3 Day Touch of Winter

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OVERVIEW

$1501.00 + GST (PER PERSON)

Spend 3 days in a cozy, authentic, "off-the-grid" cabin, mushing your own dog team through Yukon's untouched wilderness! Watch for the Northern Lights from your cabin.

Our tours are considered "lifestyle" tours where the guest has the opportunity to experience the lifestyle of a Yukon Musher. Guests take part in the day to day life; helping with chores in the lodge (maintain the fire and keep the wood box full) and working as a team to care for the animals and explore the wilderness.

DEPARTURE TIMES | DEPARTS WEDNESDAYS and SATURDAYS (Starting December 11, 2024 ; last departure March 19, 2025)
DURATION | 3 Days
GROUP SIZE | MAXIMUM 5 PERSONS PER GUIDE
EXPERIENCE LEVEL | Dependent on Fitness
Please read the fitness and teamwork section here

Itinerary

Itinerary can change depending on weather conditions, group dynamic, and safety reasons.

Enjoy the brunch and be introduced to your 4 legged companions!

The morning on the day of your tour you will be picked up at 10AM in the hotel lobby. As a group we will do some last minute shopping and pick up any items missing from the packing list. Afterwards we drive to the Sky High Wilderness Ranch, 20km South of Whitehorse where we outfit you with your expedition clothing. Enjoy a light lunch and then be introduced to your 4 legged companions for the tour. Now you learn the basics of; dog care, checking their feet and shoulders, dog massage, sledding and parts of the sled. Harness your team, hook up and go for your very first run! After taking care of the dogs you can enjoy the sauna, have a hot dinner and cozy up by the fire. (Lunch, Dinner)

Full Day on the trails!

While the morning sun lifts slowly over the magnificent horizon, we say good morning to our new canine friends and ensure they are fed, watered and happy. Then we sit in the comfort of our lodge dining room having breakfast and plan our day. Today we will discover Fish Lake Area. The only sound will be the runners in the snow, the working dogs, and your words of encouragement. This is the day that you begin to know each dog's personality and form a bond that only man and dog can understand. With every stop, praise and show of affection for your dogs, they will learn to trust you and you to trust them. Relax in our sod roof sauna before retiring for the night. Overnight at Sky High Wilderness Ranch and enjoy an evening trying to catch some Northern (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Ride through Yukon Wilderness!

This day takes us towards beautiful Fish Lake Landscape. The trails are more technical, with some challenging ups and downs. The scenery is breathtaking and the coastal mountains are always in view to the south and west. Part of the trip we are above tree line. A breath of new life will creep slowly into your soul and in harmony with the running rhythm of your team you will enjoy nature like you have never experienced it before. Take it all in and these memories will go with you as you continue your journey home. In late afternoon we drive you to Whitehorse where you spend your last night at the hotel. Here you will receive your musher's diploma. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Sky High Wilderness Ranch is a true Yukon experience! This “off the grid” lifestyle ranch is serviced by quaint outhouses, has limited cell service, no WiFi and water is hauled up from downtown. Our buildings are warmed by a wood stove, making for a cozy stay, we have gravity fed showers and our lights & appliances are all powered by propane (no electricity). We also have a wood-heated sauna!

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What's Included

INCLUDED

Round-trip transfer from downtown Whitehorse
Accommodation in Cabins or Lodge (2 nights, double room)
Last night accommodation in Whitehorse hotel (1 night, double room)
All meals including non-alcoholic beverages, except Breakfast Day 1; Dinner Day 3
Use of personal sled and 3-6 Huskies
Musher diploma
Winter boots included, all other gear see below

NOT INCLUDED

Alcoholic beverages (we buy jointly before the tour)
Winter clothing rental: warm Northern Outfitters jacket, pants ($35/item); sleeping bag ($45 each); mitts ($20) - payable upon arrival in cash or credit card
Meals in Whitehorse: Breakfast Day 1; Dinner Day 3
All expenses of a personal nature
Gratuity

Packing List

Winter in the Yukon can mean temperatures as low as -40 Celcius, so it is important to be prepared. For our recommended packing list :

Thermal Underwear - 2 long sleeve shirts & 2 pants
Fleece Pants & Sweater
Neck Warmer & Balaclava
Fleece Hat (Toque) or Fur Hat
Thermal Socks - 4 pairs
Gloves
Head Lamp, with lithium batteries
Indoor Shoes or Slippers
Thermos
Camera

Note: The above items can be purchased in Whitehorse but please consider that near the end of the season some items may be hard to find.

Fitness & Team Work

To participate, you must be healthy, enjoy working with dogs and have a good team spirit. Dog sledding is a physical activity so you should be in relatively good physical shape. You don’t just stand on the back of a sled and wait for the adventure to happen like in the movies. YOU have to work, YOU have to be fit. YOU are running with your sled to help the dogs up the hills or pushing it along with your legs. YOU do have to use your body to go on the trails to slow down and go round corners. YOU do help feed the dogs everyday, YOU do clear up dog poo and set them up with straw for the night. YOU do ensure your kit is ready and checked every morning before YOU harness the dogs.

Food

We offer hearty home cooked meals prepared by our guides in our cozy lodge kitchen. We do not charge for special diets however we do require a Doctor's note in order for us to cater to any special diet. Space for cooking and food storage is limited and therefore ask that you send Doctor's note with all dietary issues/allergies at least 2 weeks in advance of your arrival so that we can be organized and prepared for your stay.

The guides will ask you to help cooking the meals, to create a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Itinerary

Unforeseeable circumstances such as adverse weather conditions, wind chill factor, extreme temperatures (-30 or lower), the condition of the group, or illness of the dogs may force us to change this itinerary. The safety of our guests and dogs take precedence and our decisions are final.

You will be required to sign a "release of claims and waiver of liability form" prior to tour departure.

We strongly suggest all of our guests consider the purchase of travel insurance for protection against cancellation penalties and any other unforeseeable circumstances, such as emergency evacuation.