01/27-29/06
For Jean's "mystery birthday weekend" I reserved Ken's Cabin out
on Boreas Pass for us. Its just a tiny two person cabin with a bed, small table,
wood burning stove, and propane stove...COOL PLACE! After checking out the snow sculptures
in Breckenridge we started from the Boreas Pass winter TH and snowshoed/skied
the 6.5miles in along an old railroad grade. It was pretty easy going and a
beautiful day but with high snow clouds on their way in. It was 1,100ft
elevation gain up to 11,480ft but was real gentle and steady the entire way. We
took several breaks and traded pulling the sled and got there after 3.5hrs. From
the wind and blowing snow we had a couple feet of snow to dig away from the door
first! Once inside, we got the wood burning stove fired up, cracked open the box
of wine, and started cooking some spaghetti and meat sauce for dinner. We could
hear the wind getting stronger and stronger throughout the night and woke up to
cloudy skies and a steady snow. As soon as we opened the front door Saturday
morning we were greeted with about 3ft of snow that had drifted up against it!
After a relaxing morning and big breakfast we 
decided to try hiking up 13,082ft
Boreas Mtn. We left the snowshoes at the cabin thinking we could work our way
between the wind blown areas....big mistake! Crossing the drifts we were often
up to our waists in snow floundering around. The wind was a steady 30+mph all
day but the skies were clearing to a nice blue. Slowly working our way east and
southeast we got to a section of loose rocks we could take directly to what
looked like the summit. Covering up all skin and putting our backs to the wind
since the wind got colder and stronger. After a couple hours we were on the
false summit and hopped over to the true
summit getting blown all over on the
way. We buckled down for a quick bite to eat in the 50+mph winds before
retracing our steps back down. Once again we were waist deep in snow several
times but back at the warm and cozy cabin after 3.5hrs, though it felt like a
full day! Pot roast, carrots, mashed potatoes and wine were the perfect hut
dinner while playing cards and laughing the night away.
Sunday we woke up to even more snow drifted against the door and we abandoned
plans of hiking towards Hoosier Ridge given the wind, snow, and crappy
conditions. So we had a leisurely breakfast and packed up for the hike out. 
Typically you would think going downhill with less weight would be easier then
the hike in....not this time! We were hiking into the wind the entire time, I
couldn't get my skis to work without the skins on while towing a sled, and the
drifts were ridiculously deep! It sucked! After putting my skins back on while
standing up to my stomach in snow thing were slightly easier...not much though.
Jean broke trail and I followed behind with skis and the sled acting like a
freakin' snowplow. It was brutal! I swore my heart rate was above 300bpm most of
the time and the freezing snow/ice on our faces didn't help. Closer to the TH
there were snowshoers and skiers on their way in so atleast we had a semi-packed
trail to follow. Oh well, after 3hrs we were back at the truck and heading to
the Breckenridge Brewery for much deserved beers and food. Being only 2:30 in
the afternoon, we thought we had a jump on ski traffic....wrong! It took over
2hrs to get from Frisco to the Eisenhower Tunnel, thankfully we had full bellies
and books to read while sitting there! Regardless, it was yet another awesome
hut trip and I wouldn't change a single thing about it!!
Ice sculptures in Breckenridge: 
On
the way up and down Boreas Mtn: 
