I didn’t like winter, but then I met these great dogs in Bend

It’s a full-on furry pep rally. Barking, yarping, jumping like a cheering squad. I’m tucked into a sled under a warm blanket, grinning before we’ve even taken off, while a team of compact, muscled, mid-size dogs absolutely lose it up front. All ten dogs are eagerly tugging, like the road ahead is lined with beef-flavored snacks. They jerk the sled slightly forward even though it’s anchored tightly to a pole. 

I think to myself, am I sure about this? 

Winter and I don’t agree. I grew up in Portland, Ore., in the ’90s, way more interested in Nirvana than skiing or playing in the snow. Years later, tour guiding led me to Telluride, Colo., where not being a skier is basically a personality flaw. I tried. Three ski lessons in and I knew: nope. It was all too fast with too many ways to fall which caused way too much anxiety. Also, I don’t like being cold.

Now 12 years in Bend, I remain a winter skeptic. I spend the cold months planning summer fly fishing trips on the Deschutes River, and convincing myself Netflix and cats count as hobbies. But there’s always a little guilt and FOMO. The mountains are right there. Snow is beautiful. 

After years of rolling my eyes at winter, I decided I’d try again. But how? I don’t ski. I don’t snowboard. I do not want slippery or cumbersome things on my feet. I do not want to hurtle myself down anything at all. And I’d like to be warm. So, Bend, where can someone like me find some winter fun?

Turns out, the answer is right in front of me, howling and jumping and itching for a treat.

Harnessing the excitement

A pickup that’s part kennel on wheels, part expedition rig rolls up to our meeting spot at Dutchman Sno-Park. The team at Oregon Trail of Dreams has arrived. Suddenly, it’s all hands on deck. Sleds come off the roof. Ropes get tied. Harnesses get sorted. And then the cubby-sized, kennel doors start opening, noses and paws eagerly pushing out. 

Oregon Trail of Dreams is the only commercial sled dog operator in all of Oregon, but these dogs aren’t the fluffy, movie-star huskies you probably picture. They’re Alaskan husky–type sled dogs. They’re lean, medium-sized, with short to medium-length fur, and built like four-legged endurance athletes with the appetites of a million teens. Together these dogs will go through up to 150 pounds of food a day, devouring raw beef, turkey, chicken, eggs, and a little kibble for fiber. 

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Here at Dutchman, the guides move fast, calling names, checking lines, stepping around paws and tails.

There’s a quick safety talk, then I climb into the sled and pull the blanket up around me. My guide, Rachael Scdoris, untethers the sled from its anchor, and the dogs surge forward with enough force to press me back in my seat. Blast off!

Suddenly, I’m 8 years old, laughing out loud. The boisterous dogs quickly fall into a rhythmic roll. All ten run in sync with paws galloping across the snow. We’re cruising along at about 11 mph, just enough to feel the wind without feeling too fast. I squish a little more under the blanket. Behind me, Scdoris keeps things conversational. Between the steady glide, the dogs happily doing their thing, and the big Cascade mountain views, winter starts to feel … enjoyable.

Winter fun for people who don’t like winter

Oregon Trail of Dreams offers two tours, both of which start near Mt. Bachelor. The shorter Mt. Bachelor Tour runs about five miles and takes roughly an hour—a solid option if you’re tight on time or just want a taste of the experience. I opted for the longer Marathon Tour. It covers about 26 miles (roughly 4 hours), taking you from Dutchman Sno-Park to Elk Lake Resort and back along the seasonally closed-off Cascade Lakes Scenic Highway.

Elk Lake Resort was closed when we arrived, but go on the weekend when it’s open and you’ll find a perfect mid-ride stop to warm up with hot cocoa and lunch inside the recently renovated lodge. Even without the stop, the route out there is a joy ride.

Gliding along the snow-covered road that winds past frozen Devils Lake and Sparks Lake gives you front-row views of Mt. Bachelor and the Three Sisters as clouds and sun fight for their attention. It’s a different side to a place that gets so much more summer love. A tour with Oregon Trail of Dreams is such an accessible, easy way to experience winter in Central Oregon, with wide-open backcountry scenery and ten dogs that make it very clear you’re going to have the best day ever. Toddlers can come. Grandparents, too. No balance or athletic ability needed. Instead of racing through the snow-draped landscape, you have time to take it all in. Think of dog sledding as a way to experience winter without needing to be “good” at winter.

Rewired for winter

Along the way, Scdoris and I find time to chat. She started dog sledding competitively at age 8 with her father, Jerry, and eventually launched Oregon Trail of Dreams as a way to turn her passion into a career. Eventually they built an operation that now houses dozens of working sled dogs. She’s also legally blind. Even that couldn’t stop her from racing in the most famous dog sled race in the world, the Iditarod, a roughly 1,000-mile-long contest across Alaska from Anchorage to Nome held every March.

Scdoris’s love for dogs is infectious. She knows their lineage, quirks, and personalities. She casually points out siblings, best friends, and the differences in their coats and energy. That passion carries down through her staff, with five equally dog-obsessed experts who also guide, train, and care for the dogs at the company’s 40-acre ranch. 

We spend the rest of the trip gliding under mountain hemlocks with the sled hissing over the snow. By the time we arrive back to the truck, the dogs’ focus has melted into pure goofball energy. They flop in the snow, tongues out, tails exuberantly swinging. Guides toss out chunks of frozen beef and the dogs snap them up midair without missing a beat.

I hang out. I scratch some ears and take photos. I find my favorite dog, a honey-colored charmer named Gus Gus. We take selfies and snuggle and I even ask if I can sneak him home. I can’t. I’ll have to come back to catch up with my new BFF.

And that’s exactly what I was hoping for. I came thinking dog sledding would be a one-time thing, something to check off and move along. Instead, it helped me rewire my relationship with winter. You don’t need speed or strength or to be a polar athlete to have fun out here. All that’s required is some time with ten super cute dogs, a small crew of humans, and a warm blanket to snuggle under as you glide through landscapes as beautiful as these.

How to book your own dog sledding adventure in Oregon

Ready to try dog sledding yourself? Booking a sled dog adventure with Oregon Trail of Dreams is straightforward with two options. Their one-hour Mt. Bachelor tour is a perfect introduction, pairing you with an eight-dog team for a five-mile glide through the forest near the base of the mountain, making this ideal for dog lovers ages 3 to 103. For a deeper dive, reserve the half-day, 26-mile Marathon Tour to Elk Lake Lodge (Thursdays and Fridays), or join a weekday race-team training run for a faster-paced experience. Advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Dog-friendly hotels in Bend

Your dog’s probably not a sled dog but Bend welcomes all types of pooches. Here are some pet-friendly hotel options in Bend. Expect to pay a pet fee.

• Waypoint Hotel has pet-friendly rooms and treats for your dog.
• Riverhouse Lodge offers a welcome treat with its pet-friendly rooms that offer easy access to trails along the Deschutes River.
• My Place Hotel has about 25 pet-friendly rooms. 
• The Oxford Hotel has pet-friendly rooms that come with dog bags, water bowls, and treats. Insider tip: Even if you aren’t staying here, walk your dog by the hotel entrance and the doormen will ask if it’s ok to give your pup a treat.
• Find more pet-friendly places to play and stay in Bend here.