Sled Dogs at Denali National Park

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Forgot to mention yesterday that when we went to Denali Park that we didn't get to see Mount McKinley completely. I believe that on most days the top is covered with clouds. We are in Denali and that is 90 miles from Mount McKinley. When we were at Eilson in the Park we were still 30 miles away. They say that on clear days you can see the Mountain from Anchorage which is over 100 miles away. When we got up yesterday, it was 46 degrees but turned into a beautiful sunny travel day in the 60's. This morning it was 58 but was cloudy all day. It has become cooler this evening with a very strong wind. We are staying in a RV park here in Denali, which is really just a few shops, hotels and restaurants. The restaurant we ate in tonight is only open from May to September. I am sure all of the other businesses are the same. After supper we walked to a few shops and stopped for some ice cream. I think I looked kind of silly, walking down the boardwalk with my winter coat on with the hood pulled up and eating ice cream. By the way, they don't have sales tax in Alaska. I had a really good time today going to see the sled dogs at Denali Park. They have 34 dogs there. They are Alaskan Huskies. In the winter these sled dogs have been used in the Park to haul building materials such as lumber and steel to bridge construction sites. They also help haul out the trail crew's summer camps once their project was completed. They also have assisted with the installation and maintenance of remote sound systems. They also haul firewood. They also help the rangers keep poachers of animals off the Park. Last winter canine and human logged about 3400 miles. The sled dogs came with the first Park Supt., Harry Karstens. Since he had dog teams, he knew this was the best way to get around on the frozen, snowy ground. Of course, sled dogs have been used in the area by the native Alaskans and when settlers came here for the gold rush, they found dog sleds a great way to get around and bring in supplies. Even though these sled dogs are Alaskan Huskies, no two are the same. Their coats may be black, white, brown or gray or any combination of colors. They may have blue eyes, brown eyes or occasionally, one of each color. They have no uniform appearance and they have no American Kennel Club registration papers. Denali's sled dogs are products of a breeding process that is based not upon looks but upon performance. At Denali the rangers need dogs who are even-tempered, personable, and friendly since they meet thousands of visitors each year. They also need dogs who have a good work ethic, who are capable of hauling heavy loads, who work well wtih other dogs and who are willing to please. They also need dogs wtih thick coats that allow them to sleep comfortably out on the trail overnight and long legs and tough durable feet to break trails through unbroken snow. They start training the puppies by walking them through puddles and over logs. They gradually are trained by letting them run along side the sled teams. By the time they are 1 1/2 yrs. old, they are part of the team. They usually are put beside an older dog to learn. Maybe that is where the saying "learning the ropes" comes from. There are usually 8 to 10 dogs in a sled team. The first dogs are the lead dogs, next come the swing dogs, then the team dogs, then the wheel dogs. The lead dogs are chosen because they are intelligent and because they listen. The lead dogs are usually 5-8 years old but sometimes, they try them at 3 yrs. The ranger gave some reasons to use the sled dogs instead of snowmobiles...They don't break down..don't need gasoline, if you get lost, they know the way home and they will keep you a lot warmer! The ranger said that the dogs they have there weigh between 60 to 80 lbs. The dogs usually retire when they are about 9 yrs. old. They are usually adopted by people in the community or another northern locale. Often, volunteer dog walkers who have developed special relationships with their dogs will want to adopt them. They gave a demonstration by having five sled dogs pull a ranger on a wheeled sled around a gravel track. The dogs were so excited to be harnessed. I guess that shows that they love what they do. After they completed their run, the ranger stopped the sled in front of our viewing area and the dogs just laid down. So, in the attached picture, the dogs look like they have gave out on me!

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