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Touring Dates still available for March.

Please contact us for information!

 

KENNEL UPDATE

Feb 4, 2010 has come in a little chilly (minus 45) but for the most part this winter has been extremely nice. And this cold snap appears to be short lived according to the baramoter. The trails are in excellant shape as we now have plenty of snow. The clients are very happy with the dogs, trails and travel conditions.

Jan 17. 2010 has us with 3 days of light snow that has given us enough to groom our trail here at the homestead and have it nice. To watch the snow fall is always a beautiful sight. We are well into our tour season and things are going smoothly. The dogs are in great shape and enjoying their outings.

Dec 27, 2009...Hopefully everyone has had a wonderul Christmas Holiday and are looking forward to a good New Year to come. We have been slowly getting snow an inch at a time and the trail systems are becoming quite nice. Winds have areas of the river blown to ice but other areas have now gotten filled in and we have been enjoying working the teams out thru the river ice.

Nov 27, 2009...Hopefully those of you celebrating Thanksgiving have had a really wonderful time with friends and family. Ours was quiet. The river stopped about 3 weeks ago and our son, Matt, came down from the summit base camp and has now headed on downriver putting in more trails.

The trails system is still rough as we are in need of at least 6 more inches of snow but it is in the forcast for the next few days so we have our fingers crossed.

The dogs seem to be getting into good shape even tho we have not been able to do many long runs this early in the season.

Nov 4, 2009...just missed the big snow storm...too bad! So we are still waiting for the inches of white fluff to cover the ground so we can start running dogs. In the meantime Wayne has taken a sled down to the slough and has been doing some training runs out on the ice...in the slough. The river is running heavy ice but is nowhere near stopping. We are going to have to have more serious cold to plug the narrow spots so that the river stops moving.

Oct 26, 2009...Finally snow is on the ground. It is only a few inches but it seems to brighten the bleak winter days and nights. I forget the illumination of the nights when the ground is white. Wayne is out running dogs...still loose running (dogs running free) with the 4 wheeler but he is chaffing at the bit to get on a dog sled. The dogs love it either way. We will spend part of the day continueing to brush out the recut winter access trail to the cabin.

Oct 20, 2009…Temps continue to hover just below the freezing mark and ice has started building up along the edges of the river. The Yukon began running ice 2 days ago but has slacked off today. With the cooler temps the dogs are eager for movement and we try to have all the dogs off and running around every 3 or 4 days. They love fast dashes to the river. The fishwheel is high and dry, the boat is pulled out of the water, in the process of do we make one more trip to town or do we continue to pull it up onto high ground. Daylight is getting short and we (Wayne, Matt, Nate, the dogs and I) are eagerly awaiting freeze up and snow. Matt and Nate will spend freeze up at our summit base camp and Wayne and I will stay at the homestead trying to get in some R & R along with getting some chores done that were planned for this summer.

Sep 27th...Our winter season is fast approaching and the dogs are perking up as the weather cools. We have had our first snows but they have not stayed on the ground yet. The winter trail has been recut from the river to the homestead thru the downed trees. We are about to pull the fishwheel and have been disappointed as the catch has been extremely poor we are having to make more trips into Fairbanks for dogfood...a bummer but the dogs will eat well this winter.

Aug 28...A lot of work going on as the summer season begins to blend into winter. The dogs have enjoyed a good summer. The whole team is back together as Matt has returned from the glacier where he was working with AIE (Alaska Icefield Expeditions) doing tours on the Mendenhal Glacier.

As for Eagle...the volunteers have been wonderful and the new houses are up and roofed. A lot of work still remains but people will be in their homes before the snow flies. For us we were able to get the fishwheel completed for what appears to be the worst fish run on record so the dogs may not be eating much fish this winter. That is one more downer for a bad season but everyone is striving forward.

The tractor was rafted down and has done an amazing job at getting the trail useable for hauling in supplies. The winter trail still needs work...heck...the summer trail still needs work but we now have time to get things better.

A number of wonderful friends have come by and helped out with trail work and the fishwheel and helping haul in supplies from Fairbanks to Eagle so that we had more time to work here. We appreciate all the help that has come our way and all the help that has poured into Eagle.

July 10, 2009...Hum, it has been a while. July 1st rolled around with ice still in places by today it is gone except for some ice still down on our creek which we are using in coolers to keep drinks cold.

The dogs are having a good summer. The 2 bears hanging around are having a good summer. Wayne and I are...well...we wont talk about that.

We have a trail of sorts out to the river now but it cannot be used for hauling in supplies yet. We are attempting to get a tractor down here to move dirt around and fill all the mine shafts left by gouging ice. Some of the holes are 4 and 5 feet deep. Looking at it from the good side is that there is plenty of debrie around to cut up and throw in the holes then a lot less dirt has to be moved.

Eagle is working hard to recoup. Crews are continually coming in to help with the clearing and rebuilding. FEMA has come thru for lots of folks but as usual some who really need the help have fallen thru the cracks. So everybit of help is welcome in Eagle.

We are trying to get the fishwheel built and have supplies and some logs hauled to our building site and hope to make a solid start today.

 

 






 

 
 

Run your own sled dog team of Alaskan Huskies through the Alaska, Yukon Wilderness. We specialize in extreme, hard-core wilderness travel using highly trained Alaskan huskies. This area of Alaska is one of the most remote locations left on earth.  Because a true wilderness experience becomes tainted with a large group or "party," we limit our tours to one or two clients plus your guide.  (Except on special request for a larger group, by you.)  You can customize your tour to your own personal physical abilities and expectations which can include day trips and simple overnight adventures in a tent camp or an original miner/trapline cabin dating back to the early part of the century or you can experience a full-blown expedition as long as you want, mushing into country inhabited only by God's creations, including caribou and wolves. 

Along with the experience of riding the runners behind the dogs, you can spend time hiking, skiing, ski joring, snow boarding, aurora watching, (on clear nights the northern lights often grace the sky), or just kicking back in a relaxed, remote location.

While you are here you will be exposed to a variety of hazards and risks, which are inherent in each trip and cannot be eliminated without destroying the unique character of what you want to experience.
Rescue and medical facilities are not easily available. Take note the closest doctor or hospital is over 350 air miles from your dog tour starting point at our cabin.  Your physical conditioning is essential for your safety.  Medical help could be days away!

Your dog sled adventure begins in the small town of Eagle where we will make our way 6 miles down the Yukon River to the home cabin, as there are no roads to our homestead, located deep in the interior/boreal forest, and continue on to our fall dog training camp situated high on the tundra of American Summit above tree line and beyond.  If the timing is right you can run your dog team among thousands of migrating caribou--with wild-life viewing possibilities ranging from exotic Alaskan Sable to Lynx, Moose, Wolves and other Alaskan Interior Wild-Life.

Due to the nature of this total wilderness environment the country does not allow for luxury accommodations.  However our tours range from log cabins to hard-core tent camps set up in mountain ranges accessible only by dog team.  We specialize in primitive expedition type travel by dog team.  Typical clientele are athletic type sports enthusiasts looking for a challenging adventure to test themselves in a harsh environment which includes an element of risk.

If you are into a fun type sledding experience, that does not require an extreme level of physical fitness, we have trails and very rustic cabins in remote areas that also include everything the expedition type tours offer with-out the inherent risk and physical requirements.  All tours are custom designed to your specifications for each selected client.

GUIDES:  Wayne Hall, Scarlett Hall and Matt Emslie

VIEW AN 8 MINUTE VIDEO: Sierra Club member Mickey Murch made this video in Feb 2007 while on a Sierra Club Tour with us. The clip is called Metabolic Transportation and is on vimeo. To watch the video, once the page pulls up, click the starting arrow on the window.

http://www.vimeo.com/151967

VIEW A YOUTUBE VIDEO OF A 2009 EXTREME TRIP!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAqWKDkDJBI

View a video of some advanced mushing with direction from guide, Matt Emslie: Sometimes mushing can get difficult and exhilarating as this video of Louise directing her team and working her sled around a narrow ledge of ice on an exploratory trip into the headwaters of Eagle Creek. Once the page opens up, click on the starting arrow on the window.

http://www.vimeo.com/185789

MEDIA ARTICLES:

New York Times Travel Magazine "The Great White Way" by Alix Browne in the November 20, 2005 issue.

http://travel.nytimes.com//185789

http://query.nytimes.com 

USA TODAY Travel>>Destinations "Dog Sledding Keeps Gliding Along, Snow or No Snow" by Laura Bly February 14, 2008

http://www.usatoday.com

Australian Financial Review, The Sophisticated Traveler Jan 2006

http://afr.com

MUSHING The Magazine of Dog-Powered Adventure July/Augush 2008 "Bush Alaska Expeditions" by Anita C. Strindberg

http://mushing.com  

CONTACT: For more information and/or questions e-mail us at bushalaskaex@starband.net or bush_alaska_expeditions@hotmail.com ask for our brochure or write us at:  Bush Alaska Expeditions, P O Box 161, Eagle, AK 99738.  No incoming phone calls due to the remote location but there is Internet access via satellite. Phone calls can be arranged via computer and satellite.   

OCT-NOV-DEC each year finds us at our American Summit Base Camp.  Our internet access is limited to once every 7 to 10 days.  Please contact us with any questions but also be aware that during that period you may not receive a reply for a period of time depending on weather and travel conditions. 








 
   

 

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