New Trail

Laying fresh tracks through a large grove of aspen tress - wheeee!

Pretty shot of the snow covered aspen grove as Jack & Rudy
tow me along.

This morning was our first ever skijor of the Spring Creek Trail in Steamboat Springs. I've known of this trail for years but never skijored it because it is usually very busy and packed. But, there was significant snow overnight and the roads were a mess this morning. I figured the wintery conditions would keep others away while Jack, Rudy and I thoroughly enjoy skijoring in harsh conditions. Well, success, we did not see another soul on our outing until we finished back at the trailhead! Yay!

I knew this trail was popular for cross country skiing. But, what I did not know until this morning is that the trail is closed for elk preservation after a few miles. Bummer...

"We'd like to go find some elk!" states the silly kids wondering if we
are going to climb around this closure gate.

This closure came along way too soon for Jack & Rudy. If we simply turned around and went back, our outing would have only been on the order of 4ish miles! So, instead, we went back & forth redoing a bunch of nice stretches of the trail. It's always fun to reuse the track you set on the way out on the way back!

Tucked tightly into the track we set on the way out during the way back.

Unfortunately for the camera, it was snowing all outing long and the snow was a little on the wet side. As a result, snow & water kept collecting on the camera and leading to blurred footage. I wiped the camera clear frequently; but it got blurry again within a minute or two. So, today's video highlight is snow blurred skijoring behind fun Jack & Rudy. Oh, the gate you see us go by in the beginning of the video is NOT the "elk closure" gate in the photo above. This gate is just to prevent people from trying to drive Spring Creek in the winter. This is a dirt road in the summer open to cars and it's amazing how many people will try to drive summer only roads in the winter and get stuck - thus the gate to keep cars out.

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

New trail, same end of run treats fun from atop a nice snow wall:

"That was fun, but wish we'd found some elk!" says the happy kids.

A fun outing but a little disappointing that the "elk closure" gate was so close to the start for our typical skijor outings. Self powered humans, of course, would really enjoy this 4 mile cross country ski trail but Jack & Rudy need a lot more; thus our decision to repeat a lot of the trail along the way: 7.3 miles traveled with 1000 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2023/2024 Season to Date: 89 days on the trails covering 748.1 miles with 72,400 feet of elevation climbed.

New Terrain

Who's excited about exploring some new trails today?

"I am! I am! Love new terrain!" exclaims happy Jack.
"Me too - woooooo!' adds wooing Rudy.

This morning took us to an area known as Elliot Ridge straddling north Summit County and south Grand County. We have known of this trail system for a while but never had the chance to use it (we did go explore it one summer to see that it should be in our "winter trail list"). Well, this morning found us driving nearby Elliot Ridge so we took a little detour to go enjoy some fabulous new terrain.

The main trail started amongst thick trees on each side. But, the trail went up quick and we found ourselves in thinning trees along a wonderful trail for miles & miles!

Perfect trail!

Near our high point of the outing, the terrain suddenly opened up into vast meadows on each side of the trail. We've been waiting for our first "spring crust skijor" of the season. We stepped off trail to test the firmness of the crust. Here's now Jack & Rudy test a crust :)

"Yep, it can hold our snow rolling bodies, safe to ski!" declares the goofs.

With the crust firmness confirmed, it was time to abandon set trails up high and swoosh through and across the open meadows.

Wide meadow, nice crust and fun views too!

Done with the crust at our high point and time to head back the way we came. A few stretches of trail really lived up to the name "Elliot Ridge" - check out this fun ridgeline skijoring:

The trail is the the best condition to the far right. So, skijoring the edge
of a ridgeline we go :)

Come along for the video counterpart to the prior photo. We were having a blast skijoring this ridgeline edge with steep drops to the right and great views ahead.

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Perfect partners exploring new terrain this morning - time for some well deserved end of run treats:

"That was fun! Now dish them out!" says the happy, happy kids.

First time ever exploring Elliot Ridge; we'll certainly be back if the opportunity arises again: 9.3 miles traveled with 900 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 21 MPH.

2022/2023 Season to Date: 130 days on the trails covering 1159.0  miles with 105,300 feet of elevation climbed.

New Trails

Everybody ready to "go exploring" on this beautiful bluebird morning?

"I'm an explorer scout!" declares giddy Jack.
"10-4, let's go exploring!" adds happy Rudy.

We've lost a few trails over the years due to (over) development around Breckenridge. As a result, I am always on the hunt for new terrain to add to our repertoire of trails. This morning, Jack, Rudy & I successfully added a new network of trails to our stockpile - yay!

We started the day on a narrow single track trail as you see in the first photo. Eventually, though, this trail grew into a wonderful wide track just outside the town of Breckenridge. We've been on this particular trail a handful of times in the summer; but today we discovered its winter value!

A beautiful wide trail with only ski and snowshoe tracks from prior use!
Nice view of some of the ski runs of Breckenridge Ski Resort across
the valley too.

Then, there is a cool "ledge trail" that we set out to test for skijoring. This is actually an established bike trail in the summer. The town, though, in attempts to add more cross country ski terrain around town has also started packing this fun trail with a snowmobile to keep it open all winter. What a find!

Jack & Rudy "catching air" on a cool ledge trail!

We continued on to explore another "service road" with very little winter use (the road provides service to a radio tower atop a mountain). Once again, success!!! We found ourselves laying fresh tracks up and down this untouched service road. So nice!

Jack & Rudy catching air again as we lay fresh tracks along the right side
of this service road. The tracks to our left are our "out tracks" on this same road.

How about a little video fun to celebrate a great day of exploring. Come along for the video counterpart to the prior photo - laying fresh tracks on a surprisingly unused service road just minutes out of town! Wheeee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Finally, we end the day reporting in with our retired mentor, Zorro. He's not sure he believes we found trails he's never been on before :)

"No way! I've been EVERYWHERE!" insists veteran Zorro.
"We did, we did - we found new terrain to explore!" adds giddy Jack & Rudy.
Another nice shot of Breckenridge Ski Resort behind us too.

A great day to go exploring and a very successful outing expanding our repertoire of trails (and, no, we are not telling anyone where these are :) - 8.8 miles traveled with 900 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2021/2022 Season to Date: 81 days on the trails covering 663.4 miles with 62,700 feet of elevation climbed.

 

New Trail

Such focused partners at our "end of run" treat session!

"Tap, tap - hand them out!" says Zorro tapping my leg :)
"Ready and waiting!" say focused Jack & Rudy.

Zorro came with on a full skijor yesterday and we plan him joining for a full outing tomorrow. So, today we gave him most of the day off while I took Jack & Rudy skijoring the backcountry trails on Baldy Mountain.

I did not think I'd ever say this, but today Jack & Rudy skijored a trail neither Zorro or I had ever been on before! Amazing! Well, it helped that this trail was just built last summer as one of two trails to access the new Sisters Cabin (a backcountry hut where you can stay overnight). The trail we were on was an extension of the pre-existing Nightmare on Baldy Trail. This trail was extended last summer to carry skiers/snowshoers up Baldy to the new cabin. So, technically speaking, Zorro & I HAD been on the pre-existing Nightmare on Baldy Trail before; but the section we were on today was the new extension that neither Zorro or I had ever been on before. A new trail with the kids!

Nice look at the new trail that winds you through the trees as you ascend Baldy Mountain.

While this new trail is primarily uphill (in the direction we were going), there were a few downhill dips to get some speed. Come along for a short video showcasing the new trail on Baldy Mountain leading to the new Sisters Cabin. Wheeee!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Eventually we had to turn off the new trail and head back towards the primary trail on Baldy to get back to the trailhead. Once we turned off the set trail, it was breaking trail to get back to the main trail system on Baldy. Nice aerobic work for the youngsters!

Breaking trail! Love the "snow poof" you can see in front of snowplowing Rudy!

The reward for breaking trail? Well, we eventually got onto the fast & wide main trail on Baldy Mountain. Time to open things up!

Zoom we go!!!

I paused to take in the view from high up on Baldy. At least Rudy enjoyed the view too. As for Jack, well I paused...

"Views Schmews - you stopped, I roll!" demonstrates goofy Jack.
"Ok, it is pretty nice from way up here!" adds my mature Rudy (haha hehe, mature).

Finally, we met up with Zorro to add him in the team to finish the outing. Here's a great shot of the powerful trio towing me uphill to finish the day!

Uphill POWER!!!!

I never thought I'd say this, but a new trail for Jack & Rudy today that Zorro & I had never been on before: 8.2 miles traveled with 1000 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2019/2020 Season to Date: 63 days on the trails covering 435.6 miles with 41,600 feet of elevation climbed.