In the spring of 1974, Stuart Mace gave me 55 of his world famous Toklat sled dogs. I named the kennel Krabloonik after the first lead dog that I raised while I was at Toklat. Krabloonik means "big eyebrows," which is the Eskimo term for "white man." The dogs were a gift of one man's love and it was not something given lightly. I had to prove that I could handle the business and carry on the traditions.

The Mace family had the dogs at Toklat in Ashcroft since 1947 and prior to that in the Fifth Mountain Division during WWII. Ashcroft, 11 miles south of Aspen, CO was a bustling mining community in the late 1880s to the early 1890s. "The transition was neither an act of desperation on my part nor a casual undertaking on his part," explained Stuart Mace. Mace knew that his health and age would not permit him to continue the strenuous routine that the kennel at Toklat demanded and so the gift was offered. But I had to go through a rigorous 4 1/2 year European-type apprenticeship to prove my ability and improve my skills.

The dogs are hybrids of three original sled dog types-Malamute, Eskimo, and Siberian (commonly grouped together under the name of Husky). The combination of breeds results in broad chests and shoulders, long legs, and wide paws, which I consider ideal for pulling in our mountains and powder snow. The dogs are bred only to fill a space on the sled teams, not for sale or show.

Not only are the dogs good workers, but they make excellent pets, and as they are very even-tempered and affectionate, they are also intelligent, loving sensitive, big-hearted, and amazingly strong with stamina beyond compare. They have a tremendous desire to please. On the other hand, they can also be independent, strong-willed, stubborn, preponderant, and feisty.

Teams of 11 dogs pull handcrafted sleds every day in winter. The sleds were adapted from original bone and rawhide Eskimo sleds by Mace. They carry people and provisions on the tour of the Snowmass-Maroon Bells Wilderness area. The dogs are worked so hard during the sledding season that they rest all during the heat, as is customary to the Eskimo way of life.

The dog of the Eskimo is one of the oldest domesticated dogs known to mankind, They were put to work centuries ago and now they pull by instinct. Contrary to popular belief, they are not part wolf. The Krabloonik tradition, like that of Toklat, follows the original Arctic Eskimo style of large freighting teams used to haul supplies and people. The large teams usually pair male and female side by side in harness.

The driver holds no whip or rein. He commands the dogs verbally, using tone and inflection of his voice to control speed. These commands are down for lie down, alright for go, gee for right turn, haw for left turn, and no and easy are the same. Each driver has to establish his own rapport, mutual bond of love, respect, and discipline, all of which must be earned. The experience of driving a sled team is a physical, mental and emotional one beyond anything I know.

The dogs are bred and born here, and until they are approximately 1 1/2 years old they do nothing but grow and play with the guests. Then they are placed in the middle of an experienced training team where they learn to follow in the footsteps of the older ones, figuratively and literally. After the adolescent dog learns commands and discipline, he is worked throughout the team until he learns all of the positions except lead, where he has to be groomed slowly. The positions of the team from front to back are lead, point, swing, intermediate, sub-wheel and wheel. I promote the versatility of the dogs by constantly rotating their positions and teams. A lead dog is capable of working all of the positions. The other dogs are not capable of leading because they are natural followers and have no desire to lead and they respect the leader for that trait.

Lead dogs are instinctively born leaders. It is not a trait that I can breed or train. Contrary to some of Jack London's Call of the Wild writings, the lead dog is not always the biggest, strongest, meanest or most intelligent one of the "pack." Quite often they are smallish and subordinate.

The dogs and driver become one and work as a team, the musher being the supervisor and the lead dog being the foreman, taking the commands and directions from the driver and putting them into action, often going against his own will to please the driver.

"When you take a sled trip you are witness to an example of the first teamwork between man and animal. The man driving the team is so close to nature-it is such a physical thing-he is dealing with something that is so very real. There is ruggedness about it, a true pioneer spirit that we are able to see and identify---even if we're city dwellers. It's a unique experience and Krabloonik is the only large working sledding operation left in the world today."

Mt Mason, friend.

Dogsledding is 10% glamour and 90% hard work. My dog sledding business was a gift of love and is a "labor of love." Each dog costs about $1.50 a day which covers food, minor vet bills and maintenance. The sled trips and kennel tours defray some costs, but not all. Thus the reason for the restaurant.

I didn't want a carbon copy of Toklat, though the business is, nevertheless, forced in that direction by the demands of the dogs. I have to do something to support them and I have to be near them because they require much care and attention. It is my desire to preserve and promote the dying art of dog sledding.

For the last few years, I have competed in the Alaska's "Last Great Race-the lditarod." 1,049 miles from Anchorage. It is indeed an adventure and a rewarding experience driving my best dog sled team through the untamed wilderness of our 49th state.

We are planning to extend the opportunities at Krabloonik in Snowmass to include catering of special events. We plan to utilize a tent in the summer season where we can host weddings, birthday parties, business meetings and seminars, etc. We will customize a menu for your special event.