Howling orchestra sets the tone for exciting, scenic dog sled tour
I am bundled up against the cold, tucked inside the dog sled's aerodynamic cocoon when I feel a hot tear well up in my eye and roll down my cheek.
It isn't a squinting reaction to a frigid wind whipping up the valley or the dazzling glare of white ice and snow off the Spray Lakes.
The tear in my eye is my heart's response to this song I'm hearing, that starts out low, like the instruments in the front row of the orchestra. It builds from there, with others joining in, growing to an echoing, almost deafening crescendo of…. highly excited sled dogs barking in unison.
There are small dogs, big dogs, black dogs, white dogs, shy dogs, happy dogs, rolling dogs and completely crazy jumping dogs.
The Alaskan huskies harnessed up for today's sled dog tour may come in all flavours, but they all have one thing in common: They live to run.
Dogs With Jobs is a popular Canadian-produced TV program featuring pooches with a purpose: guide dogs, hunting dogs, herding dogs, companion dogs and sniffing dogs. Today's adventure is an up-close-and-personal experience with what must be the most determined of the bunch, the sled dog.
I have no doubt my response to the sled dog orchestra is shared by others who are fortunate enough to experience this quintessentially Canadian activity. And the dogs' enthusiasm and pure joy could teach us humans a thing or two as well.
My two-hour adventure with Howling Dog Tours of Canmore begins in what could only be dubbed "the barking lot", a flat, open area with views in all directions of the soaring peaks of Kananaskis Country across the Spray Lakes. The staging area for the dog sled tours is a 20-minute drive from downtown Canmore, where I am picked up by the local company's van along with a group of smiling, sleep-deprived Australians.
Once on site, one of the guides gives us a quick briefing on what to expect during our tour. Soon I'm introduced to my sled dog team by my very own "musher", Tanner, a burly, red-haired fellow who reminds me of Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings movies. Duke, Hyper, Glitch, and Baxter are a young team of dogs, and all that will be needed to pull Tanner and myself. Five-dog teams are used when pairs of guests snuggle up together in the sleds, which can hold up to three people comfortably.
Sled dog Baxter gets a dog cookie at the end of the two-hour tour in Kananaskis Country.
As we prepare to set out, the dogs immediately assert their canine personalities. The dog lover in me is immediately drawn to the still-puppy-like, 18-month-old Baxter, the most excited of the bunch. He has a habit of chewing his harness while he waits impatiently for instructions from his musher, and is known to tangle himself up if left to his own devices for too long.
I am invited to help harness the dogs, and find this an easy task as the dogs patiently offer their furry faces up to me, and allow me to gently pull their legs through both sides of the sturdy pulling device.
Before long, it's time to head off down the gentle, rolling trail of snow beside the lake. The musical barking subsides with the departure of the dog teams, one at a time.
The ride is smoother and more peaceful that I had imagined, but made all the more thrilling in my imagination. I close my eyes and think what it must be like to be part of a team setting out on the 1,000-mile Iditarod in the continent's frozen north, with fearless dogs and mushers working together to master Mother Nature's fiercest conditions.
The dogs, quiet now while hard at work, lope along effortlessly in front of the sled, kicking up bits of snow and snorting softly. I relax back and enjoy this new mode of transportation, knowing that dogs and musher have things well under control.
The halfway point of our journey is a winter campsite on the lakeshore, where welcoming hot chocolate and traditional "musher snacks" await the group. We enjoy a steaming cup to warm our hands, along with delicious smoked salmon, Canadian cheddar, beef jerky and dried fruit.
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There's no better way to enjoy the Canadian Rockies' beautiful winter scenery than a guided dog sled tour. Howling Dog Tours has offered family fun by dog sled for nine years in Canmore and area.
Those who don't mind the chilly wind in their hair venture out from the trees and onto the lakeshore, sliding on ski-suited bums down a gradual incline to the frozen lake itself. A knowledgeable guide accompanies us to name the peaks in all directions, and gives a little folklore about the surrounding wilderness, a massive protected area known as Kananaskis Country. The ice below our feet is an arms-length thick and cracked in starry patterns; our guide tell us the lake was frozen solid several months earlier than usual this year.
After a short visit with the dogs, which were raring to go five minutes after they arrived, we are off again on the return journey. This time, Tanner invites me to stands on the back of the sled, where I balance carefully with a tight grip on the metal bar at waist-height. The ride's a little bumpier up here, and thrilling for the even better view of the galloping team, the trail ahead and the frozen lake beyond. Dogs' tongues are panting now, with occasional quick bites of snow for rehydration.
It's over all too soon, dogs roaring back into the barking lot for a quick snack before their next load of passengers.
Howling Dog Tours guide Tanner with one of his young, energetic sled dogs, Baxter
I dream of spending my next vacation in the frozen North, learning the skills of dogsledding from some grizzled ex-bush pilot, instead of on some beach down south.
With gentle heads tilted up to take a last look at their passenger, the dogs accept the proffered biscuits in my hand, and my thanks for a memorable ride.
Shari Bishop Bowes
Tours:
Howling Dog Tours in Canmore offers four two-hour tours daily (10 a.m., 12, 2 and 4 p.m., with departures a half-hour earlier from Canmore); they also offer half-day tours, apres-ski/dinner tours, and customized group packages. Maximum group size is 24.
Transportation:
Transportation is included in tour packages, with pick up in Banff and Canmore.
What to Wear:
Dress very warmly, preferably in layers with a wind-proof outer layer. If you're bringing ski clothing, dress in similar fashion as you would for a day on the slopes. That means warm mittens and hats, and some kind of eyewear such as sunglasses or goggles. Warm snow boots are essential, preferably above the ankle. Sneakers won't cut it! Howling Dog Tours can provided snow boots, but give them some advance notice, as sizes are limited.
Don't Forget:
A camera is a must, with views all around and endless opportunities for great photos. An on-site photographer will snap a high-quality image keepsake photo of you, your musher and the dogs in action pulling the sled, which is available along with other souvenirs in a tent by the "barking lot". Also, don't forget a tip for your musher, who will give you all kinds of great sled dog lore, and a ride you'll remember forever.
Great Inspiration:
To learn a little bit about the history of the sled dog and sled dog racing in the Great White North, check out www.iditarod.com, the official site of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, held in March this year on a 1,200-mile (1,600 km) course between Anchorage and Nome, Alaska. Kids will enjoy reports from the Iditarod's official canine reporter, in "Zuma's Paw Prints", while adults will enjoy a great story on the history of sled dogs by Don Bowers. His interesting tale is found under "Iditarod Background" in the Web site's links.
Contact Howling Dog Tours:
Call toll-free, 1-877-DOG-SLED
visit: www.howlingdogtours.com or
email mushing@telusplanet.net
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