pooch power

There is a certain romance to the notion of mushing across the frozentundra with a team of sled dogs like a page out of a Jack London story.Or reliving scenes from movies like Iron Will, White Fang or Balto. Or thereis reality- which can be just as much fun.

Reality for me was a gift from Uncommon Journeys Limited of Whitehorsein the Yukon. Guide Stefan Reynolds arranged for me to join him on a half-daydog sled excursion. I arrived at the starting point, eager and ready toride. A pack of tethered sled dogs barked and yelped as the wranglers roundedup 21 dogs, enough to pull three sleighs. It was controlled chaos.

Immediately you could sense the explosive power of these animals. Unlikea power sled, which remains calmly at idle until you push the throttle,the dogs are ready the instant they see the harness.

Reynolds gives a brief overview of the musher's craft. There is an anchorto throw into the hardpacked snow to hold the wooden sleigh when you stopto rest. Then you do a musher ballet to smoothly reach out to yank the anchorout of the snow, hold on to the sleigh's handle, balance on the sleigh'sbrake and hope that the dogs don't accelerate so hard that you become separatedfrom the sled. Because well, just because.

There are seven dogs for each sled. You feel sympathy for them- at first.Then you realize that each 70 pound bundle of furious four-footed fur producenearly as much power as a Rotax twin. These dogs love to run- and they canrun all day. The first launch is ballistic as 21 dogs and three steel runneredsleds blast off when the anchors are released. Happy howls. Ferocious action.Eighty-four pumping cylinders of fur grip the snow. You hold on as bestyou can. No speed run down a lake on a Mach Z prepares you for this rush.

These dogs are bred for this moment. Part Malemute, part Husky, thesenative Alaskan sled dogs are born ready. The sled is light, made of wood,braced with aluminum and steel here and there. These are medium-duty sleighs,not the lightweight racing sleds, nor the heavy cargo freighters used beforethe "iron dogs" and their more controlled power and less voraciousappetites replaced the legends that founded the snow covered north.

When you run a team of dogs, or more properly, when they run you, thereis a sense of appreciation for the mushers, the dogs and the skills thatyou can only sample at places like Uncommon Journeys. Being a musher fora day is an interesting experience, but I'll stick with "Iron Dogs."AS

Special thanks to Stefan Reynolds and Uncommon Journeys Ltd., RR#2Comp 21, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada Y1A 5W2. · 867/688-2255.