What is dog sledding on an Alaska glacier like? — featuring Adventures Of A Traveling Don (Alaska Helicopter Tours)

0:04 [Music] All righty, fellow travelers. Welcome back to Adventures of a Traveling Don. And today we've got a great one here in Alaska. Of course, you guys know I have been based here in Seward, and I'm going to be taking a tour, a helicopter tour up on top of one of the glaciers surrounding here uh in uh southern

0:25 Alaska, and we are going to be going dog sledding. I am super excited about this. I want to give a big thanks to Alaska helicopter tours. And of course my friends Willow and Joey uh who are part of the Dallas CVI team uh that's uh started up a new dog sledding team up here to do for Glacier runs uh during

0:43 the summer. So absolutely fantastic. I'm super excited about this. So let's get on that helicopter and let's get up and go meet the dogs. [Music]

1:14 So before we head up, you're going to check in here at base camp and they're going to kind of go through a bunch of safety stuff for you. Uh they get you kind of like the boot covers on there and then we go from there. So, but anyway, it's time to get on [Music]

1:46 Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat.

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2:38 [Music] Okay. So, can I first say that was an epic helicopter ride. That was so much fun. and we'll obviously be going back. But as you can see, coming through the clouds, absolutely epic. Uh we're here on top of Godwin Glacier and uh we're about to meet the dogs. So, I'm super excited.

2:57 [Music] [Music] So, as you can see, probably here behind me, this is the kennel of dogs uh that

3:24 works uh with my friend Willow and Joey, and they are actually train. They're up here doing this training for the Idiner Rod. Oh. Oh, hello. Hello. I've got a friend. occasionally when they're getting them loose to put them on and uh hook them up to the sled. Occasionally one of them

3:44 will come over and just say, "Hi, what's going on?" But absolutely fantastic dogs. But yeah, they are training for the Ida Rod uh which is of course the big dog setting championship here in Alaska. Uh and of course they work for Dallas Eevee who is a six-time world champ for that. Is so cool to be up

4:01 here. Boy, it is a rockus and they are ready to go. But uh yeah, this is I can't even talk. These guys are just yapping. So like the more that each of them get hooked on, the louder they get cuz they just want to run. Like these dogs are always ready ready to run. So but anyway, the tour group I was with is

4:21 going to go first and then I'll get my own uh ride um after them. But uh let's watch them take off and then we'll uh we'll hang out with the pups a little bit. [Music]

4:57 You can hear the sound of the wild. We're meeting some of the pups here. So, this one is Fu. I'm going to twist you guys around real quick. >> And this beautiful one. Hello, sweetheart. >> So, she's the only one up here other than the puppies that don't belong to Joey and Willow.

5:14 >> Okay. >> She belongs to Dallas. >> Oh, yeah. Buttscratch. >> Buttscratch. Oh, you are a Dallas CVI pup. Oh, yeah. But scratch. How are you doing, Foo? You're a sweetheart. And how many dogs we got here? Uh >> about 30. >> 30 dogs. >> Plus two puppies. >> And the Oh, and the two puppies. How old

5:35 is the puppy? >> The puppies are about four months. >> Four months. Perfect. Awesome. What a beautiful spot for this, too. This is awesome. All right. Let's go meet the Let's go meet the pups. All right. So, there are two pups here that we got. These are four months old. >> And she's she's a little shy. I'll flip

5:54 you guys over again. What's up, guys? So, we got the Jack Russell Terrier as well. You, my friend, how are you? Oh, goodness. Hello. Hello. Oh, and we have the wriggler. Who's this one? Little one. Oh, and the terrier's out. Hello, sweetheart. Oh, hello to you, too. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness.

6:23 All right. You just want to run away, don't you? >> Hey, sweetheart. How you doing, Stevie? >> All right. Hello, little one. Oh, you're so beautiful. Super cute. Hello. Hello. Say hi. Say hi to everybody. It's a little four months. They were born on Kentucky Derby day. So, when they get

6:47 their names, they'll probably be a Kentucky Derby horse name. See which one you get, huh, sweetheart? Yeah, you are absolutely adorable. [Music]

7:16 Okay, so they're super cute and super adorable, but she is a little squirmer. But yeah, they're out there. Uh if you can see behind me way out there, they do about what? Uh about two miles or so. >> Yeah, about two miles you get kind of around. Um and then I think after this uh we're going to go off to another spot

7:35 and see um uh some glacier areas as well. Other glacier areas. So, but uh anyway, these dogs are fantastic. so you don't hit me. >> Where you going? >> All right, we are off and I am with Willow here. This is my friend. If you ever meet her, she likes cherry,

8:00 grapefruit, or watermelon salters. All right, let's whip you guys around. Enjoy the ride. [Music] [Music]

8:26 Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] All right, so we've gone through about

8:51 the halfway point and as you can see, absolutely epic even with the clouds. Super cool. Honestly, it adds to the atmosphere. You have all these beautiful dogs. Who do we got here on the lead? Willow >> Monster. >> All right, let me flip you guys over so you can meet these guys personally. So,

9:10 >> Monster and Red Bull. Hello. >> We got Uncle Gendry, of course. Game of Thrones reference there. >> The nieces, Susie and Hobbs. What's up? And then these two, Satie and Patty. Everybody say hello to Satie and Patty. And then, oh, and good girl.

9:40 Rockstar and Ramsay. And these are some of the dogs that you can meet up here. I said there's about I think 30 what? 30 32 32 dogs. So, we're going to get back on and we'll finish this last leg of the race. All right. time to do this. And I, ladies and gentlemen, am mushing.

10:10 I got it. We're good. >> They love to run and they hate to stop. That's >> Yep. Oh my gosh. freezing. Oh my gosh, this is absolutely fantastic.

10:36 I can tell you guys right now, whenever you come up here, always be prepared for like honestly any weather. Um, you know, right now it's cloudy. There's a little bit of mist, but it's not a lot. So, I am getting a little wet, but it's actually not that cold. Uh my buddy Jason came up here the other day where

10:51 it was windy, rainy, and it was actually really cold, too. So, it just kind of depends. Uh you know, the weather can change. Just like I was saying before, uh in the Northwestern Glacier Tour video, weather here in Alaska can change at any time. But this this is awesome. [Music]

11:18 Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music]

11:58 Okay, so we're done with the dog sleds, but we are off to go to see an iceberg field. Uh that is part of the combo package. So we'll see you guys when we get there. Enjoy the ride. Heat [Music] [Music] up here. [Music]

12:34 Heat. Heat. Heat up

13:10 here.

13:43 [Music] You know, So, I've seen some beautiful things in my life. I've been to a lot of amazing places. That helicopter ride first up to the glacier was really cool. But this coming down here to the Ellsworth icefield and first off that Ellsworth name is kind of funny just cuz you know the town

14:09 of Ellsworth and Maine that I'm very much associated with. But this is epic. It's like the sound of the rushing water from the river coming down into this bay here with this ice field. You have the glaciers in the background. It's just this is amazing. If you get the chance to do it, do the combo tour. Um you'll

14:35 have usually two options when it comes to uh you one ice field to see. You either do the Ellsworth or the Bear Glacier ice field. It sort of all depends on the weather today. Uh the clouds were rolling in a little bit thicker on the other side where the bear glacier ice field is. So we came here to

14:52 the Ellsworth. But even still, this is amazing. That was one of the best things I've ever seen on the flight in and just being out here right here next to this ice field. Wow. Absolutely epic.

15:18 Heat up here. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music]

15:55 Heat. Heat. [Music]

16:21 Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] All [Music]

16:57 right, so we've made it back to base camp and that was epic. You want to talk about an amazing tour? Let's go ahead and go into town real quick, grab some lunch, and we'll just kind of talk about it because that was fantastic and we really need to go over number one information that you guys need to know

17:19 and then uh just, you know, I just want to gush about it for a little bit. So, I'll see you guys for lunch in town. So, we're here at the Tidewater Tap House. You guys have been with me here a couple videos before when I showcased Seward. Uh but just wanted to get my crab dip, something to warm me up. Uh, honestly,

17:36 it wasn't super cold though. Uh, only when we were kind of doing the uh, dog sledding part and really it was just because of all the moisture that was just hitting the face and the hands. Uh, I do recommend a couple of things uh, when you are doing this tour. First and foremost, bring uh, wet rain gear just

17:56 in case. Obviously, you're up on a glacier. Uh, you can be um down into the snow to put the dogs, things like that. uh you don't necessarily need it, but it is recommended. And when you have, you know, days where it's cloudy and misty up there, you know, obviously you're going to have a lot of precipitation hit

18:13 your jacket and your pants. Uh so, you know, that's something to be aware of. Also, it can get windy up there. Today, it was actually very still. It was very calm. It wasn't all that cold up there unless we were like, you know, dog sledding at the time. But, you know, my buddy Jason went up the day before and

18:32 it was even wetter and much more windy. So, it was a lot colder than um compared to what he said compared to what I did. So, that is a big recommendation is to bring some rain gear. They already provide you, like I said, with the boots to kind of protect your your own boots and the bottom part of your pants around

18:48 your ankles uh as covers, but I would still bring those. Um, other things I would bring is a, you know, maybe a bottle of water as well. Uh, you can't really bring a whole lot with you up there. Um, you know, big bags and stuff like that, obviously, cuz there's a weight thing. So, uh, you can only do so

19:10 much weight on those small helicopters. uh they actually kind of mix and matched us uh with the group that I was with uh just to make sure that we weighed and the weight distribution was appropriate for the two helicopters going up. So things to remember uh when you are doing this particular tour but anyway to a

19:31 successful tour. Cheers. Oh, that's good red amber ale. And now we wait for my crab dip. So, last time I was here, I showcased the most popular dish, which is basically the fish witch, the halibet sandwich. However, I'm today I'm going to be showcasing you my favorite dish, which is the tide water

19:51 crab dip, which is snow crab. And just basically this beautiful, fantastic cheesy dip. >> So good. The steam coming off it when it comes out like just right out of the oven. It is just bubbling. It's Oh, so hot. >> Very hot. Yes. Great.

20:16 >> That's a freaking low leaf. Delicious. >> So good. I love the crab dip. >> All right, so the belly's full. The belly is warm. That was an absolutely epic day out. Honestly, that is I thought like that whole Northwestern tour that I did was one of the best things I've ever done travel-wise. This

20:43 even topped that. You know, it's not as long. It was max I think about two two and a half hours is the length of this particular combo tour. You can also do the tour where you just go up and do the dog sled and come back. I highly recommend if you can do the combo tour because going out there on the ice field

21:03 was epic. Absolutely amazing. And then of course meeting the dogs, getting to do the dog sled. Big shout out of course to Willow, my friend who is the one that basically did the dog sledding with us today. Uh Damon, of course, was up there as well. And then uh Willow's partner uh Joey. Uh

21:23 he was the one that kind of set me on the path to get everything uh set up for doing this particular tour uh today. And of course uh Brian, our helicopter guide, everybody that's part of that whole um that whole operation. Fantastic job, guys. Thank you so much. And a shout out to uh uh the uh the four that

21:42 were part of my tour that you kind of see glimpses of. And there there's a two couples from Florida. And that was, I believe, hopefully I get this right. I said Jerry cuz I know it was Ben and Jerry uh was our joke when we we um we introduced ourselves and then I think it was Steve uh Frankie and Lori. So,

22:02 appreciate you guys. Uh thanks for, you know, making a really really fun tour. Um you guys were awesome. Willow, thanks again. Joey, Davin, Brian, the whole crew. Thank you so much. If you guys want to do this tour, I'll leave links in the description and also the phone number specifically for the Seward

22:19 office cuz if you just contact um uh Alaskan helicopter tours, usually the main number will take you to I think the Anchorage office. Um and they have multiple offices uh around Alaska. So, you definitely want to uh be get the one in Seward specifically uh if you're down here. Uh but anyway, guys, I hope you

22:38 guys enjoy that. If you have any questions, leave them down in the comments below. And of course, if you like the video, give it a big old thumbs up. And of course, subscribe to the channel if you haven't already. Hit the notification bell so you know when any of my new content comes out. And of

22:49 course, if you want to help support the channel and some of these great tours like this, definitely go over to Patreon or buy me a coffee account. I do appreciate the support. And until we meet again, guys, peace out. Have a great night. Heat. Heat. [Music]

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