Our "GOOD" 4-night option (larger group - smaller price!) - "mush" a team of our friendly Eskimo dogs on beautiful northwoods trails
- suited for individuals, pairs, groups or families (discounted for youth)
- each trip typically includes 8 guests, 2 guides & 4 of our extra wide & stable sleds that are driven by 2 persons
- 3 days of guided dogsledding to sites of scenic, historic and wildlife interest
- 4 nights at Timber Trail Lodge with a visit by dogsled to Wintergreen Lodge
- double-occupancy bedrooms/shared bathrooms (single occupancy when available with surcharge)
- indoor lunch 1st day; trailside lunches other days plus snack breaks
- dinners prepared by our French chef Bernard Herrmann or our staff cook, served family-style
- evening socializing at the fireplace and northwoods stories with your guides
- optional chance to try snowshoes, skis, ski-jouring and our Finnish sauna
- a special welcoming dinner on your first night and send-off brunch on the final "Mushers Graduation" morning
GUEST PROFILE: Our 4-night Standard trips involve our largest groups and thus our most diverse social mix. Last year, about half our guests on these trips came as family groups, 25% as couples, 15% as pairs or groups of friends and 10% as singles. 57% were female, ages ranged from 5 to 73, average age was 43. A sample roster included a dad treating his daughter to a special graduation gift, a group of women friends on a 30-year college reunion, an elderly man from the Philippines and newly weds from Texas. This diversity of ages and backgrounds coupled with a common interest in adventurous vacations makes for interesting mealtime chatter (along with animated evening card games!) LODGING: These trips typically involve 4 nights at Timber Trail Lodge, generally in the White Pine group cabin, and include a dogsled day trip visit to Wintergreen Lodge. In the cabin, the 8 persons that typically comprise each group choose among the shared baths and 5 bedrooms which include single, double & triple options as needed. .Singles are welcome and can opt to share a room with a guest of the same gender or secure a private room (when available) for a $100 surcharge. Lodge dress is very casual (loafers & a sweat suit are just fine!) MEALS: You’ll enjoy great food – and plenty of it! Dinners are prepared by our professional chef at WIntergreen and catered to your Timber Trail cabin,and on most trips you'll enjoy a sit-down lunch at Wintergreen as well. Your guides, who love to cook nearly as much as our head chef, will prepare your breakfasts and your campfire lunches on the 2nd and 3rd days of dogsledding. Meals are served family-style around a big long table with guides & guests eating together and sharing tales from the trail. Guests are welcome to bring their own wine.
Sample Itinerary (may vary with trip dates) DAY 1: Arrive in Ely early afternoon by car or airport taxi shuttle. Visit Ely's International Wolf Center if time allows (tickets compliments of Wintergreen, winter hours: 10-4 Sat/Sun, http://www.wolf.org/). Visit Wintergreen store for any rental clothing needs, continue to Timber Trail Lodge for check-in and site tour. Meet your guides & dogs. Welcoming dinner at 6 pm followed by trip orientation session and clothing check. Optional night visit to the kennel (a chance to 'howl' with your dogs at the moon and watch for northern lights!) DAY 2: Sunrise kennel care (optional) followed by breakfast and "Dogsledding 101" training. The big moment arrives as your guides help you launch your team and accompany you on a dogsled training trip. Return to lodge midday for lunch, skills review and rest break.Afternoon dogsled trip. Return to lodge 4-5 pm. Treat & water your dogs. R&R. Dinner. Optional socializing around the fireplace.
DAY 3: Kennel care & breakfast followed by full day of mushing with trailside campfire lunch and rest stops at scenic sites. Wintergreen guides accompany your group on skis, providing tune-up tips on your mushing skills and sharing natural history info along the route. Return to lodge late afternoon. Treat & water your dogs. Optional skiing/snowshoeing or R&R. 6 pm dinner. Optional evening activates include Finnish-style sauna, campfire gathering, fireplace stories, and/or 'film fest' to view the National Geographic documentaries on Wintergreen adventures. DAY 4: Kennel care & breakfast followed by another great day of mushing. Now that everyone "knows the ropes"), the group can help the guides decide among alternate route options or activities throughout the day. Arrive at lodge mid to late afternoon for "R&R" followed by celebration dinner (be sure to bring the cord that connects your camera or camcorder to a tv so that you can share in the fun show that evening) Optional evening "What's for dinner?" program at the International Wolf Center to observe the wolves feeding (on Saturday evenings only). DAY 5: Kennel care, breakfast, "Mushers Graduation" event, kennel visit to bid your dogs adieu, check-out mid to late morning (or early if your travel plans require). If you weren't able to visit Ely's International Wolf Center or our new North American Bear Center on your check-in day (winter hours Sat/Sun 10-4), we can often arrange a visit to the wolf viewing area on your check-out day. | “We had an incredible experience! Wonderful people, happy well-cared for dogs, delicious and plentiful food, great place to stay, beautiful scenery, good weather. There wasn't anything that could have been better. We enjoyed every minute and it was clear that our guides genuinely enjoyed the experience as well. They were confident, caring, patient, kind and had great senses of humor. They made things that would have been scary fun! We could tell they genuinely love the dogs. They let us know if we were doing anything that might impact the dogs’ safety (or our own)." Deb S., OH
2009-2010 Standard Trips
Check in 4-6 pm first day
Check out 9-11 am last day
- Sun Dec 13 - Thur Dec 17 $775*
Wed Dec 16 - Sun Dec 20 $875* Sun Dec 20 - Thur Dec 24 $975 Wed Dec 23 - Sun Dec 27 $1075 Sun Dec 27 - Thur Dec 31 $1175 Sun Jan 3 - Thur Jan 7 $1075 Wed Jan 6 - Sun Jan 10 $1075 Sun Jan 10 - Thur Jan 14 $1075 Thur Jan 14 - Mon Jan 18 MLK Day $1075 Sun Jan 17 - Thur Jan 21 $1075 Wed Jan 20 –Sun Jan 24 $1075 Sun Jan 24 - Thur Jan 28 $1075 Sun Jan 31 - Thur Feb 4 $1075 Wed Feb 3 - Sun Feb 7 $1075 Wed Feb 17 - Sun Feb 21 $1075 Sun Feb 21 - Thur Feb 25 $1075 Sun Feb 28 - Thur Mar 4 $1075 Wed Mar 3 - Sun Mar 7 $1075 Sun Mar 7 - Thur Mar 11 $1075 Sun Mar 14 - Thur Mar 17 $1075 Wed Mar 17 - Sun Mar 21 $1075 Sun Mar 21 - Thur Mar 25 $975*
Package rates are all-inclusive, per adult in double rooms. Single rooms $100 more when available. $100 off for ages 5-16.
*Discounted for shoulder-season rates
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or call us toll-free 877-753-3386. |
