Last Updated on August 5, 2010 by James Dziezynski
SASSSSSYYYYY!!! WOOF WOOF WOOF!!
The heck with a one horse open sleigh, the only way to dash through the snow is behind a team of fired up snowdogs! Last weekend, Kim and I got to experience the rush of dogsledding thanks to our friends at Mountain Mushers. I was on assignment for Nileguide to come up with an awesome weekend in Vail and instead of the same ho-hum skiing and schmoozing, I went for a more adventurous approach.
Wally's team blasts through an open aspen meadow. Mountain mushers has awesome private trails to explore!
The family run business has 86 dogs of all varieties, mostly husky hybrids. And they love to run! Kim and I were one of five sleds, each with a team of 10-12 dogs pulling it. As the anticipation grew, the playful, isolated barks rose to a full chorus of eager howling as the dogs got ready to run.
Our team getting ready to run!
Our driver on this adventure was Sarah, daughter of Mountain Musher’s owner Wally. Sarah was an awesome driver and a true renaissance woman: besides her mushing ability, she is a great guide, conversationalist and artist (check out some of her great sketches and photography at her site, High Country Creation). With Kim and I tucked into the sled, we climbed through a snowy Vail morning to open vistas where the sun turned the opaque spindrift haze into a dreamy, white-filtered landscape.
Sarah's team -- led by Sassy and Shyka -- follow Wally's sled.
We stopped at the apex of the ride to enjoy the views and indulge in a little hot chocolate and homemade pumpkin bread made by Wally’s wife Denise. The air was cold and crisp but the dogs were literally unfazed. The colder it gets, the more pumped they are to be out in it. Sarah recounted a particularly enjoyable day for the dogs: minus 30 air temps with 60 mph wind gusts! These are my kind of dogs!
Captain Kim ready to mush!
If you’re in Colorado and want to try out something new, you will not be disappointed with the Mountain Mushers adventure. It’s the perfect length– about half a day–and leaves you time to get out and ride/ski if you are so inclined, pun intended. Good times I tell ya!
