Sunday seemed like the perfect day for a hike, so we drove 20 miles to Golden Gate Canyon State Park. We went to the visitor’s center and looked around and I asked the ranger if they could suggest a good day hike that would allow for some snowshoeing. She suggested Horseshoe Trail. It was a moderate 3.5 mile hike with a starting elevation of 8,140 feet.  We arrived at the trailhead and Furry B was ready to lead the way. K and I got our gear ready and decided to start with micro spikes as the trail looked like packed snow and ice. We took off up the trail with temps in the 40’s and winds at 15-20MPH. We made our way up and were very glad we had the spikes. I don’t think furry B had any issues… The cool weather and snow gives him a burst of energy that makes him look like a rabid dog.

Rapid Snow Dog

We stopped at a switchback and had some water, trail mix and jerky and enjoyed the scenery. As the trail changed from packed snow to powder, we decided to use our snowshoes. Continuing up the trail we reached an open meadow and the halfway mark, so we turned around and headed back down.  Horseshoe is a very popular trail, so we were glad that we had gotten an early start.  As we descended, we met several hikers and dogs heading up the trail eager to enjoy the snow and the views.

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