[CO, SW] Game on here!

[Alpinord]

After a major dump in the San Juans over the last few days, we went from zero to ninety in the snow department! Powder skiing was great yesterday and the marginal conditions of the skating and classic tracks throughout the area have plenty of snow to pack out for a while. BC is sketchy but XC touring amongst the snow laden trees makes for a much needed attitude adjustment!!

Time to set the backyard track after getting the 18 inches of snow removal and 3' high snowplow banks taken care of around the hacienda.

[Alpinord]

It sounds like the in town track at Hillcrest Golf course will be set and opened soon. The first time in a couple years.

The lakeside track at Vallecito is getting packed and needing more, but was a sweet cruise with the little guy, with the snowcapped Needles peaks across the lake in the background on a bluebird Colorado day. Climbing up to the road and main track was fresh corduroy all to ourselves. Much better cover than Saturday & Sunday and solid base compared to the lake side track. A slight crown in the middle was a bit of a bummer, but certainly couldn't ruin the outing.

[Alpinord]

Nothing like a tour or a skate while catching the sunset with the moon rising the evening before the full moon. It's one of my favorites. I couldn't make it out to the skate track but just had a sweet little 8k tour with the dogs out the back and through the neighboring creek valley and forest until last light.

With everything from hard pack, old ski tracks, elk tracks, breakable crust and deep old snow, I can't imagine how selecting a grip wax would work better than a glide wax on a patterned base ski.

[Alpinord]

Finally, after a couple very wet storms we got some to stick (12" and up) at the mid elevations 7,000 to 8,000 for easier access (out the back door) touring and skate track grooming 20 minutes away. 4-5' in the high elevations. It's always great to see the trees, mountains and everything laden with snow and all of the white. Just hope the temps dip to keep the quality up.

(Just found out my left hip is an inch higher than my right. No wonder I suck at skating....now I have bonafide excuse. )

[Alpinord]

After spending entirely too much time removing snow and looking for new places to put it, I'm starting to wonder if the 4' of snow in a two week span is a bit too much. For half the weekend it was coming down at over an inch an hour. Sure makes for tough skating conditions unless you're really into resistance training.

Then we got attacked by llamas. (Having spend a week and a half in the Winds with pack llamas, this makes me wonder about hooking up a tow rope.)

[Biffbradford]

There's a picture you don't see every day!

[Alpinord]

Just the neighbors over for a visit. When the horses and donkey show up, it's a regular party. Our Border Collie and the donkey play tag....pretty humorous.....

Due to the big snow this year and cold temps now going into freeze/thaw cycles we have a nice crust which turns to corn some mornings. Out the back door skating until it's gone, now!!

Saturday at the nordic center was bullet proof and the groomer down. The adjacent lake had frozen with a flat layer of snow, turned to 1-2" of perfect corn late morning. A real novelty and fun being able to ski to the inlet and back 15 km for a perfectly flat, 'untracked' cruise!

[Alpinord]

They're back




The spring corn on crust is holding up well. Finally, got the kid out, though with Mardi Gras beads and a backwards Seahawks ht, thinking he was Tony Romo.....

Seems like the key for some kids and skate skiing is combining the skating with some downhill screamers and jumping. It's the best time of year at our place and up high ought to last into May and possibly June. [/img]