Trail Breaking

This morning's outing was "slowed by breaking trail in 6-18 inches of fresh snow all day"!

No problem for my trail breaking partners, just a short & aerobic fun outing!

Kicking up powder as we run (and glide) as fast as we can in 10+ inches of snow - wheeee!

There is a new trail in the French Gulch area named Wire Patch. This trail was built over the summer as a new biking, hiking & cross country ski trail to parallel the main French Gulch trail. For winter, we hope this trail is a godsend to French Gulch as in the past 2 winters some jerks have been plowing the lower part of French Gulch and destroying this beautiful cross country terrain. The new Wire Patch trail bypasses most of what has been plowed and brings French Gulch to life all winter. We just need to get people off the main trail and onto Wire Patch to keep it useable all winter. So, we took the trail breakers (Max & Zorro) onto Wire Patch this morning to set the trail for others to use.

Breaking trail on the new Wire Patch terrain. A beautiful, albeit narrow at times, trail that
winds through the forest above and adjacent to French Creek.

Eventually Wire Patch ends, after we have bypassed just about all of the evil plow section, and we are back on the main French Gulch trail. We were still first on the trail and continued breaking trail in 8+ inches of snow up French Gulch...

Breaking trail on the wide French Gulch trail. Setting the terrain for all others to use...

The far & upper sections of French Gulch are always a snow mecca. The further you go, the deeper it gets:

Easily 18 inches of snow (or more) as my trail breakers haul me up the trail. 

Breaking trail all day is a lot of work:

"What a workout, rolling a snow angel to cool off!" demonstrates Max.
"Dunk - the best snowcones are deep in the snow!" says silly Zorro.

An aerobic 6.2 miles breaking trail all day with 950 feet of elevation climbed.

2015/2016 Season to Date: 12 days on the trails covering 97.5 miles with 9800 feet of elevation climbed.

Single-Dual-None

Beautiful bluebird day on the trails today!

End of the line on this side trail with a nice shot of part of Breckenridge Ski Resort across the way.
"End? Really? Why not drop down to the right?" suggests crazy Max.
"Uh-oh, snow ends just in front of me!" says alarmed Zorro.

We had the range of trail conditions today from "single track" to "dual track" to "no track". Come along for the fun...

(1) Most of the day looked like the following: a wide tire track that enabled Max & Zorro to run shoulder-to-shoulder. I could ride one ski "in track" (for speed) and one ski in the middle powder (for control). Lean in-track to speed up and lean in-powder to slow and stay (somewhat) under control :)

Great shot of the shoulder-to-shoulder sled dog machine! So much fun to watch them run in
a tight configuration like this!

(2) Some of the day looked like the following: tire tracks not wide enough for shoulder-to-shoulder so each takes his own track and I glide down the middle.

We tend to slow to more of a trot when conditions separate Max & Zorro by this much. They
would rather be shoulder-to-shoulder when sprinting.

(3) A little of the day looked like the following: breaking trail in untouched snow on a side trail all to ourselves - wheeee!

So peaceful when you find untouched powder to carve for yourselves!

Which was best?

"We loved it ALL!" say the happy pair at a turnaround point on one of the side trails.

Most of the day looked like the "single track" photo as trucks had been driving the trail transporting hunters around the forest. Thankfully, hunting season finally ends this weekend so trucks will stop overpacking and tearing up the trails!

A nice "range of conditions" today as we covered 8.2 miles with 950 feet of elevation climbed.

2015/2016 Season to Date: 11 days on the trails covering 91.3 miles with 8850 feet of elevation climbed.

Even Better

If yesterday was "Perfect Conditions" then today was, well, "Beyond Perfect Conditions" :)

Beautiful, snow covered and wide open terrain atop Rabbit Ears Pass. Zoom!

We went back to Rabbit Ears Pass with the goal of doing the opposite side of the pass from yesterday. Today we found a snowmobile track to follow right from the trailhead. Wheeee - we hopped in the track and ran for 4.7 miles before turning around and coming back the same route. Perfect Conditions!

It does not get any better than this, especially for early November. Watch for yourself:

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Partway through the outing, Max & Zorro's "moose radar" went off. I have come to recognize when they sense moose in the neighborhood. They have a distinct intensity that you cannot miss. Within minutes of the moose radar firing, I then saw moose tracks in our snowmobile track and many, many moose tracks leading out of the track into the nearby meadows. They must have just been there as Max & Zorro's radar was very intense (the fresher/closer the moose, the more intense the radar); but we never spotted one of the big brown animals - darn...

"We certainly smell you; we might even hear you - SHOW YOURSELF!!!!" exclaim my moose
seeking pair. Such intensity when they sense moose. The scent (or sight) of moose is the only
thing that can bring Max & Zorro to a stop and draw their complete attention off skijoring!

Okay, now that you see the intense moose radar was ON, go back and watch the video clip above. Look for the following as you watch: (1) moose tracks intersecting the trail from the left at 3 seconds; (2) moose tracks intersecting the left & right at 10 seconds; (3) moose tracks to the right at 13 seconds; (4) tracks to the left at 20 seconds; and (5) a confluence of moose tracks all over the place at 30 seconds (there had most certainly been more than one at this location). Moose, moose everywhere!

Quick pause at our turnaround point and...

"Why yes, great day! Thanks for asking!" exclaims happy Max.
"Have you seen my moose?" asks intense Zorro.

"Why yes, great day! Thanks for asking!" exclaims happy Zorro.
"Have you seen my moose?" asks intense Max.

A fast & fun moose seeking day at Rabbit Ears: 9.4 miles traveled with 800 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2015/2016 Season to Date: 10 days on the trails covering 83.1 miles with 7900 feet of elevation climbed.