Dog Sledding in the Adirondacks

When someone mentions "dog sledding" people tend to think of the Iditarod, a great annual long-distance dog sledding race located in the Alaskan winter terrain. However, dog sledding is actually a local sport too. In popular towns of the Adirondacks, such as Lake Placid, dog sled rides are often available to tourists for a decent price. In fact, a musher (the person who works a dog sled team) had his team out on Mirror Lake when our class field trip was in Lake Placid. While I myself have never been for a ride on a dog sled, I have a strong interest in the sport, and trained one of my dogs to skijor with me (the skiing equivalent of dog sledding). Our class field trip made me wonder about the history of dog sledding in the Adirondacks.

Dog sledding on Mirror Lake in Lake Placid.

Dog sledding was inspired in the Adirondacks by one lone man, and for a while was a very popular sport. In the early 20th century, dog sledding became a craze in the town of Saranac Lake (located near Lake Placid). The first dog sled team was brought to Saranac Lake in 1910 by the Alaskan dog musher William F. Cooper (Also, known as Caribou Bill). As the only musher in the area, he made a profit by renting his equipment and team of dogs to motion picture producers who desired a natural Arctic look in their films. His team of Alaskan Malamutes could pull a sled full of five people, and were often seen driving down Broadway in Saranac Lake in the winter months. However, in 1915, Cooper moved out to Port Henry, lured away by an offer from the Chamber of Commerce. Once Cooper moved out of town, the dog sled business in Saranac Lake collapsed, since no one knew how to drive a team of dogs, and dog sledding was out competed by horse-pulled sleigh rides.

Fortunately around the same time, a professional dog trainer by the name of Jacques Suzanne moved into the neighboring town of Lake Placid. Previously, Suzanne had driven teams of dogs for Commodore Perry on his trips to the North Pole. In Lake Placid, Suzanne established a dog camp that became a headquarter for mushers, dog sleds, and a variety of types of sled dogs. Suzanne would sell out his dog team for passengers and photographers, building the hype around the dog sledding sport in Lake Placid. Dog sledding was even showcased in the 1932 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid.

A photograph of Jaques Suzzane and one of his dogs, circa 1910-1915.

While dog sledding may not have originated in the Adirondacks, it has slowly but surely become a part of the Adirondack aesthetic. Local communities, such as the town of Inlet, still host annual dog sled races, showing their appreciation for the sport. Furthermore, the tourist industry has continued to bloom around dog sledding, and while mushers may be in low supply, mushers operate for tourists out of several popular towns, such as Lake Placid. The benefits of dog sledding may have been taken over by snow mobiles, but the heart of the sport will live on.

An antique dog sled showcased at the Adirondack Museum. Traditional Adirondack sleds were made from strong, native ash wood.

References:
https://localwiki.org/hsl/Dog_Sledding
http://www.adirondack.net/dog_sledding/