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There's more to winter than skiing

SkiBam

Angel Diva
Anyone ever try skijoring? (Where you wear x-c skis and a harness and are pulled by the dog). I did it once with my daughter's dog when he was young and fit and just loved to run 10 km. We were on a flat trail and my instructions were to make sure he stayed on the trail and didn't take off into the woods. (How I was supposed to do that I wasn't entirely sure. Mainly I just kept shouting "Baloo, slow down!") It was fun, but I was glad I knew how to water ski as that's kind of what it felt like. A woman who was visiting from Ontario recently does it regularly with her dog - competitions and everything - so I guess it's fairly popular.
 

AnnKH

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Litterbug, that's my feeling exactly!

Yikes, SkiBam - what were you supposed to do if the dog did take off in the woods? At least the sleds have brakes!

We did everything with the dogs for 2-1/2 days: fed them, cleaned up the dog yard, harnessed them, hitched them to the sleds, and took turns either driving or riding in the basket. The sign on the left side of the 3rd photo says "Welcome to Canada" - there's a ranger station there, but you can't see it from the lake, it just looks like a sign out in the middle of nowhere. That was about 14 miles round trip - but took 4 hours, because we had to break trail for about 3 miles. The dogs are incredible - at 40 - 50 pounds each, they each pull about 70 to 80 pounds of sled plus people. The driver has to get off the runners and push the sled up hills or through heavy snow - if you don't, some of the dogs will turn around and give you a dirty look. They bark and howl and jump up and down when they are stopped, but as soon as they start to run they are all business, and rarely bark.
 

MaineSkiLady

Angel Diva
This is lovely.
Boundary Waters is a magical place - not many here are familiar. I am - Midwest born and raised.
This region annually has very well attended (both for participant teams and spectators) dog sled races. Great fun to watch.
Sounds like you had a fantastic time! :clap:
 

Christy

Angel Diva
Anyone ever try skijoring? (Where you wear x-c skis and a harness and are pulled by the dog). I did it once with my daughter's dog when he was young and fit and just loved to run 10 km. We were on a flat trail and my instructions were to make sure he stayed on the trail and didn't take off into the woods. (How I was supposed to do that I wasn't entirely sure. Mainly I just kept shouting "Baloo, slow down!") It was fun, but I was glad I knew how to water ski as that's kind of what it felt like. A woman who was visiting from Ontario recently does it regularly with her dog - competitions and everything - so I guess it's fairly popular.

I want to learn that. First I need a dog that wants to do it, though. I see it around Sun Valley on their Nordic trail system and the local animal shelter puts on clinics.

https://animalshelterwrv.org/interested-in-learning-about-dog-skijor/
 

alicie

Angel Diva
That looks awesome. Aviemore does it in the summer I think with buggys. Done it in Finland about 10 years ago, also went in a little sleigh behind a reindeer.

That skijoring Thing looks fun, but I'd need a bigger dog. I want try snow skates after they were on The Jump a few weeks back, they did snow cross (ice hockey cross ski cross sort of thing) that looks quite fun too.
 

mustski

Angel Diva
Does teaching my German Shepherds to pull my toddler uphill on his inner tube count as skijoring? :becky:

I would love to take a dog sledding trip! However, North Dakota is way too cold for this California girl.
 

DeweySki

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I have very fond memories of canoeing trips in Boundary Waters and Quetico (sp?) from high school and middle school. Such an amazing place--I had no idea that they had winter activities too! Add one to the bucket list :smile:
 

AnnKH

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
https://www.ely.org/winter/dogsledding

While in Ely, visit the International Wolf Center.

Go to Duluth in January, to watch the running of the John Beargrease, a 400-mile dogsled race through the Superior National Forest, along the north shore of Lake Superior. Take in some Minnesota skiing at Lutsen. If it's cold enough, visit the ice caves near Bayfield, WI. Maybe do some ice fishing.
 

contesstant

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I have a horse friend who just did skijoring behind her horse :D I want to try it sometime. You at least have someone on the horse guiding it for you.
Anyway, yes there is WAY more to winter than skiing and your trip looks amazing!
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
First heard of skijoring with horses during the Diva Week at Big Sky a few years ago. Turns out that Whitefish is a major player in the equine skijoring world. The idea of using horses and skis together apparently has a long history that goes back to the first skiing in Asia. European skijoring started with reindeer in Scandinavia.

https://skijorinternational.com/heritage/
 

MaineSkiLady

Angel Diva
Friend of ours took out an overly-exuberant young husky about 11 years ago, friend was very experienced with xc and skijoring (but not the dog). Well, long story short: bad fall, ACL. He had to wait +- 8 months to get surgery due to work commitments. The good outcome, if there is ever one from this kind of injury, is that his experience with surgeon and rehab lead my family to 3 subsequent experiences with same practitioners, with amazing results for all 4 knees : ) :clap:
 

SkadiSkiGrrl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Anyone ever try skijoring? (Where you wear x-c skis and a harness and are pulled by the dog). I did it once with my daughter's dog when he was young and fit and just loved to run 10 km. We were on a flat trail and my instructions were to make sure he stayed on the trail and didn't take off into the woods. (How I was supposed to do that I wasn't entirely sure. Mainly I just kept shouting "Baloo, slow down!") It was fun, but I was glad I knew how to water ski as that's kind of what it felt like. A woman who was visiting from Ontario recently does it regularly with her dog - competitions and everything - so I guess it's fairly popular.
I can barely stand up on xc skis! It is harder than it looks and great exercise. I love everything about winter, but downhill really dominates my psyche this time of year. I used to love skating across the lakes when I lived in Minnesota, camping in -12 F weather, snowshoeing, I even tried xc skiing and would love to do more of it. I even love cuddling up with a good book on blustery day. When it finally warms up I get a little grumpy--probably has something to do with Seasonal Affective Depressive Disorder, too.
 

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