Yellow Snow Adventures - Dog Sled Tours & Rides

DOG SLED RIDES & TOURS - P.O. BOX 1204 - WILLOW, ALASKA 99688
907-715-4991 or 301-616-4996

PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM
KIMBERLY TRICKETT - OWNER

I was introduced to the sport of dogsledding while attending graduate school and working at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center (WRELC) in Finland, MN. I volunteered to work a road crossing and check point during the John Beargrease Dog Sled Marathon in Duluth, MN, in 1999. I returned in the year 2000 & 2001 as a race volunteer.

As part of my graduate requirements I chose to write a dogsledding lesson plan and an evening program presentation. My research included attendance of an Intro to Dogsledding weekend which covered trail maintenance, gangline making, and kennel care. In addition, I visited other local “mushers” and their kennels. I met with sled designers and tour guides to get information and insight into the sport and the business. Later I attended Jamie Nelsons, dog training seminar which covered dog training, obedience, and mushing techniques.

In February of 2001 I participated in a 4-day dogsledding trip through White Wilderness Sled Dog Adventures. In that event, I traveled into the Boundary Water Wilderness Area in Ely, MN. The trip included driving your own team, bedding and feeding dogs, dog care on the trail and sled repairs. After this experience I became passionate about the sport and made the decision to bring the sport to Western Maryland and share the joy and adventure.

Fall 2001 purchased my first Ridson sprint sled and began using it to train my Labrador Retrievers how to pull. In February 2002, I traveled to Michigan and Minnesota where I purchased my first sled dogs & dog trailer. Training started soon after and is a continuous process in any sled dog kennel. While training, I ran the dogs on various trails to give them variety, but also to establish areas where tours/rides could be offered. A good friend of mine, Patti Glotfelty, joined the team as the official equipment/gear guru. She’s the brains behind the equipment end of the team responsible for designing the dog trailer, dog truck, and keeping the sleds, ganglines, etc… in working order. By that December, I traveled to Salamanca, NY, to enter in my first of several races. My team won first place in the 6 dog sport division!

In February of 2004, after acquiring 13 additional dogs I had the opportunity to run them several times in the spring and have established a kennel of 19 sled dogs. I have also acquired toboggan sleds, a sprint sled, and other dog equipment for the start of my business this winter. Recently, I acquired an additional 3 dogs to complete my kennel and begin training for my debut this winter. Patti designed the 20 box dog trailer which we finished just in time to head to New Hampshire for our first Mushing Boot Camp. Here valued lessons were learned, hands on dog handling/training techniques were shown, kennel tips discussed and advice for running a touring business was offered.

Fall 2004, Yellow Snow Dog Sled Adventures became a reality and with the falling snow came cliental interested in learning about the sport and taking rides/tours with the Huskies of Yellow Snow Kennel.

After 3 seasons, diminishing snow and what I believe to be global warming, we received a generous offer from Jamie & Ken Nelson. We accepted and moved the kennel and business to Willow, Alaska in the summer 2007. The first winter we worked on survival as we moved off grid and had moderate provisions. Got several months of sled training on the existing trail system, which is a groomed dog sledding/cross country skiing/snowmobile trail circuit located within the Mat-Su Valley. We started building our cabin in June of 2008 with the help of Ken Nelson and Roger Johnson whom we couldn’t have done without. Electric and water lines went in while the building process continued. We actually were able to move in December 2008 just before my family arrived for the holidays.

Once again the dogs held the back seat but I did manage to get out on ATV for fall training. We have been on dog sled since mid November and have been enjoying new trails, a new sled and camping trips amongst the breathtaking views of Mt. McKinley, Hatcher Pass, AK Rivers and wildlife. Patti has been loaned out to various mushers’ assisting them in getting geared up and out on the trails. Our kennel has grown to 40+ huskies with the more adoptions, the loss of some of our older dogs and a litter of puppies.

We have offered multiple tour requests this season and are anxious to find more wonderful trails to share with are clients in 2009. By next December we hope to be ready to offer a full service dog sled business again.