Cross country ski with your dog
Hello mates and petmates ;)
Ava (my dog) and I were back in Mammoth this year to play in the snow with some friends and try something new for 2013.
Cross country skiing with my pup has never crossed my mind until 1 week ago.
We decided to go for it, the conditions were perfect and fortunately for Ava the opportunity presented itself, so we made the best of it. The fresh snow was delightful and eatable for Ava if needed.
We rented the cross country ski at The Ski Renter in Mammoth Lakes. The guys at the shop are very helpful and answered all my silly little questions and concerns that I had since I’ve never tried cross country ski before. If you don't know your shoe size or magically dropped some pounds, "don't worry ... be happy", they will measure you. In best case scenario you might have more cushion for support, you didn't know you had... jk ;) The weight is important to match with the right skis, so it has to be done. Also, if you have Big Feet, like above 12, you will need to call the ski shops in advance to reserve and see if they carry your shoe size. This ski shop is located very close to the Inyo NP Mammoth Visitor Center, which is very convenient since that is where we’ve planned on our ski adventure.
From Maine Street/Hwy 203 take Sawmill Cutoff and drive 2 miles, merge into Sawmill Rd. towards Whitmore Recreational area. Now park and ski right there! The trail starts about 20 feet.
First walk through the parking lot to the trail in your ski boots (about 20 feet to the tail). Ski boots are very comfortable to walk on and won't hurt your feet. Once you on a trail, attach the boots to the skis and don't forget your ski poles. You are ready to take on the mountains, hopefully not too high once, cause breaking might be a problem. Also, I had Ava off the leash most of the time, but I always bring her leash with me just in case. So don't forget your dog's gear as well. We rented the cross country ski at The Ski Renter in Mammoth Lakes. The guys at the shop are very helpful and answered all my silly little questions and concerns that I had since I’ve never tried cross country ski before. If you don't know your shoe size or magically dropped some pounds, "don't worry ... be happy", they will measure you. In best case scenario you might have more cushion for support, you didn't know you had... jk ;) The weight is important to match with the right skis, so it has to be done. Also, if you have Big Feet, like above 12, you will need to call the ski shops in advance to reserve and see if they carry your shoe size. This ski shop is located very close to the Inyo NP Mammoth Visitor Center, which is very convenient since that is where we’ve planned on our ski adventure.
From Maine Street/Hwy 203 take Sawmill Cutoff and drive 2 miles, merge into Sawmill Rd. towards Whitmore Recreational area. Now park and ski right there! The trail starts about 20 feet.
While cross country skiing with your dog be prepared:
1. Have lots of fun!
2. Falling in the snow and feel like a kid again and your body & booty will agree with it too. Yes, surprised me too ;)
3. First time falling, your pup might bark to show concern
4. After 2 more fun-fallings in the snow, your dog stops giving a sht.. hehe
5. You’ll start looking for longer slopes to zip through and probably fall again.
The list goes on...One more thing, cross country skiing is very much like hiking, only you can cover a lot more ground and give more exercise for you and your pup.
Thanks for following and reading my new adventures about me and my dog!
Please, let me know if you are from California and have some great trails you can recommend for skiing, hiking, backpacking, and something fun & perhaps crazy. Cheers!