Keystone Gulch

Flying along Keystone Gulch Road this morning. Wheeee!

Impressive Jack & Rudy flying along.

We do not skijor Keystone Gulch Road very often as it is not close to home like most of our other trails. But, if we ever have an appointment in Dillon or Keystone, then we'll make a stop at Keystone Gulch Road for a fun skijor on this trail.

In the winter, the road is primarily a service road (serviced by snowmobiles) for Keystone Ski Resort. The road mirrors the boundary on one side of the ski resort for almost 5 miles. Eventually it actually turns into a ski run on Keystone Ski Resort. The trail is roped off at this point as you need a ski pass to continue. Here we are at the end of the road before it turns into a ski run (right next to a ski lift). Well, this is a turnaround point, so you know what Jack did. Rudy, on the other hand, was too nosy inspecting the running lift and skiers riding up it :)

"Turnaround, roll around!" goes always snow rolling Jack.
"Interesting. Why not get pulled up by sled dogs instead?" questions Rudy.
Look directly up from Rudy and there is a lift chair with skier in it.

While the road is primarily a service road, it is also used for one short section as an actual ski run to connect the base of two lifts on the mountain. This short section gets groomed and makes for a fun, albeit short, sprint zone. Here we are transitioning from snowmobile service road to groomed ski trail. Notice nosy Rudy has to check out all the lift operations and skiers to our right. Nosy kid!

"Hey, anybody want to hear my woo?" asks nosy Rudy.
"Groomed ahead, let's go!" says all business Jack.

So, here we go for a fun video clip putting the story all together. We start skijoring along the snowmobile service road. Then, about 35 seconds into the clip, we come upon the ski resort junction. Jack & Rudy slow to hear instructions from me and inspect all the activity to the right. Once on the groomed track, though, it's pedal to the metal from the kids. Finally, a short sprint distance later and it's back onto snowmobile service road. Fun time!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Out of sight of the ski resort operations again so it is back to zooming along the service road.

Snowmobile tracks to our right but Jack & Rudy would rather run
in the shallow, soft powder to the left :)

Another successful day earning end of run treats!

"That was fun!" declares the happy, focused pair.

Today's tally: 10.2 miles traveled with 1200 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 22 MPH.

2022/2023 Season to Date: 71 days on the trails covering 618.4 miles with 55,700 feet of elevation climbed.

Keystone Again

Another fun, fun day skijoring Keystone Gulch Road, right guys?

"Yes!!!!!" agrees the happy, happy kids.

We skijored Keystone Gulch Road recently and, in that post, I was describing how rare it is for us to be over in Keystone to skijor. Well, here we are two weeks later and on Keystone Gulch again! It just happened that we had to be on the other side of the county for a second time this month. Well, when chores dictate, we'll use Keystone Gulch Road whenever we have to be that way. I cannot imagine another outing on Keystone Gulch this season; but I also never imagined two such outings in the same season! Come along for the photo & video highlights.

The lower portion of Keystone Gulch Road doubles as a service road for Keystone Ski Resort. As a result, you get a nice wide trail with plenty of snowmobile tracks to soften the terrain for fast going. When Jack & Rudy really get going, they become so aerodynamic. Check out the aerodynamics with their ears in this cool shot:

All four ears tucked in tightly to avoid any drag! Smart & fast guys!

Eventually this path transitions from a "snowmobile used service road" to an actual ski run on Keystone Ski Resort to connect the base of two lifts. This section of the trail is groomed daily for ski resort operations. Well, Jack & Rudy know what to do with a groomed zoom track:

Zooming along the fast & wide sprint track.

Come along for the video counterpart to the prior photo. Here we go, go, go! Wheeee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Despite fast going in the prior video clip, you'll notice Jack's ears are not as aerodynamic tucked in as the prior photo. Rudy, on the other hand, is the aerodynamic speed master and has his ears tucked in tightly for most of the video. What was keeping Jack from tucking his ears? Well, sometimes you want to listen in on the activities going on around you. In this case, we were skijoring in between the base of two lifts and Jack seemed to have his ears up to listen to the nearby people and lift operations. Nosey kid :) But, he was right to be nosey:

"Hey, a ski lift! Look at those silly people riding up. Why not ride up
behind a sled dog instead?" asks curious & nosey Jack & Rudy.

Yet another fun, fun day to go report to retired mentor Zorro. I have 'end of run' treats in my hand, everybody ready?

"Check! Me first!" says cute, focused Zorro.
"I see them, I seem them!" adds locked in Jack.
"Where, where? I'm over here!" declares Rudy.

A beautiful day for a nice long skijor out & back on Keystone Gulch Road: 11.9 miles traveled with 1100 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2021/2022 Season to Date: 75 days on the trails covering 612.8 miles with 58,050 feet of elevation climbed.

Keystone Gulch

Watching a chairlift at Keystone Ski Resort from Keystone Gulch Road!

"Interesting! Why not use sled dogs to tow you up instead?" asks curious
Jack & Rudy inspecting the chairlift running people up the mountain.

This morning was brand new for Jack & Rudy as we skijored Keystone Gulch Road at the edge of Keystone Ski Resort. Normally, we are never as far away from Breckenridge as Keystone. But, we had some errands to run on the other side of the county, so found ourselves near Keystone once done with our chores. Well, since we were in Keystone, we might as well skijor Keystone Gulch Road!

Keystone Gulch Road serves two purposes (in winter). First, it is a service road for Keystone Ski Resort to run snowcats and snowmobiles up the edge of the resort with supplies and other jobs. Second, it is a recreation road for cross country skiers and snowshoers. Therefore, it was a wide & snowmobile packed trail for the majority of our outing. Jack & Rudy know what to do on wide & fast packed trails!

Zooming along Keystone Gulch Road.

What is really cool, though, is the upper section of Keystone Gulch. Eventually this road turns into part of Keystone Ski Resort as a trail connecting the base of two different chairlifts. As a result, they groom this section of the road for skiers on the resort to connect between lifts & trails. Well, Jack & Rudy know what to do on a freshly groomed trail - ZOOM!

Flying on by an uphill skier as we are now on groomed Keystone Gulch Road
that is serving as part of the ski resort too!

Today's video highlight goes along with the prior photo - groomie zoomie trail. The clip starts with us around a corner watching the chairlift you see in the first photo. Since we cannot ski up into the lift area, I instruct Jack & Rudy to turnaround. Well, they turn and suddenly it is a groomie zoomie so Jack & Rudy literally take off to sprint the groomie. Wheeee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Today was the first time young Jack & Rudy have ever been on (or even near) Keystone Gulch Road. I have skijored it once with Max & Zorro in the past (last time we had chores to do near Keystone in the winter :) and I've hiked it a handful of time in summer with Max & Zorro. Well, Jack & Rudy fully approved of Keystone Gulch Road. From fast snowmobile packed to resort groomed, it was perfect. In case you were wondering, the snow in Keystone is just as nice for snow angels as the snow in Breckenridge :)

"Yep, we can 'stop, drop & roll' in Keystone too!" declares the
snow rolling goofballs.

A fun day showing Jack & Rudy some new terrain, right Zorro?

"Ah yes, Max & I loved the occasional trip to Keystone too!" says focused Zorro.
"New terrain, same results! Wheeee!' declares Rudy.
"Hey, don't forget me back here!" adds patient Jack.

A fun & zippy new outing for Jack & Rudy: 7.2 miles traveled with 600 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2021/2022 Season to Date: 64 days on the trails covering 516.5 miles with 48,500 feet of elevation climbed.