Dog sledding was on my bucket list for years. I came specificallly to Jackson WY (after waiting…read moreseveral years for timeshare opening) to dog sled. I feel so fortunate this company had space for me (only a single woman) with relatively short notice (about 2 weeks) cos that Contiinental Divide company was full for weeks in advance, and I am still on the waiting list.
They picked me up at 8:15 am at my Jackson Pines timeshare 50 Millward St. Takes 40 min to drive to Frank's kennels. I was somewhat surprised to see the dogs lives their lives in the snow, tied on 6 foot lead. Another Yelp review gave 1 star because reviewer felt the dogs were treated miserably. It is the same scene as the Humane Society plea for support, showing dogs tied to a doghouse in the snow. with head hanging, looking miserable. But these dogs didn't have their heads hanging, they were jumping, soooo excitedly. Yapping, howling concert, the calcaphoney was horrendous.! They always have something to look forward to, like being harnessed to pull the sled, and coming back to "dinner" of raw chicken, kibble and when it is really cold, chicken fat. The only time the dogs are silent, is when they are pulling the sled, cos it is what they wanna do and they are doing it!
Frank equips us with snow boots that are super comfy and have a thick bootie liner.
My sled musher was Julie. It is her first season doing this. She said when she saw the job notice, "Sled dog guide", she thought REALLY? I could get paid for that??? Frank even provides their lodging, after all the place is not at all close to town, and they work full days, 6 days a week.
I sat in the sled, wrapped in a sleeping bag, siging up, like i was in my hospital bed. Other people can chose to stand on the back of the sled and help the driver with braking, etc.
Took 2 full hours to dogsled to the hot springs because we took 2 long breaks to give the dogs a rest. Otherwise I was told it takes 1.5 hours. It is 10 miles to the hot springs.
The women have one communal dressing room, men have one on the opposite side. We walk on salted stairs and on wooden deck to get to the hot sprinigs (not in the snow with our bare feet). Hot springs has a bit of a small waterfall where the water enters into what really looks like swimming pool with wooden instead orf concrete deck. It is really hot where the waterfall is.
We are allowed 45 min in there, but most get out earlier. I figure it would take me 15 min to put all those 5 - 6 layers of my clothing back on.
We have hot brie rounds with apple slices, and crackers as appetizer. The dog sled outfitters keep the propane stove and grill there and have apermit for that and the picnic tables we eat at. Then they they serve us homemade chili made by Frank's finance and hot cornbread for lunch. The chili was quite spicy, maybe too spicy for some people who kept saying how spicy it was, who don't eat spicy . I eat spicy, but I felt the chili had too much cumin in it, and others nodded in agreement, But the chili was full of ground beef and tomatoes, and it was temperature HOT!
Dogsledding back seemed to take only an hour. I am not sure, too layered up to find my watch. But it is also downhill.
Guide Julie was GREAT, always asking if I am OK, and if she can get me anything I might need, If I am happy with my place in the sled, or if I wanna trade with someone.
Soon we are back to hot chocolate and tea in the office at 4:30. Well worth the $400 for the day.. Frank was excited to introduce his finance to me, and tells her to look at my fingers and what's around my neck, because she loves jewelry and crystals. I tell her that I just spent 8 days at the Tucson Gem show in Feb. My neck pendant was made in India, has lapis and other stone inlay. And I have colored diamond rings on my fingers. She shows me an ivory scrimshaw necklace that Frank bought her when he was last in Alaska (where he did the Iditarod).
I had a great day, and now I have that bucket list item DONE. Wow, DOGSLEDDING!!!
