Song In the Woods – a Dog Sled Maine Adventure

For the last ten years I’ve been going to the Caribbean for winter break. This year, even though we’ve had record snow, I decided to change things up and head North. I chose Greenville Maine because of Moosehead lake. I wanted to be in the biggest town that had ample lodging and recreational facilities.
I’m pleased to say I made the right choice. I only had three days to spend and today was dedicated to dog-​sledding. Let me make it clear that I’m not particularly hearty nor athletic.
Our guides and our dogs were all charming and a pleasure to be with. They were actually the perfect guides for me: they cheerfully responded to any question and pointed out sites of interest. But, if you wanted to be quiet they were quiet too.
The day started out with a very informative safety primer and instructions. We got to help harness the dogs distract them while Stephen and Zach got everything else set up — then off we went. It was fast and furious at first but settled down to a lovely ride. There were some Youza moments along the way to keep you on the edge of your sled and some beautiful scenery. Over 95% of the ride was on trails that did not allow snowmobiles — only cross country skiers.
I’m 60, over-​weight and out of shape. In other words, if I can do it, you can do it.
Since we spent a full day we stopped at an off-​the-​grid lodge for a delicious lunch served by really nice people.
I never felt like we were being rushed and at the end of a long day Stephen took us on a ride through town, since we hadn’t seen much of it yet.
Overall a wonderful treat — I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Imagine this: Sipping hot cocoa as a team of huskies pulls you effortlessly along the shore of a moonlit lake — That’s not this trip.
Who goes dog sledding? I did last winter. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. Although at one point, I thought I’d rather lye down in the woods and die than continue on — I’d do it again.
The owner Steven meets you in the pitch-​black parking lot of a rundown bakery (that for some reason doesn’t have an address). You follow his truck deep into the woods of Abbot, Maine (a place that’s barely on maps) and wonder if this website you found is actually an elaborate front for a cereal killer.
You’re suspicions do not subside when you climb into his truck and see that he’s wearing a lightweight track suit — it’s January, and nighttime, and below zero.
Next thing you know he’s pulling puppies from the back of his truck, and you’re dodging dog tongues and sticking eager husky legs through harnesses.
In two minutes time, you’ve been briefed on mushing your own dog team. You blink and Steven’s taken off with his team, you’re all alone, and it’s your turn to follow.
Any romantic ideas you had leave when you lose feeling in your toes or when you’re pushing the sled up 90 degree hills… or holding on for dear life down them… when your lead dog chases a rabbit off the trail and you spend the next 15 minutes untangling him… when you pound your complimentary hot chocolate to quench the thirst gained from running through snow banks for eight miles or to melt the ice crystals you can actually feel forming on your lungs… When your boyfriend, who is in much better shape than you are and doesn’t smoke a pack a day groans when you summit a steep root-​covered hill only to find another steeper rootier one in its place.
Don’t let the «Moonlit Memories» package fool you — this trip is more outward bound than romantic interlude. The owner doesn’t hold your hand. He keeps ahead and lets you do your own thing.
It’s fun in the way I imagine it’d be fun to be shipwrecked but then build a raft that floats you home.
The website says this trip is has a difficulty level of easy to moderate — that’s debatable. What isn’t is that this was an amazing experience, and even though my boyfriend and I didn’t gaze into each other’s eyes the whole time — we were too busy swearing, laughing, and wheezing — it’s a cool exercise in team work and, to some degree, survival.
My advice: The owner is cool, don’t worry. Actually read the pre-​sledding instructions he sends you, but don’t let them frighten you away. And, if you aren’t accustomed to running for long periods of time — prepare to get your ass kicked.