WELCOME TO SIWASH LAKE RANCH - A LUXURY GUEST RANCH & WILDERNESS HIDEAWAY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

Dog Sledding

"HIKE!" means go! And you're off... The dogs are totally pumped, pulling hard, and the sled speeds down the track to the west gate. "Whoa, easy, watch out for the corner guys..." and then you're onto the old hay wagon trail and the dogs are settling in to a fast trot.





This is your first dog sled trip at Siwash Lake Ranch, and you're all, dogs included, very excited. Mystique and Ultra lead your team of six Siberian huskies through the pristine wilderness, followed by a pair of swing position dogs, Willow and Nootka. Next run the two team position dogs, Coyote and Tundra. Koomatik and his sister, Dolly, are your strong wheel dogs, who pull a lot of the weight directly in front of the sled. Each dog has been specially trained to perform a distinct job within the line. All are friendly and eager to please.

Sensational sledding territory is provided by a varied, open forest of Aspen poplar, Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine, with numerous secluded lakes and natural meadows scattered in between. This is the best course in the Cariboo, offering just the right amount of skill testing challenge for the driver, lots of stunning scenery, and a great endurance workout for the dogs.

You call encouragement to the team as they pull through a meadow, up a small rise, and then “Gee Mystique!” as you swing right for a gentle runs through the woods. It's 20 below Celsius, but you're kept warm by exertion and bright rays of sunshine that filter through the silent pines. The dogs trot eagerly onward, pulling the sled in working mode, setting a perfect pace for distance and endurance. Like the dogs, you are wearing a perma-grin, broad smile frozen in place.

Dog sledding is a physically challenging activity for both the team and musher. Even while seated in the sled, you are constantly in motion, leaning hard to the left or right, helping to keep it in the middle of the track. On uphill, the driver always hops off and jogs, but must never let go of the sled. That is the cardinal rule of dog sledding. The passenger helps the dogs by trotting alongside whenever the going gets tough.


Each sled can accommodate one adult guest and a child, so the number of people in your group determines the number of dogs and sleds used on a particular trip. Everyone drives their own sled and dog team. You are given lots of practice and instruction, using the ranch snowmobile hooked to a sled, before you actually drive a dog team. One of the many skills you’ll learn is how to drag the toe of your boot in the snow while swinging a leg out; crossing it behind and to the side (it's a bit like ballet on skids). This action works like a rudder to help steer the sled around tight bends in the trail, and to steady it on side slopes. 

It's definitely not a sport for the weak of heart, but you can instruct the dogs to wait if you need to slow your pace on the uphill. And during your 4-hour, dog sledding tour around the back country trails of Siwash Lake, there are many scenic mini-breaks for both musher and dogs along the way.




Later, back at the cozy ranch house, the day's adventures are shared over drinks and hot chocolate in front of a crackling fire. You feel healthier both physically and spiritually than in a good, long time. It's akin to the après ski feeling, but much, much better. You've answered the call of the wild.

About the Guides and Dogs

Siwash Lake Ranch dog sledding tours run exclusively with purebred Siberian Huskies. The dogs are very well socialized and love people - although they do not get to play with folks very often, so can be a bit rough when they do. We discourage small children from playing in and around the dogs - especially when harnessing up, due to the dogs' exuberance. Children must be supervised at all times by their parents when on the tours or property.

Your guides, Tom and Laurie, of Nakitsilik Outdoor Adventures, have over 37 years of combined mushing experience, enjoying touring and racing. They have worked on multiple film projects on and off camera, supplying dogs, dog teams, mushers and handlers, as well as training actors/stunt personnel and many others how to safely handle dogs and teams. They are members of the Canadian Kennel Club; International Sled Dog Racing Association; Siberian Husky Club of Canada; and the International Federation of Sled Dog Sports.