Dog Sled

Sled dogs have been used in northern parts of the globe to transport goods and people for thousands of years. Able to travel as fast as 20 miles per hour over short distances, sled dogs provided a critical link between Arctic villages during the long winter months when snow covered the trails and rivers were frozen. The first recorded sled dog race, which probably was held as a diversion from the long, hard winters, took place in 1908.

Today, dog sledding has lost its critical role for communication and transportation, but it continues to provide entertainment and enjoyment for many. In Wind River Country, the high alpine meadows and forested glades on Togwotee Pass create exciting and beautiful terrain for dog sledding.

Wind River Country is also the site of one of the most challenging stages of the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race. This dog sled race, which began in 1996, is run in the end of January and beginning of February across western Wyoming. In Wind River Country, the mushers travel up the grueling 1,000-foot climb out of Sinks Canyon along the Loop Road and covering a total of 76 miles before finishing in Irish Canyon on the western side of the Continental Divide. The stage-stop format allows for the communities along the route to join in the celebration and in Lander, there is an annual spaghetti dinner held by the Rotary Club in honor of the mushers the night before the race. The following morning, spectators can watch as the dog teams take off from Bruce’s Bridge in Sinks Canyon.