Once I think about an ideal winter wonderland, Alberta, Canada instantly pops into thoughts.
From the dense pine bushes caked with snow, to log cabins coated in icicles hidden away by frozen lakes to the towering Rocky Mountains to extra winter actions to selected from than wherever I’d ever been, I used to be in love. At first sight. I’m a simple goal, guys.
I’d by no means seen such dry powdery snow that sparkled. The truth is, I hadn’t seen that a lot snow ever! Seeing it piled a meter excessive on the roofs was capable of give a little bit of scale of how a lot snow this space of Canada truly will get within the yr – a complete hell of so much!
Alberta undoubtedly suits the “winter wonderland” cliche to a T. And there’s nothing incorrect with that, particularly when you love winter journey like me!
I’ve already shared my favourite pictures and recollections from Alberta on the weblog some time again, however this time I wished to go forward and let you know guys about the most effective days I had in Canada – going dogsledding. I’ve dogsledded in New Zealand and in Finland earlier than, however I feel Alberta was my favourite – don’t inform anybody.
Deliver on the snow! And the husky puppies! YEOW!
It was additionally the very first exercise I skilled on my method in the direction of Banff Nationwide Park in Canmore Kananaskis Nation, so it was the right introduction to the Rockies and the Canada I had at all times imagined.
After just a few days hanging out and consuming my method via Calgary, I used to be able to lastly see that pure Canadian wilderness for myself. Driving straight to Canmore from the massive metropolis , I made it simply in time to the Snowy Owl Dog Sled Tour workplace simply in time to test in for my afternoon journey.
Placing on all my winter layers and borrowing their boots, I bundled up and bought prepared for a day with the pups dogsledding in Alberta.
I grew up with canine and I like being round animals greater than something, so any alternative I’ve to ethically work together and be round animals on the highway I bounce at. Any sort of animal-based exercise for tourism these days could be a sensitive topic so I’m at all times cautious about what I endorse and which operators I work with.
Snowy Owl has an awesome mantra about how they breed, work and work together with their canine so it was straightforward to get behind them. Additionally they adopt out their retired canine to the appropriate individuals which is fairly rad. And kinda intense which reveals how a lot they care about their 4 legged household.
Again within the day canine had been used throughout North America and Canada as transport, explorations and even within the Gold Rush, and had been in all probability used for a lot longer than that. The breeds you meet dogsledding like huskies and malamutes are robust energetic pack canine that may run and pull for hours and hours. They usually like it! That is actually what they’ve been bred to do for hundreds of years, and man oh man are they good at it! However when you aren’t holding on, you’ll go flying!
They’re made for very chilly climate and even on these runs they get actually scorching, and roll round within the snow to chill off once they get the possibility.
As we matched up and picked our groups the canine knew they had been getting the possibility to go working, and started to howl! Pleasure was within the air! Actually.
MUSH MUSH!
Typically the sled canine put on booties to forestall abrasions on their paws from the snow and ice
I’d pushed the sleds earlier than (ungracefully hanging on for expensive life) and this time I used to be eager to get extra images so I opted to sit down bundled up within the sled for the journey as an alternative – the lazy woman seat. Oh effectively, embrace it. Regardless that it was January, it wasn’t tremendous chilly (by Alberta requirements) that day, so I didn’t have any issues staying heat.
Earlier than I knew it we had been off. The musher behind me on the sled was tremendous knowledgable in regards to the canine, pictures and all issues Alberta, so we had no scarcity of issues to speak about on the journey.
This was my first correct introduction to the mountains of Canada and I feel my jaw hung extensive open in awe for the primary a part of the journey. That’s till one of many canine heard the decision of mom nature and took care of enterprise in the midst of the run – after that I saved my mouth shut.
If you discover one in every of your canine must go to the toilet you decelerate and cease the sled by pushing down on the bar along with your ft. When you don’t preserve a stable grip and have your ft firmly planted on the bottom, you may end up flat in your again and your canine and your good friend within the sled a kilometer down the path.
I feel I used to be largely impressed by how sensible and agile these canine are. Regardless that they’re working canine on a job, which they take very significantly, they’re tremendous pleasant and comfortable. You’ll be able to simply really feel the thrill once they lastly get to run.
Every canine has a job to play in pulling the sled, from the lead canine in entrance setting the tempo and maintaining everybody in test to the swing canine behind them which assist steer round corners to the workforce canine within the center serving to to tug the burden and at last the massive brawny wheel canine within the again by the sled that take plenty of the burden.
It’s like a well-oiled machine at work that generally has to cease and poop.
Whereas I’m normally proper within the thick of it touring, it was actually very nice to only sit again and benefit from the journey that afternoon. Out within the wilderness we handed glittering snow coated bushes, enormous mountains, rode by lovely rivers and throughout an enormous frozen lake because the solar was beginning to set. We even (rapidly) handed a moose! Canada turning on the products!
I undoubtedly had just a few “pinch me – is that this actual life?” moments within the Alberta backcountry that afternoon. Magic, guys, pure magic!
Finally we arrived again the place we began and luxuriate in a pleasant scorching cup of cocoa by the fireplace because the canine rested, as you do if you find yourself in a winter wonderland.
Have you ever been dogsledding earlier than? Is that this what you imagined? Would you attempt it in Alberta too?
