High Country Adventures: You can go dog sledding in Colorado
OHIO CITY, Colo. (KRDO) - You might be surprised to find out you don’t have to go all the way to Alaska to get your mush on! For this week’s High Country Adventures, KRDO 13’s Julia Donovan traveled out to Ohio City - a remote town out in Gunnison County - to learn all about Colorado dog sledding.
“To experience the mountains in a way that most people don’t get to experience them – it’s just super great,” explained Abigayil Crowder, owner of The Mushing Mutts. "I love mushing so much.”
Abigayil started dog sledding when she was just fifteen years old. She wanted to be a dog trainer so she begged her parents for a husky.
Now, she has 44 furry best friends and owns one of Colorado’s very few dog sled racing and touring kennels.
“These dogs - they just make me so happy,” Abigayil gushed about her pups. “I mean, most of these guys were born on my bed.”
We weren’t at all surprised when we learned Abigayil’s early inspiration.
“Mostly the movie Balto,” she admitted. “I can still quote that movie.”
What a classic!
Riding on a dog sled is obviously super fun, but learning about these impressive dogs was equally as enjoyable for us.
“Most of these guys start training from the day they’re born,” Abigayil explained. “By the time they’re ten months old, they start going in the team right smack in the middle so they can learn from the best.”
By two years old they can usually lead the sled!
Between raising dozens of dogs, sled rides and races – Abigayil is on a strict schedule.
“You never get a day off, it’s a lifestyle,” she told us. “These guys don’t know if you’re sick, they don’t care if you’re sick. They want to be fed, they need to have their poop scooped.”
But she wouldn’t trade it for the world.
“Once these guys get going, they’re calm, they’re silent,” said Abigayil. “You get to just be serene.”
Click here to learn more about The Mushing Mutts and book a dog sled ride.
