Dogsledding Details

So here’s the rundown (see pictures in Steve’s post above).

We arrived at the homestead yesterday and got settled in.  The proprietor told us that the sledding would start early since it was so warm, the dogs get too hot by the afternoon, so we were told to meet our guide at 8:00 am at a downtown Clearwater hotel.

 We met up with Steve the Guide and piled into his gigantic diesel truck loaded with dogs and we drove up an old logging road to a staging area.  Steve the Guide set up the snowmobile and sled, and tied the rear of the sled down to his truck, so the dogs wouldn’t be able to take off with it until everything was ready.

Andrew helped pull the dogs out of the truck and attach them to the tow line.  The dogs get a little excited and pee alot.  While they were settling down, we were given training on how to control the sled and the dogs and what to expect.  There are various skids and brakes on the sled that you can use to control the speed, as well as instruction on voice commands and how to turn the dogs. 

Then we had to harness up the dogs with their special harnesses, and properly attach them at two points to the tow rope.  When they get harnessed up, they really get excited and want to take off.  Everything was ready – Steven was loaded inside the sled, Andrew on the back, and then we took off!

Steve the Guide drove his snowmobile out in front and the dogs were pretty well trained to just follow him, but as the driver, Andrew had to use the various skids and brakes to regulate the speed of the dogs.  They tend to want to go as fast as they can, but that can be injurious to the dogs so you have to keep them regulated at a steady speed.

It was quite exhilarating to be in control of ten dogs and after some initial trepidation, it was quite easy to operate the whole conglomeration.  We would stop at various strategic points to give the dogs an opportunity to rest and we swapped out drivers a couple of times.

The scenery was incredible and the dogsledding was a riot.  We recommend it, even for the “only slightly adventurous” types!

“Hike it UP!”