So, this is the type of adventure that starts with a friend of a friend has a friend who works for a dog sledding company in Canada.  And it was one of those trips that you are not quite committed to because you don't really know if it's something that will be fun or not.  Well let me tell you... we had a Blast!

My friends and I were fortunate that our fearless leader - Peter, at Outdoor Adventures - took us for a "behind the scenes" look at the day in the life of a dog sled musher.

The day started early, but we greeted the cold day with clear skies and lots of sunshine.  As soon as we got out of our cars - about 100 yards from the front gate of the kennel - it was evident there were dogs near by, try 300+.  The barking and howling filled the mountain top.  I'm a dog lover, so I couldn't wait to get inside, and even being a dog lover, I was unprepared to greet over 300 sled dogs - all different colors, size, temperments, whew, it was exhausting.  There are not enough hands to say hello to that many animals.  

They weren't quite what I expected either.  This is no Eight Below movie - according to Peter, most racing sled dogs are mutts.  Breeders take the best qualities from breeds like Malamutes and Huskies, and add good ol' hound dog to the mix.  (You'll see what I mean by the photos.)  These mutts are perfect combination of strength and stamina. 

We left the kennel area and headed up the mountain to the trails used for the dog sledding.  This is where the tourists are dropped off for the adventure.  And this is where the dogs get VERY excited.  The staff would harness dogs to the sled and the sled was both tied to a post and anchored... these dogs mean business and they want to run.  Some jump straight up and down, all four feet off the ground, in anticipation of their journey.

Our time for the sled ride finally came and I have to say - 45 minutes felt like 10 minutes.  The beautiful day and surrounding scenery held your eye, while the rush of the wind and pull of the dogs kept your heart beating hard!  

Like many of my adventures, I ask myself if I would do this again... a resounding YES!  There is a small cabin up there that sells trinkets, stuffed dogs, and you can buy a photo CD of your experience.  We saw kids, adults, teens, young couples and older folks up there that day. The Staff was excellent.  It's on the more pricey side for tourists, but well worth the ride.