Dog mushing is one of the most classically Alaskan activities. Hitching huskies to a sled and flying through the wilderness has long been a mode of transportation in the backcountry. Huskies love to run, have built-in fur coats, and can pull a sled a thousand miles across the tundra. Now that mushing isn’t used as often for transportation, it has become a popular sport with sprint and distance races, as well as prize money and fame for those who excel. It is also a recreational activity that many enjoy in the great land.
Just Short of Magic is a tour company dedicated to the art of dog mushing. The mushers keep a large group of Alaskan huskies that run tours across the beautiful, rugged wilderness in the dog sled mecca of Two Rivers. Head to Just Short of Magic for an adventurous ride on a sled or a lesson in the art of mushing. You can also stay in the yurt bed and breakfast for a fully immersive Alaskan experience.
At Just Short of Magic you can experience a day in the life of an Alaskan dog musher with a thrilling tour through the gorgeous Alaskan forest. The home base is located in Two Rivers, a 25 minute drive from downtown Fairbanks.
The tour starts by getting geared up for the cold in the spacious lodge. Visitors can wear the warm gear provided or bring their own. Winter temperatures can be 30 below zero or colder, but they have the gear to keep you warm.
Carey Seward
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There are 44 delightful Alaskan huskies that live together in the dog yard. Each has their own house with a fresh straw bed. They eat kibble and meat, run in the fresh snow and spend lots of time with their caretakers.
Each dog has his job: lead dogs know the way and respond to commands, swing dogs follow well and pull hard, team dogs in the middle for muscle, and wheel dogs in the rear take most of the weight of the sled.
The mushers carefully track the number of miles each dog runs per week to make sure they are training safely and getting enough exercise. Huskies are born to run in this climate and they are extremely happy when chosen to join a team.
When it's extremely cold, the dogs get booties to protect their feet from the ice.
The tours run through the forest and across the meadows of this beautiful section of interior Alaska. Mushing tours are 30 minute or a full hour of rushing through the pristine spruce and paper birch forest.
All the tours have you bundle up and tuck yourself safely into basket of the sled for the ride of a lifetime. You just kick back while the dogs pull you quietly through the woods.
The experience is quintessentially Alaskan, peaceful and thrilling at the same time. There are a crew of mushers that lead tours throughout the day. For a more in-depth experience, take the 2 hour mushing class.
In the class, you learn all about the art of mushing including handling the dogs and harnessing them to the sled. Students even have the opportunity to drive once they are out on the trail!
After the rush of the tour, you return to the dog yard and climb out of the sled, back to earth. Each dog is scratched and appreciated for their good work and well fed before they are taken back to their doghouses to rest.
You will have an excellent chance of seeing an astounding aurora borealis light show in the evening hours. Visit Just Short of Magic for a tour, a lesson or a stay at the yurt. You won't be disappointed in this Alaskan adventure.
