Scoping Out The Local Scene

harrise · 10-24-2009, 09:51 PM

With all of our big mountain adventures occupying the summer months, I completely forgot the fact that we live two miles from the base of the Rocky Mountain foothills. Sure enough, digging around the county website I found enough trails to possibly fill our winter weekends with hikes. Once the weather settles in for winter (today warmed to 60F), we'll be ready for some 8 hour strolls. So today we took a quick three mile jog to scope out an 18 mile trip. It's called Devil's Backbone and I can see it from my sewing room. (For the big trip I would leave from my friggin' house and follow the front ridge of the mountains nine miles north to Horsetooth Reservoir.)

Not having looked at the weather, 8:30am sounded just fine to head out. The air still had bite to it and a jacket seemed like a must. Then the dogs were loaded in the van and we set off. This place was so close that the heater never reached warm before we got there. Stepping out into the sun made everything different. It was warm outside, but we were only out to gain a view of the overall terrain and objectives for later. Dogs were ready to roll, so rolled we did...

The formations that makeup Devil's Backbone...

(cont.)

harrise · 10-24-2009, 09:56 PM

Home is off yonder in the distance...

A Forest Service guy we ran into told us the early morning was filled with elk, coyote and deer. We only saw deer...

(cont.)

harrise · 10-24-2009, 10:03 PM

Doggies focused on them but didn't freak out or make a sound. Not sure I can ask much more from them...

This is a busy area with access shared amongst horses, bikes, people and dogs. Overall I would rate the pack behavior at 8.5 today. They flurried up a bit when a group of almost 30 college students came along, and Sioux jumped up at a guy who baby talked him. Other than that, the heat was the only thing we had to get past. It was a quick 90 minutes this morning.

Fin.

SammyDog · 10-24-2009, 10:11 PM

Lucky you live in such a scenic area.

Nice dogs

Blizzard · 10-24-2009, 11:34 PM

Very beautiful scenery! And great dogs.

BooLette · 10-25-2009, 06:25 PM

Are all six of those dogs yours? They are all gorgeous!

Mr Pooch · 10-25-2009, 06:41 PM

Man i'd love to live there!
Looks like bubba is taking to all this hiking malarky like a pro

he is looking good as are the sleds.

If you did run into a coyote pack what do you think would happen?

Michiyo-Fir · 10-25-2009, 09:05 PM

The place is beautiful! The dogs look happy

How do you manage so many dogs at the same time?

harrise · 10-25-2009, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SammyDog

Lucky you live in such a scenic area.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blizzard

Very beautiful scenery!

In fact, I do feel especially lucky to live here. It feels like one of those places words can't describe. Just perfect...

Quote:

Originally Posted by BooLette

Are all six of those dogs yours? They are all gorgeous!

No. I have five. Bubba, Sioux, Coco, Ridik and Tambi. The Berner belongs to a friend and the JRT is my mom's dog.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Pooch

Man i'd love to live there!
Looks like bubba is taking to all this hiking malarky like a pro

he is looking good as are the sleds.

If you did run into a coyote pack what do you think would happen?

Bubba has some mean endurance. We have come across coyotes before but they take off quickly... and what "malarky" are you talking about? Bubba was bred for that work. He leaves the sled dogs in the dust when it snows. 10 miles is what it takes to wake him up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michiyo-Fir

The place is beautiful! The dogs look happy

How do you manage so many dogs at the same time?

Thanks! I try to do more than the average person with my dogs. It took about a year to get the pack coherent as one. Don't tell anyone... but I use a Koehler based method with my dogs.

zimandtakandgrrandmimi · 10-25-2009, 11:36 PM

you should post more Harrise...even though you and I are polar opposites and in real time would probably make a mutual attempt to slaughter each other...I like it when I get to see all the idiots out and about.

sassykzt · 10-26-2009, 12:33 AM

Nice!!! Thanks for sharing!!

Mr Pooch · 10-26-2009, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harrise

and what "malarky" are you talking about? Bubba was bred for that work. He leaves the sled dogs in the dust when it snows. 10 miles is what it takes to wake him up.

I always forget that im using slang here

,in London especially the eastend where im from we tend to use words and take them away from their dictionary meaning

If i were hiking with you and our dogs i'd say "right harrise,you ready to do this hiking malarky" which would mean lets do this hiking business.

And i had a real "duh" moment there forgetting the SB origins and what they were bred for.

Leroy&Lucy'sMom · 10-26-2009, 06:59 PM

I always enjoy your pics, thanks for sharing. Your dogs are all beautiful, but I <3 Bubba!!

LuvmyRotti · 10-28-2009, 08:00 AM

[QUOTE=harrise;655539]

Love him! We came REALLY close to getting a St. Bernard when we got our berners. Now, I'm liking how a St. Bernard looks beside your neighbours Berner....hmmmm. Beautiful gang you have. All you need now is a Rottie, then you will have all my favourite dogs there.