Season Finale

Jack & Rudy ready to complete our 2024/2025 skijor season:

Ready to go!

Our final outing was actually the morning of Wednesday, May 21. I am just getting around to writing up our finale this morning. While Jack & Rudy are poised and ready to go in the prior photo, notice all the indentations in the snow. The kids often roll snow angels BEFORE we get started on our outings because I clearly take way too LONG to put my skis on. So, you might as well roll before you go while you wait for the slow human :)

Our final outing took us out the Harrison Creek trail atop Rabbit Ears Pass. This trail has a quick elevation rise and is well shaded; so it is often the last usable trail at Rabbit Ears. The conditions were soft & slushy, making for a very aerobic outing for all!

Jack & Rudy's deep footprints demonstrate just how soft and
slushy the conditions were. The last outing of the season is always
quite interesting conditionwise.

Being the end of season meant we came across many hazards to navigate around as well:

"Uh, now what?" asks Rudy as he knows I cannot cross this on skis.
"Hey, I see a smidget of snow to the left!" declares smart Jack.
Yes, I was able to ski over that small patch of snow to our left.

The conditions were getting softer and slushier by the minute as we were going out. The elevation rise at Harrison Creek was not enough to out race the warming temperatures. So, I turned us around after less than 2 miles as I wanted to be able to get back safely & comfortably before it became too mushy. Our turnarounds typically go as follows: I callout "Wait, time to turnaround." and Jack & Rudy take this as "Stop, drop, roll snow angels and then turnaround." Well, my call to turnaround so soon clearly caught them off guard as they turnaround without the "drop & roll" ritual. But, once around, they realized a turnaround is a turnaround so snow angels must still be rolled:

We completed the turnaround BEFORE the kids rolled snow angels.
Typically they roll first and turn second. So, I clearly caught them off guard
but they sure made up for it once turned :)

Our final video clip of the 2024/2025 season goes along with the prior photo. Come along and watch as we start the clip with the comedians rolling snow angels before rising and taking off back the direction we came. You lose complete view of Jack & Rudy for a bit as I am in a tight ski tuck trying to stay upright on a downslope in soft/slushy snow. Once the terrain levels out, I'm able to rock back and we get full view of the fun kids again :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

The return leg was a bit easier than the out leg as we had the tracks we set on the way out to compact the soft/slushy snow a little bit. But, it was still soft & slushy :)

Making use of the ski & foot tracks we set on the way out for a little
firmer conditions (but still soft) on the way back.

This season was not a record by any means (see our 2022/2023 season of 1444 miles for a record season), but any & all seasons on snow are fun, fun, FUN! Right guys?

"Yes, we LOVE snow!" says the happy kids who found snow hump to climb
to end the season climbing up for end of run treats as they love to do.

A soft & slushy finale, but still a great time: 3.7 miles traveled with 400 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 18 MPH.

2024/2025 Season Recap: 108 days on the trails covering 822.8 miles with 81,200 feet of elevation climbed.

We'll be back in September or October (weather dependent) to start our 2025/2026 skijor season. Until then, enjoy boring summer and Pray for Snow!!!!

Spring Crust

From yesterday's skijor outing: it's "Spring Crust" time of year!!!

Jack & Rudy catching air on the perfect spring crust. 

While the onset of Spring is always sad because that means our season is winding down, Spring is great for one thing - the Spring Crust! With warm days (well above freezing) but still cold nights (many hours below freezing), a hard crust forms in vast, open meadows every morning. This crust is hard enough to support Jack & Rudy running and me on skis. It really is fun to abandon set trails and just "go your own way" through vast, open meadows. 

Another open meadow, another great crust, another
shot of fast running Jack & Rudy. 

Now look closely at the prior photo. You can see skate ski tracks to Rudy's left and between Jack & Rudy. You can also see a path of classic ski tracks far to our right. Yes, the magical Spring Crust at Rabbit Ears is known to all avid cross country skiers in this area. We encountered four different small groups of 1-3 skiers throughout the day's outing. Whenever there was a skier in front of us, Jack & Rudy floored it to catch up. They love catching anything in front of them :) 

"Here we come, you can't out ski us!" says the fun kids flooring
it to reach the skier in front of us. 

We did indeed catch the skier. As we caught up to him, he stopped to greet Jack & Rudy, laughed and said "You guys are fast, nobody has ever caught me from behind!" (he was a very talented skate skier). 

Of course every meadow comes to an end and that means you turnaround to run back across the meadow you just traversed. Well, the turnarounds do not go unnoticed by Jack & Rudy :) 

"Turnaround, roll around!" goes the snow rolling sillies. 

Each meadow we traversed got the same reaction from the comedians when we turned around to go back across it. Come along for today's video highlight to see what I mean. We had just come to the edge of one meadow when I called out a left to turnaround. Well, watch what really happened: stop, drop and roll from the goofballs. Once they finish rolling they look back to me with such happy faces (they are clearly very proud of their snow angel rolls :) until I say "Ok, here we go," and OFF we go - zoom! Fun and funny kids. 

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

To end the day, if you have met Jack you know he is a big kisser. Rudy, not so much, but Jack is a constant kisser. Here's what I mean: 

"SMACK!" goes Jack to my left cheek as I'm getting the end of run
treats out of my right pocket.

Fun day on our first Spring Crust outing of the season: 7.8 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 22 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 93 days on the trails covering 717.3 miles with 69,500 feet of elevation climbed.

Snow Angels

Jack & Rudy catching some serious air flying along the Gluteus Maximus nordic trail:

"Whee, we can fly!" says the impressive hover huskies.

For today's outing, temperatures were above freezing the entire time. Sure it was still in the 30s (F) but above freezing. That is HOT to Jack & Rudy. I knew we were in for some serious rolling of snow angels to cool off at any turnaround point during the outing!

Sure enough, turnaround point #1 and we got "Snow Angels with a View" from the funny kids:

"Gotta hop off trail into deeper snow to roll and cool off!" declares the
sillies. Nice mountain views in the background too!

Then it was back to skijoring and flooring it at every chance along the way:

Zipping along with more nice views! Wheeee!

Then, we got to turnaround point #2 of the day. Well, Jack & Rudy were clearly "on fire" by this point and really needed to roll, roll and roll some more to cool off. Typically they roll snow angels for about 5 to 15 seconds before hopping back up to start running again. Well, not today! Come along and watch today's video highlight to see for yourselves. The clip starts out with us approaching turnaround point #2. Now watch as the goofs proceed to roll, roll and roll again for almost an entire minute! Finally, if your volume is on, you'll hear Rudy sing one of his beautiful WOOs to end the clip. What silly kids!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Then it was back to skijoring again until we came upon turnaround point #3. What do you think happened? 

"HA! Fooled you! We didn't drop & roll at point #3!" says the surprising
but very happy kids.

No need to roll at point #3, so I they are cool enough to floor it again. Yep:

Zipping by the Hallelujah Warming Hut.

Finally, keeping with some of the "view themes" above, how about 'end of run treats with a view?

"Ready!" says the happy & focused kids perched atop a snow wall with
more nice mountain views in the background.

A fast, fun, warmish and extended snow rolling day: 9.3 miles traveled with 1300 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2024/2025 Season to Date: 62 days on the trails covering 473.3 miles with 45,1000 feet of elevation climbed.

Perfect

Look at these absolutely PERFECT groomed trail conditions this morning!

Jack & Rudy catching air as we are first tracks on the freshly
groomed nordic trail. Wheeee!

Today is the last day the trails will be groomed at Breckenridge Nordic Center. As a result, we tried to time our outing to be just after the groomer and, hopefully, first tracks on the fresh groom. Well, it was a rousing success! We were first tracks almost all morning long except when we repeated a few stretches of the trail and then were second and third tracks to ourselves. Woo Hoo!

Catching air on our second pass by the Kathy's Viewpoint Warming Hut.
Second tracks to ourselves!

I think Jack & Rudy got the memo that this was the last groom on these trails this season as they were zipping along all day long!

First tracks catching air again!

Now come along for today's video highlight. We are having a great time gliding along this gently rolling (slight ups & downs) section of trail. You can also see some nice "high elevation views" to our right whenever there are breaks in the trees. This was one of the sections of trails I intended to repeat. So, as we glide off trail at the end of the clip to turnaround, we get the usual from the Jack & Rudy comedians: stop, drop and roll before turning around :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Temperatures were above freezing during our entire outing. So, I knew I'd get rolling snow angels to cool off from the sillies at every turnaround point of the day:

Yes, another turnaround, roll around from the silly kids.
Nice views from this snow angel vista too :)

Ok, who is enjoying this final groom at Breckenridge Nordic Center:

"We are! WE ARE!!!!!" declares the super happy kids.
Oh, don't worry, they rolled snow angels right before this photo. With
warm temperatures, every pause on the trail this morning was met with
rolling angels.

Thanks for hauling me around this morning guys, how about some end of run treats in return?

"Ready!" says the happy & very focused pair.

A beautiful and perfect final groom at Breckenridge Nordic Center this morning: 10.3 miles traveled with 1200 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2023/2024 Season to Date: 129 days on the trails covering 1110.5 miles with 109,000 feet of elevation climbed.

Stop, Drop and Roll

Look at these incredible conditions we found on the upper elevation trails at Breckenridge Nordic Center this morning!

First tracks on a recently groomed trail with a light layer of new snow on top!
Absolutely perfect!!!

Even when there wasn't a light layer of new snow, there was the fresh groom. Zoom!!!!!

The fast & fun kids FLYING along the groomed trail.
All the dots & haziness you see in the lower right of this photo are snow
poofs flying off the kids feet. Wheeee!

With such perfect conditions, we knew we were going to run out of terrain before we ran out of planned time out on the trails. Not a problem, we simply turned and redid extended stretches of the trail three times during the outing. Temperatures were a bit on the hot side for Jack & Rudy (just below freezing at the start and just above freezing by the end), so I knew each turnaround was going to come with rolling snow angels to cool off :)

Told you so! Stop, drop and roll before restarting again.

Speaking of upper elevation, the views from this network of trails can be breathtaking at times:

Zipping along with snow capped Rocky Mountains ahead and
to our right. Pretty!

Speaking of snow angels, come along for today's video highlight. We start out flying along a relatively flat stretch of trail. Then we slow a bit as the fun kids tow me up a rise in the trail. Next we floor it again down the other side of the rise. Finally, we continue off trail for a short bit before stopping so Jack & Rudy can do their favorite "stop activity" - that being to stop, drop and roll in the snow to cool off. Funny kids.

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

What a magnificent day, just perfect, right guys?

"Oh yes, we floored it to earn our end of run treats today!" says the focused kids.

Zooming around the nordic terrain: 10.6 miles traveled with 1200 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 24 MPH.

2023/2024 Season to Date: 113 days on the trails covering 969.0 miles with 94,700 feet of elevation climbed.

Sprint then Roll

It was a perfect day on freshly groomed nordic trails to sprint and catch some air :)

Catching air as we were first tracks on the freshly groomed trail!

We got on the trails just after the groomer had started out itself. As a result, we found ourselves laying first tracks or second tracks (to ourselves) all morning long. We never actually met up with the groomer as it went a different direction than us on the large upper elevation loop at Breckenridge Nordic Center; but we knew we were just behind it as the trail was perfect and untouched! I love watching the snow poofs coming off Jack and Rudy's feet when they get on a soft & freshly groomed trail:

Catching air with snow poofs coming off the kids' feet. Wheeee!

It was an incredible zippy fast day with snow poofs galore :)

Out-stretched, fast running Jack & Rudy with more snow poofs
flying off their feet.

Today's video highlight has Jack & Rudy doing their two favorite activities skijoring. We start out in a serious fast sprint along the freshly groomed and perfect trail. Then, near the end of the clip I was planning to turnaround and redo this fun section of trail; so I guide Jack & Rudy to the left and tell them to wait. Well, then we get their second favorite skijoring activity (the first was sprinting, of course) as the two stop, drop and roll snow angels to cool off while I turn my skis around. Fun & fast kids but also stop, drop & roll sillies :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

We actually had 4 turnaround points on this morning's outing as we redid several sections of perfect trail. As you saw in the previous video, it was snow angels at that turnaround point. Well, our first turnaround was also angels from Jack, of course, but woos from Rudy on this one. You never know about that comical redhead.

"You know it's rolling angels from me!" says giddy Jack (I love the look
on his happy face).
"WOOOO - I'll roll later!" says stop & woo Rudy at this turnaround point.

It was our longest skijor outing of the season this morning - talk about well deserved end of run treats!

"Ready to refuel!" says the happy, focused kids.

Great outing on PERFECT conditions: 11.2 miles traveled with 1200 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 24 MPH.

2023/2024 Season to Date: 42 days on the trails covering 352.8 miles with 33,500 feet of elevation climbed.

Views

It was a beautiful bluebird morning with incredible views from the upper elevation trails of Breckenridge Nordic Center. Come along and see the beauty!

Catching air near your highest elevation point of the morning.
The snowcapped peaks ahead of us are the tops of the mountains
holding Breckenridge Ski Resort.

Along the way, we get to this one area where the trees thin and you get incredible views of the Rocky Mountains. Two of Colorado's 14,000+ foot peaks, Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort and Keystone Ski Resort are all located in the chain of mountains to the far right.

Love the views from this section of trail.
Oh, look at cool Jack & Rudy catching air too :)

Then, about 600 feet lower in elevation from the first photo and we get more of the mountains housing Breckenridge Ski Resort.

Flying Siberians, gorgeous views!

Today we even had rolling snow angels with views :)

Goofy kids!
Look straight up from Rudy and the gap in the trees is one of the ski runs
of Breckenridge Ski Resort on Peak 6.

Today's video puts the prior two photos together.. Come along and watch as we start out surrounded by trees. But, once we round the right bend in the trail, the trees thin and the views are stunning! We were redoing this section of trail to add some distance to our outing. Jack & Rudy do not know how far I am going to take them on this stretch of trail before turning around. So, watch the silly kids at the end of this clip when I tell them to "wait & turn" as I was done redoing this stretch of trail. The "wait & turn" turns into a "stop, turn, drop and roll" from the comedians as they love to roll snow angels at any turnaround stop along the trails :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Even the end of run treats came with views today!

Happy & focused fun kids.
Nice view of Baldy Mountain in the background up from Rudy.

Views, views and more views: 10.2 miles traveled with 1100 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2022/2023 Season to Date: 105 days on the trails covering 931.3 miles with 85,500 feet of elevation climbed.

Crust Flying

I think Jack & Rudy were having a good time today, how about you? :)

Happy, happy, happy kids to be flying on a perfect Spring
crust this April 21st.

Today's skijor outing found us touring the Spring crust around Dry Lake Campground at the base of Buffalo Pass. As I implied above, the conditions were PERFECT! The crust was firm & solid and we had a blast taking off through open meadows in between groves of trees. Here are the impressive kids flying along one such open meadow:

Jack & Rudy catching air as we fly along. Wheeee!

Now come along for the video counterpart of the prior photo. Every time we encountered an open meadow, Jack & Rudy floored it as you see in this video. Then, as each meadow came to an end (at a cluster of trees), we'd either stop to turnaround or slow to continue into the trees. In this video we stop, so that means you get the Jack & Rudy "stop action" - stop, drop & roll snow angels :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

But, coming upon a cluster of trees does not mean you always have to stop. When the aspen groves were open enough, we'd slow a bit and then wind our way through the trees. It takes a lot of confidence in your skijor partners to put yourself into a grove of trees and glide through via voice command! I love skijoring with these two!

Cool aspen grove with plenty of room between the trees for Jack & Rudy
to continue and wind me through by voice command. Impressive kids :)

Yet, as the video shows, not all tree clusters were open enough for us to proceed into. So, we had many 'stop, drop & roll' episodes on today's outing. It is late April after all and the the temperatures were rising all morning long. 

Must 'stop, drop & roll' snow angels at every opportunity along the outing :)

A perfect day with perfect partners. Let's celebrate with 'end of run' treats with retired mentor Zorro:

"Looks like you have enough for all of us!" says treat inspecting Zorro.
"Waiting our turn!" adds polite & mature Jack & Rudy!

Great day on a perfect Spring crust: 8.5 miles traveled with 800 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 22 MPH.

2021/2022 Season to Date: 141 days on the trails covering 1193.4 miles with 111,900 feet of elevation climbed.

New Skis

We had new skis to break in this morning. 

New Skis, Same Results, right guys?

"They look just fine to us. Let's test them for speed!" says the happy kids.

After the ski debacle of one week ago, I was worried about having enough equipment to make it through this season. We have enough snowpack to skijor well into May and possibly through all of May. But, as described a week ago, one of my skis busted and I had to un-retire a pair of old skis that I had long since declared dead. I was not convinced these un-retired skis would hold up for another 4-6 weeks and was expecting them to fall apart any day now. 

But, Nancy came to the rescue! She was able to acquire a new pair of skis for us from Breckenridge Nordic Center. It is not often that you can find new equipment this late in the season from any ski shop or nordic center. So, surprisingly, we had a new pair of skis to take to the trails today! Yay! The prior photo and next two photos show glimpses of the new skis - a pair of Fischer Apollos. I've had all Rossignol skis for my first 12 years of skijoring; yet always wanted to try a pair from Fischer. But, the Rossignols worked, so no reason to change what's working. But, with emergency equipment needs in mid-April, we were very willing to switch to anything available. So, here we are expanding into the Fischer brand of skis.

New brand, new skis, same result: zoom!

Wide angle shot showcasing the top 1/3 of the new Fischer Apollo skis.
No difference in Jack & Rudy towing me as fast as they can :)

The skis worked on straightaways (see above) and worked around corners (see below). It was as if we'd been on these skis forever :)

Leaning into the right ski to whip around a corner behind fast
moving Jack & Rudy. Wheeee!

Apparently breaking in new skis means you have to roll wild snow angels at any turnaround point on the trails. Just ask Jack:

Could Jack put any more "gusto" into this snow angel? I think not!

Now come along for the video lead in to Jack's gusto angel. We start this clip cruising along a relatively flat nordic trail. Then, Jack & Rudy propel me up a short lift in the trail followed by them taking off down the other side of the lift. Finally, we hit the end of the trail and continue on the crust for a short bit before stopping. Did I say "stop?" Well, yes, so you get to see Jack & Rudy performing their patented 'stop, drop and roll' as the clip winds down. But, notice goofy Jack at the end. Once done with his angel, he jumps up and takes off to go back the direction we came. Unfortunately (for Jack), it takes me a lot longer to turn my skis 180 degrees around than he wants and, besides, Rudy is still rolling his snow angel as well. Silly!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Our first ever skijor on Fischer brand skis, let's tell retired mentor Zorro all about it:

"You all look the same to me!" says approving Zorro.
"New brand but same 'end of run' treats! Yay!" adds cute Jack & Rudy.

Quite a successful first outing on our new Fischer Apollo skis: 9.4 miles traveled with 900 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 24 MPH!

2021/2022 Season to Date: 136 days on the trails covering 1154.9 miles with 107,500 feet of elevation climbed.

Passing 1100 Miles

Absolutely perfect morning to surpass 1100 miles of skijoring for the season!

1105.3 miles and counting.....

Perfect bluebird morning.
Perfect freshly groomed nordic trail.
Perfect flying sled dogs!

There are two nordic centers in Breckenridge that we like to skijor. The first, Gold Run Nordic Center, is closed for the season as the majority of those trails are below 10,000 feet in elevation and starting to dry out. The second, Breckenridge Nordic Center, has a great network of trails all above 10,000 feet elevation and approaching 12,000 feet in elevation. As a result, Breckenridge Nordic Center is still open for grooming for another 10ish days.

Much to our delight, we found ourselves being first tracks on the freshly groomed trails all morning long. Talk about a great way to go flying past 1100 miles for the season! Zoom!

First tracks on the perfect trails well above 10,000 feet in elevation! Wheeee!

With such fast & fun trails, you know Jack & Rudy were going to 'stop, drop & roll' snow angels at least once today. Such silly kids :)

"Ah, rub a dub dub!" demonstrates the snow rolling goofballs.

Ok, ready to laugh? Come along for the video counterpart to the prior photo. Watch as we are gliding along the super from nordic trail until we reach the 'end of the line'. As the groomed trail stops, we continue forward, transitioning off trail for a few feet. Once off trail, I call out a "wait" to bring us to a stop. Well, Jack & Rudy interpret "wait" as "stop, drop & roll snow angels" as you get to watch in the video. What a pair of silly kids, but very entertaining!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Rolling snow angels finished, time to get back to zooming along the perfect trails this morning.

Wheeee! Love the snow poofs behind Jack & Rudy as they catch air
flying along the trails.

What a great day to zoom around the nordic terrain and then share 'end of run' treats with our wonderful retired mentor Zorro:

"Ready!" declares always focused Zorro.
"Hey, treats!!! Is it my turn yet?" asks very focused Rudy.
"Hey, remember I am second!" adds patient Jack.

Could April 7th be much better than today? I don't think so! 10.3 miles traveled with 1000 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 23 MPH.

2021/2022 Season to Date: 130 days on the trails covering 1105.3 miles with 102,800 feet of elevation climbed.