Dog Sledding and Winter Fun

Destination: Tofte, MN

Combining lots of outdoor activity, natural beauty, and four nights in an award-winning resort, this wintertime adventure vacation is the perfect interlude in your daily life that is at once invigorating and deeply relaxing. The invigorating part comes from the very fun activities of dog sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. The relaxing part comes from the rest of the trip. It's not just the hot tub or saunas, or even the optional massages. It's also the beauty and quiet of the condos with their windows looking out over Lake Superior; delicious meals that you don't have to plan or cook; and the camaraderie of other women. We guarantee that by the end of these six days you will have completely escaped the daily grind! Maximum group size: 10

Highlights

Experience the exhilaration of mushing a team of sled dogs through pristine winter wilderness
Learn or improve upon cross-country skiing skills on endless miles of well-groomed trails
Snowshoe the loop on Oberg Mountain with its 8 overlooks
Luxuriate in your beautiful condo with views of Lake Superior
Explore the totally charming town of Grand Marais
Relax your tired muscles in the hot tub and sauna

Departures and Prices

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Departure

Inclusions

1 - 2 experienced AGC guides based on group size
Lodging in Duluth the first night
Four nights lodging with a private bedroom in the condos at Bluefin Bay
All meals from breakfast on Saturday thru lunch on Wednesday
Skis and snowshoes, ski passes
Round-trip transportation from Duluth, MN
One full day of dog sledding with two women per sled

Not included: Transportation to/from Duluth, alcoholic beverages, guide gratuities, packing list items, pre- or post-trip lodging

Details

These are suitable for any woman who regularly walks at a brisk pace 3 to 4 days a week for 35 - 45 minutes. There are typically 3 to 5 hours of daily activity.

This trip is for any woman who wants to experience a variety of winter activities while staying in wonderful accommodations. This trip can be as relaxed or active as you choose! If you want to do every activity offered, some prior conditioning is definitely a good idea. Rating: [1] [2] [3] 4 5

Winter fun at its best! On this trip we'll try a variety of winter sports: dogsledding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Whether you're totally new to these winter sports or already experienced, the guides will give you the instruction you need to get to the next step. Relaxing in the sauna or outdoor hot tub is an equally important part of the Minnesota winter experience.

The first night will in Duluth at the Inn on Lake Superior. We will then spend four nights at the award-winning Bluefin Bay resort. Bluefin is a collection of well-designed, comfortably appointed seaside vacation resort located right on the lake. Each condo has a fireplace, jacuzzi, and great views. They also boast a year-round outdoor pool and hot tub, two saunas, an indoor pool and whirlpool/spa and an exercise room. We've reserved two and three bedroom condos, each with either one king or queen-sized bed in every bedroom and 2 shared bathrooms. You can see the floor plan here.

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Below is the proposed itinerary for the trip. As is true on any adventure travel trip, plans for any specific day may be modified due to weather considerations, unforeseen circumstances, new opportunities, and group interests.

DAY 1

Today is arrival day! You are free to arrive into Duluth anytime today. It's a lovely city, right on the shores of Lake Superior, and an interesting place to spend some time if you can arrive early. Lodging tonight is included and our first formal get-together will be tomorrow. Suggestions of things to do and places to eat, along with the hotel name, will be included in the PreDeparture Document that you receive 4 months before the trip.

DAY 2

The trip begins at 9 AM when your AGC guides will pick you up at the Duluth hotel. We will drive up to Tofte, about two hours from Duluth, and share a welcome lunch at the Coho Cafe - a local gem! After checking into our condos, we'll stretch our legs with a snow shoe walk on nearby Oberg Mountain (weather permitting). Following a short climb to the top (only in Minnesota would this be considered a mountain) there is a relatively flat loop trail leading to 8 different overlooks, offering a perfect introduction to the area. We'll end our day with a hearty dinner and afterwards enjoy relaxing in a hot tub or sauna, or just sit in our comfortable living room in front of a cozy fire and gaze out the window at the vast frozen lake.

DAY 3

This morning we'll go for a cross country ski near Bluefin Bay. The trails are appropriate for a variety of skill levels, including those who have never been on skis before. Your guides will provide the instruction you need to learn and/or improve your skiing techniques. In the afternoon you may choose to relax or read at the condos, do some snowshoeing, or perhaps go out for another ski. And of course, there is a massage therapist available by appointment. Those wanting down time are welcome to relax at the resort and take advantage of its many amenities. B, L, D

DAY 4

Today is our dog sledding day! We get up early to meet our dogs and guides - sled dogs are some of the funniest, friendliest, quirkiest dogs around and they love to pull. After learning how to harness and hook them up, we're off for a full day of sledding. We'll drive the sleds across lakes and through the woods and learn how to assist the dogs by "pedaling" and “scootering”. We will experiment with shifting our weight on the runners to help the sled turn as well as jumping on and off the runners when we're going uphill. After an active morning we'll all need a break, so we'll stop to make a fire and have a hot lunch. With two women in every sled, you have the opportunity to switch between the very vigorous activity of driving the sled and a more relaxing time of sitting cozily bundled in the sled and watching the spectacular winter scenery go by. We guarantee that if you love dogs, you'll adore sled dogs! We’ll return to our condos in time to freshen up prior to our dinner out at Bluefin restaurant. B, L, D

DAY 5

We plan to ski at Pincushion Mountain, a great cross-country ski area with a variety of trails on the North Shore. Or, if more snowshoeing is what you desire, we will explore a scenic trail at George Washington Pines. While ‘playing in the snow’, we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch at a nearby warming hut before finishing our activity. Any remaining time for the day can be spent exploring the shops and galleries of Grand Marais or exploring more trails by ski or snowshoe. Grand Marais is a charming and friendly town and though some of the stores are closed in winter, it's still well worth a visit. We'll head back to condos at Bluefin for appetizers, conversation and our last shared dinner together. B, L, D

DAY 6

Today we'll hike along the gorge of a nearby frozen river giving us the chance to see the winter beauty of the river and experience the power and majesty of nature in this spectacular winter season. We will plan to share a final lunch and leave Tofte by 1:00 PM. We will be back at the Duluth airport not later than 3:30 PM. The Duluth Airport is quite small, and you can plan to fly out any time after 4:30 PM. B, L

Trip Summary

Packing List

*These are the unfiltered reviews of women who have been on this trip in answer to the question "Did this trip meet your expectations?". We take reviews very seriously and often tweak itineraries based on feedback. Please feel free to contact us about any questions you have.

I enjoyed seeing the snow. It was great to see snow without it causing panic. I enjoyed the activities. It was a beautiful area. Being outdoors and active with other women is a bonding experience. Dog sledding was a great experience.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/7/2020-2/12/2020

All activities were great as well as the location for the. But really enjoyed the dog sledding and being able to drive the sled.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/7/2020-2/12/2020

Dog sledding was spectacular. The scenery, dogs, weather, and guides were way beyond my expectations. It is an experience not to be missed!!! Dog sledding was not the reason I was interested in this trip, but it would be the reason I would strongly encourage others to pursue this experience.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/7/2020-2/12/2020

Deb and Anne, and help from Julie, were amazing! Of course all the activities were amazing, the food was delicious, and the people on the trip were fun!

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/7/2020-2/12/2020

I really enjoyed meeting new people and trying activities I had never done or had not done in a while.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/7/2020-2/12/2020

Dogsledding day was awesome! Just an amazing experience overall. Hard to describe. I really enjoyed that we had options whether to ski or snowshoe a couple of days and we got lucky and had fresh snow which was awesome for skiing. Anne and Deb made sure everyone was prepared for the day as far as staying warm and what to wear. Food was great as well, good variety and accommodating to peoples needs.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/2/2019-2/6/2019

The trip exceeded my expectations. Our guides were amazing. They were very helpful and friendly. The activities were fun and well chosen!

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/2/2019-2/6/2019

I chose this trip because I have had little exposure to winter activities except downhill skiing. I have never been in weather single digits and below. I was expecting the worst in terms of being cold but although it was cold, snow shoeing, x-country skiing warmed me up. The dogsledding was amazing - a bucket list experience for me. I really liked the comradery with the women on the trip and Ann and Deb were fabulous. I would do another trip with either one in a heartbeat. I would even do this trip again.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/2/2019-2/6/2019

I loved all the activities that the trip included. The dog sledding was awesome, snow shoeing was fun and trying to cross country ski was a good challenge. The scenery was beautiful. The guides were awesome, and so were the other participants.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/2/2019-2/6/2019

At the top of Oberg mountain, looking out over the hilly snow swept landscape and being able to see for miles was absolutely breathtaking. an image I will hold in my mind for many years.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/2/2019-2/6/2019

Learning new skills; time spent with a young friend made on another trip; time spent with our group; time spent with two very special guides for whom MN is home; shared meals

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/2/2019-2/6/2019

The highlights are hard to choose as everything was wonderful. Of course, the dog sledding was the absolute pinnacle of the trip. It was incredible. Plus I loved all the snowshoeing opportunities, cross country skiing, and meeting new people. The guides were AWESOME! Anne and Deb are both kind, patient, knowledgeable and lots of fun! Wonderful time, all around.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/3/2018-2/7/2018

The dogsledding was awesome. So much more fun than I had imagined. the guides were great. We had a great mix of people on the trip - discovered I really like snowshoeing.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/3/2018-2/7/2018

Cross Country skiing

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/3/2018-2/7/2018

Really enjoyed the mix of activities. Equipment was excellent. Guides very organized. I liked the snowshoeing best.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/3/2018-2/7/2018

Really enjoyed the mix of activities. Equipment was excellent. Guides very organized. I liked the snowshoeing best.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/3/2018-2/7/2018

Dog sledding!! And very nice people...

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/3/2018-2/7/2018

Absolutely loved the dog sledding. I will be considering a longer dog sledding trek in the future.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/25/2017-3/1/2017

Trip was even better than I expected. Dogsledding was soooo much fun. Enjoyed that each hike we took was slightly different...the traills were in relatively close proximity to each other but were quite different. Liked the fact that we went to a place (Ted Tofte Lookout or Peak...not sure what it was called) that neither Anne nor Margi had been before. That hike was probably my favorite. Also enjoyed that we finally got to snowshoe (rather than use traction devices) on the final day. Snowshoeing was so peaceful. Wish the conditions had been better the second time that we went cross country skiing. Even so, it provided entertainment and funny stories.

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/25/2017-3/1/2017

Dog sledding was a highlight, but we also did this trip with a group of new and old friends, so that made it special as well!!

Dog Sledding and Winter Fun 2/25/2017-3/1/2017

It is hard to pick out a highlight, the entire trip was beyond my expectations. I was super impressed in the way the guides taught and spent time with everyone making sure everyone knew what to do and were able to do the activities they preferred.