A Little Time and a Keyboard: Racing at the Dog Sled Musher's Camp and Discovery Center in Juneau, Alaska

Racing at the Dog Sled Musher's Camp and Discovery Center in Juneau, Alaska

Monday, July 25, 2016

Alaskan husky as part of team in Juneau, Alaska

When in Alaska, one needs to ride a dog sled. Really, you do. A variety of dog sledding excursions and adventures exist, so plenty of options make the experience easy to fit in your itinerary. We choose a visit to the Dog Sled Discovery & Musher's Camp in Juneau because it fit with our plans for the city that day. The experience was entirely exhilarating and is a wonderful choice for families.


The rainforest near Juneau, Alaska
The stunning rainforest at the musher's camp.
Located in the temperate Alaskan rainforest a short distance from the capital city, the camp affords visitors magnificent scenery along with the dog sled experience. Upon arrival we met with our team of dogs--Alaskan huskies which we quickly learned are bred from a mix of many breeds. Rather, the Alaskan husky is more known for his or her traits as a sled dog. The dogs are very strong, agile and focused but also sweet and eager for attention when at rest.

Alaskan huskies ready to pull the summer dog sled.
Our huskies are ready to go!
Our guide, who happened to be the grandson of the Iditarod's founder, wasted no time getting us ready for our ride. We boarded our sled and he explained a little about mushing and the dogs. We went at what felt like a lightning pace weaving throughout the camp. We were running at the same time as other groups, so it was neat to see how the teams could cross paths nimbly without becoming intertwined. I was really surprised at how thrilling the ride was even though it was on gravel!

Meeting Alaskan huskies at the musher's camp in Juneau, Alaska.
Meeting Alaskan huskies at the musher's camp in Juneau, Alaska.
After the ride, we met with the dogs. They were amazingly calm but certainly enjoyed some pets. Next, we learned more about dog sledding and the history of the Iditarod and even checked out some of the equipment. We had a little spare time to explore the rainforest. The setting is stunning, so I definitely appreciated the exploration!

Alaskan husky puppies at the musher's camp in Juneau, Alaska
Adorable Alaskan husky pups.
To cap off our visit, we met the husky puppies. We each had time to snuggle with husky pups of different ages. Who could resist?

Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska
The striking Mendenhall Glacier.
On the way back to Juneau, our driver took us for a peek at the Mendenhall Glacier. Truly breathtaking! Overall, we had a perfect Alaskan experience at the Dog Sled Musher's Camp and Discovery Center! Really an experience we will never forget!

**Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Dog Sledding in Juneau, Alaska

2 comments

  1. How fun! A dogsled ride is on my bucket list—along with the trip to Alaska.

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  2. What a neat experience! I didn't know you could visit musher's camps. Thanks!

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