Dog Sledding over Cache Mountain

Immerse yourself in the picturesque and diverse nature of Alaska, characterized by dense boreal forests, steep cliffs, and wide valleys. After learning the basics, you'll ride a dog sled daily and enjoy your stunning surroundings to the fullest. You'll stay overnight in rustic cabins - the perfect place for an once-in-a-lifetime adventure in the wilderness!

Dog Sledding over Cache Mountain: the itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and getting to know each other
In the morning, you'll be picked up in Fairbanks and taken to the husky farm, where you'll meet your guides and dog team. Together, you'll discuss the equipment, receive a brief introduction to mushing, and take a test drive through the forest to prepare for the next day. Lunch will be provided between the preparations, and dinner will serve as a leisurely end to the day. You'll then be explained the cold-weather sleeping system and can test the sleeping equipment during your first overnight stay at the husky farm's lodge.

Day 2: Heading into the Wilderness
After breakfast, you'll load up the dogs and ride an hour to the trailhead by car. There, you'll unload your luggage, harness the huskies, and prepare everything else. Then, finally, the moment arrives: you'll stand on the runners of your sled and start your ride into the winter wonderland. The route takes you into the White Mountains National Recreation Area, with its extensive network of winter trails and cabins. You'll follow the ridge lines until you reach a burned area marked by a forest fire a decade ago. This landscape is characterized by candle-like tree trunks blackened by the fire. The small vegetation that has grown since then attracts wildlife such as moose, grouse, and wolves. After a scenic ride, you'll reach the cabin and first care for the dogs before relaxing with a warm meal.

All pictures of this partner
Day 3: On to the Next Adventure
The next morning, after breakfast for humans and animals, you prepare for the next leg of your journey. The following days will take you deep into the White Mountains. From the cabin, you'll follow rolling hills and watch the mountains rise above you. Below, Beaver Creek, a National Wild & Scenic River, winds its way through the landscape. Today you'll camp at Cache Mountain, where you'll find mighty granite formations, known as Sled Dog Rocks. Here you'll take care of your dogs and prepare for the next day, when you'll cross the mountain pass.

Day 4: Over the Mountain Pass
After a cup of coffee and a hearty breakfast, you'll get everything ready for today's leg. You'll follow a trail that runs parallel to a winding creek bed, lined with thick, old spruce trees. Gradually, you'll cross the tree line and climb into the smooth, white mountains until you finally reach a windswept but beautiful pass. After a lunch break, you'll continue your journey, navigating technical trails and enjoying spectacular views of the surrounding area. Finally, you'll arrive at a cabin where you'll spend the night.

Day 5: Impressive Limestone Formations
After leaving the cozy cabin, you'll continue your journey. The route takes you through dense spruce forests and over rocky streams. You'll travel parallel to Limestone Gulch and marvel at the impressive rock formations that stand out against the landscape. Take time for photos as you zip along the limestone jags and eventually reach the next cabin.


Day 6: Beaver Creek
By now, you're an experienced sled driver and can handle the following descent. Today, you'll ride the main trail and enter an expansive landscape with charred black spruce trees and rolling blue hills. After a lunch break, you'll follow the trail southeast back to Beaver Creek and the cabin for the night.

Day 7: Return from the Wilderness
On your final day on the trail, you'll cross a frozen river and ride through tangled, old-growth forests. Enjoy the unique views of the Alaska Range if skies are clear! You'll follow the spine of the ridge and gaze at the valleys you've already crossed until you return to the trailhead in the late afternoon. Your husky team will sense the end of the tour and show you their full energy once again. After loading the dogs and sled, you'll head back to the husky farm and later Fairbanks, where your trip finally ends. The overnight stay is not included today!

Accommodation:
The White Mountains National Recreation Area offers 12 beautiful cabins spaced at intervals along the trails. The cabins are rustic, shared accommodations without running water or electricity. They are designed with an open concept and include a wood-burning stove, a small kitchen, a large table with benches, and double bunk beds. A special feature of the cabins is the large window facing the best view of the surrounding area. There is also an outhouse. Each cabin can accommodate up to 6 people, the largest even up to 12.
For the first night, you'll stay in shared accommodation on the husky farm. There is also no running water and an outhouse serves as a toilet.

We strongly recommend arriving in Fairbanks a day early and staying an extra day after the tour. This is due to possible flight delays or a possible late return from the husky tour. The transfer is only possible from accommodations in Fairbanks! We would be happy to arrange a hotel in Fairbanks for you. Just contact us if you are interested.

Meals:
This trip includes full board, but breakfast on the first day and dinner on the last day are not included. During the multi-day husky tour, lunch will be served during breaks along the way. Breakfast and dinner are served at the wilderness cabins.

Requirements:
A very good level of fitness, but no previous experience, is required. Conditions in the far north can often be very harsh (e.g., deep snow, wind drifts), and physical activity is essential during the trip. This begins with harnessing the dogs and standing on the sled all day to caring for the animals and performing daily tasks such as fetching water or chopping wood. To enjoy this tour safely, you must:

- be able to lift 23 - 27 kg (50 - 60 lbs).
- withstand hard falls on ice or snow.
- be able to hold onto the sled handlebars and be dragged along (stressful on the shoulders).
- squat down to use the toilet outdoors.
- be able to climb stairs quickly and easily.
- be able to jump up from a prone position from the ground or from deep snow off-piste.
- walk or hike for up to 8 hours on steep and uneven terrain.
- be prepared to guide strong sled dogs (stressful on wrists, hands, and shoulders).
- be able to operate frozen snaps and clips.
- react quickly to break at the right moment.
- be prepared to be outdoors in cold, wet, windy, and other adverse weather conditions.
- be able to bend down dozens of times a day (similar to tying your shoes).

If you are over 65, we ask for a medical certificate.
We also recommend travel and health insurance.
Show all dates