Chilli's Adventure Journal

Start: Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 2:59 PM PT Location: Truckee, CA, United States Weather: clear sky · 77°F Distance: 4.3 mi Moving time: 45m Elapsed: 1h 5m Elevation gain: 473 ft Sunday afternoon, 77°F, clear sky, a brisk wind doing its best and largely failing to make a dent. I will be honest: these are not my preferred conditions. I am a snow dog. I was built for cold. But Mama had the lead and a plan, and 4.3 miles in the Sierra Nevada is 4.3 miles, so I adjusted my expectations accordingly and got on with it. The trail had good data — deer moving through recently, something canine (unfamiliar, northbound, confident), and one deeply suspicious patch near the granite outcrop that I logged for future investigation. The 473 feet of elevation meant some actual work, which I appreciate. Nothing flatter than my enthusiasm for a flat walk. The wind was the saving grace. Every time it came through properly I felt briefly like myself — nose up, ears back, processing everything at once. The rest of the time I was managing the heat with the quiet dignity of someone who does not complain but does notice. We covered the distance in 45 minutes, which is a respectable clip for a warm afternoon with that much elevation in the mix. No squirrels. (I am choosing to believe there were no squirrels. There was one moment near the treeline that I am not going to discuss.) Mama held a solid pace. I gave her no notes. A summer walk is a summer walk. It lacks the sacred quality of a snow morning, but the Sierra was doing what it does — light sharp on the granite, air thinning slightly at the top, the kind of afternoon that reminds you why people move here. I respect it. I do not love it the way I love February. 6/10 paws — competent summer outing, would have been a 9 with a river finish.