DAY 1: Arrive in Ely mid to late afternoon by car or airport taxi shuttle. Stop at Wintergreen store for any rental clothing needs, continue to lodge (Wintergreen or Timber Trail's Diamond Willow retreat) for check-in and site tour. Meet your guides, dogs & other parents & daughters. Welcoming dinner at 6 pm followed by trip orientation session and clothing check. "Dear Diary" tips on journaling session and map & compass camp crafts class. 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. Lunch in the lodge, skills review and rest break. "The Creative Muse" session on how to think like a writer and tell a good story. Afternoon dogsled trip. Return to lodge 4-5 pm. Treat & water your dogs. R&R. Dinner. Writing exercise and shared readings and Northwoods stories. Free time for games and socializing around the fireplace.
DAY 3: Kennel care & breakfast. Depart on a 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. Trailside campfire lunch with campcraft fire-building workshop. Return to lodge mid-afternoon. Treat & water your dogs. R&R. 6 pm dinner. Campcrafts workshop on Northwoods navigation and knots. Optional fireplace stories and/or 'film fest' to view the National Geographic documentaries on Wintergreen adventures.
DAY 4: Now that everyone "knows the ropes," the guides will plan the day based upon group interests with such choices as easy or challenging trails and a longer or shorter routes. Scenic stops might include the 'ice cave,' the Murphys Falls overlook, the river bluff, the old-growth forest and you may opt to include time for skiing/snowshoeing or to try "ski-jouring" (being towed on skis by a sled dog). Arrive at next lodge mid to late afternoon. Dog treats. R&R. Celebration dinner. Shared readings from everyone's journals. Optional evening activities: campfire gathering and/or Finnish-style sauna followed by the traditional "roll in the snow" or dip through the hole in the ice! OR van shuttle to International Wolf Center for their Saturday evening "What's for Dinner?" program to observe the wolves feeding OR fireside arctic stories with Wintergreen director Paul Schurke.
DAY 5: Kennel care, "bon voyage" breakfast buffet, "Mushers Graduation" event, kennel visit to bid your dogs adieu, check-out mid to late morning (or earlier if your travel plans require). Visit Ely's International Wolf Center, tickets compliments of Wintergreen (winter hours: 10-4 Sat/Sun and other days when pre-arranged by Wintergreen).