A Valley in the Mountains

Valley's big day off leash with both new people and skiers. When let off leash she took off running, happy to stay in front and check up to make sure we were coming. (Click on the picture to enlarge).


When she had to break trail in deep powder she smartly decided to follow in the back and let us do that for her. Here she is carrying on a conversation with Kristen. Perhaps they are catching up with each other, its been since April since they've seen each other. I know its not about food, Jago(Babe) isn't interested.


It was a windy and snowy day but she is hanging with us following in our track.


Valley prefers the comfort of a tree well when we take a break. That's a smart move too, its out of the wind and appropriately shaped for a malamute.



You know the wind is blowing at least 15 mph when its moving snow, its likely blowing much harder, probably in the neighborhood of 35 mph. I always squint and secretly talk swear words when my face is being pelted with wind driven snow. I've found it doesn't make any difference when you squint with one eye "open" and the other closed or both eyes "open". The wind and pelting snow don't bother Jago, probably because I have a Clif bar in my hand.


Jago loves to run, or somebody opened their lunch sack.


Saint Nicki doing the Pied Piper thing.


You can't beat a trip when Rocket is dog tired. He didn't even make it back to the car before he fell asleep. Now that's having fun!

Mal Rescue Alaska

Ha! That would be Maltese Rescue of Alaska. This is me with Wimbley at Alaska SPCA. I stop by and walk dogs but for about a month Wimbley has been there to greet me and he's kind of captured my heart LOL. He's the only booter I've really gotten attached to, having the right mixture of wild dog, fundog and love dog to get me to like the guy. We've had alot of fun playing together like tug of war, bite hand, tossing him in the air and hanging out and petting. Occasionally he gets in my coat and we walk about. Wimbley goes to his forever home tomorrow, that's what rescue is all about. Glad he's got a good home but I am going to miss him.

Mountain Majesty

You never know how the mountains are going to please you when out skiing. Clouds don't always mean obscuring beautiful peaks.



Its great getting up high, even if its cold. Not much around so you can let the dogs go and run. Nothing is more fun for the dogs than to give chase to each other!


and peal out...


Even when they are far away they come when they are called.


and run they do!


Looks like Valley had a great day too!


(as always you can click on the picture to enlarge)

WooHoo!

This is quite the photo sequence. For the past 5 years of watching Valley stop, hide, quake or run away on ski tours because she's afraid of skis, she has come alive this season and is pouring it on. This is a scene of her chasing after me while I am telemark turning down a slope. She's having as much fun as I am. (you can always click the picture to enlarge it).

3 Fundogs

Seldom caught on film together, here's the 3 fundogs enjoying a family day with all of us.

Oh Boy!

It was the 2nd time we ever let Valley off the leash for skiing. Skis
are scary for her well too much for her. So much so, I have been afraid to let her go because of the hassle of retrieving her.

Looks like very good times for her, skis or not


and



Valley loved to run behind us on the ski track, every time I turned around she looked happy


She was pretty happy until we stopped in the wind and snow for a short break and to turn around


If you have our calendar, we'd be looking over her shoulder at the view for Miss January. Definitely a different day today.


Nice place to take a break and look around.


She picked right back up on the return


A little "road side" maintenance on the 4WD


here she is right before I skied up to her with the leash


I was concerned about that, she was cautious but she let me ski up to her and leash her. Tired Malamutes are good malamutes.

Oh Boy, What a great day!

Moon Shot

A great day out skijoring again. Clear and cold makes for some fun skiing and great scenery.






Jago looks like she is having fun!

I gotta retire

This time off with the dogs is a whole lot of fun.



that's Valley on your left. If you were at the AMCA national specialty in Olympia this year and visited the AMAL booth that is the same dog. You thought she was sleeping alot, she was. Saving up energy to go out and have fun every day :)

Life Slides Downhill Fast

Another great day skijoring with the dogs. The cold hasn't slowed us down. In fact, looks like Nicki is trying to slow down but can't. Too much dog power :)

Day Off

It was a great day to have off from work. Cold at single digits below zero Fahrenheit but no wind, and cloudless skies, even if there is only 5 1/2 hours of daylight. We made good use of the day :)

Nicki skijoring Jago.




A rare photo of me, pulled by Rocket and Valley.

There is a small trick to wearing enough clothes to stay warm and not sweat when you exercise. Sweat freezes when you stop exercising so we try to avoid that problem. Its a lesson I need to relearn every year. (as always click on the picture to enlarge)

Bad Day at Work

After a bad day of work I find 4 inches of powder on my deck. What's a funhog to do? Clean it off, grab the fundogs and go skijoring. No more bad day effects after that.


Rocket in the front, Mrs. funhog on the tow and My Fair City Lights backing them up. (as always click on the picture to enlarge)

Winter Solstice

Shortest day of the year. 5 hours of daylight. Still a great day to get out and enjoy it, even if it was cold.

Devil Dogs

Sometimes you think you are being followed by evil. You turn around and look and nothing is there and you think, "hmmm am I stoopid or what?". Then there is the time you turn around and look and there is the devil, running right towards you. What are you going to do?

Clear and Cold

Clear skies and Cold temperatures makes for some great patterns of hoar frost. the pictures are from our recent ski trip out Rabbit Creek Valley. Mother Nature always dishes out pleasant surprises for us. (click on the picture for a larger view of the crystals).

Good Insulation

Insulation is a very good thing to have in Alaskan winters. A good Alaskan dog will have good insulation capabilities so it can hang outdoors regardless of the weather. Check out Jago, it doesn't look like the snow falling in 15degF temperatures is melting off her anytime soon.


Nor is it melting off anytime soon for Valley.


these malamutes are such good winter dogs, in 12 inches of snow it didn't slow Valley down from pulling me on an unbroken trail