Rudy, Jack/Rudy) and have NEVER had to wait until November to start our season! But, it was a dry Sep and Oct in our part of Colorado; so Jack, Rudy and I had been moping around the outdoors all Oct wondering WHEN was the snow finally going to arrive?

Well, last night was FINALLY it. As is typical in the early season, we use Boreas Pass Road for many of our initial outings. There are no houses up this road, just a scenic drive in the summer and hunting access in the fall. As it is still fall, we often get tire tracks from hunters to make for fast packed terrain:

Jack in one tire track, Rudy in the other and myself gliding along
in the soft powder between the tracks.

At one point, on the return leg of this out/back outing, we get some nice views of Breckenridge Ski Resort across the valley from us. Today, most of the ski resort was under cloud cover, but we did get a nice shot of some of the lower ski runs:

Zipping along with some of the lower ski runs of Breck visible across
the valley from us.

Today's fun video highlight has Jack & Rudy running in a tire track while I glide along in the soft middle powder channel. As the video ends, my middle channel disappears so perfect Jack & Rudy slow too as we don't want my skis catching a rock in a tire track! Great partners!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Jack was in perfect "Jack form": running hard up/down the trail and rolling snow angels at our turnaround point. Rudy forgot about turnaround antics today. Don't worry, he'll be back to his wooing or rolling self in no time!

"Turnaround! Roll around!" goes snow rolling Jack.
"You said 'turnaround', not 'roll around', I'm so mature!" suggests all
business Rudy (hahaha).

One thing both certainly remembered, even after our extended time off: End of Run Treats!!!!!

"Oh, we'd NEVER forget about the end of run treats!" says the happy
and super focused pals.

Finally back on the snow after a painfully dry October: 9.1 miles traveled with 900 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 18 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 1 day on the trails covering 9.1 miles with 900 feet of elevation climbed.