Freddie started his first ski along Mountain road. He knew to stay out of the tracks.
We were dogsitting Freddie today. He turned one year old on Dec 1, so it was time for him to learn to ski. Off to West Bragg Creek where he can ski off-leash.
I’ll give him credit for staying out of the tracks. He seemed to have an innate sense that the tracks weren’t for him, and he was incredibly fast for a beginner!
Les had a very friendly and patient dog. I wish I could remember the dog’s name.
Our dog Tessa learned some critical commands that came in handy while skiing, such as “Look out” and “side.” Unfortunately she’s gone deaf in her old age but by now, she instinctively knows what to do when on the ski trail.
Sarah and Nicole on Mountain road. Freddie wanted Nicole to throw his stick.
With Tessa, I ski slowly down hills now, so she doesn’t have to struggle to keep up. Freddie passed me like I was standing still when I was speeding down hill.
Moose Connector. As you can see, Freddie spent a lot of time waiting for me to catch up.
Freddie started the day without boots, but after 30 minutes his paws had iced up. After removing the icy snow from his paws, he put on his boots. He still had three of them when we finished. I was so distracted with his paws and boots when Jo and Piper the retriever came by, I forgot to get a picture. Piper was learning to ski last winter and she seems to have learned well.
Lower West Crystal line
All the other dogs on the trail were very patient with Freddie. He tried to cajole them into playing with him but most went on their merry way without too much disruption to their day. Everyone was friendly and understanding.
As for WBC ski conditions, you’ve already read Chip’s, Ernie’s, and Steve’s trip reports. I’ll reiterate the compliments to the tracksetters. Freddie and I skied Mountain Road, Moose Connector(south) and Lower West Crystal Line. Lower West Crystal Line was wonderful. There was some grass, a few twigs and occasional dirt on Mountain road but easy enough to avoid. All the Links between Lower and Upper Crystal looked enticing.
Freddie's first ski trip. Dec 4, 2018
I use a romper with legs/ boots attached, best thing since sliced bread! Made in alberta: see
https://www.ruffstuffk9design.ca
Thanks! I was unaware of this product. It could be the answer to lost boots. -Bob
Hi Bob
Our Springer, Bodhi, comes skiing with us as much as possible but inevitably suffers from the ice balls on the paws. We sometimes use his Muttluks but are so worried about losing one while he’s romping off leash as they are so expensive!
I notice Freddie has the balloon booties on-do you find these stay on the paws well? And any tips for getting them on the paws ( we find the tight opening quite a struggle to get on Bodhi’s paws).
Thanks!
Jenn
If your dog stays on the groomed trail, the PAWZ boots will stay on fine. If Bodhi spends a lot of time in the deep snow, occasionally one will get lost, but the boots are cheap to buy. They come in a package of 12. Cheryl seems to be able to get the boots on easily, it’s a struggle for me. Works better if two people do it together. I like these thin rubber boots because the dog still gets a feel for the terrain. On the other hand, because they’re thin, they may not suffice in very cold weather.
Thanks Bob! We’ll try out the PAWZ.
For anyone with a dog who may be interested in these boots, here’s a link to their website with more information PAWZ Dog Boots
Hi Bob,
Too bad we didn’t see you today, Klara also just had her first birthday and today was her first xc ski as well. She did a good job staying out of everyone’s way and quickly decided that skis were somewhat scary and stayed away from the tracks. She was off leash most of the time and did not bother any other skiers, even those coming downhill toward us, or fat bikers. We practiced some on-leash skiing and she did a close imitation of Kazzy the dog’s amazing on-leash skiing style. It was a great day!
Thanks very much to the volunteer groomers and all of their hard work!