The Arctic Prep Trip is a three-day winter camping and expedition preparation experience designed for guests planning to participate in Arctic Basecamp.
Modeled after our Arctic Basecamp expedition, this experience takes place in a more controlled and supportive environment where guests can develop the skills, systems, and confidence needed to comfortably live and travel outdoors in winter conditions.
This trip is limited to 4 participants
Many adventurous and experienced travelers have never winter camped before. During this trip, guests learn how to sleep warm, manage moisture, regulate temperature, organize gear, and develop camp routines that make life outdoors comfortable and enjoyable. Rather than learning these lessons for the first time in the remote and exposed Arctic, participants have the opportunity to practice skills with experienced guides nearby to coach and support.
Arctic Dog provides the same expedition gear and cold-weather systems used during Arctic Basecamp. Throughout the trip, participants learn how to effectively use sleeping systems, layering strategies, camp equipment, and travel routines while identifying any challenges before entering the remote Arctic. By the end of the trip, guests will have a clear understanding of what works for them and what to expect during Arctic Basecamp.
Guests must have either completed a previous Arctic Dog multi-day expedition or participated in this Arctic Prep Trip to be considered for Arctic Basecamp. The Arctic Prep Trip is designed specifically for guests planning to participate in Arctic Basecamp.
Arctic Dog Adventure Co.'s Arctic Basecamp is not simply a dog sledding trip—it is a remote Arctic expedition. The Arctic Prep Trip allows guests to learn, practice, and gain confidence in winter camping and cold-weather travel before entering one of the most isolated and spectacular landscapes on earth. The purpose of the Arctic Prep trip is support clients to arrive at Basecamp focused on the adventure rather than worrying about their gear, sleeping systems, or camp routines.
Your safety is our top priority — long before you arrive in Alaska. Every expedition is led by certified Wilderness First Responder guides and supported by detailed risk management plans, orientation sessions, and constant communication on the trail. We carry extensive first aid kits, satellite communication, and emergency transport options on every trip.
Behind the scenes, our team plans routes, monitors weather, and prepares gear so your experience feels effortless and secure. You can focus on the adventure — knowing we’ve prepared for every possibility.
Read More in our How We Keep You Safe on a Dog Sledding Trip blog.
No previous mushing experience is required. We will teach you everything you need to know to feel comfortable and equipped for your days on the trail. That being said, dog mushing is a physical activity...from harnessing dogs to standing on the sled all day, you will need to be reasonably able-bodied in order to fully enjoy this experience.
This trip is rated Moderate because of several 200-500 foot climbs where you will need to 1) help the dogs by pushing/walking besides the sled uphill and 2) be able to balance adequately to manage the sled brake on the descents.
In order to safely enjoy this trip you must be able to:
✔️ Lift 50 lbs.
✔️ Endure hard falls onto ice or hard packed snow.
✔️ Get dragged while holding onto sled handlebars (hard on shoulders).
✔️ You must be able to squat to go to the bathroom outside.
✔️ You must be able to balance on one foot for a minimum of 5-10 seconds.
✔️ You must be able to climb stairs quickly and easily.
✔️ You must be able to jump up from a prone position on the ground or in deep snow off-piste (i.e. a snow burpee)
✔️ Be capable of walking or hiking on steep and uneven terrain for up to 8 hours.
✔️ Be prepared to wrangel strong sled dogs (hard on wrists, hands, and shoulders).
✔️ Be prepared to be exposed to cold, wet, windy and otherwise adverse weather conditions sometimes found in higher latitudes.
If you are over the age of 65, we require a medical clearance from your doctor. (Click here to see our medical form.)
You do not need previous experience with cold weather climates, but you will need to equip yourself with a proper set of winter base layers in order to ensure your comfort and safety. Even though it is spring in Alaska, weather and temperatures can still be harsh and unpredictable. We will provide you with a list of suggested & required gear -- your comfort is our utmost concern! Check out our packing list here.
Your dog sledding guide for this trip is Lisbet Norris. Lisbet is the company owner and lead guide at Arctic Dog Adventure Co. Originally from Willow, Alaska, Lisbet grew up in a dog-mushing family. She is a three-time finisher of the Iditarod, the longest sled dog race in the world. Lisbet has two decades of experience guiding dog sled tours and expeditions. She is known for her leadership qualities under adverse circumstances and through sound preparation and experience, she makes the most unique and challenging adventures possible for her clients! Lisbet has a strong love for the North. A self-taught naturalist, she feels at home in the boreal forest of Interior Alaska and loves sharing the northern landscape with others. Lisbet holds a degree in Northern Studies and History from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Your accommodation for this trip is a heated Alaskan tent called an "Arctic Oven." This is Alaskan "glamping" -- a truly comfortable winter camping experience. With two twin beds, the Arctic Ovens can accommodate two people per tent. The tents are equipped with cots, winter rated sleeping pads and sleeping bags. The Arctic Oven is heated by a small stove, lit with twinkle lights, contains a gear drying rack, and has room for gear storage at the end of the bed. With 9x9x7 foot dimensions, you can even stand up inside.
Yes. You will drive and be responsible for your own small team of 4-6 dogs. On orientation day, your professional dog sledding guide will introduce you to your team, give you a lesson on how to drive the sled, and take you out on a short trip to practice your new mushing skills. You will learn how to harness a sled dog, and how to slow and stop your team. Your guide drives their own team just ahead of you, keeping an eye on the dogs, the trail, and your progress. You will drive a dog sled all six days.
Journey by dog team into the Chatanika River Valley, traveling along historic mushing trails that wind through boreal forest, black spruce swamps, frozen waterways, and river corridors. The valley is known for its deep cold and winter conditions, providing an excellent training ground for developing the confidence and skills needed for Arctic Basecamp.
We can accommodate all dietary needs if notified at time of registration. We always provide you with a snack bag filled with a mix of sweet, salty, savory and chocolatey snacks for fueling up between meals. Dessert is most often cookies or chocolate with a hot coffee, tea, or cider.
Orientation
Trail Day 1
Trail Day 2
Trail Day 3
Trail Day 4:
Trail Day 5:
Trail Day 6:
Any time it is dark! Seriously! The Northern Lights can be viewed in Fairbanks from August through April even at Kp0*. That being said, your chance of seeing the lights increases when the skies are clear, meaning little to no cloud cover. March, followed by April & February, are historically the months with the lowest precipitation in Fairbanks, meaning clear skies and good chances of spotting the aurora.
The northern lights are caused by charged particles from the sun (solar wind) hitting the Earth’s magnetosphere. Around the equinoxes (fall and spring), the Earth’s axis is side-on to the sun, which happens to sync with the magnetic field of the solar wind. That means that during the equinoxes in March and September, charged particles are more likely to be accelerated down the field lines of Earth’s magnetosphere, causing the northern lights.**
*Kp is used to measure aurora strength.
**There is no guarantee we will see the northern lights. While regularly observed in Fairbanks, they are still an unpredictable natural phenomenon highly dependent on
weather and cloud cover. We can guarantee: good food, tasty snacks, amazing scenery, comfortable cabin accommodations and lots of time with our amazing huskies!
Here is a playlist of videos that clients & guides who have adventured with us in the White Mountains National Recreation Area have created.
If you are traveling with larger luggage (suitcases, travel bags, etc.), you will not be able to bring it on the dog sledding trip. We will repack your necessary items into our provided bags and you can leave your larger suitcase behind.
You have two easy options for where to leave your luggage during our tour:
Option 1 — Leave luggage at your hotel
Most hotels in Fairbanks are happy to hold your luggage while you are out on tour. Simply ask the front desk to store it until your return.
Option 2 — Leave luggage at the kennel
If needed, we can securely store luggage at the Arctic Dog Adventure Co. kennel while you are on your trip.
You should only take the gear listed in the packing list (see the packing list task) on your dog sledding adventure.
After breakfast at your accommodations, we will pick you up and bring you to the homestead to meet your guides and your new teammates: the dogs!
You’ll be fitted for Arctic gear before packing sleds and preparing to depart for camp. Along the way, we’ll review layering systems, cold weather principles, expedition routines, and the practical systems we use while traveling and living outdoors in winter conditions.
Before heading out, you’ll receive an introduction to dog handling, basic mushing techniques, trail communication, and the systems we use while traveling with sled dogs in winter conditions.
Then, you’ll drive your own dog team out to camp, led by your guides. Camp will already be set up when you arrive so you can focus on learning the systems and routines used during Arctic expeditions rather than spending your first evening building camp.
You’ll organize gear, settle into your sleeping systems, and begin learning the practical routines that help people stay warm, dry, and comfortable outdoors in winter conditions.
You’ll sleep in a wood stove heated tent alongside your guides so we can help troubleshoot systems, answer questions, and help you learn how to comfortably use Arctic Dog’s expedition equipment and winter camping systems. The goal is to help you arrive at Arctic Basecamp already knowing how your systems work and what helps you stay comfortable outdoors.
After breakfast and morning camp routines, you’ll head out for a full day of dog sledding travel modeled after a typical Arctic expedition day — long days, outside lunch with a view, etc.
Throughout the day, you’ll practice the systems that make remote winter travel successful, comfortable, and enjoyable. We’ll work on moisture management, layering adjustments, temperature regulation, trail organization, camp efficiency, and staying comfortable while active in cold conditions.
This is not simply a dog sledding trip — it is an opportunity to practice living and traveling outdoors in winter conditions while handling sled dogs and refining the routines used during remote Arctic travel.
You’ll return to camp for a second overnight winter camping experience and continue refining systems alongside your guides.
After breakfast, we'll break camp, review systems and routines, and discuss any final adjustments or recommendations before Arctic Basecamp.
We’ll then travel back to the homestead by dog team for a final debrief and discussion.
By the end of the trip, you’ll leave with practical experience winter camping, sleeping outdoors, handling sled dogs, and living in cold conditions before entering one of the most remote and special dog sledding environments on earth.
Fairbanks, Alaska, USA 
US$5,299 per person
