Heading for higher ground

A couple of weeks ago, realizing that it had literally been months since we visited our former stomping grounds, M and I promised ourselves a trip to Vail this week during his days off. To be honest, we're used to a lot more traveling than we've had the leisure to do in the past year, and I think we both needed a change of scenery....not to mention the chance to shed the shackles of our daily work, worries and adoption nerves. But as the date of our mini-vacay approached, a storm began looming on the radars. A big one. By the morning of our anticipated departure, Denver's weathermen were predicting two feet of snow in the highcountry...easily enough to close passes and wreak havoc on the commute. Nevertheless, we decided to throw caution to the wind and make a run for it. Fortunately for us, the weather cooperated and by the time we reached Copper Mountain, the highway looked like this.

Once safely in Arrowhead, our duffles stowed in the condo, we took the long-suffering dogs out for a quick walk before sunset. With the Arrowhead lifts recently closed for the season, the lower slopes made a perfect playground with in easy walking distance.

With the season nearly at its end and most of the tourists gone, it felt like we had the valley to ourselves...an unusual experience when there's still THIS MUCH snow on the slopes!!

The joy is plain to see on the faces of our dogs, who are still adjusting to the relative inactivity of life in the city.

M and his Max.

Sam's brain pretty much shuts off once he hits the trail, and he can't be bothered much with human games. But Max is a different story. There's a game that he very much likes to play.
Max likes to be "got". Or at very least chased, until you pretend to "get" him, at which point growling like a tiger, he charges out of reach, proving his superior strength and speed.

Hey, Ma-a-a-a-a-x..............

I'mgonnagetcha!

Oh, yeah! I've practically gotcha!

Better hustle!

Here, he almost makes a fatal mistake, bending to grab a mouthful of snow...

Oh, MAN, I almost had him!

Grrrrrrrrrrrr.......you almost GOT me!

And HE'S OFF! No dust gathering on this dog.

Opening the distance....

At this point I'm just making him run. No real danger of my catching him now. Oh, how he loves it!

Sam and M on the closed lift.


Don't you worry. I've got plenty more photos to post. More to come.