Follow our quest for a more simple lifestyle living off grid in the remote north woods of Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, working with traditional sled dogs.
Phoenix frantically digs an upside down hole as he tries to contain his excitement.
From left, Topa, Oken, White Feather and Phoenix.
Tuloon and Phoenix lead Sandy's team as they make their way through the thick pine forest.
Jen stops to rest her team lead by Oken and Klaus
Ilu and Icoa look back to encouragement as we travel through a hardwood forest.
We were greeted by a beautiful day and snow covered trees.
The first big run of the weekend! The dogs waited in anticipation as our advanced mushers prepared the sleds and then began harnessing the dogs for our afternoon run. I would go out in the lead sled as a passenger. One of our guests would be the musher on the lead team while our other two guests would take turns running the second team. Chris would follow behind to help with any potential issues, with a smaller team.
Everyone did such a wonderful job. You would not have known that they hadn't been mushing since their visit with us last winter. The gang lines were kept tight on the downhills, our mushers were observant of issues with dogs and the infamous ninety degree angle turn was executed successfully by all.
Scott is not only talented in the kitchen, he also runs a mean chainsaw.
Since trail clearing can be a big part of dog mushing, it was decided that this type of experience would become part of our adventure for the morning. We arose to bright blue, sunny skies. The dogs were fed their soaked mixture of a 32/20 Power Edge Redpaw Kibble, Annamaet's Impact powder, which is a 43% protein powder and Redpaw's Balanced Formula fat. Hmmm Hmmm good! A heavily baited water is also offered after the dogs receive their food, whether they decide to drink it or not. Interestingly enough, many pass on this delicious soup and manage to stay hydrated by dipping snow along the trail.
The goal was to open up an existing connection to one of our main dog sledding routes. This would give our mushers a new experience on an even narrower bush trail with their dog teams. The parade began with the snowmobile towing a sled filled with gear followed by five people on snowshoes. This trail would be well packed!
We made our way down the obvious and open route until we hit a dead end and could no longer find the trail. It seemed to have just vanished. It made sense to then head out to make our connection from the other end. After many sweepers were lopped and a large downed pine tree was cut up and removed from the trail, we found ourselves yet again, at another dead end. This made no sense but since we were on a schedule, needing to get out on the trail with the dogs after lunch, we abandoned our trail connection and began the trek back to the cabin. First, we wanted to see if the dogs were on their toes back at the cabin and began to howl. No response. Either everyone was sleeping or we were in a valley and our howls could not be heard. Chris and I returned on the snowmobile with all of the gear as Jen, Cheryl, Sandy and Scott made their way back on snowshoes in a direction that should have been a shortcut through the woods.
Chris was dropped off with his snowshoes at our original dead end to see if he could snowshoe the connection while we waited for everyone else to make their way back. Chris returned shortly with news that it took only a ten minute snowshoe hike to make the connection! He also indicated that there was a fresh snowshoe trail heading parallel to the main trail which would not bring our adventurers directly back to the cabin but on a much longer journey where they would find themselves on the Arrowhead trail, some two miles out of the way, or if they traveled in a wide circle, as often happens when lost in the woods, they could end up on Highway 61 along Lake Superior which was about seven miles south! We had lots of daylight left and knew we would have no trouble finding them since they left such an obvious trail in the snow. We began to load up the snowmobile tow-behind with additional gear, adding a back pack to carry items in once the snowmobile could go no further and just as we were about to leave the dog yard, we heard howls coming from up the trail. It was our snowshoers and they had found the way back!
We had told everyone that if they wandered out on the trails around the cabin they could always howl to try and get a response from the dogs to help direct them back. Apparently, however, the portion of the trail traveled was in a valley and the howls could not be heard just as our howls to the dogs could not be heard at the point of beginning for our snowshoers. Ultimately, a compass and map would have been the way to solve this problem. Thankfully, the group decided to backtrack after the trek became longer than expected. It was at this point that they ran into Chris' snowshoe track that was just made while connecting the trail and they followed it back to the main trail. And thankfully, it was also winter where tracking lost adventurers is much easier. Had there not been snow on the ground, our guests would have been encouraged to follow the main trail rather than cut through the woods without a compass and map, not to mention the knowledge of how to use both!
Scott served a hearty lunch and everyone rested as mental preparations were made for our afternoon dog sled run.
Everyone familiarizes themselves with the sled. The stomping in of the snowhook is practiced.
Each person spent time visiting with the dogs, making new friends and rekindling old friendships. Cheryl is reminded that Ilu is a handful!
Each dog gets a chance to lead their two dog team and musher around a small loop so that everyone can get their sled legs back from last season's adventure.
White Feather waits her turn.
Our guests arrived at 2PM on the dot. When we saw them coming around the corner we wondered if they had left the bulk of their gear back at their vehicles and were delighted to hear that they had learned something from last year. The knowledge gained was that they needed only less than half of what they brought, so packed accordingly!
Their first refresher was at the truck where we hooked the team up and went over components of the sled. Once the gear was loaded we began our run into the cabin with our guests following on snowshoes.
Scott had prepared some wonderful snacks for our hungry snowshoers that included bison sausage from a Minnesota Bison farm as well as some local cheeses. After a brief orientation, out into the dog yard we went. Harnessing the dogs was on the agenda and another refresher on the components of the sled so that we could then get each new musher out on a small team to regain their sled legs. It was nice to see the confidence come back as each person navigated through the steps for safely running a small team of sled dogs.
Darkness soon came and we went inside to enjoy the wonderful cooking creations Scott had prepared. The air was crisp and the sky was clear and bright with stars as we all rested comfortably in our cozy and rustic abode soothed by the heat from the woodstove and the low hum of the propane lights. Outside the dogs howled a joyous chorus, welcoming old friends and in anticipation of the adventures to come.
On Tuesday of last week, Chris, our Points Unknown handler, and I loaded up the dogs and headed up north to the Points Unknown cabin in early preparation for our upcoming Points Unknown's Women's Advanced Winter Adventure (PUWAWA). We met Scott, owner of Corner Table Restaurant, en route and arrived around 5:30PM which was just before dark.
Getting all of the dogs and gear into the cabin is a grand event in itself. Dog sleds were loaded up and three teams were run in the mile to the cabin. Our trusty snowmobile and tow-behind Otter sled would carry in the remainder of the gear while the dogs were settling in and being fed. Among the items to be hauled in were all of Scott's carefully prepared fixins for our adventure's table. When we finally sat down for the evening, we were amazed to read the numbers on the clock. 11PM. Every muscle in our bodies ached as we sipped hot chocolate waiting for the temperature in the cabin to move up from its original 10 degrees. By the time we all finally went to bed the temperature had gone up to a balmy 45 degrees. When our guests arrive, the cabin will be far from chilly and at times we will have to open windows just to keep the temperature below 70 in the evening when all of the propane lights are on and the stove and oven are in use.
The following morning we allowed ourselves to sleep in, resting those aching muscles, until at least 9AM. There was a lot of work still ahead and we needed to get moving before dark. Trails needed to be groomed and with no working headlight on the snowmobile, we needed to be back before dark because our headlamps would not provide the light needed to do a proper job. There had been an ice storm followed by a wind storm early in the season and although the trail had been previously open, it still had numerous nasty "sweepers" that would not be safe for our new mushers to encounter. "Sweepers" are those branches that hang over the trail and can either smack an unsuspecting musher or "sweep" them completely off the sled runners.
Scott and I began our trail breaking adventure with the tow behind sled filled with gear while Chris remained back at the cabin tackling that list of items that needed to be completed. Our sled contained a chainsaw and safety gear, a bow saw, a couple of hand saws, two sets of heavy duty pruners, a first aid kit, gas for the snomo and the chainsaw, some extra clothing and gloves and some water and snacks.
About a foot of new snow had fallen since the trail had been used last. This was no problem for our snowmobile which is a long and wide track, and with the weight of the two of us, we knew we would be able to pack a pretty nice trail.
Our sweeper trimming grew comical at times, as I tried to place the snowmobile in the appropriate place so that Scott could just reach up and tackle it from the sled. All too often, one of the two of us ended up with a face full of snow. Laughter and the beauty of the wilderness made our four hour trail grooming trip seem to pass by all too quickly. We would have much rather been out with the dog teams grooming this trail, however we knew we had very little time before our guests arrived and had to rely on the mechanical sled this time.
Thursday morning arrived and again, we allowed ourselves to catch up on some much needed sleep before the dogs were run. Both Scott and Chris took out a small team. This would be Scott's second solo run. Having participated the past couple of years and having the level of dog knowledge he has, I knew there would be no issues giving him a powerful four dog team.
Our participants were to arrive at 2PM so we made certain all teams were in by 1PM. We harnessed up the team that would meet the women at the beginning of the driveway to haul their gear in and off we went. Since those attending joined us last year for a beginning adventure, we knew the amount of gear we might be in for so Scott also brought the snowmobile, anticipating that one dog sled would not hold all of the gear. While we waited for our returning guests, we enjoyed the quiet beauty of the woods, the company of the dogs and various conversations that contemplated life.
Oken and mom, Tuloon, lead Deborah on her adventure.
Yesterday, Points Unknown hosted the Three Rivers Park District dog mushing women's event. Their Near Wilderness park facilities were used as a base for the event. The campus includes a wonderful wood lodge with an enormous field stone fireplace and several small satellite cabins, in which the women stayed, that is tucked back in a beautiful hardwood forest, just minutes from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. On the main agenda were ski lessons and dog mushing! The dog mushing took place at the Points Unknown kennel, just 20 minutes away from the base. Six participants joined us in the morning and five in the afternoon for some experiential learning on how to run a small sled dog team.
Getting to know the dogs.
With the help of Hailey and Rich, we introduced the women to the dogs so an amount of trust could be built before they began working with them. Sled safety was also a top priority. We discussed the components of the sled, how to use them and what they do as well as different techniques for mushing. Although the dogs would not likely listen to anyone but their musher, we were sure to cover some basic commands and what to do if they were out on the lake and needed a hand enforcing them.
Ilu LOVES all of the attention.
Harnessing the dogs was another time to gain some trust and respect from the dogs. Our participants did an excellent job and even were able to convince Journey that it was safe to be handled. Journey is often very concerned about people she doesn't know and does work best with our small women's groups rather than our larger groups. During those, she is allowed to hang back and watch. Ilu, on the other hand, sucks up as much attention as possible from whomever will give it to him! And, be aware, he also quickly sucks up gloves and other various dangling winter gear.
Harnessing begins.
The dogs are very accustomed to being harnessed by those they don't know. They will often times help teach our guests by almost harnessing themselves as they lift the appropriate leg up in the air to be inserted into the leg hole.
Ready to go!
The sled is secured to one of our two take off sites and the dogs are put in place on the line. Each dog gets several turns to lead with a partner during these events. Since we were headed out on the small portion of Oake Lake in front of the kennel, the remaining women, Hailey and Rich fanned out on the lake to make certain the dogs didn't take their new mushers on an unexpected adventure. If they headed for the bridge that would take them to the larger portion of the lake, I quickly zipped out on the recently purchased and very much needed, "new to us" Skandic work horse snowmobile to encourage the dogs to take another direction. In addition to the safety net the snowmobile provides, we can get some pretty nice photos of each team in action.
Diane and her team head back to the kennel.
Kathy requested a "moderate" experience around the lake so Zala and mom, Tuloon were happy to oblige.
Our new mushers were presented with a few challenges which included a head on pass with another team.
Oken, Topa and White Feather wait their turn. Topa and White Feather are now 7 months old and got to go on only one short run around the lake. Next season, they'll be all grown up and can do anything the big dogs can do!
McKenzie and Sweet Pea were on one of Regina's teams.
Yikes! Where's the musher? We're happy to say no people or dogs were injured when the sled got away from one of our guests. Having a relatively closed course for such an event ensures that the dogs can't go far if detached from their musher.
Deb with Klaus and Oken followed by Sandy with Journey and Zodiak.
Polly's team consisted of Klaus and White Feather.
Smiles from all team members! Sandy with McKenzie and Journey.
Zulu colored girl with white on left side of her face
Zulu colored dark face girl
Zulu colored girl with white flash between eyes
Lighter Zulu colored girl with white on right side of her face
Happy mamma Zimbi
Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting Zulu's grandpuppies that were born earlier that morning. Zimbi is the late Zulu's daughter and a sister to Points Unknown's Klaus and Sweet Pea and lives in a neighboring kennel. She gave birth to six healthy pups; five girls and one boy.
As for the sire, Phoenix was the chosen one and when his performance didn't give Zimbi's owner confidence that the job had been properly completed, Q, a Tuloon/Bazil puppy from 2007 was introduced into the breeding. This would not typically be done, however, since Zimbi is at the end of her optimal fertility window, he wanted to be certain that her precious genes were passed down before it was too late. The end result is a litter in which some pups may have been sired by Phoenix while others, by Q. DNA testing will be the only way to determine parentage. Either way, the two sires in question are of excellent lineage and have extremely good performance as working sled dogs and desirable temperaments and structure.
Two of the girls will be joining us at Points Unknown and we couldn't be more excited! Since grandpa Zulu passed away last week, the arrival of these pups is timely and has even more special meaning for us here at Points Unknown.
Laura from Boyd's Mason Lake Resort runs her own very successful animal rescue business called Catkins. It was little doggie heaven when she brought over to the lodge her 16 week old foster puppy Crumpet, who is a pug/chihuahua mix, to socialize with us and play with our sled dog mascots Copper and Blueberry.
Blueberry fell in love with this feisty little girl and for a brief second, I thought, hmmmm.... but no! We need to save room in the house for our retired sled dogs so no more little dogs at the moment. This means that little Crumpet is available for adoption! Please visit Laura's website at www.catkins.petfinder.com to get more information on Crumpet or to see if there might be someone else special waiting for you!
Phoenix frantically digs an upside down hole as he tries to contain his excitement.
From left, Topa, Oken, White Feather and Phoenix.
Tuloon and Phoenix lead Sandy's team as they make their way through the thick pine forest.
Jen stops to rest her team lead by Oken and Klaus
Ilu and Icoa look back to encouragement as we travel through a hardwood forest.
We were greeted by a beautiful day and snow covered trees.
