Dog Sledding
Dog sledding in Valemount, in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, is a once-in-a-lifetime, truly Canadian adventure that will capture your heart, soul and imagination.
A Taste of Canadiana
“Mush!” That’s what you’ll be shouting as you feel the force of the dogs as they pull you and your sled unison. People come from around the world for this unique encounter right here in Valemount. Dog sledding captures your imagination unlike anything else, forcing you to think back to a time when man and beast relied on one another and their cool wits to survive.
Feel the Energy
Imagine dog sledding alongside the ice-crusted creeks, past frozen waterfalls and through the pristine mountain meadows of the Canadian Rockies. Wrap yourself in the energy of the animals tethered to your sled. Let it sink in that you are doing something momentous, something few ever get the chance to do. Connect with your team as you feel the vibration under your sled as it slides across the snow-covered trail.
You can tell these dogs love what they do. They were born to do it, just like you were born to experience this moment. Once you start on your trek it’s just man and beast together in the shadows of the snow-capped Rockies.
Choose to stand tall and drive the team, or absorb the view and catch the scenery flying by from the cozy basket. Dog sledding promises a unique experience for every level of participation. Sleds can reach speeds of up to 30 km/hr so hold on and dress warm! Excitement keeps your heart pounding, but you’ll need layers, too, to avoid the sting of the mountain wind.
- Get a group together and book the 60-Minute Musher tour with Cold Fire Creek
- Make friends with the dogs, and feed off their energy!
- Feeling adventurous? Learn to drive the sled, step up and take the reins!
- Follow along ice-crusted rivers, and glide past frozen waterfalls during the 3-hour Moonshiners of Whiskey Creek tour
- You’ve worked up an appetite! Stop for lunch and bite into Valbella sausages roasted over an open fire, and cap it off with homemade treats and hot apple cider
- Take photos! Pose the family with the dogs before heading home. Your friends won’t believe the adventure you’ve had!
- Climb up 1,000 vertical feet along the 100-year-old trap line when you sign up for the 4-hour Ghost of Cold Fire Creek tour
- Warm up in a cozy, snow-covered cabin, and then show the dogs some love before climbing back in the sled for a quick descent back down the mountain
- Get involved! When you arrive back at the trail head, learn to water and un-harness the dogs, spend some time marvelling at the majestic snow-capped mountains above you
- Spend the night! Sign up for the Little Bit of Heaven tour — on the overnight we mush past the cabin then return so endure 20 KMs before stopping at the cabin, next day we go up then down another 20 KMs for a total of 40 KM. Enjoy great food and good cheer and spend time in the wilderness before hitching up the dogs and heading home the following day
- Cold Fire Creek Dog sledding offers a variety of tours – from 60 minutes to overnight expeditions
- Anyone can go! Basic physical fitness is required to drive the sled, but a sense of adventure is all you need to ride. Guests of all ages are welcome
- Drivers have to be heavy enough and strong enough to stop and hold the team, otherwise, enjoy the rush as the scenery speeds past
- Dress warm! Layers work best. If you’re driving the sled you’ll heat up on the trail, but if you’re riding you’ll need an extra layer or two
- Guided sleds have room for three (two guests, one guide), and it’s possible to have a family of one or two children with one or two adults in each sled, depending on the weight
- Show those dogs some love! The these are working dogs with big hearts. They’re friendly and lovable and they want nothing more than to be appreciated at the end of a great run
- Remember to bring your camera/video camera. Words can’t describe this adventure, so make sure you take lots of pictures and videos so you can tell all your friends about it when you get home
- As always, leave no trace that you were here, except for the sled marks and paw prints on the snow
When to Go
- The season gets underway in late November, and depending on snow levels, wraps up in at the beginning of April
