Happy Number 12

Today marks Jago's 12th birthday, what a better way to celebrate it than to go out hiking on a sunny day.

Its been a wonderful 10 plus years together, its amazing how we've changed for the better.

We've spent so much time together, I can't imagine what it would be without you.

Thanks for a great life. You've changed our lives more than we can ever think of. All of us benefited including countless malamutes.

While I can't believe another 12 years is possible, I do think we'll enjoy what we've got in grand style.

Will Mother Nature Cooperate with Old Man Winter?

p>Here is is May 6th and we are still skijoring. Pretty neat considering the dogs are off the snow usually by April 15th. Usually its so soft the break through and its a real drag to take them out. But this year we've had lots of snow, record breaking. With the cold nights its held up long enough to enjoy skijoring much alter than we usually do.

Our foster dog Ox giving us his best

Valley up by Rabbit Lake

We really are insignificant in the landscape of things.

Sooo, will Mother Nature cooperate with Old Man Winter so we can ski into June?

Jago

We haven't gotten out with Jago alot this year. I am not entirely sure why. Its been a great snow year. One of the best winters ever. When it turned sunny after a 4 or 5 inch powder storm, we took advantage of it and went skijoring with Jago.

She loves to run, and its fun to watch her run loose. A little powder spray is good for everyone.

And even if we've been here a bunch of times, we are still insignificant bits of the landscape at times.

On our way home, taking a break and catching another view. A tired malamute is a good malamute. And a good girl Jago is.

Great Frontier

A weekend of cross country skiing in the sun left us with images of the great frontier we live in.

The Brown Bears are out in Anchorage

The Brown Bears have emerged from their dens and are out on the prowl. They are known to be mean and angry when they rise out of their dens, so in telling you this, we hope we can alert you to the dangers out and about town. Keep an eye out and use the Boy Scout motto..."Be Prepared"

Rocket spies the grizzly walking across the living room floor. He looks like he is going to engage it.

He does! he starts out the battle with a forepaw strike and the bear tumbles down.

Rocket engages it again and takes it to task. This bear has a real struggle on its hand.

After a winter without food during hibernation, he's no match for a Polar Bear dog. Too weak to even put up a fight, Rocket spits the bear out the side... the malamute wins again. Better luck next time Mr. Grizzly Bear.

Fun in the Sun

We've had a real nice month of sun, powder and cool temps. Its been a remarkable stretch we've been able to enjoy the fun in the sun.

We started this day out by breaking trail in 15 inches of light powder

Like many places in Alaska when its sunny there are great views

The effect is always the same, we have fun! Who couldn't in weather like this.

Wash and Wear

Powderhound Valley pushing 12 inches of powder during a snow storm. Not many of us would be this happy in chest deep snow. With those great big paws, and that love to get out and run free, Gotta love a dog you can take anywhere with you.

Eventually the snow fall stopped, the clouds lifted and it was time to go home. On the skin track she is waiting for me to catch up.

click on any picture to enlarge.

The Thing about Fresh Snow?

It makes our dogs look great!

Nightjor

Since its dark when we arrive home from work, and we like to ski after work we Nightjor. We use a headlamp and go to the local trails in the Chugach State Park. We don't need much of a headlamp on the way up the trail but traveling downhill a powerful one makes the run all the more enjoyable. This year I have a Princeton Tec Apex. Its a 200 lumen light which really lights up, but the battery pack can't support that brightness for long. Not a big deal if you like your headlamp to launch into the strobe mode without warning. Acid Flashback?

Taking a break.

Running with City lights in the distance

All in the life of a fundog

Skijoring with Friends

With fresh snow we decided to head up to the local state park and skijor. It was a perfect day with nobody in the parking lot and on the trail we only saw the evidence of our "friends" the bears.

Cautious but undeterred because we had our dogs who are a great alert mechanism we continued up the trail. Happy dog, great work ethic and lots of fun :)

Game On!

Looking up a the mountains, I spied a low snow line. Figuring I might have to hike my skis for a some distance I was surprised, I could ski pretty close from the trailhead. A bit of powder on a hard base made for a fun kick and glide for the first day out. Sunny, warm, and no wind would keep the spirits high regardless of the snow conditions.

This time of year we share the trails with moose. Exercise some caution and its quite a nature show to watch.

After returning home, I put my comments down on the local trails report, finding out they appeared in the morning paper.ADN article on start of ski season Yep , "Took me a dozen years to ready my rock skis for today."

The start of ski season, Game On!

One-On-Bob

I like to take our each of our malamutes out individually. you'd probably call that a day of One-On-One, we call it a day of One-On-Bob. One-On-Bob days are a special experience because we have 3 of our own dogs, plus a foster or two. I find it boosts the bond between each dog and myself, its more enjoyable sometimes just to have one dog because its easier to care for just one dog and much simpler when afield, and boosts the confidence of our shy dogs to run free. To go out individually is a rare treat for the foster dog and a real good one at that. We should do this more often, it really helps in managing the foster dog, but we seldom do, I guess we'd rather take our own malamutes out individually.

Today I took Healy out by herself. About 4 miles into the hike, in the tundra, I let her off her leash to run loose.

She played bumper pool with my legs for a bit then realized she really was free. She took off running like the Greek fleet footed god Mercury.

They show their thanks for a One-On-Bob day in many ways. For Healy you just need to look into her face and watch her tail.

Thanks Healy, what a great day to connect.

The Eyes Have It

I love to see the dogs run free, its amazing what happens when they are outside, in the mountains and running free.  When I capture them in picture and can see their eyes, like in this picture, I get even more excited. Just like they are.

Our foster dog Healy.

Healy further down the trail

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Click on any picture to enlarge it.

Splash into Fall

Fall time is special to us. The air is brisk and when moisture falls I think, "just a little bit colder and this could be Snow!". Best of all are the splash of colors in the alpine tundra. They don't last long, but they are spectacular while they are around. Hurricane Creek Valley behind Valley.

Who wouldn't have a big smile on their face running in these colors?

On our way to the pass. Valley is so patient sometimes.
The colors can be subtle but still splendid.
The ever happy Rocket.
Happy Healy!
It was a day where the colors just never quit giving.
Click on any picture to enlarge.