You’ll build a unique camaraderie with man’s best friend on a Colorado dog-sled ride — up to 12 of them, in fact — and also develop an appreciation for this centuries-old mode of transport.
From mid-November until mid-April, depending on snow conditions, several operators throughout the state offer a variety of dog-sledding tours. Owners, mushers and handlers all take a great amount of pride in their dogs. And if you ask around, you’ll find that they don’t just run dogs to make a living — they hook them up to the sled every winter to see them do two things they love: pull and run.
Many of the skiing and mountain towns throughout Colorado have dog-sledding companies. And after a few slope-side runs on skis or a snowboard, you may want to take a novel approach to winter fun and get acquainted with a team of sled dogs. Once aboard a sled, you'll discover a quaint and exciting way of experiencing Colorado’s backcountry.
Often, Colorado dog-sled tour companies are family-run operations, such as the husband, wife and daughter team at Mountain Musher in Wolcott, whose passion about their training techniques and love for their dogs is immediately noticeable. Similarly, the folks at Durango Dog Ranch provide lots of love and attention to their canine cohorts and offer several different tour options that include personalized, hands-on instruction.
Dog sledding in Breckenridge gives you a few options: At Good Times Adventures, take a 6-mile trek through the Swan River Valley with their Siberian huskies. Alpine Adventures Dogsledding, based in Leadville, also serves Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Frisco, Beaver Creek and Vail.
Duo Kris and Sara Hoffman at Grizzle-T in Steamboat Springs consider Alaskan huskies the true athletes during their backcountry tours, which offer either hands-on guiding for adventurous guests or a more backseat experience where trained guides accelerate the canine team with expert precision.
After a day out with these enchanting creatures, listening to their playful barks and distinctive howls, you might never be satisfied traveling by car again! All of these locations are near Colorado ski resorts, so they're the perfect add-on activity to a Colorado ski vacation.