Every year I take a short vacation in February, most often the destination is someplace sunny like an outdoor excursion in the desert. This year, my husband and I decided to take a winter themed vacation to Monarch, CO. If you are unfamiliar with this little town, it’s located in central Colorado along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains.
When you think of winter activities, what comes to mind? Most people imagine themselves hitting the slopes or trekking through the snow. On this particular excursion we booked a dog sledding tour with Monarch Dog Sled Rides, it was an absolute blast and such a unique experience. The tour was an hour and a half long and it featured a meet and greet with all the dogs, history of dog sledding, sled ride, and more opportunities to love on dogs.
Upon arrival the dogs were howling and singing with glee, knowing they were going to get to run. Meeting the dogs was possibly my favorite part; each dog had a different personality and a special way of greeting their guests. One dog reached out and wrapped his entire arm around my leg and pulled me in close for a kiss and a howdy do. Some bounded in the air while others greeted us with a mouth full of words “Hooman, oooh pleaz, ohhhh I just need to say hi to youuuuuu, come closer hooman”. Honestly, I could have spent 30 minutes with each dog, which would have taken a whole day.
We found the history of mushing to be interesting, especially learning that the Alaskan Sled Dog is not a breed, but rather a working line. In order to earn the prestigious title of Alaskan Sled Dog, a dog must have 10 generations of proven mushing. Many people have associated the Husky breed with mushing, however this purebred dog is not optimal for long distances and speed, but rather they are built for the cold. Most Alaskan sled dogs are a cross breed of some sort, many are mixed with the Husky because of the ability to tolerate the cold. Successful sled dogs tend to have long legs and stamina.
While our guides worked to get each of the dogs harnessed to the sled, my husband and I nestled down into the sled. The dogs barked and yipped as they anxiously waited their turn to get tied into the line. As an avid dog lover, I was grinning ear to ear watching how excited the pups were to start their day’s work. Finally the time came, all the dogs were harnessed, our guide stood on the back of the sled and he gave the command to run. The wind in our faces and snow flying up behind the dogs as they ran and pulled the sled. Our guides took on a five mile ride into Monarch Camp Ground, offering stories of the mining history of the areas we passed. The sled ride allowed for multiple stops, with time allowed for photos and playing with the pups. At the end of the tour we tipped our guide and spent another 15 minutes saying our goodbyes to the dogs and offering belly rubs for a job well done.
If you are headed to Monarch, you might as well spend a day on the mountain, so of course we spent the next day skiing through knee-deep powder at Monarch Mountain. It snowed the whole time we were in the area, on our ski day there was 16 inches of fresh snow when we started. The wind, however, was a bit atrocious; most of the day we were skiing in 30 mph winds, which made for cold lift rides and limited visibility. Some of the lifts closed early with the high winds, and needless to say we were ready to call it a day by 2:00 PM.
Where to Stay
We spent two nights at Monarch Mountain Lodge, which is the only lodging on the mountain. There are also several options in Salida, however the drive between Monarch ski area and Salida is 17 miles. Given that it was windy and the roads were snow packed, we made a good choice to stay at the Monarch Mountain Lodge. The location of the lodge is convenient, located only 4 miles away from the ski area and there are a few amenities, but nothing fancy. There is a restaurant at the lodge, and according to the website, dining is available every night. On our stay, we stayed two nights, but on our first night we went down to the restaurant only to find and empty black room. The front desk staff made it sound like the restaurant is only open on the nights the chef is able to make it into work. It was dark and the roads were icy, we didn’t want to drive into Salida to eat; fortunately we had packed a cooler with lunch and breakfast, so we went up to our room and had sandwiches. The next night the restaurant happened to be open so we were able to grab a hot meal; given that our stay at the lodge was only sub-par, I was amazingly surprised with how delicious the food was. Everything tasted fresh, there was a good selection of options on the menu, and the prices were reasonable. If you visit the area during the summer months I highly recommend staying in Salida, there is an abundance or arts and culture, plenty of restaurants, and is an ideal destination if you enjoy water sports.
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