Cruising With The Canines Dog-Mushing A Peaceful Experience

The 25th edition of Alaska’s Iditarod - that wild, dangerous 1,100-mile dogsled trek from Anchorage to Nome - begins March 1.

But snow-and dog-lovers can experience a taste of the classic winter adventure without traveling to Alaska to challenge marauding moose and dog-hungry polar bears.

During a recent visit to Twisp, Wash., I discovered that dog-mushing is surprisingly peaceful, once the trip begins.

Arriving at the Twisp River starting point, soon-to-be dog mushers were greeted by 14 pink tongues, 28 perky ears and 56 eager paws.

The noise was deafening. As soon at the dogs saw that a trail run was imminent, they started barking - and kept barking until the moment they were finally released to run. Then … silence. And speed.

But first the novice mushers learned the ropes. Roy, Sue and Jesse Fuller of Malamute Express welcomed their guests with a cup of steaming cider and a new vocabulary.

“First of all, we’re sorry to say, you don’t tell the dogs to ‘mush,”’ Sue said. “To get the dogs to go, you say, ‘Hike!”’

“Whoa” is standard, however.

With stop and go both settled, sled handlers needed only two more commands. “Gee” means turn right and “ha” means turn left.

But there were a few more things to learn. Guests on Malamute Express dog sled adventures are not just passive riders. They first learn to harness and hook the dogs up to the handmade oak and rawhide sleds, and then learn sled-handling skills. There is a brake on the sled and a “slow down” feature, and both are definitely necessary.

“We use malamutes because they are slower than the racing huskies,” explained Roy Fuller. “We don’t think our guests want to go 20-plus miles per hour; they just want the experience of driving a dog sled.”

They may be slower than huskies, but my team of four dogs was plenty fast for me. When we stopped to let the dogs rest and my attention strayed to admire the scenery, they took glee (it seemed) in yanking me off balance with a sudden takeoff. They definitely weren’t interested in resting.

Star and Libby were my lead dogs, and they were pretty considerate - but Raven and Toby, my “wheel” dogs, egged the leaders on. I finally figured out I’d need to pay attention at all times - these dogs wanted to pull! I was grateful the sleds were designed for novices, with an extra brake that I rode most of the time.

My husband, driving the last sled, didn’t have quite the same experience. His dogs pulled, but they also appreciated an occasional break. As a matter of fact, one of his wheel dogs was deemed a bit of a slacker, letting the others take most of the load. That’s part of the fun of dog sledding - each dog has his or her own personality.

The Fullers set the pace out in front with a team of six dogs.

The 10 miles of Twisp river country that we covered is a high mountain wonderland of fir and spruce with views of the high Cascades. Once I got the hang of “hanging on,” I could finally look around and enjoy sliding quietly along in the snow draped terrain.

The Fullers have been traveling the Okanogan National Forest by dog sled for over 15 years, and have about 30 dogs. “We limit our guests to four per trip, so that we only use half the dogs per day. This way, no dog pulls two days in a row and they have a chance to rest.”

When the three hours of mushing were over, I was surprised to find myself tired. “It’s more work than it looks like, isn’t it?” Sue said. Though it was not an exhausting workout, I don’t think I’d last the Iditarod’s 1,100 miles. Ten was just right.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: IF YOU GO Malamute Express trips cost between $125 for one person to $400 for four. Call 509-997-6402 for details. A hearty breakfast is recommended before the 10:30 start time. There is a homey bed-and-breakfast near the meeting area on the Twisp River (with a great breakfast that is perfect fuel for a dog sledding adventure). The Log Inn’s telephone is (509) 997-5001. A shorter, less intensive dog-sledding experience can be had near Leavenworth, with Alaska Dreamin’ Sled Dog Co. They offer 1/2-hour rides for both adults and children with prices ranging from $15-$25. Also available is a 1-hour “Intro to Mushing” and a two-day program. Call (509) 763-8017.