Mountain Man Sled Dog Adventures is getting ready for their 12th season at Sun Peaks Mountain Resort.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Taryn Schwanke

A couple and their 46 huskies are getting ready for another snowy dog sledding season at Sun Peaks Mountain Resort this year.

Taryn Schwanke said she and her husband are starting to take bookings for sled tours while they wait for the white stuff to fall.

Two different tours are offered, an hour long or a 1.5 hour long tour that includes an introduction to the dogs with interaction and giving dog treats, at Mountain Man Dog Sled Adventures.

“We have a large team of dogs so we can rotate them so they don’t get burnt out,” she said. “Our trails are full of twists and turns and cover all kinds of terrain. People are typically surprised at how fast the dogs go. I guess they go around 25 kilometres per hour but have never clocked them.”

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The dogs are mixed breed Alaskan Huskies Schwanke bred specifically for the job with a focus on health and performance over physical attributes like coat colour or straight ears. They eat a mixed diet of kibble, chicken and water, and beef treats from the guests.

“We get wonderful feedback,” Schwanke said. “People really enjoy how friendly and outgoing the dogs are. I think the experience is more exciting than people expect it to be.”

Mountain Man Dog Sled Adventures is getting ready for another season.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Taryn Schwanke

Up to three sleds being pulled by teams of eight dogs can be operating at one time. Schwanke said each sled comes with a vaccinated instructor and opportunities to try driving. The sleds hold two adults.

This will be the 12th season for the business, the last one strained by the effects of COVID. Schwanke said typically international guests make up 80% of their bookings.

“We are pretty established but we still have to work for it,” Schwanke said. “With international travelers not arriving we were blown away by how people from the interior came out. We tried our best to encourage locals to explore their own backyards. I am seeing a lot of provincial traffic booked which I am super excited about.”

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Schwanke and her husband live on a large acreage close to the resort. They both grew up in Saskatoon.

“After high school my husband went to work in Banff,” she said. “He ended up working with a dog sledding outfit and decided he didn’t want to do anything else. I came in with a degree in business so it was a perfect combination. We knew we wanted to live here as soon as we came to Sun Peaks.”

Schwanke said she loves getting feedback from guests and is always trying to improve on the past season. This year she is looking forward to giving the transport van a facelift and installing extra fencing on the acreage that will give the dogs more room to run and play.

Tours can be booked here for December 15 on.

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