Wild and Free Arctic Camp 2024 - By Dog Sled Through the Arctic

Dog sledding in the Alaskan wilderness

The 2015 and 2019 Yukon Quest champion invites you to get to know his world. At the Wild and Free Arctic Camp, you'll experience the life of a real sled dog musher. The base camp lies north of the Brooks Range in the middle of the Arctic at Galbraith Lake.

At base camp, murkl.com makes sure you can enjoy the greatest possible luxury far from civilization. Besides heated wall tents, we provide you with high-quality meals made from regional ingredients and a carefree all-round package. Alongside Brent, two
more guides are with you, some of them German-speaking.

Through daily runs and training beforehand, you learn how to drive a dog sled and take care of your own dedicated dog team, which already has thousands of miles of racing and training experience. A breathtaking »mushing« experience awaits you.

There are no limits to your spirit of adventure. Multi-day dog sled trips with overnight stays away from base camp are possible. You can also explore the Arctic on your own on skis, sleds
or snowshoes.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival in Fairbanks

Our local guide picks you up at the airport and takes you to your accommodation.

Day 2 – Getting ready in Fairbanks – shopping and dog sled training

Your first day in Alaska gives you the chance to do any last shopping and errands in Fairbanks before heading to the Wild and Free Arctic Camp. If you like, the guides can check the gear you brought (winter clothing) and give you tips if anything essential is still missing.

Once the shopping is done, a two-hour session awaits you that we call »dry training«. Josh Horst, one of Brent's dog trainers and a true expert, shows you how to handle the sled, how to work with the dogs, support them and be supported by them – and, last but not least, how and when to use the brake. Good and important preparation, so you can feel completely safe from the very start. Tonight we hope to catch the beauty of the northern lights in Fairbanks.

Day 3 – Fairbanks – Wild and Free Arctic Camp over the Haul Road

Early in the morning you head north. By van and with our guides, you drive the Dalton Highway into the wilderness north of the Arctic Circle. The drive alone is a first highlight, leading through wild nature and icy landscapes – and against this backdrop, on the long drive, the guide and trucker will gladly tell you plenty of exciting stories about this Ice Road he has lived firsthand. Lunch today is at the roadhouse in Coldfoot, the only settlement on the Ice Road. Here we also put on our winter clothing before continuing on, because soon we climb Atigun Pass. And all of a sudden it no longer feels like spring, but like winter again.

A few kilometers further on, you reach Galbraith Lake. Here you meet Brent Sass and his dogs. From there, the first dog sled run takes you about 10 km (6 miles) to base camp. If you like, you can try the kick sled, the runner dog sled, yourself right away. If you don't feel ready yet, you simply ride along in the »visitor« sled with Brent or another guide.

Day 3 - 9 – Living with nature and the dogs at the Wild and Free Arctic Camp

The sun shines 16 to 17 hours a day; at this time of year it never gets truly dark in the Arctic. The landscape here is breathtaking: on one side a vast, white blanket of powder, on the other – snow and the steeply rising mountains of the Brooks Range as far as the eye can see. On this first day in the Arctic, as so often, the dogs are the focus. The tips from Josh's »dry training« complement Brent's detailed explanations.

Together with the other guides, you head out on a few short training loops. From the start you have your own dog team, chosen for you by Brent – surely the perfect choice! You decide the length and difficulty of the runs yourself, and with a little luck you'll spot huge caribou herds or even a bear. The closeness and trust you need with the dogs come naturally from all the time you spend with your team: feeding them, getting ready for a run and wrapping up afterward, resting together – or simply romping around in the snow.

Besides one long run each day, there are plenty of other ways to have fun in the snow: snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, long sled runs downhill, or just chilling in the sun in front of the camp – you certainly won't get bored. If you like, long multi-day runs are also possible, where you don't return to base camp in the evening but camp out in the wide open spaces.

It's really important that you tell the guides exactly what you feel like doing. The area offers potential both for spectacular views on short tours and for very demanding mountain tours with lots of elevation gain on completely untouched slopes. And the dogs are up for anything.

The better you communicate with the guides about what you'd like to do, the better your Arctic experience will be!

Florian, aka »Murkel«, personally takes care of the best possible catering, supported by the famous »musher chef« Joe Hardenbrook. The meals are 90 percent local products and perfectly suited to the days in camp, when your body burns a lot of energy.

Day 10 – Back to Fairbanks on the Dalton Highway

The days at camp pass far too quickly, and saying goodbye to the dogs will be hard. One last time, you head out of camp by dog sled into the vast white wilderness – toward
Galbraith and the Dalton Highway. On the drive back to Fairbanks, the camp will surely be the only topic of conversation, set to the music of Alaska's voice Hobo Jim and his classic »Wild and Free«.

Day 11 – Chill-out day in Fairbanks

After your days out in nature, this day in Fairbanks is all yours to settle in and recover. From your hotel you can explore the town in spring weather, visit a museum or just chill a little in a café. A real highlight are the breweries with their own taprooms that also sell beer to go. From midday on, this is where the town gets together – colorful,
open, cheerful – typically Alaskan.

Day 12 – Kayak tour on the Chena River

The Chena River runs right through Fairbanks. Whether by kayak or packraft – today you paddle leisurely along the calm river. No previous experience is needed, and as always your guide is on board with you. Along the way there are plenty of places to stop: pull over quickly, enjoy a drink or a bite to eat, and off you go again. A very relaxed way to get some exercise. Alternatively, or afterward, you can visit Chena Hot Springs to relax body and soul in the hot springs after all your adventures. With a little luck, you can even watch the northern lights from the pool! And to round off the day, you can look forward to a barbecue on the riverbank.

Day 13 - Flight home to Germany

3 seasons, lots of nice people and animals, wonderful scenery and experiences in nature – and so much more is what you take home from this Alaska trip. There's a reason murkl.com is convinced that Alaska
»is addictive«. Sadly, it's already time to say goodbye to the guide who drops you off at the airport. And to the land. Until next time.

Day 14 – Welcome home

To help you remember your experiences even better, murkl.com has used the time while you were on the plane to put an online photo folder with the best pictures of your Arctic Camp
online for you.

Dates and prices

» Dates and prices will be announced shortly.
» Group size: 4 – 8 people

Interested and have questions about the camp?

Florian von Derschau
florian.derschau@murkl.com, Tel. +49 163 29 55 684