Snowed Out

Steady snow falling all around us this morning on Rabbit Ears Pass.

Out-stretched sled dogs hauling me along the trail - wheeee!

As clear as the previous photo looks, we are happy to report that the majority of the footage from today's outing looked like the following photo... Snow & water spots blurring just about all of the camera. In the following photo you get a slight glimpse of running Max & Zorro in between the snow & water spots; but most of the footage had one or both blurred out. No complaints here, this heavy snowstorm is just what we need to set all of our trails for the remainder of the winter - yay!

Blurred to the right, blurred to the left and a quick glimpse of Max & Zorro in between the blur.

Whenever I noticed the GoPro completely covered by snow & water spots, I would give it a quick wipe and then I would get some clear footage for the next 1-2 minutes. Here's a fun clip right after I cleared the lens. Watch funny Zorro in his patented "hunt and jog" in the beginning of the clip before giving up on hunting and deciding to put the pedal to the metal with Max.

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Here is a great "visual effect" of a water & snow blurred camera. How many sled dogs do you see in the photo? I see a red Max tail to the left and 2 (TWO!!!) Zorro bodies to the right. Omigod, did we pickup another Zorro on the trail today? Skijoring with three?

The water blurred camera has given us "Zorro Double Vision" as it has created this neat
illusion that looks like we have 2 Zorros!

A day happily "blurred by snow" covering 8.1 miles with 900 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 18 MPH.

2015/2016 Season to Date: 15 days on the trails covering 124.4 miles with 11900 feet of elevation climbed.

Gorgeous Day

A Gorgeous Bluebird Day on Rabbit Ears Pass this morning!

Wow! Blue sky as far as the eye can see, white terrain as far as the eye can see and fast
packed snowmobile trail as far as the eye can see!

We did our favorite "easy trail" this morning at Rabbit Ears. This particular trail has little elevation gain (or loss), it is pretty much endless flat terrain for miles and miles and miles! This is rare, of course, as most trails in the Colorado Rocky Mountains have lots of elevation gains & losses to deal with. But, not this trail - Max & Zorro get into their "endless gallop" and go forever!

Catching air as we gallop along - wheeee!

It was 10 miles of "endless gallop" with the exception of one interruption...

"Wait! Moose tracks leading off the tail! Must inspect for freshness!" say the moose sniffing pair.

After a freshness check with the noses and....

"It was fresh! Can we to this way?" ask the moose seekers staring down the moose
tracks leading off into the forest.

What a gorgeous day to run 9.9 miles with 500 feet of elevation climbed (that is "Colorado Flat") and a top speed of 20 MPH.

2015/2016 Season to Date: 14 days on the trail covering 116.3 miles with 11000 feet of elevation climbed.

Moosing

A day of "moosing" (moose seeking) in French Gulch!

End of the trail far back in French Gulch when we ran into an exposed French Creek.
By early/mid December the snow will cover the creek and we'll be able to ski to the end
of the gulch!

Why is French Gulch one of our favorite trails? Moose!!!! We are almost guaranteed to get either the scent or tracks (or both) of moose on each outing and are often treated with a moose sighting as well. Today added another moose treat - Moose Fur! What fun...

Far back in French Gulch - we have out-skied all "human tracks" and are now alone with a set
of moose tracks we are intensely following along the trail. "So fresh, so fresh - they smell so
fresh!" exclaim the moose seeking pair.

As I mentioned, today's unique treat was tufts of moose fur on the tail!

"Wait, what is this? Tuft of Moose! We must be on the right track!" declares Max as he slightly
breaks stride to inspect the brown tuft of moose hair to his right.

"Whoa! Tuft of Moose!" declares Zorro as he breaks stride to dip his nose to the left (note the
brown/black dot in front of his nose - tuft of moose). Silly Zorro proceeded to pick it up and
swoosh it around in his mouth before spitting out, "Smells good, but needs meat!" says Zorro.

Finally, our "moose radar" steered us just off the trail to stare across the meadow. It does not show up in the photo, but we did see a big, brown moose butt saunter up into the trees across the way.

Ding, ding, ding - moose sighting (albeit from afar, but still fun)!

After a fun time moosing around the upper portions of French Gulch, it was back down into civilization. No more moose scent, tracks or tufts so we might as well put the pedal to the metal and fly along the fast packed trail. Fast & fun until we come upon a pair of skiers with five loose dogs and have to stop. It is not possible to pass loose dogs as one will most certainly jump into Max & Zorro and send me flying into a tree or worse.

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Moosing far back and flying close down. What a day!

"Perfect, just perfect!" exclaim the happy pair when I asked if everyone was having a fun day.

So fun to have the snow back in French Gulch: 8.9 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 22 MPH.

2015/2016 Season to Date: 13 days on the trails covering 106.4 miles with 10500 feet of elevation climbed.