Power of the Dogs:
Keeping the Tradition Alive
From Ancient Arctic Trails to Modern Adventures
Originating in Eastern Siberia over 9,500 years ago, dog sledding is one of humanity’s oldest means of transportation for both passengers and freight. Over several centuries, the tradition spread into Alaska and Canada, though the first written accounts come from Arabian merchants and explorers like Marco Polo. In his 13th-century writings, Polo described sled dogs pulling couriers across icy terrain:
“At each of these post-houses they keep some 40 dogs of great size, in fact not much smaller than donkeys, and these dogs draw the couriers over the day's journey from post-house to post-house…”
Though modern technology has largely replaced dog sledding as a primary mode of transportation, and dogs have gotten smaller, the practice has evolved and endures among hobbyists, racers and tour companies. One such company, based in the remote Colorado mountain town of Ohio City near Gunnison, is helping to keep the spirit of mushing alive.
Mushing Into a Dream
Abigayil Crowder, founder of Mushing Mutts LLC, has been mushing for 15 years. Her passion began with a single Alaskan Husky gifted to her on her 15th birthday.
“We shipped my first sled dog from Fairbanks, Alaska, to Maryland,” Crowder said. “By the time she was about 7-months-old, we started running on a bike and a little sled.”
What began with one dog and a modest sled has since grown into 44 dogs and four sleds. Many of the current pack were bred and raised by Crowder, creating a lineage in which one team could consist of all relatives.
“I love them so much, and I love raising puppies. I love raising them from teeny tiny to really big. It’s just so rewarding because then you get to see a puppy go from being just a puppy to being one of the best star athletes,” she said.
When selecting traits for breeding, Crowder prioritizes big paws that provide greater traction; low-set tails that allow for greater muscle development in the hind legs; and lighter-colored coats, which fare better in the Colorado sun. She also looks for personalities that are playful, affectionate and sociable.
“I just want dogs that can get along with everybody and everything, and that you can kind of have as pets but also [have] super high drive and workability,” she said.
Two and a half years ago, Crowder expanded the Mushing Mutts team by bringing on Emery Petrozelli. She met Petrozelli while working at a dog sledding tour company in Alaska back in the summer of 2022. At the time, Crowder was already an experienced musher, while Petrozelli had been hired as a handler.
“We kind of hit it off,” Petrozelli said. “And so after that job was done, I moved back home for a few months, and then she offered me a job. And so I came out here to Colorado, and I've been here ever since. She trained me how to mush one of the first months I was here. It only took about a couple of weeks, and I was ready to go.”
The Dogs Behind the Team
As a musher and handler, Petrozelli helps with taking care of the dogs and keeping them in peak physical condition.
“They're running marathons,” Petrozelli said. “Think of it that way.”
Their diet is meticulously planned, featuring high-protein, high-fat kibble enriched with raw elk and deer meat, alongside joint-support supplements. Each cup of kibble provides 750 calories, and depending on whether they are training for a race or running tours a sled dog may consume between 5,000 and 13,000 calories daily. At their physical best, each dog is capable of pulling up to 100 pounds and can cover over 90 miles in 24 hours, with performance influenced by trail conditions, breed, and individual size. A team of 20 dogs could pull half a ton or more with some sleds traveling over 1,000 miles in the course of a few weeks on the Iditarod trail in Alaska.
Despite their physical strength and needs a lot of dog sledding is mental, Petrozelli explains. The dogs must have a desire to pull a sled and run for up to 16 miles, or about two hours, on the longest tour route they offer.
“If they don't have that, you don't want to run them because that would be cruel,” Petrozelli said. “And that's why we still do it. We have dogs that want to do it. We do it for them. We do it for the people that want to see them happy. The dogs actually want to fulfill that experience and go out with [people] because it's always a great time. And they just love to do it. They're bred to do it.”
During the summer months, when the dogs aren’t pulling sleds, they stay active with bikejoring, hiking and playing in their spacious pens. But the work doesn’t stop, even during the off-season.
“You never get a day off,” Crowder said. “It’s definitely not just a hobby, especially when you have as many as I do. These guys don’t know if you’re sick. They don’t know it’s a holiday. You have to be with them all the time… And the hardest part for me with mushing is saying goodbye to my retirees when they’re old. I have to go through significantly more deaths than the average person does, and that takes its toll.”
Through their dedication and love for the team, Crowde and Petrozelli ensure the age-old tradition of dog sledding thrives, offering a glimpse into history and a unique experience for adventurers today.
