Today, for my birthday (yesterday) we went for a half day dogsled ride! Actually, the time on the sled was probably somewhere around 2 hours, but we arrived at the lodge 1 PM and we left the place just after 4:30 PM.  An upside to the early arrival of winter, we were able to schedule a Saturday trip! In peak season, half day trips are usually reserved for Sundays. So, I was really excited we got to do this on the prime day on my birthday weekend.

Also a bonus for an early season trip, it was in the mid-20’s while we were out! I didn’t need to rent any gear, and got away with dressing “light.” My parka was just fine (i.e. I didn’t need a more windproof layer). I wore my lighter face mask, but this was a mixed blessing because my breath kind of froze on my face. Once I went down that road, there was no taking it off the rest of the trip.

When they untied the eager dogs, they took off at a pace Paul and I were not prepared for! The website had listed a fairly slow pace (which did end up being typical for the remainder of the trip) but for those first harrowing minutes, we wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. My breath, concentrated from my face mask, fogged up my sunglasses. This made my life flash before my (impeded) eyes as the dogs took off into the woods. Therein lies the only downside of going early in the season: our guides told us we were about 6″ short of ideal snow conditions, so the trails were pretty rough. When the dogs were fresh, they sprinted through the 1st part of the woods, taking us over rocks, grazing trees, etc. Paul and I each had to bail at various points and run to catch back up. We didn’t take the key gear suggestion of having a neck strap for our sunglasses, so in a survival move, I chucked my sunglasses into the sled as we entered the woods. They stayed there for the rest of the trip, but the fur lining of my parka hood did OK to block the sun.

I wore an old Smartwool base layer under a fleece-lined top. It was just about right for the trip. I wore cheap fleece-lined synthetic leggings under my snow pants. Again, we made it through just fine but any colder would have necessitated upping our game. The main change I would have made was liner socks under my wool socks. My feet sweat at some point in my tall Arctic muck boots, and they got cold after awhile.

We trotted over the frozen White Iron Lake and eventually made it through some Labrador tea to a bog! It was surreal gliding over those habitats in this icy season. Paul and I gawked at the scenery and mused about the utility of this transport method for surveying birds. (At one point, Paul quipped “this is the only way to travel.”) When the terrain got rough in the woods, we helped kick the sled for the dogs. We got off at hills and pushed the sled. All in all, it was a pleasant little workout when we were initially concerned about standing still so long!

The dogs honestly didn’t pay much heed to us, and their pep was surprising! 🙂 They were more excited to chase our lead guide, who was on cross country skis. The dogs were mostly motivated by him looking over his shoulder saying “GOOD DOGS!” More often than not, they took off before we wanted! We’d have to hold them back to give our guide enough of a lead, and sometimes slow them down to trail him by a respectful pace. We only had a brake, and a few commands (that we used infrequently, and were often ignored).

On the way back, we were awed by a sunset over the frozen lake. It was so peaceful, and we got back just as night was starting to fall. The dogs lost some steam over the trip, but they never lost their kick to take off when they felt like it! As we were getting back toward the kennel, they showed just how much they had left in the tank as they took off before we asked them (which we would have otherwise done by saying “HIKE!”). They ran straight up a hill with us in tow, probably motivated by a big meal. We helped tie up the sled and petted them goodbye. All in all, it was a really incredible experience I’m so glad to have had! I think 32 is off to a great start!

Today is my birthday, so I’m going to share with you perhaps some of the most important things I’ve learned in my 32 years around the sun: how to dress for cold weather. My birthday weekend adventures give this east coast girl an excuse to write about the complexities of dressing for winter in a cold climate. I have learned so much (…and still surely have much to learn) since I’ve lived here, so I want to share that wisdom with you. There are so many things I never knew before I moved to this part of the country. I’m including my best tips here so you shop smart, even if you live in a milder climate (like the one I’m from).

• Sweating outdoors when it’s cold is less than ideal: this is the fastest way to get cold. If you’re in significantly low temps for a long time, your sweat will chill and your temp will drop fast! So, dressing for northern winters is a delicate balance of not spending too much time inside after you suit up, and not overdoing your layers. It will take some trial and error based on your activities, so “build up” to recreation outdoors and learn as you go.
  • add wick layer: you’ll be shocked at what you have to layer, that you never knew had layers.
    • Merino wool base layers are warm and wick away sweat!
    • get used to the idea of liners
      • socks: liner socks may be a synthetic that gets rid of the sweat, while your feet are surrounded by a thick sock that does the warming.
      • hats: yes, you may actually need a liner hat and a heavy hat!
      • gloves: you might need liner gloves and roomy mittens, or shell mittens to block the wind.
• Sizing to allow layers: you want your coat to be able to accommodate whatever you layer underneath, as well as your boots. Your boots should actually allow 2 pairs of liner socks and 2 pairs of socks! Also, your feet swell during activity, so you want them to be roomy.
  • air circulation: gear with a little room helps with the sweat problem, while also allowing your body to warm the air and thus create a favorable micro-climate.
  • blood circulation: if your boots are too tight, your feet won’t benefit from the replenishing blood flow while you move!
• Materials
  • down: if you can keep it dry, down is the most insulating material. I have a down parka that goes past my knees and I love it!
  • wool: wool is amazingly warm, and way better than synthetics. I feel like it gets a bad rep for being scratchy and dowdy (at least where I’m from). However, there are so many quality products out there these days. I almost exclusively by wool layers if I’m serious about being warm!
  • canvas: didn’t see that one coming did you? 😉 This is for blocking the wind. Depending on what you’re doing, how cold it is/prevailing weather and how long you’ll be active, you may need a layer that is windproof.
• Gear you’ve never thought about like this…
  • neck gaiter: these can be way less of a hassle than scarves, be really warm and cover your ears.
  • boot features
    • seasonal transition: “Sorel-type.” I’d recommend these when you need that waterproof toe, to take you where the snow might be melting. They’re also good for the dead of winter, though. All in all, these are the most versatile winter boots.
    • heavy duty: I have tall Arctic ice muck boots and they’re designed for traction! They can handle most anything. They’re pretty stiff, though, so I only really wear them when I’m doing something serious.
    • warm for midwinter snow activities: Steger mukluks! I have the wildcats and they’re my favorite boots! (I also get compliments on them often; really nice to have both form and function in this boot.) This model isn’t the most hardcore or the lowest temp rated boots they offer (you can spring for their more serious model with a canvas top to the knee and some lace up time required). I just added a sheepskin liner this year, and they’re very warm and comfortable! It kind of feels like you’re cheating and wearing slippers with these cozy pull-on boots, but they’re for real winter footwear and well worth the price tag. The only downside is that they’re really designed for snow, so the traction isn’t great on slick surfaces. Overall they serve me well, though.