Huts

Awesome views from high up on Peak 7 at Breckenridge Nordic Center this morning!

Stunning views.
Awesome trail conditions.
Beautiful sled dogs! Wheeee!

We spent this morning zipping around the freshly groomed trails at Breckenridge Nordic Center. We were first tracks on the fresh groom some of the time and only second or third tracks other parts of the outing. What perfect conditions this morning!

Common skiers & snowshoers at Breckenridge Nordic Center appreciate the warming huts that are available out on the trails as we are at very high elevation (above 11,000 feet) almost the entire time on this network of trails. Both huts have wood burning stoves to warm up and one even has a wood burning powered sauna!

What do Jack & Rudy think of the warming huts? "Pffft, what a silly idea! We've NEVER been cold in our lives!" is their opinion. So, what do with the huts we encounter then? Well, why not use them as something to zoom on by!

There is Kathy's Viewpoint Warming Hut - zoom on by!

Zoom, zoom, zoom!

Then there is the Hallelujah Warming Hut - zoom on by!

Still zooming!

So, let's put it all together into today's video highlight of the outing. "Hut 1, Hut 2, GO - let's fly on by the huts!" Fun partners :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

One of my ski boots came untied at one point, so I had to kneel to retie. Well, kneeling and tying is stopping and stopping is drop & roll time to Jack & Rudy regardless of the reason :)

"Stop, drop & ROLL!" goes the goofs who will roll snow angels to cool
off at any stop, regardless of the reason!

Nancy's camera wasn't working today to get our traditional "end of run" treats shot to complete the day's blog; so, we'll go with another fun moment out on the trails. At one turnaround point, I asked if everyone was having a good time. Here's the responses:

"I'm having a BLAST!" states happy Jack.
"It's a WOO, WOO wonderful morning!" adds singing Rudy.
Yes, I should know better than to ask Rudy a question, he'll ALWAYS answer!

A beautiful and peaceful morning to zoom around Breckenridge Nordic Center: 9.4 miles traveled with 1000 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 44 days on the trails covering 323.2 miles with 29,700 feet of elevation climbed.

Fast Day

It was a fast day flying around the wide trails at Gold Run Nordic Center this morning!

How fast? Well, the GPS clocked us topping 24 MPH along the way
this morning. Zoom!

Now come along for the video view into a fast & fun day. It is in the second half of this clip where I felt an extra tug on the gangline as Jack & Rudy kicked it into overdrive and surpassed 24 MPH. Zoom!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

It was not just that one stretch of trail in the video, though; it was flooring it from the fast kids all morning long. They were really into a speed groove!

Zipping up a slight rise in the trail as I glide along behind!

It was also a beautiful bluebird morning and a nice warmup from the recent super cold spell we have been in. So, why not catch some air zipping along the wonderful sun covered trail?

The hover huskies, Jack & Rudy, doing their thing. Wheeee!

I paused at one point to check our time out on the trails. Well, I paused, so Jack went into his usual "stop, drop and roll" routine. Rudy, on the other hand, decided it was time to get a little higher off trail to sing loud for all to hear. He has been on a really talkative run the last week or so :)

"Ah, stop, drop & roll!" goes snow angel rolling Jack.
"Up on a perch, singing loud for all to hear!" adds harmonious Rudy :)

Zoom, zoom, zooming all morning long; what a way to earn tasty end of run treats!

"Ready!" exclaims the happy, happy kids.

As I said, a zippy fun day: 8.7 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 24 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 42 days on the trails covering 307.5 miles with 28,200 feet of elevation climbed.

View & Go

Nice view of the ski runs of Breckenridge Ski Resort across the valley from us as we round a corner on a single track trail in the backcountry:

Nice view of the ski resort. Nice view of trucking Jack & Rudy :)

Today's video highlight goes along with the prior photo. Come along as we start with nice views of the ski runs of Breckenridge Ski Resort across the valley from us. Then, after rounding a corner, the ski resort goes out of view so it's time to watch Jack & Rudy galloping along in this nice single track trail. Wheeee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

We did an "out & back" on Prospect Hill to start today's outing. So, that meant we turned around at one point. Oh those turnaround goofballs :)

"Turnaround, roll around!" goes always snow rolling Jack.
"Turnaround, woooooos abound!" belts singing Rudy.
Oh, another nice view of Breckenridge Ski Resort across the valley.

Once done with the single track skijoring on Prospect Hill, it was time to drop onto the wide trails of nearby Gold Run Nordic Center. The kids really opened it up on the nordic zoomies today!

They started by topping 23 MPH on the upper nordic loop trail:

Zooming! Wheeee!

They continued by catching air in a little bit of sun breaking through the morning clouds:

Let's catch some air with some nice shadow effects!

Then it was time to entertain the oncoming crowds (it was pretty busy near the trailhead on this weekend morning). Jack & Rudy love to fly on by and put smiles on the onlooking faces!

"Coming through! Made you smile!!!!" says the entertainers zipping on
by the onlooking skiers.

Backcountry single tracks to views to speeding to catching air to entertaining the crowds - all in a day's work for two impressive sled dogs :)

"I was smiling all day too!" adds cool Jack.
"You have my UNDIVIDED attention!" says very focused Rudy
awaiting the end of run treats.

Fun day, fun skijor partners! 9 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 41 days on the trails covering 298.8 miles with 27,500 feet of elevation climbed.

Fresh and Wide

Beautiful morning to lay fresh tracks in a light layer of new snow in the backcountry!

Zipping along laying fresh tracks - wheeee!

While the day started with us laying fresh tracks in the backcountry, eventually we transitioned onto the wide trails at Gold Run Nordic Center. We were the second to be out on the upper nordic loop. But, with wide trails, Jack, Rudy & I were able to still enjoy fresh snow just staying out of the single pre-existing ski track:

Just ignore the ski track to our left and it is still laying fresh tracks on
this wonderful wide nordic trail.

Now come along for the video counterpart to the prior photo. We start out on a cul-de-sac of fresh snow (where the groomer turns around); but within seconds we are then second tracks on the trail. No problem, though, as the trail was wide enough for us to pretty much still be laying fresh tracks most of the way. Top speed in this clip? 23 MPH - zoom!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Finally we moved onto the main (and, thus, busiest) trail at Gold Run. But, we were still thrilled to find only 3 ski tracks before us. That still left plenty of room on the wide trail for Jack, Rudy and I to continue laying fresh tracks between the existing ski tracks - yay!

Only 3 skiers before us, so still PLENTY of fresh, untouched snow for
our toes (and skis :)

All that zooming around in fresh snow meant two things.

First, you MUST roll snow angels to cool your jets at any turnaround point in the outing:

"Ah, rub a dub dub, rolling to cool our jets!" goes the snow rolling sillies.

Second, you are REALLY ready for end of run treats to celebrate the outing:

"Look how high I am!" declares Jack high atop a snow wall.
"Don't forget me down here!" adds Rudy who was not able to perch
himself as high as Jack.

Fun, fun day with new snow and trails wide enough to be laying fresh tracks pretty much all day long: 8.7 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 40 days on the trails covering 289.8 miles with 26,800 feet of elevation climbed.

 

Not Today Kid

While Jack usually succumbs to Rudy's play bows, every once in a while mellow Jack simply replies with a "Not today kid, let's skijor!" Today was one such day :)

"Come on big brother, you know you want to play with me!" declares bowing Rudy.
"Boring, not today kid, let's skijor instead!" responds mature Jack.

Despite Rudy's many attempts to bait Jack into a game of tag & wrestle, mellow Jack was just not in the mood for the wild kid today. So, Jack won and we skijored instead! Yay Jack!

We started the day in the backcountry with light snow falling around us.

Zooming along in the backcountry - wheeee!
The structure ahead and to the left is a what is left of an old mining
cabin from the 1800s when this area was the mining town of Preston.

After the backcountry tour, it was time to zip around the upper Preston loop at Gold Run Nordic Center. Jack and Rudy love to floor it on the nordic trails!

Cannonball Jack and Rudy the Missile zipping along the wide nordic trail.

We did pause once on the loop so I could check our time out on the trail. Well, I paused...

"Stop, drop and ROLL!" goes snow rolling, giggling Jack.
"Boring! Let's GO!" sings wooing Rudy.

Ok Rudy, you win, let's get restarted again. What next? How about catching some air on the main trail heading back to the parking lot? Whee!

Go kids, Go!

For today's video highlight we have a fun stretch of trail at Gold Run Nordic Center where we start out zooming along a wide open straightaway. Then, we come to a tight left in the trail. I can see through the trees to determine there is anything big (moose, groomer, human) around the corner but cannot tell if there is something small (loose dog, porcupine - both of which have happened in the past). So, I lean hard into the skis to take us through the left under control and then let the kids open it back up once through the corner and see nothing is ahead of us. Wheeee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

With a plowed parking lot to end today's outing, we have plenty of snow walls to climb for end of run treats! Today was a nice tall one:

Eye to eye with my favorite pals as we share end of run treats with them
high atop a snow wall.

Today's tally: 6.3 miles traveled with 500 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 22 MPH. I cut the outing shorter than usual due to a bone chilling wind blowing all morning!

2024/2025 Season to Date: 38 days on the trails covering 277.5 miles with 25,800 feet of elevation climbed.

Cold

Cruising the Sallie Barber Mine Trail behind fun Jack & Rudy!

Whee we go!

One thing to notice in the prior photo: both Jack & Rudy are very ALERT in their body language and head & ear positioning. I know this "alert posture" from years of skijoring with these two. Both clearly caught the "scent of moose" wafting through the air. After noticing this posture from them, I was on high alert. But, alas, we never spotted the stinky moose who was clearly within "nose range" but not eyesight!

Today's outing was, well, FRIGID! It was -11 (F) when we started and -9 (F) when we ended. Along the way, we climbed up the Sallie Barber Mine Trail which means it only got colder along the way! With such cold temperatures, I was planning on a short run today. 

Typically when we skijor around Sallie Barber Mine, we will make 2 to 4 passes by the mine. Jack & Rudy like to execute all sorts of antics when passing by the mine, but usually they reserve one comical skit for each pass by. Well, today they clearly got the "mental memo" from me that we were only making one pass by the mine. So, it was a double comedy from the goofs today :)

First act: we paused to roll snow angels (Jack) and sing woos of pleasure (Rudy)
as we approached the mine.

Second act: flying by the mine (this is moments after Jack finished rolling
and Rudy finished singing in the prior photo).

So, the smart & talented kids knew to get in all their antics on the one pass by the historic mine.

We then completed the day laying fresh tracks down the popular side of the Sallie Barber Mine Trail. But, with such frigid temperatures, we had the fresh snow and whole length of the popular side of this trail to ourselves this morning. Fun!

You need temperatures around 10 below Zero to be first tracks on
the popular stretch of this trail! No complaints from Jack & Rudy and
I just tucked all my extremeties into warm equipment.

So, here we go for today's video highlight: laying fresh tracks in a light layer of new snow on a frigid morning that clearly scared everybody else inside!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Finally, back to the trailhead and we found a mini snow wall to climb to get end of run treats at my waist level:

"Ready!" says focused Jack!
"Where is everybody, it's wonderful out?" asks nosy Rudy who loves
to flirt with crowds at this usually busy trailhead (that was empty today).

A quick, due to frigid temperatures, outing today; but any outing is better than none at all: 3.6 miles traveled with 300 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 37 days on the trails covering 271.2 miles with 25,300 feet of elevation climbed.

Freshies

To each his own :)

"Turnaround, roll around!" goes always snow rolling Jack.
"Turnaround, WOOOOOs abound!" sings talkative Rudy.
To each his own :)

Turnaround comedy from the comedians aside, it was a fresh tracks Saturday in a wonderful layer of 2-3 inches of new snow on the trails. We started the day laying fresh tracks in the Dry Gulch backcountry:

Whee - zipping along! When you can see this much of the carabiner and
some of my skis, you know I'm in a serious ski tuck to keep pace and upright
with my pals!

Then it was time to transition onto the trails at Gold Run Nordic Center. For a treat, though, the groomer had not been out on the trails since yesterday. So, the trails felt more like wide backcountry trails than easy nordic trails!

Whee again! There's that carabiner and ski tips in view again.
Hang on human!!!!!

We did one side trail along the way to gallop through the remnants of an old mining town. This is an "out and back" side trail, so it was the only time we saw other tracks in the snow all morning long (our own out tracks on the way back :)

Zipping along through the old ghost town from mining days long ago.

As I said, it was a "fresh tracks Saturday" just about all morning long. Come along for a glimpse into the fun. If your volume is on, you should be able to hear the gusty wind blowing around us. If your volume is a little higher, you should be able to hear Rudy expressing his pleasure at the conditions at about 20 seconds into the clip. Talkative Rudy is never at a loss for words :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Fun day of freshies, right guys?

"Oh yes, we had a blast!!!!" says the happy kids perched atop a nice
snow wall to receive end of run treats.

It was a little cold (for me) with the wind gusts; but Jack & Rudy thought it was a perfect day: 8.2 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 21 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 36 days on the trails covering 267.6 miles with 25,000 feet of elevation climbed.

View

Nice shot of the ski runs of Breckenridge Ski Resort in the morning sun across the valley from us!

We are still in the morning shade of the mountain we are on; but Breck
Ski Resort is in "postcard full sun" across the valley!

Today's outing found us in the Dry Gulch backcountry to start the outing and then the groomed trails of Gold Run Nordic Center to end the outing. When we first transitioned onto the groomed terrain, I caught Jack & Rudy giving each other the "hehe, let's wrestle" hairy eyeball. I said my usual, "Hey, no wrestling on the trail!" Well, the smart alecks showed me:

"Fine! We'll take it OFF trail then! Time to wrestle!" demonstrates the
smart alecks teaching me a lesson!

Today's video highlight showcases Jack "taking off" ahead of Rudy and I! For context, we are rounding a small cul-de-sac the groomer uses to turn around. Watch as Jack is "ready to go" and pulling his hardest to get Rudy and I around the curve so we can take off. Rudy and I, meanwhile, are rounding the curve gently until we all get through and then Rudy joins Jack to fully take off. It was like, "Whoa Jack, wait for us!!!" to Rudy and I :) Wheeee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Once Rudy and I got in pace with Jack, it was time to floor it on freshly groomed nordic trails. Along the way, we did an "out & back" side trail. Well, that meant we had to turnaround...

"Turn around, roll around!" goes always snow rolling Jack.
"Turn around, woos abound!" belts singing Rudy.

Once the turnaround antics were over, it was time to floor it again. Wheeee!

Jack & Rudy catching air on the groomie zoomie!

A great time was had by all:

All smiles as we complete today's fast & fun skijor outing.

It was happy smiles all day long from my wonderful sled dog pals:

"That was fun! Ready for end of run treats!" says the happy & focused pair.

A fun outing with a little backcountry skijoring and a lot of fast nordic trail skijoring: 8.2 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 35 days on the trails covering 259.4 miles with 24,300 feet of elevation climbed.

Footage Issues

Fun "shot from the front" of the happy, happy kids towing me to the finish of this morning's skijor!

Wheeee - smiles all around!

We started out the outing laying fresh tracks in a light layer of new snow over a mini groomer track in the backcountry. A mini groomer is a snowmobile towing a grooming sled, so the resulting "groomed trail" is the width of a snowmobile. 

Whee - laying fresh tracks in the mini groomer track!
Nice shot of my skis too: shift weight to my right leg (in track) to
speed up and shift weight to my left leg (out of track) to slow down
and/or get under control :)

Today's video highlight will go along with the prior photo. Come watch as we are galloping along in this mini groomer track and, then, watch Jack & Rudy kick it into "high gear" and really take off for the last 20 seconds or so of this clip. Fun time!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Shortly after the prior video clip, the following happened: an unapproved game of "tag, tackle & wrestle" broke out :)

"I double dog dare you to try and tag me!" says instigator Rudy.
"Easy kid! Here I come!" responds Jack who immediately leapt into Rudy
right after this posturing :)

Well, apparently my GoPro did not approve of this unsanctioned episode of play either as it shut off shortly after this point and would not turn back on for the rest of the outing. Well, it would turn ON but it would record for about 2-4 seconds and then shut off again. So, the rest of today's awesome outing was lost due to issues with the GoPro :(

Then we get to the second "footage issue" of the day. Nancy has a new, fancy iPhone to take "end of run" shots with. Well, she was operating fine at first (see the first photo above). But, once it got time to share end of run treats, she was, well, way too close to capture us properly. She cut off most of Jack and most of me. I guess Rudy is her favorite (hahahaha).

Somebody needs to learn to backup with her new, fancy iPhone to get
us all in the photo :)

A fun time was had by all, unfortunately we lost most of the footage: 6.3 miles traveled with 500 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 34 days on the trails covering 251.2 miles with 23,600 feet of elevation climbed.

We're Back!

We're back! Zipping along with Jack & Rudy catching air at Gold Run Nordic Center!

Wheeee!

"Where have we been?" you might be wondering. Well, our last skijor outing was December 17, 2024. After that, I was placed on the medically inactive/injured reserve list. Well, that episode is over and Jack, Rudy and I are back to doing what we love in the snow! Wheeee!

What route did we choose to celebrate our return to the trails? Well, we did our favorite "Dry Gulch Backcountry" to "Gold Run Nordic Groomie Zoomie" combination outing. Dry Gulch had a wonderful layer of light new snow for us to enjoy:

Laying fresh tracks in a light layer of new snow - wheeee!

After Dry Gulch, it was time to go speeding on the groomed trails at Gold Run Nordic Center. Cross country skiing versus skijoring - what is the main difference? Well, skijoring is orders of magnitude faster than cross county skiing. Jack & Rudy will catch and pass ANY skier in front of us on the trails :)

"Whee, we are faster than you! Coming through!' says the speedy kids
towing me on by a skier that was ahead of us on the trail.

Today's video highlight starts with us cruising a long a nice groomed nordic trail. A little bit into the video and you'll see the skier in the photo above on the trail ahead of us. Well, watch as Jack & Rudy do what they love: catch anything in front of us! Eventually we catch the skier (of course), then we have to slow through a blind left corner. But, once through the corner, we see the open straightaway in front of us and fly on by we go! If your volume is up, you can hear the skier exclaim "Hee Haw!" as we fly on by her. Wheeee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Catching and passing skiers in front us is a lot of fun; but so is entertaining any oncoming crowds who always pause, watch and smile as we fly on by :)

"Coming through! Made you smile!" says the entertaining sled dogs.

Then there is Jack & Rudy's personal entertainment: rolling snow angels to cool off during any pause during the outing :)

"Aaahhh, rub a dub dub!" goes the snow rolling sillies.

Finally, back to the trailhead and time to enjoy end of run treats with my best pals once again!

"We sure missed 'end of run' treats the last 3.5 weeks!"says the happy, happy kids.

A beautiful morning to get back out on the trails! We took it easy (by our standards) to make sure I was truly ok, but I passed with flying colors. We'll be incrementally increasing the distance of our upcoming outings until we are back in full form! Today's tally: 4.6 miles traveled with 300 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 22 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 33 days on the trails covering 244.9 miles with 23,100 feet of elevation climbed.