Cody Jones/Daily Summit News
A week of skiing and snowboarding in Summit County is no easy task. After suffering numerous falls, foot pain from boots, and muscle fatigue from spending several hours on the slopes, clients are often too tired to return to the mountain for another day on the slopes .
Colorado Dog Sledding saw the trend of people choosing to stay off the mountain after a week of skiing and decided to capitalize on it by offering an alternative.
Founded in 2024 by a third-generation musher and the only six-time Iditarod champion, Dallas Seavey, Colorado Dog Sledding takes guests back to Alaska in the early 1900s for a private dog sledding adventure.
After years of taking dog sled rides on Knik Glacier In Alaska, Seavey and his right-hand man, Ben Vaughan, realized they could get more business in the winter if they toured more temperate and populated places.
“The number of visitors to Alaska who go dog sledding, I don’t want to put a number on it, but you get 10 times more here in this area because of the ski resorts,” Vaughan said. “Then there are a lot of families who come for a four-day ski trip. They are not fit to ski for four days.
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Located 10 miles north of Silverthorne, on a 140-year-old farm named Acorn Creek Ranch, Seavey and Vaughan began laying the groundwork for the dog sledding business earlier this fall.
After exploring the property, Seavey and Vaughan then began the process of converting a nearby hay field into living quarters for the pack of trained and experienced sled dogs. Soon after, small red houses and enclosures were erected to accommodate the 30 Alaskan Huskies, while a 5-mile route was mapped out.
By early December, the hayfield had transformed, now filled with snow and dogs.
“Everything you see here was built by us,” Vaughan said. “The design is by Dallas Seavey. All this came to his mind. He designed it, bought everything, we put it together and this is what you get.
Even though the dogs had to make the long journey from Alaska to Colorado, the sled dogs probably won't notice much difference between the two snowy environments. In fact, Vaughan says Summit County is a lot like Alaska.
“I mean, it’s very, very similar,” Vaughan said. “The only difference is that you have a lot more sunny days. In Alaska, we don't get as much sun or as often – a lot more rain and snow.
Much like dog sledding tours in Alaska, guests will have the opportunity to be guided on a sled through a winter wonderland. Situated against the Gore Range, the 5-mile course passes through a large open field before entering a group of willows. Once in the willows, the guides will then direct the sled to climb a group of trees before returning to the starting point.
“It’s beautiful now, but wait until the real snow comes – it’s all overcast,” Vaughan said. “It will be a winter wonderland. There are mountains here and you don't really see many houses. … You feel like you're in the complete backcountry.
In addition to providing guests with an experience that is difficult to find elsewhere, Colorado Dog Sledding also educates each guest about the illustrious Iditarod.
“There’s a 15-minute intro, and we’ll throw in some Dallas Seavey and Iditarod stuff — but not much,” Vaughan said. “You do most of that by talking on the track. When you return, they meet the dogs and have about 15 minutes of meeting time.
In total, each tour lasts one hour and 15 minutes, with the mushing portion lasting approximately 45 minutes.
Although it's the guides who educate guests on all things mushing, the dogs remain the stars of the show. With 30 dogs on the ranch, each has their own personality to display. From the stoic nature of former lead dogs to the laid-back attitude of a retired champion, each dog at Acorn Creek Ranch is unique in their own way.
With this being their first season in Summit County, Vaughan and Seavey weren't sure what to expect, but they were pleasantly surprised to find that reservations were already starting to fill up at the start of the season.
“I'm really excited to see how the news spreads and how the tours go or how the numbers come in,” Vaughan said. “We had an amazing first two days with minimal marketing.”
With tours booked through most of the holiday season, Colorado Dog Sledding hopes to continue seeing strong bookings throughout the winter, cementing itself as an outdoor recreation option for visitors and residents.
To book a dog sled ride for this winter season or for more information, visit ColoradoDogSledding.com.
