It seemed such a shame to just hang up all the harnesses once mushing season was done in Two Rivers. So, twenty SPK dogs, four humans, an arctic oven tent and plenty of supplies set off from the kennel on Monday morning headed for the North Slope of the Brooks Range in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We thought it might still be winter up there!
Snow machines are not allowed within ANWR so the only way to get in is by dog team. After about 10 hours driving north we set down next to the road to set up the first camp while Aliy took a team to scout the trail for the next morning.
With the humans were Mismo, QT, McCaw, Peach, Chevie, Sanka, Barista, Daisy, Iron, Ginger, Gold, Lydia, Chena, Bruno, Dutch, Commando, Violet, Scooby, Razz and Bronze.
Not surprisingly, as has been the theme for this winter in Alaska, spring has come early to that part of the world and the river trail was a little wet so we were in store for lots of overflow, slushy riverbanks, punchy open tundra and glare ice as we followed Aliy and Mismo’s trail to camp. The young dogs with us gained valuable experience with challenges they wouldn’t normally encounter on the Two Rivers trails. They waded, slid, ran cross country then camped in new territory.
There was plenty of wildlife in the refuge – we saw caribou, ptarmigan and sheep and signs of wolves curious of our trail, but too wiley for us to see. The days were sunny and warm, the nights clear and cool and we were treated to an aurora light show once it got dark.
Here’s a quick video of our week.
Thank you for this post! What a wonderful time for dogs and humans!
Thank you for a great video. Wow. Everyone looked so happy – so free. Even though the temp looked too high to enjoy running hard (was it 40 plus F?), it looked like everyone was still able to enjoy running. Tails wagging. Dogs bouncing towards the camera. What a joyful video. Thank you. (boing boing boing)…and Mismo got to come inside the tent. This was precious. Safe travels back to SPK!
Awesome trip, thanks for sharing. Artic Circle photo op & Coldfoot look a lot different in the summer! If the humans had as much fun as the dogs you had a blast.
Thanks for the video! Brings back memories of our trip to Prudhoe Bay and stopping
in Coldfoot–Thanks! The dogs look Great and the experience is good for the youngsters.
Leave it to Violet for the photo op of course, all the SP dogs are gorgeous!
What a great fun trip to end the season on! Nice to see so many dogs enjoying the fun runs and sunshine….my goodness the dog yard must have been pretty near empty at home between this trip and the Kobuk! Glad you found some snow and sunshine…what a gorgeous place!
Such a lovely video and slide show (s) of The Adventure. Thanks ever so much for great “from the truck” pix!!!.
Spring in the North Slope – although there was plenty of snow visible there was also what looked like the structures moving the oil south. And bare ground.
Ditto re: What others have commented already and my thanks to you for this post – especially Chena’s picture – WOOF WOOF WOOF.
Can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed this season – high finishes in all events (plus a #1 in YQ200) and awesome job in the extra Kobuk 440!!! WOOF!!!
Loved the youngsters learning to howl at the moon (or just the teammates enjoying a howl together)!!!
P.S. Great race adventure and achievement on ID this year – WOOF!!!
P.P.S. Thanks a million times over for keeping us with you via website!!!
Awesome video and pictures. Thank you
Beef stroganoff is the best Mountain House ever! By far.
Thank you for the video and all the pictures! The views up there are spectacular! It must have been a good learning experience for the younger pups. That trip looks amazing!
Wow! Again. I know that it is not likely we will be able to afford our house and to stay in Alaska once we retire. I have been working to come to terms with that, but when I see videos like this, with the dogs .. just the sheer beauty of it all
..
Well, I wonder how I will ever be able to drag myself down the southern road.
Gorgeous pictures of the dogs in the wilderness!
That is a crew of lucky dogs, who got to go the Spring camp on the North Slope.
It looks like Mismo wanted to make sure you were warm. 😉
Really great pictures of the dogs. Sanka, what were you doing way out there? LOL!
And so Summer begins….