Dogsledding with the Inuit of Nunavik
Experience dogsledding as it has been practiced for thousands of years by the Inuit of Nunavik with Inuit guides.
Experience dogsledding as it has been practiced for thousands of years by the Inuit of Nunavik with Inuit guides.
| Date(s) | Price(s) |
|---|---|
| TBD 2024 | $TBD |
Nunavik is the Inuit-governed arctic region of Quebec where northern lights are a common sight. We will travel with Inuk musher Allen Gordon and another Inuk guide from the village of Kuujjuaq. The exact route we travel varies from year to year depending on snow pack conditions and where the wildlife is. Common sightings include tuktu (caribou), wolf, arctic fox, gyrfalcon, and a living relic from the ice age, umingmak (musk ox). There is usually an opportunity to ice fish for arctic char and country food such as caribou and ptarmigan will be on the menu.
This is much more than a dogsledding trip. It is also an opportunity to learn about Inuit culture and language. The warmth, humility, and self-reliance of the Inuit will stay with you long after your arctic adventure.
Note: In September 2022 our Inuk friend and guide Allen Gordon made the difficult decision to give up his dogteam to other mushers. We are hoping to find another Inuk in the village to work with–stay tuned!
RECOMMENDED READING:
MORE INFO ABOUT NUNAVIK:
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kuujjuaq
https://www.avataq.qc.ca/en/Nunavimmiuts/The-land/The-Region-of-Nunavik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfO815ljDQ
For trip itinerary, click here
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 spare warm clothing, the ability to start fires in all conditions, and 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. Guides maintain current Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder and CPR certification.
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.
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.) For canoe trips we may need to cancel due to safety issues such as extremely high or low water on rivers. 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.
If you are having any symptoms of Covid before your trip please test yourself before arriving at Mahoosuc Guide Service and if positive contact us to reschedule your trip.
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.
For canoeing trips sometimes there are portages around falls and we need to carry all of our gear and canoes around them. The better shape you are in will make these carries easier for you.
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.
I like the way you treat your dogs and how your dogs in turn treat your clients. It’s such a joy to be around them. Although the trips that you organize take us into winter wilderness, I’ve always felt completely safe, recognizing the preparation and foresight you put into every trip. Your knowledge and friendly guides with their guiding, cooking and companionship greatly contribute to the experience.
