Dog Sled Summer Camp ~ Juneau (Day 4, Part 3 of 3)

It was finally time for our planned Juneau excursion.  Our group of 24 loaded in to three vans to make our way to summer camp - dog sled summer camp that is!  We met Alaska's most famous athletes - the Alaskan huskies that run in the Iditarod.  

 

 

You can read the full history of dog sledding in Alaska here, but this has been an important mode of transportation for centuries.  One of the most notable times was in 1925 during the diphtheria outbreak in Nome.  The nearest serum was in Anchorage and the first thought was to fly it to Nome. However, the only pilot in the Territory considered capable of braving the unpredictable weather was Carl Ben Eielson, who was on a trip in the Lower 48 and was not available. 

 

Instead, a Pony Express-type relay of dog teams was quickly organized. The serum was loaded on the newly completed Alaska Railroad and rushed to Nenana, where the first musher took it westward down the frozen Tanana River to the Yukon. Every village along the route offered its best team and driver for its leg to speed the serum toward Nome. The critical leg across the treacherous Norton Sound ice from Shaktoolik to Golovin was taken by Leonhard Seppala, the territory’s premier musher, and his lead dog Togo. Gunnar Kaasen drove the final two legs into Nome behind his lead dog Balto, through a blizzard hurling 80 mph winds.

 

The serum arrived in time to prevent the epidemic and save hundreds of lives. The 20 mushers had covered almost 700 miles in little more than 127 hours (about six days) in temperatures that rarely rose above 40° below zero and winds sometimes strong enough to blow over dogs and sleds. 

 

 

By the 1960s dog sledding was nearly phased out.  In 1964, the Wasilla-Knik Centennial Committee was formed to look into historical events in Alaska over the past century. 1967 marked the 100th anniversary of Alaska being a U.S. Territory after being purchased from Russia.  Dorothy Page, chairman of this committee, conceived the idea of a sled dog race over the historically significant Iditarod Trail.  Joe Redington Sr. was her first real support for such a race. 

 

Joe Redington, Sr. spent countless hours of discussions with fellow mushers.  Two of these mushers were teachers, Tom Johnson and Gleo Huyck.  These three men spirited this first-ever, long-distance race into reality and in 1973 a new race was born.  Redington had two reasons for organizing the long-distance Iditarod Race:  to save the sled dog culture and Alaskan huskies, which were being phased out of existence due to the introduction of snowmobiles in Alaska; and to preserve the historical Iditarod Trail between Seward and Nome. 

These dogs were amazing.  As you'll hear in the first video, there was quite a racket when we arrived.  120 sled dogs were ready to take us on an adventure.  Only 12 were on each team, so they were all barking, "pick me! pick me!"

Once the dogs were in place, we loaded up and headed out.  I'm not sure if the dogs that were left behind were cheering or complaining!

Once we were out on the trail, they were all business!

We took frequent stops.  Our musher, Gabe, was a great source of information.  Dogs are the number one concern here.  They eat, drink, get checked for any injuries or raw spots from their harnesses, and get bedded down before the musher can take care of himself.  Gabe sleeps in a tent, while each dog has his own house!

The two dogs on the front are the chosen leaders.  Gabe said there are as many female lead dogs as there are male.  He said the younger males get more easily distracted.  Leaders are the most intelligent dogs.  The second pair of dogs are the swing dogs.  They help swing the team on curves.  The two dogs in the back are usually ones that are known trouble makers or ones that are easily distracted.  They are known as wheelers, they pull the sled out of corners.

This is Gabe, our musher.

We arrived back at camp and our dogs received lots of love from us.  Their tongues were hanging out, they were breathing hard, but they seemed happy about a job well done!  They are so well trained.  Not a single dog tried to jump up on anyone nor did they try to lick anyone. They stood in place or collapsed on the ground, just waiting for their next adventure.

Our two leaders

We then visited buildings housing the history of dog sledding and the Iditarod.  We saw old fashioned sleds and pictures of some of the mushers and dogs who participated in the great serum run of 1925.  We learned that there are numerous races, of varying lengths, leading up to the Iditarod.  Teams must qualify for that great race much like humans do for an Ironman Triathlon.

Our final stop was the puppy barn!  There were currently two litters - pups that were 11 weeks and another group that was only two weeks.  These are the two week olds:

And finally, meet Wishbone.  She was a sweetheart, ready to give birth any day!

This was definitely a highlight of our trip!