Dog Sledding Day Trips
Day trips on Umbagog Lake or gentle trails in the Mahoosuc Mountains are available Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and some weekends from mid-December through mid-March.
Day trips on Umbagog Lake or gentle trails in the Mahoosuc Mountains are available Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and some weekends from mid-December through mid-March.
| Date(s) | Price(s) |
|---|---|
| Weekends & Xmas holiday week | $475 per person |
| Weekdays | $450 per person |
We provide a hearty, homemade lunch cooked over a campfire, as well as insulated winter parkas and warm boots.
Book early, because these trips fill fast.
Our trips are conducted in a very safety conscious way. We spend a lot of time prepping the trails before a trip by removing branches and blown down trees, packing the trails by snowmobile once we get snow. This is for the guest’s comfort and also to make it easier for the dogs to pull the sleds.
We go out before a trip to check the ice if we are planning to go on the lake by using an ice chisel to find out the thickness of the ice. We often mark our trails with fir boughs so we can find our old base in case of snow storms.
All of our trips are snowmobile supported so we can lighten the loads the dogs are pulling, provide a better trail and also have a snow vehicle in the case of an emergency.
We carry a couple fire starters at all times, a satellite phone and two-way radios for communication among the dog sledding guides, cross country ski guides and snowmobile support drivers. We do check in calls once or twice a day to Mahoosuc’s home base so any emergencies from people’s homes can be relayed on to them on the trail.
We always carry a first aid kit for both humans and canines.
If weather or trails are unsafe for any reason we can always adjust our itinerary to continue to conduct a safe and enjoyable experience for our guests and our canine friends.
Our trips are alcohol free for both guests and guides.
Guests arrive – please try not to be late as the dogs are usually loaded and waiting in their dog boxes on the truck.
Check clothing, lend out boots, insulated winter parkas, etc if need be.
Look at a map of where we are going.
Drive to the starting point which is about 15 – 30 minute drive.
Lesson about dog sledding, get the sleds ready, each sled has a sleeping bag and cushion.
Hook up the dogs, mush for about an hour or 1 1/2 hours to a lunch spot.
Make a campfire and serve a hot lunch on the trail.
This consist of thermoses of warm beverages (tea, hot chocolate), homemade soup, bagels, snacks and homemade cookies.
The dogs rest.
After lunch we hook up the dogs and mush back to the trailhead about the same distance that we came.
Load them into the trucks, drive back to Mahoosuc Guide Service.
Arrive back at Mahoosuc Guide Service.
It is usually 2 people per sled. How we divide people up depends on the trail conditions, size of the people, number of dogs in the team, people’s desires and abilities. It is important to have strength to hold on to stand on the back and balance to stand on one runner. If you fall off and let go the dogs will keep on running until they catch another team. This is to be avoided!
We never decide who goes with which sled until we meet our guests and see what the trail conditions are like for the day.
There is a weight limit of 215 lbs as we have limited dog power to pull heavier people.
A $200 deposit per person is required to hold space and full payment one month before the trip. We take personal checks or paypal, no credit cards.
Deposits are non-refundable. From 0-14 days before trip starts, no money is refundable. Within 14-30 days before the trip starts, money is non-refundable, but you may apply the amount to another trip for one year (on a space available basis) minus your deposit. If you cancel within 14 days of the starting date, money is non-transferable and non-refundable. We go in all conditions including rain and thaws. If extreme weather conditions prevent you from traveling to Maine for your trip, you may use the full amount less the deposit for another trip for one year from the trip starting date. You may wish to purchase vacation insurance to cover this possibility. If you have to cancel due to Covid related issues we will not be able to give a refund, but will lock in the price of the trip and give a 2 year credit to be used toward any of our trips.
We only cancel a trip for safety reasons (i.e. flooding, bad ice, extreme windchill or lack of conditions – not enough snow or ice.) If we need to cancel, we try to reschedule people to another trip. If we need to cancel for safety or lack of conditions you may choose to use the full amount toward another Mahoosuc trip for 2 years, or receive a 50% refund and apply the other half to a Mahoosuc trip for 2 years.
We are asking all of our guests to provide a copy of their vaccine card OR for children not yet eligible to get a negative PCR Covid test within 72 hours of the trip (it may take longer than this to get results so plan accordingly). We are also recommending that people have had a booster shot(s).
Mushing can be physically demanding. We cannot predict trail conditions as they change daily, sometimes hourly. You should be in good physical condition for an overnight dog sledding trip. The dogs are strong; however, there are limits to their pulling ability. Therefore, we ask individuals who weigh over 215 lbs. to contact us prior to sending in their reservation form.
Tips are appropriate for your guides. If you feel you would like to recognize how hard they worked to provide a safe and reliable trip for you. A common amount is 5% – %10 of your trip cost. At Mahoosuc we split tips evenly among whoever is working on the trip unless people want certain amounts to go directly to certain guides. In this case they should give it to them individually.
A dog sled trip had been on my bucket list and we were thrilled to join Polly and Kevin on one of the colder nights in February! We came away being so impressed with their chosen way of living the outdoor life and handling their beloved dogs with such thoughtfulness and kindness. An outdoor enthusiast brother of mine said you will have a grand trip with Polly and Kevin, they are the real deal. For anyone wishing for a winter wilderness experience, you cannot go wrong with Mahoosuc Guide Service.
