# Site: kingmikdogsledtours.com # URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com # Generated: 2026-08-09 03:00:58 # Version: 1.2 # File Type: llms-full.txt # Total Pages: 12 --- ## Home URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/ # Dog Sledding in Untouched Wilderness The ONLY dogsledding experience in Banff National Park. Glide through quiet wilderness with expert guides and remarkable Alaskan huskies. Book Now #### History ## Small Groups, Expert Guides, and Happy Huskies Step off the beaten path and experience the quiet beauty of dog sledding with no more than ten guests per tour. Our seasoned guides bring years of race trail experience, sharing captivating stories and insider knowledge while ensuring a flawless safety record. Meet our turbo-charged Alaskan huskies, world-class athletes who live to run, and see the care and devotion that make them treasured members of our family. This is an intimate, exclusive adventure where it feels like the wilderness is yours alone. Learn More View FAQs #### Best ## Dog Sled Tours #### Our Reviews ## Best Adventure in Lake Louise ## Ride the Trail Less Traveled Book Now #### Questions? ## Get Your Answers ## View FAQs ## Contact Us --- ## About URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/about/ # About Us ## About Us Today, Kingmik still retains the intimate and personable feel of the early days. We consider ourselves small but mighty, with just 70 amazing dogs and 8 amazing dog mushers. Every sled is guided, which amounts to a guest to guide ratio of 2:1, and we run no more than 5 sleds per tour time. A smaller operation enables us to get to know you better, and you to best experience the silent grace and beauty of travel by dog team.  With such a small group size, it’s not unusual to feel like it’s just you, your dog team and your guide, traveling through a vast wilderness. Kingmik Dog Sled Tours is privileged to be the only company to offer tours in one of Canada’s World Unesco Heritage Sites, Banff National Park. #### Adventure ## Ready for Adventure? View FAQs Contact Us --- ## Adopt a Dog URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/adopt-a-dog/ # Adopt a Dog ## Adopt a Dog From time to time we have dogs that we are looking to place in an active and caring home. These dogs may be retiring from their job, or are of the temperament that they would prefer a quieter environment with a human to call their own. Some of these dogs may still be very very active, and some of them may be happy to hold a couch down for the majority of the day.  All of them have been assessed in regard to their ability to transition into a pet home and pet lifestyle. While some of these dogs looking for a home are considered elderly, Alaskan Huskies are bred for health and athleticism, and so usually they do very well right into old age. Because of their breeding, many 10-year-old Alaskans will be able to run circles around 5-year-old retrievers at the dog park. THE PROCESS Contact us at info@kingmikdogsledtours with subject “dog adoption”  We will then send you a more detailed document about adopting a sled dog plus a questionnaire which will enable us to determine the sort of lifestyle you lead and who in the kennel might be best suited to your lifestyle.  We will then send out photos and bios of whom we consider as suitable.  We can then arrange a meet and greet session. Or if you already have a dog in mind we can discuss that particular pooch. Dogs that are up for adoption are profiled on our  Kingmik Facebook page. #### Adventure ## Ready for Adventure? View FAQs Contact Us --- ## Employment Opportunities URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/employment-opportunities/ # Employment ## Employment Hi interested folks! We have all our staff lined up for the upcoming winter. But if you’re dying to work with the very best dogs and peeps in the Rockies, please do introduce yourself and we can keep you in mind for next season.  info@kingmikdogsledtours.com. #### Adventure ## Ready for Adventure? View FAQs Contact Us --- ## FAQs URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/faqs/ # FAQs ## Our Tours 1-2 sleds: 72 Hour cancellation policy. Tours cancelled a minimum of 72 hours prior to the scheduled trip departure time will receive a full refund. Tours cancelled within the 72 hour period before the scheduled trip departure will result in a 100% loss of funds. 3 sleds to 5 sleds: 7 Day cancellation policy. Tours cancelled a minimum of 7 days prior to the scheduled trip departure will receive a full refund. Tours cancelled within the 7 day period prior to the scheduled trip departure will result in a 100% loss of funds. 5 sleds or more: 14 Day cancellation policy. Tours cancelled a minimum of 14 days prior to the scheduled trip departure will receive a full refund. Tours cancelled within the 14 day period prior to the scheduled trip departure will result in a 100% loss of funds. Any tours cancelled outside of 72 hours/7days/14 days will receive a full refund. If you cancel your tour within 72 hours/7 days/14 days, it is a 100% loss (full amount of your reservation). WE DO NOT MAKE ANY EXCEPTIONS for short notice cancellations FOR ANY REASON ie. doctors note, adverse driving conditions, illness, cancelled flight, road closures etc. When booking a tour with us, you agree to these terms. Reservation changes (switching dates, cancelling part of your group, moving to another tour departure time etc) must be made 72 hours prior to your scheduled tour departure. We do not accept any changes inside the 72 hours. Kingmik strongly advises TRIP INSURANCE. Trip insurance can cover your loss for non-refundable preplanned activities in the event you miss your tour for reasons beyond your control. Check with your local insurance provider to see what they offer. Kingmik may cancel your trip due to inclement weather, unsafe trail conditions, road hazards, wildlife dangers etc at our discretion. You will receive a 100% refund, or may rebook should there be availability.Please dress warmly! While the sleds are lined with a thick sled bag and warm sleeping bag, you must still layer up! A warm wool underwear base layer with a parka or fleece and insulated windproof outer is suitable. A warm windproof hat, and a neck tube or scarf will help you to retain heat in key areas that must be protected from the cold. Layer up on the bottom half too. You must have warm mitts and warm boots. If your boots fit too tightly they will restrict the circulation in your toes which leads to cold tootsies. Big feet are in so leave some room in the end of your boots for your toes to wiggle about! Investing in the chemical hand and toe warmer packets will help greatly with cold extremities. What not to wear!:  Blue jeans, t-shirts and running shoes. There are a couple different options to get to Lake Louise from Canmore and Banff. • One is the Roam Bus, which is the valley’s public transit system  https://roamtransit.com/schedules-routes/summer-banff-lklouise-regional-route-eight-8x-express/ . This option will drop you at the Lake Louise Lakeshore. From there you can walk down along the road to our staging area, about 1km. When booking your reservation,  plan on an hour to an hour and a half travel time to Lake Louise. • Second option is private transportation with Fairview Limousine and Car Service. Contact info@fairviewlimo.ca with additional questions.No. We’ve taken 6-month-old babies on a tour, as well as an 87-year-old elder. The only consideration when taking out the very young and the elderly is the temperature. If it’s very cold, their participation must be considered carefully.Certainly on the Narnia Tour. On the Great Divide Tour, we need to discuss this with parents.Absolutely! The guides like treats too!Similar to a bobsled. The person in the back snugs right up to the back of the sled, and the person in the front snugs right up to the person in the back. Intimate seating! That’s why we don’t put strangers together.All sleds are guided, but on the Great Divide Tour, there is an opportunity to drive WITH the guide for a portion of the trip home. Narnia tours are fully guided with no opportunity to drive the sled. For guests wanting to drive the entire trip, try out our new tour Mushing 101, where you and your partner can take turns driving most of the entire trip with on the fly instructions from your guideThe wildlife lays quite low in the wintertime, and in a high snowpack area such as Lake Louise, we tend to have only those animals that are adapted to travel in deep snow in residence. These include lynx, wolverine, snowshoe hare, and pine martin In the past, we have seen elk, moose, and even a grizzly on the trail, but these are rare sightings. We do however, see many tracks and these are always lots of fun to interpret. Both who dun’ it and what  were  they doing!?None whatsoever.Yes it is safe. We have never had an incident on the trail. Our guides have been vetted carefully and put through extensive training to ensure that your experience is flawless.Yes! After you snack your dog team with chicken popsicles, we will snack you with some lovely rich steamy hot chocolate and yummy people snacks.The trail is groomed regularly, and the main trail is perfect. The Narnia trail which travels through a woodland trail, has more swoops and dips to it. If we have been blessed with new snow, the trail will be soft. If not the trail will be less soft and you may experience some small bumps. In general, the tour is like a magic carpet ride.We have taken many pregnant women on tours, but we do advise that you talk to your physician first. (See above about trail). You can always call us to check on trail conditions. Please let us know up on arrival that you are pregnant.NoDo not understand this question. Did I hear it?The only weather we call ugly is 30 below or colder… And in that case, we cancel, so you don’t have to. • The Deer Lodge  is the oldest building left in the area. The essence of the early and exciting boom times permeates the air within the Deer. Excellent dining and historical experience. • The Post  is a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateau hotel association, which is recognized by cultured travelers as a guarantee of quality. Located in the village. • The Mountaineer Lodge  is located in the central village. It provides wonderfully comfortable and affordable fine lodging. • The Hi Alpine Lodge  is the alpine hostel. Offers private and shared quarters. • Lake Louise Inn  is considered the favorite of families. It sports an indoor pool and several restaurants. Located in the central village. • Baker Creek Chalets , located about 20 minutes from the village on the Bow Valley Parkway, is a favorite with locals for the quiet location and exceptional dining experience. ## Our Dogs Lots! A hardworking tour dog can consume up to 12,000 calories a day. These calories are contained in a high powered kibble designed specifically for working sled dogs. It contains up to 32% protein and 32% fat. In addition, the dogs receive about 2 pounds of raw meat a day… chicken, beef, salmon, pork, and lamb. At the end of your tour, you will have the opportunity to “feed the crocodiles” by tossing chunks of raw meat to the dogs, which they will snap out of the air with an accuracy that would put Chad Johnson to shame!  We also add joint mobility and gut health formulas to their meals. Just like people, dog’s metabolisms vary. Silver and Iskra gain weight by just looking at food. Conversely, Lorax and Raptor eat like teenage boys and are still skinny. We tailor each dog’s caloric intake to meet their individual needs. In general, the dogs, like marathon runners, must maintain a sleek, lean physique. And the guides are all working on being as sleek and lean as the dogs. If we suddenly go silent on the Divide Hill, it is because we are running behind the sled and slipping into a state of hypoxia. Lead dogs are born, not made. A lead dog could be compared to a CEO of a company. They love their job, take it very seriously, and can handle a great deal of responsibility. A lead dog must be particularly tuned into the musher in order to work together and take directional commands. It can be a somewhat stressful situation having eight or 12 screaming athletes at your heels, and so the lead dog must be confident in his or her abilities up there. We see lead dog potential in pups at a very young age. At the same time, we never discount the “sleeper” dog, who may be a late bloomer and decides, at a later stage in life, that he or she wants to take the helm. Contrary to popular belief, the lead dog is not always the alpha dog in the kennel. You know that socially awkward CEO? Silver would be a great example of this. She defers to everyone but is a dynamo in lead. Growler, on the other hand, has always been a quietly confident guy, who the other dogs never think to challenge on any level.  He’s calm, confident, gentle, but dominant. We put booties on the dogs for a variety of reasons, but down south here, rarely for the cold. The main reason we boot is for web cracks. Because a dog’s feet are one of the main conduits to shed excess heat, the interface between their feet and the snow is a warm, damp environment that tends to create splits in their webs. We also boot for abrasive conditions and snowballing. We do this preventatively. In conjunction with the boots, we use our own special foot cream formula with tea tree oil, lanolin, almond oil, beeswax, and some other secret ingredients. More rarely, in these southern climes, do we have to boot for the cold. Dogs have unique foot physiology, with venules and arterioles spaced closely together for heat exchange, plus a large percentage of fatty tissue in their paws enables their feet to remain warm when ours would freeze. In addition, dogs only shed excess body heat through their mouths and their paws, and thus when they are working, their paws become little hot pads. They cannot shed heat by sweating, such as a horse does. Every dog is different and we recognize this. Some of our crew, both human and dog, get cold feet more easily.  They get extra protection to keep them comfy. Sled dogs are the decathletes of the canine world. Any superstar athlete cannot carry any excess body fat as it can be injurious to their joints, and it also greatly impedes performance. For those of you who do run, you know when you are packing even an extra pound or two. In the end, we like to see a lean and athletic condition in all of our poochies, well-muscled with a few ribs showing, and a glossy coat. The dogs go home each night to their kennel, which is a 45-minute drive from Lake Louise. At the kennel, they all have their own house, which is a cozy den packed with straw. For the most part, we tether them individually for this enables us to monitor their individual health — eating, pooping, drinking. The dogs are close enough to play with each other and interact, but after a long day of work, they usually eat their dinner and go to bed after a rousing group howl. While we do not offer kennel tours specifically due to the long drive from Lake Louise, we welcome anyone who would like to visit the dogs at their home. Just like people, different dogs request to be retired at different ages. Some like to work well into their golden years, and on occasion, some want to retire in middle age. As long as they are still barking to go, and are not too stiff, we like to include them. As elders, they may only go out in harness once a week, but it fosters that pride that is so important to a working dog. When they let us know that they are not interested in jumping into their harness anymore, they are retired. These dogs are sometimes placed in adoption homes or remain with us to grace the couches or snooze under a shady tree. Enki,  at 14, is our kennel patriarch, and he just outran Megan on 5 km trot. --- ## Gallery URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/gallery/ # Gallery --- ## History URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/history/ # History ## History of Dog Sledding in the Banff Area While using sled dogs for transportation in the Rockies was, for the most part, a foreign notion to the Warden service, there was one notable individual who was climbing mountain passes by dog team as early as the 1920s. Ike Mills, an avid adventurer, had two dog teams and regularly hauled freight and passengers into Skoki and Assiniboine Lodges. There were annual dogsled races on Lake Minnewanka, which saw teams, traveling as far away as Manitoba to participate. The teams traveled by train to Banff, and up to the race site in an early prototype dog truck. Horse and wagon! During the Banff Winter Carnival’s there were Kid and Mutt Races right down Banff Avenue. The ‘Strongheart’ Dog Derby, at 90 miles in length from Banff to Calgary, ran several years running throughout the 1920s. More recently, throughout the 1980s and ’90s, Canmore was the site of a sprint race that hosted world-class dog sled teams. Today, for reasons unknown, expedition travel by dog team is a rare occurrence in the Canadian Rockies. Races have fallen by the wayside due to lack of snow, and the lack of vast numbers of tireless volunteers required to host a race. #### Adventure ## Ready for Adventure? View FAQs Contact Us --- ## Our Dogs URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/our-dogs/ # Our Dogs ## Our Dogs Our dogs are the beloved stars of the show!  Our dog family includes 80 working dogs, 12 retirees, and Tam the Australian cattle dog/sled dog imposter. The majority of our dogs have been born right here in the kennel, with a few joining the family from other kennels or rescue situations.  Wherever they come from they seldom leave our kennel unless to be adopted into suitable retirement homes. Yes, of course, they all have names!! (and even nicknames)  as well as very distinct personalities, likes and dislikes. By spending all day every day with them we know each dog intimately and they are all treated as the individuals they are.  Our lives revolve around their care and well being and it is immensely rewarding and a wonderful blessing to live amongst such honesty, exuberance and great generosity of spirit. They are known as “Alaskan Huskies”, the champion athletes of the canine world. An Alaskan Husky is technically a mutt, as they are not recognized by any kennel club as an established breed of dog. However!… they are a meticulously bred mutt, with breedings conducted solely on the merits of their athletic abilities. Their origins can be traced back to the early working dogs of the Alaskan villages. Their tasks involved mail delivery, freight delivery, working traplines and transporting doctors to patients in need.   Over time, some speedy dogs were added to the mix, and from this, the Alaskan Husky has evolved. Their desire to run and pull is genetically hard-wired into them.  While a border collie loves to herd sheep, or a bird dog naturally points, an Alaskan husky loves to run and pull.  Learn more  about the Alaskan Husky. WHEEE!!! Anna Banana is a class 5 zoomer. A bouncy little pocket rocket who is happiest in harness no matter what trail she’s on. She is one of the esteemed squirrels in our “Squirrel!! Club” Anna came from Alaska with her brother Sigmund.The Town Crier. Sigmund is the very first guy to announce things that need announcing and even things that don’t. Super happy guy, with an excitable nature. He’s always up for anything that’s happening and loves to hug. Brother to WHEE! Anna.Bentley picked a fight with a porcupine and lost. Consequently he is now a one eyed pirate, but it bothers him not a bit. He is brimming over with enthusiasm just about everything. His energy level matches do-it so they spend a lot of time zooming around together. He also like to imitate a mouse by squeezing through spaces that would accomodate not much more than a chihuahua. He’s a hard driving boy in hardness and runs anywhere in team, including lead.Pekoe AKA 007 gentleman spy. This guy would be Pierce Brosnan if he were a two legged sort. Handsome, debonair, and self contained. In harness he is an enormous powerhouse. His sisters are Yerba and ChagaOh Do-it, our loveable little weirdo. Do-it wants SO badly to be loved by everyone and wants SO badly to do the right thing but her wild little brain is moving at rocket speed, as her body and it’s a bit unnerving for the other dogs. They stand back and watch her ricochet. In harness she is a crazy power house and a huge asset to the team. We’re working on getting her to take slow deep breaths.Peary is a lunatic. Peary is the son of Do-it and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. While named after Robert Peary, the famous arctic explorer and I’m not sure if he would do well on an arctic expedition. Wild, scattered, friendly, crazy, wild, intense, happy, weird … We love him. Scary Peary we call him. “Deep breaths Peary, deep breaths” he’s a powerhouse of a sleddog.A little boy with a big heart! When it’s time to head down the trail, Bazz’s scream will carry the length of the Bow Valley all the way to Calgary. This kid is LOUD! His enthusiasm is unshakable and he’s evolving into a top notch leader. When he’s not pulling harness, Bazz likes to play with the young dogs.Named after Robert Scott, the South pole explorer. Scott is that wild and crazy guy driving his pickup truck down a back road WAY too fast … windows wide open and stereo blaring! Along with his brother Peary and his momma Do-it, he’s a power house in harness.Stuart, named after our beloved Canadian storyteller Stuart McLean, is a gentleman. Stu loves to meet new people and entertain them with his antics … nibbling clothing, stealing mitts … He’s a work horse in harness and with his largeness, a huge asset to the team. Brother to Steph and McLean.Velo, another female “enforcer” to put the young cheeky boys in place. No cheeking this girl! Velo can switch from waggy tailed sweetheart to the Mean Nanny in a heartbeat. Velo is not large in stature but owns her allotted space with pride.Sassy made the long drive down to us from the Yukon in the spring of 2024. She took a bit of time to settle in with us but she now has lots of friends and is outgoing and boisterous and very very smart! We’re going to have to work very hard at keeping this girl challenged.One of the toughest females in the kennel, but also the sweetest. Known as Sweet Sneetch or Sweetches, she is an enormous snuggler who literally falls into a trance with affection. Sneetches is also a serious sleddog, who doles out discipline to young partners if needed. This benevolent disciplinarian is a great teacher of the young hot heads.Diggidy Do Dah… This guy is an exuberant extrovert. Happy all the time, he’s game for anything and everything with anyone. He’s boisterous and energetic and almost knocks a person down with glee. A top notch guest greeter! Digs runs in team and is an easy going guy who is happy to run with anyone.The cheerleader of the team, Steph’s excitement to go down the trail flows like a wave through the rest of the dogs. Someone once observed that “Steph barks with her teeth” and it is so true! She looks ferocious! She’s a lunatic! But a friendly and sweet one. Sister to Stuart and McLean.Happy go lucky Rick. Rick loves his brother Didsbury and spends a good deal of time pestering him. He’s a strong, steady guy in harness, and loves the action and social aspect of being a tour dog.Big Daddy Diddy is our very own pony! He’s a giant. Dids runs a solid lead.He’s a soft hearted boy with a big baritone voice that matches his giant body. Like his siblings (Rousy and Rick) he loves some attention but only if delivered on his terms.Little sister to Rick and Didsbury, this girl is everything you’d imagine in a little sister. She roars enthusiastically in her brother’s ears, and they just take it.Remi is a confident, loud, boisterous great big girl who is happy all the time. She is hard working in harness and is stepping up to running a nice lead. She loves all people, which makes her a perfect Kingmik ambassador.Flint is the cheeky class clown. Flint has long black eyelashes and an unbearably cute droopy lower lip that makes him irresistible. Which is unfortunate for him because we want to kiss him all the time and he hates kisses “Ewwww… get away from me” Flint loves to swim and chase sticks and wrestle with his brothers.Tanner was born in Alaska, and found his way to us in the spring of 2024. He is very gentle, very sweet, quite sensitive, and gets along with everyone. He’s a wee bit cross eyed which makes him all the cuter.The party boy of the family! Bondi is a happy extrovert that loves to charge around visiting all the other dogs in the kennel. His “baby blues” make him a favorite of the guests, which works perfectly for this outgoing guy.Just like her mother Tricky, she is an absolute goer! She’s also as sweet as a beaver tail. What she doesn’t have in size she makes up for in confidence.We’re asked all the time if we know all their names! We DO!..along with all their nicknames. Chaga Chaga Choo Choo Train is a demure and gentle girl out of harness, and a wild child in harness. She’s a bit reserved until she gets to know you. Once she knows and trusts you she is the very best cuddler. She’s proving to be a pretty solid leader and along with her sister, loves to be upfront in the team.Bronco came to us as a shy and nervous boy, but soon came around as a sweet, loving and playful guy. He performs superbly in lead for his favorite human (Rob) but completely goofs off when someone else is on the runners.No stranger to danger. Whether he’s walking with his friends or single leading on a long distance race, Ranger has a quiet, calm and collected demeanor. An old soul, he’s often mistaken for an old man!Aptly named, “Tractor” has as much pulling power as a John Deere 580 hp Quadtrac. This guy can dead pull a round bale! When not in harness, he’s the Brad Pitt of sleddogs. Cool, contained and the ladies love him.Chonkers has a mane of hair that would make any Hollywood star swoon! His side gig could be shampoo commercials. As a young man, Chonky was often a bit reactive, but as he matures, he’s learning to relax and play which is a really nice change! We spend a lot of time grooming him so he doesn’t go rasta on us.An absolute go’er in harness! Tiny but mighty! Mother to 8 youngsters, some of them 3x the size of her! Tricky can be somewhat pensive, reserved and intense, but gently paws you when it’s time to connect. A sweet little introvert.Sturdy on her feet and has all fences beat. No fence is too large for this girl. Whether there is a team rolling out, or dogs going walking… Wobbles enthusiasm to join them has created the most brilliant of escape artists we have ever had in the kennel. She is intense and driven and is showing great promise in harness.Blocka is the silent achiever of his litter, while also being a bit of a dork! All his sisters like to tease him mercilessly, so he tries to hide behind his momma Tricky. Which is difficult because he towers above her! He’s sweet and earnest and is developing beautifully in harness.Sister to Wobbles, Rhianna, Chonk, Blocka and Bondi all born in the Kingmik kennel. A serious girl, Banksy prefers to assess a situation before running into it head first like most of her littermates. She’s an eager sleddog with a lot of promise as a leader.Granite is a bit of a crazed maniac. Exuberant, loud, slobbery… voted most likely to knock your teeth out during hook up. Incredibly enthusiastic about absolutely everything and the full meal deal in harness. This guy gives it his 100% at everything he does. There is no fence Granite cannot clear.Evans came to the kennel as a 2 year old, with a significant degree of “unsure” With a lot of patience, and a lot of love, and many runs in harness, he’s responding well to his new life with us and is starting to light up with smiles when it’s “go time” He’s a favorite amongst the ladies, and they pester him relentlessly with their flirtations.Yerba, (sister to Chaga and Pekoe) is a serious gal that loves her job as a sleddog. Not a cuddly girl, she’s happy with a quick pat and that’s plenty, thanks. A wee bit cross eyed, Yerba has a bit of a comical look to her. Together with her sister Chaga, they make a great leader pair.Walker is a young man whose body moves faster than his brain. He’s completely unselfconscious, and a bit of a dork. He’s super social and loves to interact with dogs and people alike. His favorite trick to drive the two legged’s mad, is to constantly flip his water bucket upside down. A hard working boy and a very happy boy in harness.Gazelle the fast runner! Gaz came from Alaska and is another member of the esteemed “Squirrel!! Club” She just might be the president. On a summer walk a few years back Gazelle went walk-about and was picked up by a good samaritan, 60 km away after only 1 hour. And she was still running! Gazelle is ALWAYS happy, loves to tap dance, and along with her sister Impala, they make a dynamite leader pair.Impala, sister to Gazelle, is another member of our “Squirrel!! Club” Small but mighty, all fast twitch and enthusiasm, she is the true leader in the Gaz/Imp leader pair and 100% lovely angel. Her favorite summertime activity is chasing squirrels and chipmunks in the log piles. Another happy little soul, she’s brought a lot of joy to us since arriving from Alaska.Herb Derb is sweet but cautious, wild but thoughtful, and very tightly wound. She’s a tomboy who wrestles hard with her sisters Arnica and June.Sister to Herbie and Arnica, another tightly wound girl. The smallest of the three sisters, Juney Bird sings “I’m short but I’m healthy, I’m high but I’m grounded” and shows us that she can run as fast, jump as high and dig as deep as anyone in her pack. She’s proving to be an excellent little leader.Capone has big lungs and he uses them! He’d make a great sax player. He’s smart but loud like his two brothers Capone and Chavez. Young enthusiastic and wild. Affectionate as much as a young boy can be.Brianna is mother to Arnica, Herbie and Juniper and her serious and focused nature has been passed down to her daughters. Loving but dedicated to being a working girl. Brianna is super smart, loving and self contained. A great leader.Bugsy Malone is young, wild and loud! Just like his brothers. His eyes do not quite track straight so he’s our big loud cross eyed exuberant goofball.Big Rig is the stud muffin of the kennel. His good looks make him a favorite of the gals and his kind and patient nature make him a favorite of the young dogs. He’s often warding off the girls and the young boys who are shamelessly nipping and lipping at his chops.Lorax is one of 5 lovely brothers. He’s quiet and gentle and reserved out of harness, but a bit of a slobbering wild guy in harness. He loves his human and is a steady eddy guy.Holly the big boned girl! We make jokes about Holly doing push ups in the kennel at night after a day of work on the trail. A happy and affectionate big girl. Gets along with everyone and holds no grudges.One of the Five Brothers. Monkey Man has acquired the intensity that his brother Lorax gave up. He’s a super high energy guy and the youngsters have to go hard to keep up with him. Extremely affectionate when he’s finally standing still.Fuzznuts is a sweet guy who loves people and his brothers but only tolerates the other dogs. As a young fellow he dropped the gloves often and we had to manage this closely, but thankfully he’s mellowed out in his older years. Fuzz is incredibly light on his feet and bounces around like a kangaroo.Hazel makes us laugh every day without knowing she’s being funny. A loving and funny and affectionate girl. She tries VERY hard to understand our words, with a head titled almost upside down when listening. She has a great sense of humor and bounces around laughing when we blow on her big long snoot.Arnica is one forward oriented girl. After her first puppy run, anytime she saw a harness she would go wild for more. She’s affectionate with those she loves but reserved with those she does not know. Arnica is sensitive but tough and wonders why Hazel laughs so much.Doctor Seuss, aka Dr. McDreamy. This guy is a total dreamboat. Lovely thru and thru, he’s calm and assertive and is one of the main leaders in the kennel.Another of the 5 Brothers, Horton is one biggooey lump of love. He will stand like a statue for hours during grooming sessions. He will gaze, unwavering, into the eyes of those he loves. A big strong boy in harness who takes no guff from other overly excitable partners. Horton has been known to lope for a full 100 mile run.Paris landed at the Kingmik kennel as a 2 year old and settled right in. She’s a wonderful athlete who is beautiful to watch. Her demeanor is friendly, calm, sweet, easy going and just plain lovely. She has the raw stuff to be a leader and we’re hoping she will develop into the role.Our little Musky. That guy in school who so badly wants to be in the popular crowd. Spends much time licking the lips of Big Rig, hoping for his blessing. He’s a talented athlete who loves to chase sticks.Chavez is easily the most handsome of the three gangster brothers. Happy, enthusiastic, wild and loud. Loves to lay flat out in mud puddles. Loves to wrestle.Lovely, gentle, affectionate and beautiful. Excellent leader. Great couch surfer.Gravel is a big boned, seemingly heavy footed fella. But like his brother Granite, he can fly over any fence like a steeplechaser. Gravel retired a few years ago after tearing a knee ligament while on an unsupervised New Year’s day party. Early retirement for you my friend. Now he is the gate sentry of the summer kennel, sitting on a high knoll where he can keep tabs on the neighbor dogs. Just watching… for he is a lover not a fighter. He gets along with everyone.Dobs came to the kennel just recently with no clear history. “ How old are you Dobby” “I’m not answering that question” he huffed. Well he moves like a young man and it was clear he wanted to run in harness, so into harness he went and he’s an absolute superstar. So we’ll just take it as it goes with this good fellow. As demoed in this picture, he loves a good couch.Gentle giant, soft hearted boy, loves patrolling the property line with his bff Kunitz. Podolski came to us well into middle age, and has become sweeter and friendlier with the passing years. He is an exceptionally mellow guy, who avoids any sort of confrontation and prefers to spend his days just putzing about with Kunitz. Pod could still run in harness but his friend Kunitz needed to retire and we retired them together so as to not split them up.Kunitz is a true gentleman, a beautiful athlete and an all around lovely guy. Because of his calm, steadfast demeanor, Kunitz is a great mentor to the young dogs. Kunitz’s bff is Podolski, and they are never apart. Their bond is phenomenal and we take care to honor this. Kunitz is super affectionate to one and all. He is now retired and will be receiving a full Kingmik pension for his remaining years.If English were a human he’d be an old bachelor in a smoking jacket with a very particular daily routine. He’d read a lot of books and spend a lot of time on his own. He loves people but is not so keen on the other unruly members of the pack “Heathens!’ he proclaims. English was a top notch leader in his working days.Zeek was a guest favorite because of his blue eyes. But like Paul Newman, he asked us “What would my life have been like if I had been born with brown eyes? “ Being an introvert, Zeek was happy to retire. He spends his days patrolling the property with his brown eyed brother Podloski, and Pod’s bestie Kunitz.Loki, brother to Wallace, Shazam (passed) and Gromt. Interestingly, Loki had less all around confidence than his siblings, but put a harness on him and he was the star of the group. He was one of the best leaders the kennel had ever seen and he LOVED his work. Now, as a retiree, he is a bit timid and cautious, and he follows his brother Wallace everywhere.A Kingmik favorite! Wallace is now collecting his pension and continuing to be a shiftless scofflaw around the kennel. Uber calm, uber confident, this guy makes us laugh every day. He has never understood why his sisters and brothers worked so hard to be the best they could be. And Gromit!… continuing to work as Union Rep even in her retirement years!? Why?! …she could be sleeping in and doing nothing all day, just like me!Gromit, is the Kennel Union Rep. She’s been running the summer kennel for many years now, which requires a lot of patrolling, directing, delegating and other responsibilities.Little Miss Busy Body, she spends her time barking orders and announcements. During the winter when we all go to work, It’s her time to rest, hibernating inside by the wood stove and planning kennel improvement for the spring. Gromit cracks us up daily and she doesn’t even know she’s funny.Nicknamed Spacey Lacey, this gal can be standoffish at times but this is her way of showing her independence, “What are you doing humans, I don’t need your attention. I’m a strong independent girl.” Despite Lacey’s smaller stature she shows her big sled dog personality on the line and is very confident in her leadership skills. If left behind, she lets us know her displeasure by yelling her head off. With a calm and confident demeanor, she is well suited to training young leaders.Funky is a big strong boy who unfortunately had to retire because he suffers from petit mal seizures. He’s super laid back but is the first to charge hard anytime he hears a gate rattle, which means it’s walk time. He loves his food and as a wee wee pup, he often splayed out on his belly like a starfish, right in the middle of the food tray.Chef Copper! Our blind little retiree. Pound for pound, Copper was one of the strongest sleddogs in the kennel. Now she naps the days away on her cushion, but comes alive at dinner prep to add her culinary expertise to the proceedings.Whoop- Whoop spends most of her day hunting for food in between naps. She wanted retiree, so she has taken on the responsibilities of Sanitation Engineer and ensures that all the feed buckets are squeaky clean at the end of the day. In her working days, she was a great leader and ran many races along with sharing the world of sleddogs with guests.Skoki is a reserved miss who picks her human and isn’t interested in many others. Those that do get to pet her, discover that her fur is as soft as a rabbit. She’s a bit of a sneaky miss, preferring to beg forgiveness than ask permission.Chaos aka Fruit Bat. A wee little girl with a big heart, gentle enough to befriend a lamb. Chaos has some breathing problems so when she barks, it sounds like she smokes two packs of DuMaurier cigarettes every day. It shocks everyone! Sister to, and best friends with Skoki.Tam is the resident cattle dog. Often described as half wolverine and half barbwire, this girl is grumpy and bossy and dominant. She’s in the top IQ percentile and thinks the sleddogs are dumb. Her favorite thing in the world to do is to chase a ball. Because she knows best, she basically runs the kennel and orders the humans about. #### Adventure ## Ready for Adventure? View FAQs Contact Us --- ## Racing URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/racing/ # Racing ## Racing As well as doing tours, which introduces others to the wonder of a hardworking husky, Kingmik fields a team of race dogs that spend some of the winters on the road, testing their metal against other teams across North America. The race dogs are the dogs that not only have the most athletic ability but the dogs that also exhibit the most attitude. Attitude is everything and we often see dogs go far just on pure heart and a competitive edge. They know when they are racing, and while they may just go through the paces during training, they pour it on at the races. After years of competing in skijoring, sprint and stage racing, we are taking it to a new level with Distance racing. At present, the Kingmik race team is focusing on 300-mile races in the Yukon, Alaska, Saskatchewan, and Montana. During distance races, the team will run and rest on roughly an equal schedule. Sleep deprivation for the musher is always a challenge, for while the dogs rest, the musher does dog care. Bedding down dogs, massaging tired muscles, preparing dog food and feeding, fixing gear, sorting drop bags, feeding some more, and forever number crunching as he or she figures out distance to next checkpoint, estimated travel time, how long they will rest, and when exactly they should start getting ready for an accurate departure for the next leg of their journey. The world becomes surreal as night blends into a day into the night again and much is done by the narrow beam of a headlight. In that half-light of day, it is often easy to forget if it is dawn or dusk. The bond formed with the dogs in such travel is parallel to none. You become equal members of the same team, relying on, and taking care of each other. However, the dogs are the true champions of the run. To witness their heart, joyful willingness and pure athletic ability is a humbling experience. To travel with such partners is an honor. #### Race-Related Links • Yukon Quest • Iditarod • Canadian Challenge • Race to the Sky #### Adventure ## Ready for Adventure? View FAQs Contact Us --- ## Our Staff URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/our-staff/ # Our Staff #### About Us ## Our Staff Megan’s life went to the dogs in 1993 when she was introduced to mushing in the Northwest Territories on the remote east arm of Great Slave Lake. For a month she ran dog teams over frozen lakes and under the northern lights while caribou herds migrated south. She returned home, promptly gave up two perfectly good careers and now runs dogs for a living! Megan covered the racing spectrum from skijoring to sprinting to stage racing to long-distance racing. The attraction to distance racing, the most challenging endeavor she’s ever done, is the extraordinary bond that forms between a musher and her dogs. Megan now feels grateful to be able to live a life with dogs and share this world with visitors to the Park.Rob was originally from a farm near Jandowae, Queensland, Australia, and first came to Canada in 2018. With the plans of working on a farm for one summer in Saskatchewan. He decided to move to the rockies for the winter and during his first winter seeing snow, he got a job guiding for Kingmik. It was here that he got hooked on dogs. He's since guided up in the northwest territories and the yukon running dogs, also competing in 100 mile races with our 4 legged Kingmik athletesJared is a home grown Canadian bush boy, hailing from the deep forests of Ontario. Jared is an accomplished guide and dog musher and will make you feel safe and cosy while sharing oodles of information about sleddogs, the Park, and all the historical aspects of both. When not dog mushing Jared can be found on solo canoe expeditions in the vast Canadian waterways.Reece joins us from England where she had a successful doggie daycare business. Reece knows the mind of a dog and speaks Bowwow fluently.  Dogs love Reece and Reece loves dogs.Julie is the friendly and efficient voice that greets you on the phone. She’s fast and thorough and sharp as a tack!  Julie basically ensures that things are super efficient and she keeps all us mushers in line.I’m a lifelong dog lover and have always worked closely with animals. I feel happiest outdoors, surrounded by nature, and I love sharing that sense of freedom and connection with others. I enjoy meeting new people and bringing warmth and positivity to every experience.My passion lies in protecting wildlife and exploring the outdoors, and I enjoy sharing that knowledge and enthusiasm with others. For me, guiding is about inspiring a deeper appreciation for the natural world while making every experience enjoyable and memorable.Originally from Saskatchewan, Tammi has been dog oriented her whole life & after this past winter taking care of 2 litters of puppies this summer, she’s stepping up for her first time guiding. If Tammi’s your guide this winter, you’ll have a great time getting to know the dogs and all their quirks & personalities.Learn more about the dogs  here ! #### Adventure ## Ready for Adventure? View FAQs Contact Us --- ## Contact URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/contact/ # Contact Us ### Phone 1-855-482-4592 1-403-763-7789 ### Email info@kingmikdogsledtours.com ### Location 16430 Hwy 1A Lake Louise, AB T0L 1E0 Canada Get Directions ## How can we help you today? Please email, call or fill out the adjacent form if you wish to contact Kingmik Dog Sled Tours. We look forward to speaking with you. Thanks! --- ## Dog Sled Tours URL: https://kingmikdogsledtours.com/dog-sled-tours/ # Dog Sledding Tours Experience the beautiful scenery in Banff National Park & Lake Louise! #### From $640 CA ## Great Divide Tour Our longest and most popular tour! Often described by our guests as the highlight of their trip to Canada. Book Now Learn More #### From $675.00 CA ## Mushing 101 Are you looking for a more adventurous run with the dogs? Experience our Great Divide Tour with you or your partner at the helm. Book Now Learn More #### From #350 CA ## Narnia Tour This is our short introductory tour that covers the “sweet spot” of the Lake Louise scenery. Book Now Learn More #### Our Reviews ## Best Adventure in Lake Louise ---