Canada / English
Canada / English
14 JANUARY 2025
“They know that we’re at work…we’re gonna run. We’re gonna go and this is going to be the best moment of our lives. When we’re hookin’ them up and getting them to the gang line, that’s when we have about two minutes to really move. And then they take off… and they’re quiet.”
In the vast wilderness of Routt Country National Forest, lies a trail system that stretches for hundreds of miles. At any given moment on a winter day, one can hear the patter of forty-eight working paws and the crunch of a path being carved in the snow by a small, wooden-framed sled. Rain or shine, these dogs are born to run. Like a skier’s reaction to fresh snow, a farmer’s reaction to anticipated rain, and a house dog’s reaction to a surprise bone, these sled dogs grin in anticipation to get to work.
Julia and Ben are guides with Snow Buddy Dog Sled Tours out of Oak Creek, Colorado. They invited the film crew to follow them for a day in their life. When asked how he remembers all of the dog’s names Ben responds, “well if you worked with forty or fifty people, you’d probably get to know them pretty quick. Or at least know their names by the end of the first couple weeks or so.”
The guide’s day starts in the frigid darkness of 4:30am as they clings to their coffee while driving to the kennel. They arrive to feed the dogs and greet each one by name. In the twenty second interaction with the dog, using only their headlamps, Julia and Ben assess the dog’s demeanor and know them so well that they can tell if one is sick, sad or sore.
Both Julia and Ben describe this work as both grueling and rewarding. Ben says “I would say yes, this work is tough and no, this is not for everybody.” Julia adds “if your survival needs are not met, you have to take care of that first. I don’t want to have to think about it (staying warm and dry).” The grueling part of the job is the below freezing temperatures, pounding snow storms and most dangerously, the frequent and dramatic shifts in weather midday that can change the entire course of a dog sledding trip.
The guides choose their gear which usually consists of an insulated jacket-bib combo with vents, warm boots and durable gloves with dexterity. Snow Buddy outfits their customers with monosuits for full-body wind and waterproofing. This piece of gear ensures the guest’s comfort and ability to operate the sled and stay warm.
As the sun begins to set and only the tips of the pines are laced with golden light and the temperatures suddenly drop. But with the right gear, Julia, Ben and their guests don’t seem to not even skip a beat in their adventure. The Snow Buddy outfitter believes in diligently helping their guests actually learn to dog sled and feel the agency of being in command of these amazing animals. It’s a unique experience to walk into a foreign situation and be guided to becoming the leader of it so quickly.
Dog sledding tracks back thousands of years to the Inuit people of the Arctic. It is a beautiful tradition that, to this day, is maintained and celebrated on every continent that has snow.
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