Despite the most well-known dog sled race, The Iditarod, is
in Alaska, dog sledding is quite a popular sport in the Adirondacks as well. A
famous race, called the Adirondack
Bank NYS Championship Sled Dog Races, occurs annually in Inlet, near Raquette Lake,
in mid-February. The race draws thousands of spectators every year and the
competitors are the same as those that compete in world championship races.
Besides races to attend, there are many locations in the Adirondacks for people
to learn how to dog sled recreationally.
Before dog sleds were used for racing, they were the main
transportation source for many living in Arctic climates. Dog sleds were
especially helpful for delivering mail, supplies and medicine in this time
period. They were even used by American police officers in the late 1800s to
patrol gold mines and keep order. Even now, when weather conditions are severe,
dog sleds are used in Alaska to transport necessary medicines and materials to
those in danger.
The most common types of dogs who pull sleds are Alaskan
Malamutes and Siberian Huskies. Malamutes are used for heavy loads, while
Huskies are used for long distance, lighter loads. The sled dogs are typically
2-10 years old, weigh 50-65 pounds and can run at a pace of about 20 miles per
hour. Sled dogs are picked as puppies if they have very dense fur coats and are
not picky eaters. Just in case they get stuck somewhere without a lot of food,
the musher (the person riding the sled) must be sure that his dogs will be able
to survive on whatever food can be found. The lead dog is typically the
smartest and fastest dog, but it is also important that he is accepted by the
rest of the pack. Because he is the lead, the pack needs to accept him to
follow him. To keep warm, the dogs sleep with their tails over their noses, and
the mushers dress them with coats and blankets.
Dog sleds are made of strong, lightweight native ash by
local craftsmen. In the Adirondacks, it is not unusual to find craftsmen who
will make a custom dog sled just for you. The sled below was built in the
Adirondacks in 1920 and was used in the first race from Saranac Lake to Lake
Placid. This sled can now be found in the Adirondack Museum.
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