At a glance:
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Pick-up: 10 a.m. from Fairbanks hotel
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Meals: Breakfast on your own; lunch at Arctic Dog Adventure Co.; hot dinner at camp
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Distance: 10–15 trail miles
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Camp: Kitchen tent, two heated Arctic Ovens (2 guests each), and privy
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Highlights: Heated tents, cold-weather gear, hands-on mushing, pure roadless wilderness, exclusive aurora viewing location.
The day begins with a sense of anticipation as you're picked up from your Fairbanks hotel at 10 a.m. By mid-morning, you’re at Arctic Dog Adventure Co., sipping a warm drink as you and your guide review gear and packing list for the journey. After lunch, you bundle into your expedition parka, pants, and boots and head outside to meet your new teammates: your dog team.
The dogs are happy and excited, tails wagging and eager to run. After a brief safety orientation and mushing lesson, you step onto the runners of your sled, heart pounding, and pull the snow hook. With a shout of “Hike!” the team surges forward. You grip the handlebars, knees slightly bent, adjusting to the movement of the sled as you follow your guide through an old wildfire scar to a high ridge overlooking the Chatanika River Valley.
Framed by the rolling foothills of the White Mountains, this wilderness—free of roads or railways—stretches unbroken for hundreds of miles, all the way to the Arctic Ocean. Snow-covered hills roll in every direction, and the only sound is the rhythmic patter of paws and the hush of sled runners gliding over snow.
As the afternoon light fades, you arrive at our private Aurora Camp, accessible only by dog team or snowmachine. Perched on a ridge north of Fairbanks, far from light pollution, the camp includes a kitchen tent, two heated Arctic Oven glamping tents, and a privy. Unharness your dogs and tuck them in for the night, a quiet moment of connection and care.
Your accommodation for the night is a heated 9×9×7 ft Alaskan Arctic Oven Igloo tent—cozy, warm, and softly lit with twinkle lights. Inside, warmth radiates from the stove and two twin beds made with linen sheets, down comforters, and alpaca blankets promise restorative sleep. There is ample room for gear at the foot of the beds.
After a hearty wilderness dinner in the communal kitchen tent, step outside into the crisp night air. Above, the sky begins to shimmer—green ribbons of aurora ripple across the blackness, dancing above the pristine forest. Wrapped in down and silence, you watch the lights dance until sleep calls.
Day 2: Deep Winter Trails
At a glance:
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Meals: Breakfast at camp; lunch on the trail; dinner on your own.
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Distance: 12–20 miles by dog sled.
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Drop off at your Fairbanks hotel between 5–7 p.m. AKST
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Highlights: Deeper trail exploration, remote campfire lunch, expansive views, stronger connection with your dog team, hands-on mushing experience.
Wake to the barking of sled dogs getting fed and the smell of coffee drifting from the kitchen tent. Outside, your team greets the day with wagging tails. After a hot breakfast, you harness the dogs and set off once more—this time venturing deeper into the wilderness.
The trail winds through frosted birch forest before dropping into the a quiet valley. Snow muffles sound, and the world feels hushed and pristine. A gradual climb opens up sweeping views of the distant Alaska Range. Around midday, you pause in a thick black spruce grove for a trailside campfire, warm drinks, and lunch while the dogs rest.
The return journey is serene and beautiful. You glide past snow-laden black spruce, climbing gentle ridges where the views stretch for miles. The bond with your team deepens—they pull with purpose, and you ride with growing confidence and joy.
By late afternoon, you arrive back at the kennel. After unharnessing your dogs and whispering your thanks, you return your expedition gear to the cabin and climb into the truck—tired, exhilarated, and carrying the quiet magic of the trail with you.
