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Travel & Adventure Guides

Past stories ------ Summer 2006 ------ Table of Contents Canadian Winery Destinations Otters of Kyuquot Sound Fishing in the Prairies Moncton - 3 Great Day Trips Sylvia Forest - Mountain Guide Yukon River Quest Path to Paradise A Century of Summits Mina Hubbard's Journey Tent Buyer's Guide Climbing Della Falls ------ Winter 2005 ------ Table of Contents 10 Best Mountain Destinations Affordable Adventures Spa Holidays Snow Shelters David Marra - The Ice Man Adventure Travel Insurance Tempest in Tofino ------ Summer 2005 ------ Table of Contents Dealing With Mosquitos Search for the Freshwater Sea Girls On Top Journal Astronomy Ottawa - 3 Great Day Trips Seabound Grasslands National Park Sugar Bush Country Hallowed Home of the Haida ------ Winter 2004 ------ Table of Contents Cross Country Skiing Snowshoeing Dogsledding in the Yukon Snowmobiling Winter Photography Mountains as Water Towers Knapsacks Explained Contributors ------ Summer 2004 ------ Table of Contents Thor Peak Rocky Mountain Teahouses Canoeing in Northern Sask. Fantastic Fundy Destinations Summer Stargazing Kayaking the Great Lakes Adele Frizzell - Adventure Racer BC Mountaineering Hiking Shoes Explained Exploring Nootka Sound

THE VISION OF A MUSHER AND HIS DOGS crossing a frozen lake lit only by the kaleidoscope of the northern lights pulls at the adventurous spirit in us all. With spectacular scenery as a backdrop and the history and spirit of the Klondike Gold Rush all around, the thrill of gliding over the snow drawn by a team of huskies and surrounded by the Yukon wilderness is only a command away: “Hike!"

Recreational dogsledding has become one of the Yukon's leading winter activities, and with good reason. Dogsled trips provide the means for getting the most out of your time in the territory. Pounding along the snowy trail, you become aware of how you and your team are working together to achieve a common goal, whether that goal is to make it to the cabin in the next mountain valley or to stop on a frozen lake and boil tea under the night sky. Dogsledding in the Yukon connects you with the wilderness.

Numerous tour operators offer these trips, and each wants to put you in the driver's stance. Typically, most provide the requisite equipment for a safe and exciting journey. Be sure to ask for detailed information on what gear and services are supplied and what you need to bring yourself. Each operator will do his or her best to shape a trip to your abilities. If you have special needs, however, be sure to inform your guide prior to your trip.

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Rookie Camps
Not sure whether dogsledding is for you? A one-day introduction starts with an orientation to the dogs and equipment and a ride with a guide, who will show you the intricacies of driving a sled. A one-week “rookie camp" offers an in-depth approach where qualified guides will teach you how to drive, harness, feed and maintain your own dog team and usually culminates in a two-to-three-day wilderness excursion through the undulating backcountry and pristine river systems. Some longer backcountry trips have a rookie-camp prerequisite. Cost: Starts at $200 per person/day

A Week of Day Trips
Operating from a comfortable base camp, the team heads out on daily dogsled trips into the backcountry, returning home in the evening to a warm cabin and a delicious hot meal. Dog teams travel between 16 and 19 kilometres per hour and can cover up to 40 kilometres a day. You'll see a lot of countryside, including night trips through the boreal forest under a canopy of stars and glowing northern lights.

Day trips offer the opportunity to enjoy other winter activities, such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing. They can also be combined with regional events, like the Frostbite Music Festival, the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Festival or the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race. Cost: $2,000 to $3,000 per person

A Wilderness Week
The vast expanse of Yukon wilderness offers ample opportunities for week-long adventures. Retrace a historic mail route from Carcross, in southern Yukon, to Atlin, in northern British Columbia, and carry commemorative envelopes to mail upon your arrival. Follow the Yukon River made famous by Jack London and Robert W. Service. Or hopscotch across sections of the Yukon, ending each day at a hotel. Though longer in duration, these trips are geared for the novice musher; the more challenging ones start with a few days of training. Cost: $2,000 to $3,000 per person

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Journey to the Ice
Adventurers seeking 12 days of hard-core northern ice can venture to Herschel Island. The trip begins from Whitehorse with air and ice-road travel to Aklavik, N.W.T., which is famous for Albert the “Mad Trapper" Johnson. The next six days are spent mushing over the Mackenzie Delta and coastal ice before arriving at Herschel Island. Cost: $10,000 per person

RESOURCES
Yukon Wild Telephone: (867) 668-3369
Website: www.yukonwild.com/activityDogmushing/index.php

David Smallwood lives in Air Ronge, Sask. This is his first feature for Travel & Adventure.

1,900 BC Earliest archae-ological evidence of sled dogs 1896 Klondike Gold Rush 1904 Royal North-West Mounted Police dogsled patrols and long-distance Yukon mail routes begin 1908 Sled-dog racing is registered in the Yukon 1911 Remains found of the Lost Patrol of the Royal North-West Mounted Police 1932 Sled-dog racing demonstrated at Lake Placid Olympic Winter Games 1930s to 1960s Yukon sled-dog racing in its infancy 1973 First Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race 1984 First Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race 1992 International Federation of Sleddog Sports is incorporated 2000 Dogsled adventure travel established in the Yukon

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