Dryland Mushing FAQ

What is dryland mushing?

Dryland mushing is a sport in which a dog or team of dogs pull a human on a surface other than snow and ice. Dryland Mushing was originally adopted to exercise and train sled dogs in the summer months when the snow has melted, but has since become a year-round, worldwide dog sport. The vehicle the dogs pull can be anything from your own two legs Canicross (jogging with a dog) to a bicycle (bikejoring) or our personal favorite: a 4-wheeled dryland mushing rig.

Alaska is known around the world for its long history with sled dogs and mushing. From the very first people to inhabit this rugged land to the fur trappers and gold miners of the 19th and 20th century to the Iditarod of today, Alaskans have relied on their sled dogs to help them survive and explore the last frontier.
Mushing your own team of sled dogs has been a “must do” for wintertime guests to Alaska for years. Now you can enjoy the same thrill of cruising down the trail powered solely by a team of enthusiastic Alaskan huskies any time of year! Thanks to our custom-built dryland racing rigs and private trail system, we are able to offer this one-of-a-kind dryland mushing tour year-round.

Is this tour suitable for children?

This is a great experience for children 6 and up. We do occasionally make exceptions for guest 5 and under if our scheduling allows. Please call and see what we can do for you. Children between 6 and 14 years old are able to participate in the tour as riding-only guests. This means they will be able to go along on the mush in the passenger seat, but not be permitted to drive the cart.

What should we bring with us?

Having a camera/phone with you is always recommended! There will be some awesome photo opportunities, and our guides are always happy to snap a picture for you. Please do not bring any dog treats; we are very concerned about everything our champions-in-training eat, and are extremely particular about what is fed to them.

Bring the right clothing for an active, outdoor experience. Please see the “What do I wear” tab above, for more info.

Is there a place to leave my belongings at the kennel while we are out mushing?

Yes, leave valuables with me ;)

In all seriousness, we have a secure place both at a kiosk downtown, and one out at the kennels. Although, we do discourage bringing a bunch of extra things you may not use.

None of the available tour times work for our group.

We are a small batch, hands-on, real-people sort of operation and are all about accommodating our guests.  We generally schedule tours early in the day to avoid the much-hotter late afternoons we get here in Talkeetna. If it’s a cool day, we are able to do tours ALL day! Since the tour takes place at a working kennel, it’s pretty easy to add tour times and we can typically accommodate special requests.

Can you accommodate groups of more than 6 people?

Yes, it is typically not difficult for us to accommodate larger tour groups. Give us a call, and we will make it happen!

Does the tour still go if it’s raining?

Sled dogs love the rain! This is the perfect tour for a rainy day.

Does the tour still go if it’s hot out?

We do occasionally have to reschedule or cancel tours if it gets too hot. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause, but we are sure you understand that the health and safety of our dogs is always our first priority.

Some of our group isn’t comfortable around big, outgoing dogs. Is that a problem?

Not necessarily. All the dogs are restrained, either on a tether or in a pen, so guests can choose to get close enough to touch them, or stay out of the dogs reach if they prefer. When in the run pen, the dogs are loose and and can freely interact with people so if a guest would prefer not to go in the pen that’s entirely understandable, and will not drastically change their experience.