Let's Get Mushing!: Dog Sled Races Come to North Park

For most people, March is the month for Spring Break, College Basketball Championships, and figuring out new ways to beat Spring Fever.  But in the Colorado highcountry, March is often the month that receives the most snowfall of the year. Since March 1st of this year, 10” of snow has already accumulated at the Colorado State Forest State Park, with plenty more on the way. 

As the Front Range prepares for the rains of Spring, North Park is still enjoying warm days and intermittent snowstorms that bring in lots of heavy, wet snowfall. March is a great time of year for one of the oldest extreme winter sports: dog sled racing! This year the Rocky Mountain Sled Dog Club is bringing mushing back to the highcountry of Jackson county!

Get Ready for Adventure Racing: Dog Sledding in North Park

The Gould Loop runs through State Forest State Park land, connecting to other trail systems in the Gould, CO area, and it is in prime season right now. The Colorado State Forest State Park is one of the most beautiful areas in North Park, with access from Cameron Pass on Colorado HWY 14 as well as Walden, CO. Any drive along HWY 14 is going to be scenic, and the State Forest provides some of the best views of mountains, alpine forests, and wildlife.

After all the recent snowfall, the trails are continuously groomed, not only for nordic skiers and snowmobilers, but also dog sleds! The Rocky Mountain Sled Dog Club brings mushers from all over Colorado, Wyoming, and other Rocky Mountain states to share a passion for racing and a love for their four-footed athletes. Not only are dog sleds with varying team sizes on the trail, (from teams of four all the way up to teams of eight) but also skijoring and fat-tire bikejoring races are being run all weekend.

When and Where

The Sled Dog Races start early on March 15th at 7am and run throughout the day. The races resume on March 16th at 3pm. Please check the RMSDC website or Facebook for updates. The event will run selected trails on the Gould Loop, so the Moose Visitor Center in Gould, CO on HWY 14 is the best place to start to see the races.As with any activities in North Park, events are weather permitting.

How to Watch

Spectators are welcome to come watch the races. Come to the Moose Visitor Center in Gould, CO for info on how to watch the races. As with mountain driving in the Colorado mountains, maintain a safe speed, make sure your vehicle is prepared with snow tires and/or chains for bad weather, and watch for wildlife!

Pack It In and Pack It Out!

Keeping our public lands clean is crucial. Litter and food waste can create problems with attracting wildlife—especially as hibernation is starting to come to an end. If you cannot find a trash receptacle, be sure to keep your food waste and litter in your vehicle and take it back with you after your visit. It not only protects wildlife and scenery, but also makes sure that our State Forest, BLM, and National Forests will be around for generations of enjoyment. 

Leave Your Pets At Home!

Dogs are often unpredictable, and being athletic working dogs, sled dogs might be aggressive with pets that are brought in. This can lead to fights and injuries. Nobody wants their dog to get tangled up or distracted by a visitor dog. 

Mushers know how to safely interact with each other and which areas are used for staging or otherwise off-limits. So please leave your dog at home.

Avalanche Danger

Fluctuating March temperatures can create dangerous avalanche conditions in the Colorado mountains. Avalanches are often unpredictable and there is only so much CDOT crews can do to limit them. Cannons and charged explosions are sometimes used to set off controlled avalanches. This helps keep backcountry skiers, snowshoers, and even motorists safe during the late winter and early spring. Check the CPW website for information about trail conditions or closures.

How to Get Involved in Dog Sledding

Registration to Participate in this year’s sled dog race has already passed, but you might be interested in getting started with sled dog racing yourself and have asked the question if it’s right for you?

Mushers come from all sorts of backgrounds, young and old alike! Mushers and dogs are often as different as leaves on a tree, but they all share a love of dog sledding. Mushing often begins with some entry level equipment and a few dogs and balloons into a full-blown obsession with carbon fiber sleds, training gear, and transportation. It’s an individual sport, so it can be as simple or complex as you want it to be.

Mushers need to have time and often enough space to work with their dogs, not only in the wintertime, but also training in the summer months as well. Wheeled rigs and open spaces are great for keeping dogs in shape when snow is scarce.

The best way to get started with dog sledding is to contact a dog sledding club like Rocky Mountain Sled Dog Club. Experienced mushers are great resources for showing newcomers the ropes as well as a support system for training, equipment, and events!

What You Need to Know About Dog Sledding—FAQ

Sled dogs love to run, and they can go for miles pulling the weight of a musher and even gear. Speeds aren’t as excessive as a snowmobile or even downhill skiing much of the time. That isn’t to say that safety isn’t at the front of everyone’s mind at a dog sled race. Not only for the mushers, but especially their dogs. Dog sled racers are often some of the biggest animal lovers you will find, and they do everything they can to protect their pups.

Safety

Mushers are encouraged to wear safety equipment such as warm weather gear, eyewear, and helmets (mandatory for junior mushers). Sleds need to be in good condition, with a working brake, brush bow, and snow hook.

Collars and Harnesses

The dogs are prohibited from wearing chain or choke-type collars. Harnesses must be approved and in good condition and dogs must leave the starting chute on their own, without dragging or other physical coercion. Whips are entirely prohibited.

Vaccinations

Proof of vaccinations are required for all dogs, and dogs are identified and marked for the event. 

Exhaustion

Exhausted or overheated dogs are pulled off the line and required by club rules to rest in a ventilated dog bag to help them cool off.

Athletic injuries

Sled dogs are athletes, just like anyone on your March Madness bracket. As with any athletic activity, sled dogs run the risk of sports-related injuries. Typically, exhaustion or dehydration are a problem—these dogs do just love to run!—but other injuries such as ACL and other joint injuries are possible. Mushers are careful to take care of their dogs and monitor their health all the time.

Do sled dogs get cold?

Huskies, malamutes, even sled dogs of mixed breeds are often predisposed to thriving in cold weather conditions. As far as getting cold is concerned, usually the opposite is true. Lots of running combined with layered coats of fur sometimes mean huskies and other sled dog breeds get too hot! It’s not uncommon to see a husky sleeping on, or under, a pile of snow. Their fur insulates them so well, their body heat doesn’t even melt the snow that collects on them. Sled dogs might be better off on a day in the snow than a suburban backyard in the summer.

Humane Treatment of Animals

Sled dogs are often rescue dogs, and many mushers support regional animal shelters by finding potential sled dogs to train for mushing. They love to run with the pack, drawing off instincts going back to the ice age. Above all else, mushers are committed to the humane treatment of their dogs.

• Sled Dog Diet: The diet of sled dogs is monitored carefully, with high amounts of protein, fats, raw food, and healthy carbohydrates as part of their daily diet.
• Training: Summer training and winter events give sled dogs plenty of opportunities for quality exercise, fresh air, and time with the other dogs on their team. Sled dogs are much like other working dogs, such as border collies or shepherding dogs: they need to stay active. 
• Knowledge and experience: Many of the dogs that have been rescues were surrendered by their original owners because of ignorance of the breed. Even though huskies are beautiful animals, being cooped up inside all day long or in a hot back yard gives them anxiety and might cause them to chew or damage property. An apartment is no place for a sled dog, they are at home on the trail.

Places to Stay/Places to Eat

Rooms and accommodations in North Park tend to fill up quickly for weekend events, so be sure to book early! The Howling Coyote Mexican Restaurant  is the closest place to eat in Gould, CO. With authentic Mexican cuisine featuring a menu of Chihuahuan recipes and old favorites, it’s a feast that will warm you up inside and out. 

Book your lodging in a hotel, VRBO, or AirBnB vacation rental property in Walden, CO, Gould, and elsewhere! Vacation rentals range from quaint to unique, and anywhere in-between, with options of single occupancy to accommodations for large groups of visitors. Rooms sell out fast, so book your stay today!

• Antlers Inn Call: (970) 723-8690
• North Park Inn and Suites Call: (970) 723-4271
• Chedsey Motel Call: (970) 723-8201
• Lake John Resort (970) 723-8201
• Yonder Yurts 
• Powderhorn Lodge (970) 723-4359
• Check out these listings for other places in Jackson County!

An Unforgettable Experience Year Round

Whether it’s dog sled or snowmobile racing, nordic skiing or backcountry adventuring, North Park is the destination for winter adventure sports!  For more stories and suggestions for how to start your North Park adventure, check in every week at the VisitNorthParkCO.com site. If you like what you’ve seen subscribe to our Visit North Park Newsletter and follow us on social media on  Facebook or Instagram, for regular updates of events, stunning photos, and historical tidbits. 

The Spring Newsletter!

The Visit North Park CO Newletter for Spring is out. If you haven't already subscribed, please follow the link here to get started. Each season, and sometimes throughout the year you'll be kept up on what's happening in Jackson County, CO. This newsletter talks about the upcoming sage grouse viewing, the return of the moose, and so much more! If you have spring fever, North Park has your cure!