Cruising

 Starting out the day skijoring from Breckenridge to Frisco on the Blue River Recreation Path. Wheeee!

Off we go for a wonderful skijor from Breckenridge to Frisco!

The rec path follows the Blue River from Breckenridge to Frisco and, along the way, we get many opportunities to run alongside Highway 9 (which mirrors the river too) along the way. Here is one of our many flirts with the cars along the highway. The SUV to our right gave an approving honk and yelled, "Woo!" out the window to us :)

Laying fresh tracks in the light layer of new snow as we entertain the 
cars along Highway 9.

The rec path gets groomed and, every once in a while, you find yourselves the first tracks on a freshly groomed track. Fresh groom = zoom!

First tracks on this stretch. Zoom!

But, most of today found us laying fresh tracks in the light layer of new snow over the groomed trail:

Fun footprints behind Jack & Rudy as we continue to entertain
the cars out on Highway 9.

Is that a stop sign ahead of us in the prior photo? Yes, indeed. Side roads turn off the highway and cross the rec path at 5 different points along the way to Frisco. At each crossing, I have to take my skis off, walk over the road and put the skis back on. Well, that means we stop 5 times....

This is what happened at each of the 5 crossings :)
"You futz with your skis, we'll roll snow angels!" declares the goofy kids.
As you see by the sign, we just crossed the road leading into the Breckenridge
Building Center from Highway 9.

But, in between the 5 road crossings, it was ENDLESS skijoring from Breckenridge to Frisco. Come along for a fun glimpse into the endless ride behind Jack & Rudy. Fun!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

End of a very entertaining skijor and time for 'end of run' treats. I love how Jack & Rudy so politely yield to retired Zorro first at every end of run event. 

"Ready!" declares Zorro.
"Of course we let him go first - he taught us EVERYTHING we know!" 
adds patiently waiting Jack & Rudy.

Another fun skijor trip from Breckenridge to Frisco: 8.3 miles traveled with 300 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2020/2021 Season to Date: 67 days on the trails covering 537.9 miles with 47,000 feet of elevation climbed.

Preserve the Human

Turnaround point on the trail with Jack & Rudy, everyone having a good time?

"Yep, but turning so we can get going again!' says all business Rudy.
"Ha, yes, but did you know you stopped?" smirks 'about to roll a snow angel' Jack.

Just after the prior photo, I started turning with Rudy until I felt a tug to the gangline left of me. Yes, Jack had dropped to roll a snow angel, but the GoPro on my chest was already turned with Rudy and missed capturing the "always rolling" Jack :)

We started the day with the kids, Jack & Rudy, and eventually added Zorro to the team for the last 1/3 of the outing.

Fun sequence to show that young Jack & Rudy have learned the concept of "preserve the human" because if I get hurt, the skijoring fun is all over! Here is a nice capture of both looking back to check on me after an almost mishap:

"Whoa - you ok back there? We need the human to keep the season going!" says the
concerned pair.

What happened? Well come along and watch. We start the clip cruising along until my skis hit something under the snow. If your volume is up, you can hear it, but even without volume you can see my "stumble" as the ski hit something. It was probably a piece of ice or small rock since I was able to keep upright; but it was enough to interrupt our glide. You'll then notice my perfect partners slow and glance back to check on me. I utter a simple "sorry" as I am recovered and upright, so off we go. But, seriously, if I had said "wait" or "ow" or some accidental profanity (or fallen), you can tell by Jack & Rudy's glance that they were prepared to stop. I know this from experience, they will stop on a dime if they think the human is in trouble! Impressive kids!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

As you see in the video, all they needed was to hear my "sorry" and feel me back in the proper upright position. The human is ok, so we go, go, go!

"Yay, the human is upright - floor it!" says the fun kids.

If you are wondering about the darkness of all the photos above & below, well we started our outing this morning before sunrise and ended just after sunrise but with the sun still behind the mountains around us.

Anyway, done giving the kids a warmup lap and time to meet up with Zorro & Nancy to add Zorro in the team. The fun elder gentleman hooked in and here we go flying to & on by Nancy and further for a nice extended finish with Zorro:

"Hi mom - coming through!" says the happy trio flying to & by Nancy.

On by, so nothing to stop for now :)

"Bye mom! Hope you can catch us!" says the fast pair cruising on by.

We raced Nancy from one trailhead to another. Zorro, Jack, Rudy & I on skis and Nancy in the Jeep. We won!!!!

"Can't catch this!!!!" demonstrates the fast flying trio
beating Nancy from one trailhead to another :)

A nice sunrise skijor going 2/3 of the outing with Jack & Rudy and finishing the final 1/3 with elder Zorro along for the ride: 6.4 miles traveled with 300 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2019/2020 Season to Date: 130 days on the trails covering 880.3 miles with 80,100 feet of elevation climbed.

Polite

Fun skijor in the morning's new snow - did everyone have a good time?

"You bet! Such fun!" says the 'all smiles' trio at the end of our outing.

Today we get to showcase just how far along young Jack & Rudy have come. They are really maturing into perfect sled dogs with a wonderful politeness towards older Zorro.

We planned an out & back trip in French Gulch and got out early to be first on the new snow. We found a couple of inches at the trailhead and it gradually got deeper and deeper as we went out & up the gulch. At 11.5 years old, we know Zorro is not really able to break trail any longer. As the snow started getting deeper in the gulch, the trio automatically moved into the configuration below. This is just PERFECT - Jack & Rudy setting the trail while Zorro trots behind them using the trail they are setting. Using the youngsters to set trail while preserving the elder. What a team!

Jack & Rudy setting the trail while Zorro happily trots behind
them and uses their trail. What an amazing "teamwork photo"!

Ok, ready to be impressed again? Well, once we turned around and headed back, here's the team configuration for the entire return leg: Zorro running in the track we set on the way out while Jack & Rudy make their own trail in the fresh snow to the right. Once again absolutely PERFECT teamwork as we let elder Zorro have the easier part of the trail while polite & young Jack & Rudy take the hard terrain!

Which "teamwork photo" is more impressive - this one or the prior? I'm still
undecided.

Now for the video showcase of polite Jack & Rudy. Come along for a glimpse of the return leg in French Gulch as Zorro runs in the track we set on the way out while Jack & Rudy take the untouched snow to the right of the trail.

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Eventually the snow got too deep for Zorro to continue (even behind Jack & Rudy), so we turned around sooner than usual. As a result, we got back to the trailhead with enough time to jog down unplowed French Gulch Road to finish the day. So fun to be up ahead of the plows and get a fast road all to yourselves!

Zorro, Jack & Rudy jogging in tire tracks on French Gulch Road while
I ride in the deeper snow on the shoulder. Fun!

An absolutely perfect day with Jack & Rudy leading the way so older Zorro could come along too: 5.2 miles traveled with 400 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 19 MPH.

2019/2020 Season to Date: 97 days on the trails covering 660.9 miles with 60,850 feet of elevation climbed.

Lead

My perfect partners getting their well-earned 'end of run' treats this morning!

"You have our FULL attention!" says the happy & focused trio.

We did an out & back on the French Gulch Trail this morning and the kids, Jack & Rudy, got to demonstrate what mature sled dogs they have developed into. Zorro is, of course, already very mature; but it is so nice to see Jack & Rudy development.

Mature Act Number 1: Come along for our video highlight as Jack & Rudy politely let elder Zorro run in the ski track I set on the way out while the kids run in the shallow powder on each side of the set track. So nice to let Zorro have the easiest path!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Now, wait until you see "Mature Act Number Two"... We were ahead of schedule to meet Nancy back at the trailhead, so I turned us onto a narrow side trail to see how the trio would configure themselves. The side trail was only 2 Siberians wide, so we could not fit "3 wide". To my shock and excitement, everyone auto-configured into what you see below: Jack in lead with Zorro & Rudy side by side in swing. This is absolutely perfect as Jack has the personality to be a lead dog. Zorro knows everything about skijoring; but he has never had the lead dog personality (except when moose are involved :) and Max was my leader for years alongside Zorro. Rudy is similar to Zorro - he is a machine on the trails, truly understands skijoring but he is not "lead dog personality". So, imagine my delight when the team auto-configured into exactly what I would want on narrow trails!

Young Jack has developed into an up & coming lead dog - yay!
Elder Zorro is quite happy to let Jack take lead.
Impressive Rudy is also quite willing to give the lead to Jack - IMPRESSIVE!

Done with the side trail and back onto the main French Gulch Trail as I paused before starting us back. Wait, what is this - a pause and the kids are upright?!?

Look at the mature and very happy trio!

But, alas, I paused so I could change some equipment. This required taking off my backpack and doing some reorganization. It was too long of a pause for Jack & Rudy to remain upright :)

"Give us a break! You expect us to stay upright through an equipment change!"
demonstrates the snow rolling goofball twins.
Zorro is, of course, maturely waiting at my side during the equipment change.

Next, Mature Act Number Three. I have mentioned in past posts that French Gulch contains a handful of private cabins and the owners have keys to the access gate allowing them to use their vehicles on the trail. Well, here we are today encountering a group of owners coming up the trail. The front truck stopped and waved us on. Here are mature Zorro, Jack & Rudy cautiously & perfectly passing by the stopped truck. Nice work.

"Hi... Bye!" says the trio gliding by the stopped truck.

Finally, guess what was on the other side of the two trucks we passed? Well, two perfect packed tracks (tire tracks) for us to utilize. As expected, Zorro took one tire track and Rudy the other while Jack prefers to run in either the side or middle powder (the side in this case). With packed tracks it was ZOOOOM the rest of the way back in French Gulch.

Track for Zorro, track for Rudy and shallow powder for Powder Jack.

What a day of maturity on the trails: politeness, perfect configuration on narrow trails and cautious going past stopped vehicles: 5.3 miles traveled with 450 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2019/2020 Season to Date: 87 days on the trails covering 598.2 miles with 55,250 feet of elevation climbed.

Views

Another fun "shot from the front" as the happy sled dogs tow me to the finish of another fun run!

Happy, happy boys! And happy human to be towed instead of having to propel
himself on the trails :)

This morning was a day of views, views and more views. We climbed the relatively steep Prospect Hill Trail laying fresh tracks in increasingly deep snow the entire way up. After skijoring a bit on the backside of Prospect Hill, we turned around to ride in or next to the tracks we set on the way up and take in the great views of Breckenridge Ski Resort across the valley from us.

Here we go with view number 1 as we round a corner near the top of Prospect Hill. We are just at or above treeline at this point so the trail was windblown with occasional deep stretches and occasional windswept shallow stretches.

Jack laying fresh tracks in 5 inches to the right with Rudy in only 2ish inches to the left.
What a difference in "wind blown depth" from on side to the other!
Look at all the snow covered ski runs across the valley!

Once we got into the trees, but still up high, it was a bit deeper. Time to reuse the track we set on the way up while we still take in the great views :)

Zorro & Rudy shoulder-to-shoulder in the ski track while Jack rides a bit to the right.
Another nice view of all the snow covered ski runs of Breckenridge.

A few hundred feet lower and the snow was not nearly as deep. So, no reason to reuse the "out track" when you can lay fresh tracks in the shallow powder to the right :)

All three laying fresh tracks and there's the ski resort again.

But, my favorite view of the day? Here we are opening up the throttle in deeper snow up high. Polite Jack & Rudy are breaking trail in the untouched right snow while we let Zorro ride in the track we set on the way up. Exercise the youngsters in the deep snow while preserving elder Zorro in the set track - perfect!!!

Zorro flying in the set track while Jack, Rudy and I ride in the deep, untouched snow
on the right side of the trail. Wheeee!

Prospect Hill is one of the steeper trails we skijor. So, elevation plus increasingly deep snow leads to a 5.2 mile outing with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 18 MPH.

2019/2020 Season to Date: 26 days on the trails covering 166.4 miles with 17,050 feet of elevation climbed.

POW Day

Breaking trail in 6-8 inches of fresh powder in October. Wow!

Beautiful shot of the trail breakers with deep tracks in the snow behind then and untouched
perfect snow in front. What an October gem.

The forecast was for 5-9 inches of snow overnight and that is just what we got! We were out just after sunrise on French Gulch to get the new snow all to ourselves. If you've followed in past years, you know French Gulch is a popular place to encounter moose. Yet, our first three outings in the gulch this season did not have any moose entertainment. Finally, this morning brought us some moose entertainment as a fresh smelling set of moose tracks crossed the trail in front of us.

"Sniff, sniff - these are fresh!' states track inspecting Rudy.
"I know, let me in the tracks!' adds Jack.
"Yes - fresh indeed! says Zorro the seasoned moose expert.

You can see the moose tracks coming from the left then across the trail and into the trees to the right? How did I know the moose went from left to right? Well, my three partners TOLD me! All three dipped their noses in the tracks and wanted to go right :)  We failed to see the moose; but it was nice to finally get some fresh tracks in French Gulch to keep our moose hope alive.

After an aerobic time breaking trail out the gulch, it was time to turnaround. But, first...

"Are we turning around? Wait, must roll first!" demonstrates goofball Jack (nice form though).
"DUNK - let me cool my head first!' adds head dunking Rudy.
"Kids, I tell ya, kids these days!!!!" comments Zorro.

Once we got the kids turned around, it was time to run back to the trailhead. The only tracks on the trail were the ones we laid on the way out. When all three could fit in the set track they would. But, when the track was too narrow, we had polite Jack & Rudy. They gave the elders (Zorro & me) the set track while putting themselves in the side powder. Nice to preserve the elders and exercise the youngsters in the powder :)

Zorro & I in the set track, Jack & Rudy making their own trail in the side powder.

Today's fun video clip goes along with the prior photo. We start will all three using the set track as best as they can until we transition to Zorro & I "in track" with Jack & Rudy setting a new track in the right powder. Preserve the elders and exercise the youngsters :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

End of an October trail breaking gem, time for end of run treats:

"Ready!!!" state focused Zorro & Jack.
"I am ready too, even though I look like I'm in la-la-land!" adds Rudy.

We only had time for a short outing this morning, but it was an aerobic trail breaking treat: 4 miles traveled with 400 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 16 MPH.

2019/2020 Season to Date: 6 days on the trails covering 29.1 miles with 3000 feet of elevation climbed.

Late April POW

All smiles at our turnaround point of this morning aerobic powder outing!

"What fun, ready for more!" states happy Zorro.
"I say we keep going farther!" adds lined out & happy Jack.
"Phew, done rolling a snow angel, ready to go too!" says happy Rudy.

Breckenridge Ski Resort reported 7 inches of new snow on the trails still open high up on Peaks 6 and 7. I was skeptical of that much snow as it RAINED instead of snowed in town last night. But, they showed me - look what we found on the upper backcountry trails on Peak 6. Late April POW!

Breaking trail in WAY MORE than 7 inches of fresh powder. At least 10, maybe 12, inches
of fresh snow at this point of our outing! Wow Pow!
Love this shot of Jack & Rudy plowing through as Zorro is floating atop the powder :)

We were laying fresh tracks down low and breaking trail up high almost all day long. We did repeat one short section of trail at the upper elevations. Polite Jack & Rudy let almost 11 year old Zorro have the track my skis set while the two youngsters continued having fun breaking trail. How polite!

Powder plowing Jack & Rudy while everyone politely lets Zorro have the track
my skis set on the way out this short section of trail.

Today's video highlight? Well, Power Plowing of course. Come along for the powder fun in 10+ inches of fresh snow!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

We also repeated the lower elevation trail that got us in & out of the deep powder high up on Peak 6. Once again, polite Jack & Rudy let Zorro have the set track while they were still able to open up the throttle in only 2-3 inches of "out of track" powder down lower:

Able to open up the skijoring engine lower after breaking trail up higher.

What a fun & aerobic powder plowing day. This is the best way to earn your end of run treats!

"Hand them out! We really earned them today!" says the happy & focused trio.

An amazing day laying fresh tracks and then breaking trail in late April powder: 5.6 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 18 MPH.

2018/2019 Season to Date: 105 days on the trails covering 597.5 miles with 55,700 feet of elevation climbed.

Flirts

Zorro & Rudy the flirts on the trail this morning.

All business Jack keeps us powering forward!

"Hi guys!" says flirtatious Zorro to the backcountry skiers who stepped aside
to let us trot on by.
"Hi!!! Aren't I cute?!?!?" adds flirtatious young Rudy.
"Guess I have to do all the work. On by I go!" adds all business Jack.

It was a gorgeous bluebird day in French Gulch this morning. We had a few inches of fresh snow overnight and then beautiful blue skies this morning. French Gulch had two set narrow tracks (the out & back track) with powder in between. Polite Jack and Rudy gave Zorro the narrow set track (at 10 3/4 years old, he gets the easy track :) while Jack took the deepest of the middle powder and Rudy took lesser powder just out of the set track. What polite youngsters!

Set track for Zorro. Powder track for Jack. Mini powder track for Rudy.
What a gorgeous morning!

Different part of the trail and the same politeness. Come along and watch as we have the set track for Zorro, the mid track for Rudy and the powder track for Jack. Jack got quite the workout today! But, that's ok: he's fully matured and in the prime of his life - he needs the extra exercise :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Sometimes we flirt, sometimes we do a fast & impressive on by...

"Hi... bye as we go on by!" say the focused trio.
Once again, such politeness from the youngsters in our trail configuration.

At our turnaround point of the outing and...

"Phew, I've been doing a lot of work - need to roll a snow angel first!" says goofy Jack.
"This is FUN!" adds happy Rudy.
"Turnaround? Got it, here I come!" states leader Zorro.

Love the happy & focused trio as we share our end of run pork treats:

"We couldn't be any more focused!" state the fun trio!

Politeness from the youngsters all morning and flirting with the backcountry skiers: 4.7 miles traveled with 400 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2018/2019 Season to Date: 59 days on the trails covering 320.5 miles with 28,550 feet of elevation climbed.

Love You Man

"Love You Man!" shouts Rudy to big brother Zorro as we fly along the trails in French Gulch :)

"Love you man! So happy to be a sled dog with my big bros!!!" shouts happy Rudy as we sprint along.

I divide French Gulch into three areas, each with very different terrain. There is lower French Gulch which is a popular and well traveled trail. The prior photo is in lower French Gulch and, as you see, there are well established tracks on each side of the wide trail (the "out" and "back" tracks).

Jack & Rudy have adopted a nice polite configuration on our French Gulch excursions. Come along and watch as the kids have given older Zorro the "set track" while Jack drifts in/out of the deeper right shoulder and Rudy drifts in/out of the middle powder. So polite to give your elder the set track as we fly along...

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

After lower French Gulch, you get into what I call middle French Gulch. The middle is less frequently used and you often find yourselves in a narrow single track or laying fresh tracks. Today was Rudy's first dip into middle French Gulch. We are still keeping his runs to 30 minutes with one mandatory break. We go as far as we can in 30 minutes. As Rudy is maturing, our 30 minutes are getting longer in distance with today's example of making it into the mid gulch in our short outing. The reward for making it to the mid? Fresh tracks!!!

Those are our "out tracks" to the left as we fly back along the right side of the trail laying
fresh tracks out/back in the middle of French Gulch.

Rudy has yet to make it to upper French Gulch and that will never happen until we expand his runs past 30 minutes. What do you usually find in the upper gulch? Tons of snow and aerobic trail breaking skijoring. Soon Rudy, soon...

Time to turnaround in the mid gulch and guess what? :)

"He's at it again!" states Zorro about Jack's turnaround antics.
"And everyone calls me the 'puppy brain'?!?!" adds happy Rudy.
"Yes, I'm a snow angel rolling goof and I love it!" adds goofy Jack.

A short but very fast run out & back in French Gulch. Everyone earned the 'end of run' pork treats:

"My turn!" states focused Zorro.
"Me next!" adds happy Jack.
"Me me me!!!!" says happy Rudy.

Our furthest 30 minute skijor in the French Gulch backcountry: 4.9 miles traveled with 450 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2018/2019 Season to Date: 49 days on the trails covering 264.5 miles with 23,550 feet of elevation climbed.

Polite Jack and Rudy

Laying fresh tracks in 4+ inches of new snow far back in French Gulch - wheeee!

Laying freshies far back in the gulch! Fun, fun fun!

The majority of our outing in French Gulch found us skijoring amongst 2 set tracks with powder in between (and 1/4 to 1/2 inch of new snow in the set tracks). Zorro took one set track - he's 10 years old and has earned the right to take any easy path he wants. Rudy took the other set track - he's still young so we want him in easy tracks too. Jack, who is just entering the prime of his life, took the middle powder and had a blast running in 2+ inches of fresh snow between his brothers.

Set tracks for Zorro & Rudy - middle powder for Jack. Perfect!

Eventually everyone decided they wanted to be closer together to get some real speed (they run faster when closer together). So, we entered a new configuration... Zorro still in the set track while Jack takes the outside shoulder with the deepest snow and Rudy takes the middle with the shallower snow. Another perfect configuration: hardest for Jack, easy for Zorro and mild for Rudy.

Zorro gets the easy, Jack gets the hardest and Rudy gets the mild middle.

Here we go with the video counterpart of the prior photo. Come along as polite Jack and Rudy let Zorro have the single track while they take the shoulders of the track. So polite!!!!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

I instructed everyone to turn right off the main trail for our midpoint break. My pals thought we were going trailbreaking:

"We could continue this way!" declare the fun guys peeking over the snow wall at the untouched
terrain in front of us (there is a trail here, just not commonly used).

Once I told everyone we were not going trailbreaking but taking a quick midpoint break, we all assumed our usual positions :)

"You have my full attention!" states veteran Zorro.
"Stopping? Ok, rolling..." adds comical Jack.
"Stopping? Ok, snacking on snowcones!" adds silly Rudy.
Our usual break configuration: focus, rolling, eating snow from Zorro, Jack, Rudy :)

A peaceful run out & back in French Gulch with my polite pals: 4.4 miles traveled with 400 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 19 MPH.

2018/2019 Season to Date: 39 days on the trails covering 206.5 miles with 18,300 feet of elevation climbed.