| On a crisp winter day, our coldest day so far, with a | | | | be a bit mischievous and may take off on you. On |
| brilliant blue sky, I got going early at about 7:15 am | | | | uphill runs it is recommended that the sled driver get |
| and drove about 20 minutes from Banff to the | | | | off and run beside the sled so the dogs have to pull |
| tourist town of Canmore. This mountain town is | | | | less weight. Well, now that our briefing was coming |
| located about an hour from Calgary, just 5 minutes | | | | to an end, the excitement was building, both among |
| outside the gates to the Banff National Park and is | | | | the human passengers/drivers as well as among the |
| part of Kananaskis County , one of the main | | | | dogs. 5 teams of Alaskan huskies were raring to go |
| recreational areas just outside of Calgary. The | | | | and towards the end of the safety presentation |
| Nakiska Ski area is not far from Canmore and it | | | | there was lots of barking, yelping, howling and |
| played host to the alpine events during the 1988 | | | | commotion, indicating that the dogs were indeed |
| Calgary Winter Olympics. Canmore is nestled deep | | | | ready to take us out on our big adventure. So I sat |
| inside the Bow Valley beneath the Front Ranges of | | | | down inside the comfortably cushioned sled and |
| the Canadian Rockies. Due to the beauty of the | | | | Natalie zipped me into a sleeping bag to keep me |
| surrounding wilderness areas, several Hollywood | | | | warm. All the teams were now ready to go and |
| movies have been filmed here, including movies such | | | | Natalie issued the key command "Hike up, puppies!" |
| as Legends of the Fall and Dances with Wolves. The | | | | and off we went through a beautiful narrow forest |
| development of this area really took off when the | | | | trail that opened up into a clearing from where you |
| Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) constructed its railway | | | | had a gorgeous view of the imposing mountain range |
| line through the mountains in 1888, providing | | | | behind. Then we went down a series of hills and I |
| convenient access to mining companies looking to tap | | | | got bounced a bit in the sled, fortunately the sled's |
| into the area's rich coal deposits. Canmore was | | | | and my own built-in cushioning protected my rear end |
| founded shortly after and attracted prospectors | | | | from most of the impact. There were a few spills in |
| which were soon followed by hotels, restaurants and | | | | the amateur-driven sleds behind us, I guess first-time |
| shops. The North West Mounted Police had an | | | | dog-sledding is similar to any adventure sport in that |
| outpost here with a "two man and two horse | | | | it takes a bit of time to get the hang of it. But none |
| barrack" and at some point Canmore even had an | | | | of the spills were serious and once the initial |
| opera house. Mining came to an end in 1979, but | | | | challenges were overcome it was a smooth ride for |
| today Canmore has developed into a major | | | | everyone and we continued our beautiful journey |
| recreational centre that attracts athletes, artists, | | | | through the forests above Canmore. After about half |
| nature lovers and adventure seekers. That was the | | | | an hour our three teams on the 2-hour program had |
| category that I fell into today, as I was seeking out | | | | reached the turnaround point and we arrived at a |
| a truly unusual adventure: Dog sledding! Punctually at | | | | picturesque mountain lake called Goat Pond that was |
| 8:15 am I arrived at the retail outlet of Snowy Owl | | | | completely surrounded by mountains. Now it was |
| Adventures to be included in their 2-hour "Power | | | | picture time and Natalie kindly offered to take photos |
| Hound Express" tour that was to start at 9 am. The | | | | of all the sled teams. After a brief rest we were |
| retail outlet itself features a variety of clothing, | | | | ready to continue on and Natalie asked me if I |
| souvenirs, pictures and books with a dog sledding | | | | actually wanted to drive the sled myself. By this time |
| theme. I also rented big insulated boots to make sure | | | | I was thoroughly comfortable with the experience, |
| my feet wouldn't get cold on this very brisk winter | | | | so of course I jumped at the idea. One of the |
| day. A group of about 9 or 10 people were ready to | | | | passengers from another sled took my cozy spot |
| get out on the trails, to be pulled by a group of | | | | inside the sleeping bag, and Natalie and I each |
| enthusiastic canine athletes. Our group had travelers | | | | balanced ourselves on one of the rails of the sled, |
| from various parts of Canada, Texas, England and | | | | while our eager sled dogs were pulling us onto the |
| Holland and everybody was excited to get out there. | | | | home stretch. Natalie told me a little about herself, |
| Chris, our driver, packed us into a van and up we | | | | that she is a dog sledding instructor in the winter and |
| went into the mountains. We drove by several | | | | a construction worker in her brother's company in |
| extremely scenic drinking water reservoirs and about | | | | Northern Alberta in the summer. She seems like a |
| 20 minutes later we arrived in the Spray Lakes area | | | | thoroughly outdoorsy and adventurous woman who |
| of Kananaskis County, very close to the Three | | | | really enjoys what she is doing. Our ride continued on |
| Sisters Hydroelectric Generating Station. The first | | | | beside a river until we reached the Three Sisters |
| thing we saw was the trailer with the transport | | | | Hydroelectric Power Station and finally returned to |
| kennels for the sled dogs and five teams of | | | | our starting point. Then it was time to pet the dogs |
| enthusiastic canines were already waiting for us. | | | | and take pictures of our eager transportation |
| Jereme, one of our dog sledding guides, gave us a | | | | providers. The dogs are amazingly friendly and from |
| half hour safety presentation and instructions on how | | | | what I could tell, they enjoyed the experience as |
| to ride the sled. That's where my first big surprise | | | | much as we humans did. Our exciting outing |
| came in: I didn't realize that we ourselves would get a | | | | concluded with refreshments, hot apple cider and |
| chance to drive the sled, I had assumed that we'd | | | | "mystery cookies" beside a fire at West Side Camp |
| simply be packed into the sled and the guides would | | | | where all the adventurers and our instructor had a |
| be driving us. But no, there are actually 3 options for | | | | chance to socialize and talk about our experience. A |
| dogsledding adventurers: you can sit comfortably | | | | photographer had also taken pictures of each dog |
| inside the sled and be driven by a guide; you can | | | | sled team and this was an opportunity to buy some |
| drive the dog team one-on-one together with one of | | | | photos. In addition to the 2 hour and half-day dog |
| the instructors; or you can actually drive the sled dog | | | | sled tours, Snowy Owl Aventures offers a variety of |
| team yourself with the company of family and | | | | other unique adventures: Snowy Owl also offers an 8 |
| friends, following one of the instructors. So for all the | | | | hour full-day program that includes instructions on |
| real adventurers out there: this is an opportunity to | | | | how to track indigenous animals like wolves, cougars |
| get behind the sled and drive the dog sled team | | | | and rabbits. Their 4-hour "Snowy Mountain |
| yourself! To get started I actually decided to play it | | | | Experience" takes you back in time to a winter |
| safe and elected to sit down and let my instructor | | | | festival in local Inuit and First Nations communities. |
| Natalie handle the driving. Since I was here to | | | | Their 4.5 hour "Bow Trail BBQ" combines a 2-hour |
| document this experience that would allow me to | | | | dog sled outing with a Western Style Ride provided |
| actually take photos and video clips of this unique | | | | by horses, capped off by a blazing bonfire in their |
| experience. Three of the dog sled teams this morning | | | | "Donut Tent" for storytelling. Their "Ghosts of |
| had signed up for the 2-hour program and 2 of those | | | | Fortune Mountain "program extends over 2 days and |
| sleds were going to be driven by the participants | | | | 1 night and includes touring, kennel visits and hearty |
| themselves rather than the instructors. Two other | | | | meals. The nights are spent in a genuine, heated |
| teams were scheduled for the 4-hour "Sunfeather | | | | Sioux Indian Tipi. Last but not least, the "Flight of the |
| Winterlude" program, this half-day excursion is Snowy | | | | Great Snowy Owl" lasts 4.5 hours and takes you by |
| Owl's most popular ride. The safety instruction | | | | helicopter into the wilderness of the Canadian |
| introduced us to the essential commands to get the | | | | Rockies before spending a half-day touring by dog |
| dogs going ("Hike!", or as Natalie would say "Hike up, | | | | team. Just shortly after 11 am our van driver Chris |
| puppies!") and to get them to stop ("Whoa" - in a | | | | arrived again with another batch of adventurers from |
| deep voice) while stepping on the sled's brake. In | | | | the village and it was time for us to wave a final |
| between it's a great idea to cheer on the dogs with | | | | goodbye to our canine friends and enjoy the scenic |
| enthusiastic comments. Jereme also explained that | | | | ride back into Canmore. Once back at the retail outlet |
| the dogs are Alaskan Huskies, and most of them are | | | | I returned my boots and hopped back in the car to |
| a mixture of huskies or malamutes with other breeds | | | | drive back to Banff to pick up my husband so we |
| like border collies which makes for a very | | | | could go on our final half-day of skiing at Lake Louise. |
| enthusiastic, cooperative and smart breed of dog. | | | | My two-hour Dog sledding adventure in the morning |
| Jereme mentioned that it's very important to step on | | | | was the perfect start to an exciting winter day and |
| the brake while riding downhill to slow the sled down, | | | | it's certainly been one of the most unique and special |
| and to lean right when heading into a right-hand turn, | | | | adventures I have ever had a chance to |
| and to lean to the left when heading into a left-hand | | | | experience...... |
| turn. The key thing is never to let go of the sled or | | | | Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a web portal for |
| step off the brake when standing since the dogs can | | | | unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. |