6-time Iditarod champion opens new private dog sledding adventure business in Colorado’s ski capital, Summit County

A week of skiing and snowboarding in Summit County is not an easy feat. After taking numerous falls, experiencing foot pain from boots and feeling the muscle fatigue from staying on the slopes for several hours, guests are often too tired to get back on the mountain for another day on the slopes. 

Colorado Dog Sledding saw the trend of people opting to stay off the mountain after a week of skiing and decided to capitalize on it by offering an alternative.

Founded in 2024 by third-generation dog musher and the only six-time Iditarod champion, Dallas Seavey, Colorado Dog Sledding transports guests back to Alaska in the early 1900’s for a private dog sledding adventure.

After years of doing dog sled tours on the Knik Glacier in Alaska, Seavey and his right-hand man, Ben Vaughan, realized they could get more business in the winter if they did tours somewhere more temperate and populated. 

“The number of visitors to Alaska that go dog mushing, I don’t want to throw a number out there, but you get 10 times that here in this area because of the ski resorts,” Vaughan said. “Then there’s a lot of families coming up on a four-day ski trip. They are not in shape to ski for four days.”

Located 10 miles north of Silverthorne on a 140-year-old homestead named Acorn Creek Ranch, Seavey and Vaughan started laying the groundwork for the dog sledding business earlier this fall.

Upon scoping out the homestead, Seavey and Vaughan then began the process of converting a nearby hay field into living quarters for the pack of trained and experienced sled dogs. Before long, little red houses and enclosures were erected for the 30 Alaskan Huskies to reside in while a 5-mile route was sketched out.

By the beginning of December, the hay field had been transformed, now full of snow and dogs.

“Everything you see here was built by us,” Vaughan said. “The design is Dallas Seavey’s. It all came to his mind. He drew it out, bought everything, we put it together and this is what you got.

Although the dogs had to make the long trip from Alaska to Colorado, the sled dogs will most likely not notice much of a difference between the two snow-covered environments. In fact, Vaughan says Summit County is a lot like Alaska.

“I mean it is very, very similar,” Vaughan said. “The only difference is that you guys get way more sunny days. In Alaska we don’t get sun like this or as often — a lot more rain and snow.”

Much like the dog sled tours in Alaska, guests will have the opportunity to be guided on a sled through a winter wonderland. Cast against the Gore Range, the 5-mile route cuts across a wide open field before going into a group of willows. Once in the willows, guides will then direct the sled to climb into a group of trees before looping back to the starting point. 

“It’s beautiful now, but wait until the real snow gets here — all of this is covered,” Vaughan said. “It is going to be a winter wonderland. You got the mountains out here, and you don’t really see many houses. … You feel like you are in the complete backcountry.”

Beyond giving guests an experience that is hard to find elsewhere, Colorado Dog Sledding also educates each guest on the illustrious Iditarod. 

“There is a 15-minute introduction ,and we will throw some Dallas Seavey and Iditarod stuff in there — but not much,” Vaughan said. “You do most of that talking on the trail. When you come back, they meet the dogs and have about 15 minutes of meet and greet.”

In total, each tour spans an hour and 15 minutes, with the mushing portion spanning around 45 minutes. 

Although the guides are the ones informing guests about all things mushing, the dogs are still very much the stars of the show. With 30 dogs on the ranch, each one has its own personality to display. From the stoic nature of former lead dogs to the laid-back demeanor of a retired champion, each dog at Acorn Creek Ranch is unique in their own way.

With it being their first season in Summit County, Vaughan and Seavey were not exactly sure what to expect, but they were pleasantly surprised to see that bookings were already beginning to fill up early on in the season.

“I am really excited to see how the word gets out and how the tours are or how the numbers come in,” Vaughan said. “We had an amazing first two days with like minimal marketing.”

With tours booked out through most of the holiday season, Colorado Dog Sledding hopes to continue to see major bookings throughout the rest of winter, further solidifying itself as an outdoor recreation option for visitors and locals alike.

To book a dog sled tour for this winter season or to find out more information, visit ColoradoDogSledding.com.