During stage 1 we will kayak 1,400 miles from Seattle, Washington to Skagway, Alaska. The Pacific Northwest is home to a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial animals. We will be studying whales and other marine mammals, kelp forests, salmon, and many other species.
The Pacific Northwest is home to a variety of large land mammals including Grizzly Bears, and Black Bears. Above and below the surface we are sure to find plenty of things to learn about. Many of these large mammals need large undeveloped spaces to thrive and the roadless sections of British Columbia and Alaska provide the perfect habitat.
From Skagway, Alaska we will hike over the Chilkoot Pass in the footsteps of thousands of gold seekers who struggled across the pass to reach the Klondike. Many of artifacts remain from those early days, and we will follow their path all the way to Dawson City along the mighty Yukon River.
From Bennet Lake on the eastern side of the Chilkoot Pass we will canoe through a chain of lakes that form the headwaters of the Yukon River past White Horse and down the swift flowing Yukon River to Dawson City. 
From Dawson we will hike 100 miles through the mountains to the headwaters of the Blackstone River. The Blackstone flows into the Peel River, which flows in the McKenzie River, which will lead us to the Arctic Ocean. The rivers flowing through these rugged mountains as some of the most pristine wild rivers in North America, with hundreds of miles of flowing waterways between towns or roads.
After over 2,600 miles of paddling and hiking we hope to reach the Arctic Ocean before freeze up. We will spend the month of October,2010 training our dogs, and learning about native life in the Arctic. In November we will head south along the McKenzie River by dog team, crossing 1,800 miles of frozen wilderness. There are many remote native communities along our way and we are sure to learn a lot from the people we encounter.
When the ice melts in the Spring of 2011 we will transition from dogsled to canoe and paddle 2,300 miles along the historic travel and trade route pioneered by Alexander McKenzie, Samuel Hearne, and other Canadian Explorers in the 1700's. We will finish this stage of our journey in the fall of 2011 by completing the 8 1/2 mile Grand Portage which will lead us to the rock shore of Lake Superior.
After spending the winter giving presentations and making final preparations we will begin 4,800 mile kayak journey from Grand Portage, Minnesota to Key West, Florida. The first 2,200 miles will take us through the Great Lakes and out the Saint Lawrence Seaway. 
During the final stage of our journey we will kayak the length of the Atlantic Coast from the Saint Lawrence Seaway to Key West, Florida. We will be following the seasonal whale migration from the Bay of Fundy in Maine to the warm clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way we will visit cities large and small, and study a variety of ecosystems and environmental topics. We also plan to take side trips into the cyprus swamps and Everglades National Park looking for Alligators, birds, and other critters.
Expedition Blog
Pacific Northwest
Sled Dogs Come in All Shapes and Sizes
Sunday, 05 February 2012 17:48
Upper Student Response Worksheet Lower Student Response Worksheet
Watching the results for last week's Cast YOUR Vote was exciting. When the poll closed, there was a tie between “different types of sled dogs” and “caring for sled dogs”. Dave and I have decided to talk about the different types of sled dogs in this week's Notes from the Trail. Then, we will write about caring for sled dogs next week.
The dogs that we use at Wintergreen are Inuit Dogs. They are very strong and very furry!
Basically, there are five main types of sled dogs: Malamutes, Siberian huskies, Alaskan huskies, Inuit (Eskimo) dogs, and Samoyeds. Historically, these different types of dogs evolved in different parts of the world. Before snowmobiles were invented, sled dogs were used by the people living in Canada, northern United States, Lapland, Greenland, Siberia, Norway, and Finland.
Malamutes are freight dogs. This means that they are bigger, they can pull heavy loads for long distances, and they can live in very harsh conditions. They have thick, warm coats, hardy paws, and they are very strong. They are not fast. Malamutes weigh between 80 and 120 pounds.
Siberian huskies are smaller and faster. The coloring of their faces looks like a mask. They have blue eyes. Siberian huskies usually weigh 40 to 60 pounds. They make pretty good racing dogs. Pound for pound, they can actually pull more weight than Malamutes (but for shorter distances).
The Inuit or Eskimo dog is a large, Arctic dog. They have provided transportation for the Inuit people for at least 4,000 years. Used for seal hunting and hauling supplies and people, the Inuit dogs evolved to be very strong and sturdy. Their coats are warm enough for them to sleep in the snow in below zero temperatures. Their paws are very tough. They may be slow, but the Inuit dog is still the top choice for adventurers traveling on Arctic expeditions.
Alaskan huskies are mixed-breed dogs that are most often used for racing. They are a cross between Siberian husky and various other breeds. Alaskan huskies can weigh between 40 and 75 pounds. They might have thick or thin fur of any color, and their ears can be pointy or floppy. Some of the breeds that have gone into the mix for Alaskan huskies include greyhound, pointer, hound, and even terrier. These dogs are bred for speed.
Samoyeds evolved as working dogs with the Samoyede people of Siberia. Samoyeds have a very distinct white, fluffy coat. They weigh between 35 and 65 pounds. Traditionally, Samoyeds were not just bred to be sled dogs. They also would be used as guard dogs and even reindeer herders.
I hope you enjoyed learning about the different types of sled dogs. If you want to learn more about any of these dogs, feel free to use these links to do some research. I also have a book recommendation for you. It is called Born to Pull, by Bob Cary and Gail de Marcken.
http://www.akc.org/breeds/
http://www.akc.org/breeds/
http://www.
http://www.canadianeskimodog.
http://www.dogsledding.com
http://www.samoyed.org/ows/
Food for thought:
If you were a sled dog, what type of sled dog would you be? Explain your answer.
Compare Alaskan Huskies with the Inuit Dogs that we use. Describe how they are similar and how they are different.
Plan your first dogsled trip. Decide how many dogs you want on your team and what type of sled dogs you would take.
Fennel's Field Notes
Dave and Amy spent some time making marks with my paw. They dipped it in ink and even painted it! I wasn't quite sure why they were doing this. It was kind of fun. I like getting any sort of attention. They even made a video about it. Have you watched it yet?
The weather was warm this week. I pulled a sled for part of the time. It was fun. We explored a place called Triangle Creek. I think the people in this group really liked me. When I was done pulling, I would follow Dave to the lodge. Then I would wait outside the door for him to come out.
Today was really warm and sunny. I didn't pull the sled. I ran in front of the sleds. By lunch time, I was really hot and tired, so I decided to stay home. I have been sleeping all afternoon.