Dog sledding through the Canadian Rockies
When I found out that we were going to go on a trip to Canada, one of the few adventures that I made sure that we booked in for so we did not miss out was dog sledding. You know those experiences that you have always wanted to do? Dog sledding is without a doubt one of the most exciting experiences that I have always wanted to do. Josh was all for it. So, we booked in for a morning tour. As is always the case when we go somewhere and get to have an animal/wildlife experience, we wanted to be absolutely sure that the company that we chose to go through operated on the utmost ethical and sustainable standards. After quite a lot of research, we ultimately ended up booking in with Snowy Owl. And I can say with absolute certainty that this was the right choice. Snowy Owl exceeded all of our wildest expectations from the second we stepped foot into the office at the meeting point that morning.
This was definitely going to be a highlight. I could tell before I even got on the plane to meet Josh in Canada that it would be. And I was right. In fact, this day exceeded every single expectation that I think either of us had. We had an early start. Waking to the gentle morning light peeking around the blinds of the apartment, it took just a few seconds for me to realise that the day was finally here! I practically jumped out of bed and after we quickly got ready for the day ahead, we drove over to the meeting point, parking behind the building and carefully stepping across the ice to sign in. I can still remember the excitement buzzing in the air as we opened their office door...and nearly walked right into one of the most beautiful huskies I have ever seen. She was there to greet us, as it turns out! The second I saw her, tail wagging and a happy look on her face, I grinned. So did Josh. And those happy grins did not leave our faces the entire day.
We signed in and sat down to wait for the rest of the people on the tour to arrive and sign in too. As we sat there, the beautiful husky kept coming up and rolling over, seemingly demanding pats (obviously we were more than happy to oblige). It took a little while for everyone to show up. Between getting a sneak preview of what we were going to be in for with the day ahead and the over excitement of finally getting to have this experience, I was very impatient to get going (and judging from the amused expression on Josh's face, it was quite obvious). When it was finally time to take off, I was nearly bouncing up and down with anxious excitement. Josh was getting so excited, too. As if dog sledding in Canada is not incredible enough, we were going to be doing so in the Canadian Rockies. Which meant, of course, that we had an icy and snowy journey to get to the starting point.
Canada is breath taking. Australia is beautiful, however there is something magical about Canada. The shuttle bus eased away from Canmore, the show sheets covering the buildings and vehicles eventually giving way to the seemingly endless crisp whites, bright greens, and clear blue skies of the ribbon ing road up into the Canadian Rockies. Passing by glittering frozen lakes covered with snow and the rocky outcrops of the snowy mountains themselves, the buzzing excitement throughout the shuttle just continued to build. Josh and I had seen the Rockies from afar, of course, however this is the first time that we were amongst them. And it was unreal. Little did we know, that this was just the tip of the iceberg. The best was yet to come.
'Well, I know now. I know a little more how much a simple thing like a snowfall can mean to a person'
Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath
When the shuttle finally got there after an incredible journey through the snowy Canadian Rockies, the shuttle slowed and took a left turn into a little section where the shuttle cams to a stop and we got off and made our way over to a welcoming man who showed us over to the snowy path where we could see the dogs chilling out. I was immediately grinning from ear to ear, practically bouncing up and down. Looking over at Josh, it was immediately obvious that he was really excited too. I could not walk over fast enough. In fact, if I am being entirely honest I was practically jogging over. The closer we got to them, the faster I walked. I was practically on the verge of happy tears the entire time. I love dogs and to be experiencing this with Josh was like a dream. And we were really there. It was one of those "holy woah, this is my life. I am here, having this experience sigh my partner".
Seeing the sled teams all hanging out together on the wide snowy pathway between the emerald trees, hanging out in the powder and looking absolutely stoked about the day ahead. We got to play with the dogs, giving them pats. There were so. Many. Pups. And they all looked so, so excited. They each had a coloured bandana attached to their collar. Depending on if the bandana was blue, green, or red, the dogs were shy, neutral, or outgoing. It was explained to us as we walked down to greet our new furry friends and it made it a lot easier to know how much attention and affection to give to each of them. With the cold and the snow and these real life snow dogs, it was like a scene out of a magical winter postcard. And we were finally living it.
The guide had to practically drag us away from the dog sledding teams so that we could be properly briefed about what was going to happen for the day. After the little debrief on what we would be doing and how to steer - yep, you read that right...we got to take turns steering the sled and our dog team with the guide! - it was time to put on our gloves and goggles and kickstart this bucket list experience. We all had the same look on our faces, the sheer excitement and almost disbelief that we were going to get to go dog sledding. They had organised ahead of time which dog sled team we would each be given. Lucky us, Josh and I got to be the first sled team in our tour group. And then we excitedly rushed down to the front guide (who, as it turns out, owns the family owned business).
When we got to meet our sled team, it was absolutely unreal. They all looked so happy and so psyched to get out there and run to their heart's content. It is honestly so wild to see how the different personalities of each of the dogs makes them such unique little pups. Even in being so unique to one another, they all shared the same electric energy. They definitely realised that it was nearly time to go and they were barking and jumping around with wild excitement. Our sled team had seven dogs instead of the eight that some of the other teams had and it turns out that this was because with just the two of us, we did not need the full eight-dog sled team. We met our guide, he talked us through some final specifics, and then it was time to gear up and get ready.
We were given a final piece of advice; to be actively and consistently (and loudly!) encouraging the dogs (and looking back, I can say that it was so abundantly clear why). Josh steered first. So, I jumped into the sled and they covered me with some blankets so I would be warm as the winds of winter slipped around me in icy-cold wisps. A quick "Hike!" (i.e. "Go!") and we were off. It was surprising just how fast they were from the second that we got moving. I never imagined just how special that moment would be, how it would feel, to finally be on that dog sled and seeing the incredible winter wonderland around us. It was truly a bucket list moment. And as the day continued to go on, it just continued to become better and better all the time. I was in absolute awe. There is no other experience in the world quite like dog sledding in the Canadian Rockies.
We were lucky enough to be the first team out on the track in the group so it was all crisp whites, emerald trees, and bright blue skies with the most picturesque view of the Rockies all around us. From our perspective, it felt like we had the Canadian Rockies all to oursevles. The bright greens of the trees and the powdery snow that covered the ground and sprinkled over the treetops rushed behind us as our sled team powered along the pathway, bumping up and down over the rises and falls of the sled tracks through the forest. It was the perfect weather and the ultimate bucket list experience. It was impossible to keep the joy from not only showing on our faces but from our excited voices as we cheered and enjoyed the ride. I still grin ear to ear when I remember that whole experience. Josh and I still talk about it with excitement.
Our guide for the experience is the owner of Snowy Owl and he was absolutely awesome. We chatted for a while about the company, its history, his family, the ethics of the sport (and how Snowy Owl was a company that had ethics and morality at the core of the soul of the business) and the dogs that are so clearly the centre of their world. We encouraged the dogs by loudly exclaiming how well they were doing ("great job! good dogs!"). We asked him if the load was heavy for the dogs and he explained that it really starts with the first push. The dogs arc up to get that energy boost going as the steerer/s make a big push forward and then, with all of them working together as a team, the weight of the load is equalised. These dogs live to run. They adore it. And here, it was so, so clear that they were treated with the utmost love and respect. It made this experience 100 times better.
Every time we would cheer them on or otherwise encourage them, they seemed to gain sped, revelling in the compliments. They fed off our energy, giving it back to us by powering forward. The Canadian Rockies are so big. They tower above the trees and frame the perfect blue sky, even from the vantage point from the ground in the sled itself. I had waited so long for this moment, to see the Rockies, to be adventuring in Canada with Josh. And to top it all off, we had the best dog sled team leading us through this crisp, snowy winter wonderland! I had never experienced anything quite like this and if I could have stayed, I would have. Sledding away from the rising sun behind us, the Rockies were covered in the soft light of the Canadian winter. It did not seem like it could get any better. And then...
It somehow did. After a while of watching this snowy paradise all around us, our guide told us to hold on tight for the big turn. We were not really sure what he meant but then we realised that the sled path did not stretch out ahead of us as it had for the whole time up until that point. I actually tried to rub my eyes (obviously forgetting that I had my ski goggles on), thinking that it must just be the sunlight reflecting off the snow, that the path must be stretching ahead. Alas, sure enough, the emerald trees closed around the distance and it became more obvious the closer we got to that distant mark that the big turn was indeed coming up (admittedly quicker than I anticipated). Before we knew it, we had a sharp right turn and we burst in a U turn arc back towards the sun. And that was not even the best part (as if that were not incredible enough)...
As we cheered our sled team around the U turn arc, sliding around through the carved pathways of the sled path, I realised that the area ahead of us now was a mass of flat white powder. We had not seen it to the right side of us before because the tree cover between both sides of the sled pathway was so thick. I did not realise what it was at first, but we were heading straight for it. It took a few seconds before I realised what we were barrelling towards. One final little rise and fall in the pathway and we burst out onto a frozen lake that was entirely surrounded by the Canadian Rockies and a cloud that was lined with gold, the sun peeking out from around the edges. There we were, a tiny dog sled team, surrounded by the monumental natural edges of the Rockies, their peaks topped with the whitest snow that you can possibly imagine.
We stopped halfway across the frozen lake and got out to spend some time bonding with our sled teams while they rolled around in the fluffy snow. I was so ecstatic. The dogs were so excited, playfully rolling around in the crisp white powder with the biggest puppy grins on their faces and dipping their faces into the snow to eat giant gulps of snow to hydrate themselves. We got a few token photos of us with our sled team of very good boys and girls, had some water ourselves, and spent the rest of the midway break giving our gram lots of pats and enjoying getting to take in the glittering snow-topped paradise that we were standing in. It was hard to believe that we were standing on a lake, that we were sledding across an icy surface that had been covered with falling snow throughout the winter months. Then, it was my turn to steer.
I admit I was a little nervous but both Josh and our guide encouraged me and pumped me up for my chance to get to steer our team back to base. After double checking the pups and getting Josh settled in the sled, we Bursting off the lake, it is impossible not to get lost in the moment. The adrenaline poured through my body and suddenly I forgot all of the nerves. I honestly cannot pick which perspective I loved better. Steering with our guide, we slid across the lake and up and out over the other side, entering the tree line again and finding ourselves barrelling back towards the way that we came. The Rockies edged in closer around us and we were excitedly cheering on the dogs.
To the left was a crystal clear creek sheltered by snowy banks and pine trees and up ahead of us, to the sides of us, and behind us was the Canadian Rockies. It is challenging to acutely describe them feeling that comes with being surrounded by such massive expanses of natural wonder. The crystal clear water of the creek and the bright and deep greens of the flora all around us drove us up the slight incline and back towards the home base. The dogs picked up speed. I lost my footing and nearly fell off the sled entirely (but I didn't!). The dogs were stoked on life and we were too. You can literally feel the energy around you when you are navigating your way through the forests of the Rockies. This unforgettable place all around you in all sides.
And then, all too soon, it was over. Slowing to a stop, we got to give the dogs lots of attention and love. And then we got to feed them! The dogs lapped it up and then they were ready to take it easy for a while. We got to spend some time sitting with and giving love to our sled teams. I honestly could have spent the rest of the day just sitting there and bonding with those puppies. The time eventually came where we had to leave the dogs (begrudgingly, on my part). We said our final goodbyes to them for the day and walked over to a little spot near another small frozen lake where a fire pit was set up in the middle of some benches. We had hot apple cider, baked goods, and we all excitedly exchanged stories of how much we loved the experience.
We saw the two professional shots they had taken of all of us when we started the tour and when we were coming back in. We bought ours which we do not usually do (we generally have enough of our own footage when we go somewhere and have an experience) but seriously when were we going to be back here?! We wanted to have the photos as an extra momento of this remarkable experience. It is pretty wild to try to explain the feeling and to truly do it justice. Honestly, I do not know how to explain it properly. You should just go and experience the magic for yourself. And when you do, give those Snowy Owl pups some well deserved cuddles for us!
