West Coast Dryland Mushing Events, Fall 2014

Just a few more weeks, and mushing season 2014/15 will be here!
Here are a few scheduled events for the western US and Canada:

September 21 & 28: CDMA Dryland Race, Chugiak AK
October 4-5: Camp K Dryland Challenge, Cle Elum WA
October 13: So Mush Fun, Vacaville CA
October 18-19: Rosebud Dryland, Didsbury AB
October 18-19: Pacific NW Dryland Championships, Cle Elum WA
November 1-2: Dirt Rondy, Spokane WA
November 8-10: La Pine Mushing Weekend, La Pine OR

For additional races throughout North America, please see Sled Dog Central's race schedule.

While we are completely booked for the remainder of the year, please contact us if there's a new cart in your future, so you'll be ready to hit the trails in spring.

For more information about our carts, please see:

Arctis 3-Wheel

Arctis Mid-Size 4-Wheel

Arctis Heavy 4-Wheel

Did you check all your lines and harnesses before starting the new season?

If you need replacements, please see our friends at Alpine Outfitters for quality gear.

For non-mushing related pet supplies, please see Pet Club Online.

Spring Madness !

Springtime is here, and so is dryland season.
It's been busy, busy, busy in the shop. Filling orders for carts, carriers, scooter racks and at the same time working on our new cart model, which is in the final stages of completion.

Earlier, we delivered our 50th 3-wheel cart to a customer in Iowa, which is the 21st state in "Arctis Country". Our carts also found homes in 5 Canadian provinces, Mexico and now even in Asia!
No.50 should have been a golden cart, but the customer preferred an all black version:

While we're busy with new carts, an old friend, cart no.3 (also in all black), came in for a substantial upgrade. We added all features we had changed over the years, plus a new set of wheels, tires and brakes to bring it up to 2013 standards and added a passenger seat as well.
No.3 was the original "Bat Cart" and it was used for dryland racing in Washington:

Now, it'll be a training and racing cart in California:

Our long awaited new cart model is in its final stages and should be completed shortly. We will keep everyone updated on this blog and our facebook page as well.

Stay tuned for an event we're organizing for Portland OR in June!

Happy New Year!

Wishing all our customers, friends 

and fellow mushers 

a happy, healthy and prosperous 2013!

What a year it was! We've been busy from the first to the last day, thanks to our wonderful customers across the US and Canada and now also in Mexico. If all goes well, there will be another country on a different continent added to our list soon.
Unfortunately, not everything went according to plan in 2012. Since it was so busy, we've had to move the release of our new cart model to spring of 2013, and the move to our new location was supposed to be completed by the end of the year as well, but we're still in the middle of packing everything up at this point, and will be on our way to the new location in central Oregon soon.
We'll have a much larger production space available to work on several projects and hopefully add an "Arctisan" or two in the process.
Speaking of projects: at this point we are completely sold out for January and March and have one, possibly two spaces left for February. If you are in the market for a new cart for spring training, now would be a good time to get in touch with us.

While we were still in southern California, we finished the last cart in "Caltrans Orange". Actually, the customer preferred this color due to his running dogs in hunting areas. It'll certainly get everyone's attention, no matter what the reason for the paint job.

We also had another reporter visiting our local mushing group. This time it was the AFP who wanted to do a story about "urban mushing" in southern California. They just uploaded a short video and should soon publish an article and pictures of their experience with our group.

Urban Mushing on TV

Our local southern California PBS station recently came out to Fairview Park in Costa Mesa to do a story about Urban Mushing. Conveniently enough, we had one of our carts with passenger seat available for the reporter and the cameraman to hitch a ride with eight of our Siberian furries:

Watch Urban Mushing on PBS. See more from KOCE.

Summertime...and the shop is busy!

Even during the hot southern California summer days, there's plenty of work to be done in the shop. It's rather odd to be working on dog sledding equipment when it's in the upper 90s outside.

We're just finishing up the last summer orders for carts that are on their way to destinations all over North America. So far this year, we've pretty much covered the entire continent, from central Mexico to Alaska, from Oregon to Newfoundland and many places in between. Once again, a big "Thank you!!!" to all our customers.

Once those carts are on their way, work is beginning on our new project which will be announced in a few weeks right here on this blog, so stay tuned for some exciting news.

In the meantime, our friends at NWSDA in Washington have announced their fall schedule:
September 29th - Fall Warm-Up at Camp K in Cle Elum WA
October 13th - Dryland Challenge at Camp K in Cle Elum WA
October 27th - Pacific Northwest Dryland Championships at Camp K in Cle Elum WA
For more information about NWSDA events, please see their website or facebook page.

Also scheduled is Sierra Nevada Dog Drivers' annual mushing clinic on
October 20th & 21st in Truckee CA
Please see their website for more information.

Last, not least: the annual Veterans Day Mushing Weekend on
November 10th - 12th in La Pine OR
For more information click here.


In other news, our friends at Alpine Outfitters have just introduced a new product to their catalog:
the "See Me Safety Vest" . Check it out here.

Arctis Carts featured in Yahoo's Urban Mushing Video

Recently, a crew from Yahoo's Animal Nation webcast stopped by our local southern CA urban mushing group to shoot a video about the sport.
They spent an entire morning filming and interviewing our "leader of the pack" Rancy, and host Bridget even got to run a 6-dog team with one of our carts.

Here is the video:

...and when we're not out making videos, we're in the shop building carts like this one:

This is our first two-tone powder coat paint job. By customer request, it's "reflectra candy red" and "matte black" with red anodized wheels. Our paint shop "Embee Performance" did once again a great job!

With a rather snowless winter in many parts of the country, we've been busy filling orders and are currently booked into June.
There are also a couple of new and exciting projects lined up for the summer, so now might actually be a good time to think about a new cart for fall training.
Please feel free to contact us and inquire about our cart availability and delivery schedule.

OC Pet Expo & Dana Point Wag-A-Thon

'tis that time of year again for dog folks in southern California.

Orange County Pet Expo is coming up Friday April 20th - Sunday April 22nd in Costa Mesa CA.

Our friends at Alpine Outfitters will have a booth at the event and will have harnesses, lines, collars etc available for sale. Here's your chance to meet the folks behind the operation and get your mushing gear straight from the source.

Their booth # is 1480 (building 14) and they will be close to the Alaskan Malamute booth.

Another booth to check out is Canvas Pet, supplier of organic and environmentally conscious pet products. Their booth # is 734 in the "breezeway" between building 14 and 16.

Also at the pet expo, our friends at Husky Camp Siberian Husky Rescue, booth 119 outdoors.

Please say hello while you're there.

One week later, it's the 19th annual Dana Point Wag-A-Thon, presented the Pet Project Foundation benefiting the Dana Point/ San Clemente Animal Shelter.

The good folks at Three Dog Bakery San Clemente will provide treat bags for your furry friend(s). That alone should be enough motivation to make the trip out that way :-)

1 y.o. Siberian Husky available, Southern California

UPDATE: it looks like "Buddy" did find a home, but if you contact Animal Crackers (see below) or any of the other rescue organizations on the right hand side of this blog, there are always more Huskies in need of forever homes.

This handsome boy is "Buddy", a one-year-old, neutered, black & white Siberian Husky. Buddy is a very, very good natured and gentle boy, but just like all Huskies, needs a lot of exercise to keep him happy. He's a strong and energetic dog and requires long walks, hikes and runs. He ran for the first time in harness last weekend and took right to it.

His new forever home should be with experienced Husky owners where he won't be home alone for long periods of time.

For more information, please contact Gina at Animal Crackers Pet Rescue in Laguna Beach CA at acpetrescue@gmail.com

The Northern New England Sled Dog Trade Fair

Our starting point, Laguna Beach CA

We're back from our phenomenal trip to New Hampshire to attend the annual sled dog trade fair.
Wow, what an adventure! On September 26th, we loaded the van with three carts, three dogs and all our gear and supplies for a few weeks on the road and headed east.

Rest stop in the New Mexico desert

After 4 days and 3150 miles, we arrived at the Hopkinton fairgrounds and set up camp.
Some of the organizers, vendors and visitors had already arrived ahead of us and picked out their spots on the fairgrounds as well as inside the vendor building.

Our campsite

After the carts were unloaded and assembled, and the camp set up, it was time to socialize with the locals. It was wonderful to meet so many folks that we've know through online contact only.

Our display at the trade fair.

On Saturday, the trade fair officially started and a wide variety of vendors showed their products and services. From carts to sleds, harnesses to t-shirts, and so much more, anything related to running dogs was available to see, try and purchase.

Gregg Vitello of Northern Exposure Outfitters

Mountain Ridge display

Ken of Peacepups Dogsledding

All day long, various mushers were giving presentations, including Yukon Quest veteran Mike Ellis, Can-Am Crown 250 winner Rene Marchildon and New Hampshire musher Jaye Foucher.

Mike Ellis checking out one of our carts.

Saturday night, everyone got together for a potluck bbq and interesting games like the "harnessing & bootying contest", "dog & human egg race" & the "toilet paper caper".

On Sunday, the rig race was on at 8.30.
Races were held in a wide variety of classes from canicross to 6-dog rig and anything in between, and anyone from beginner to seasoned pro participated.

After the races, Loranne of Snow Star Farm had organized a little show & tell for all dryland equipment manufacturers and distributors. Several scooters and carts were introduced and could be tried and tested by fair visitors.

On Sunday afternoon, the fair closed and it was time to pack up and say good-bye to all our new friends.
Now we were ready for part 2 of the trip: a visit to our friends up north to drop off the last of the three carts we brought along, and then slowly make our way back to southern California, visiting friends and taking in the sights of Canada and the United States along the way.

Our first snow encounter of the season.

After 14 days and a total of more than 6900 miles, we arrived back in Orange County and went right back to work to make sure our orders are being filled in time for the new season.

Almost back home in California

Thanks to Amy & John at Mountain Ridge for organizing the fair and to everyone else who helped to make this a great event.
Also thanks to everyone who came out to see us and to our customers we met at the fair and in Canada!

As a famous cyborg once said: "I'll be back!"

Please check out the following sites, too:
Mountain Ridge Equipment
Northern Exposure Outfitters
Maine Made Dog Sleds
Arctic Star Dog Sleds
Snow Star Farm

Team Tsuga Siberians
Team Chocpaw
Sibersong Sleddogs

Peacepups Dogsledding
Boston Snow Dogs

Dryland Mushing Events, Fall 2011

Newly updated list for dryland mushing events around North America:

- September 16th - 18th, Presentation & Clinic with Karen Ramstead, Calgary AB
- September 17th & 18th, SNDD dirt fun run, Hobart Mills CA

- October 1st & 2nd, New England Sled Dog Trade Fair, Contoocook NH
- October 1st & 2nd - SNDD Mushing Clinic, Truckee CA
- October 1st & 2nd, NWSDA Fall Warm-Up, Cle Elum WA
- October 8th, "So Mush Fun" NorSled Fun Run & Fundraiser, Vacaville CA
- October 8th & 9th, Camp K Dryland Challenge, Cle Elum WA
- October 22nd & 23rd, Pacific Northwest Dryland Championships, Cle Elum WA

- November 5th & 6th, Spokane Dirt Rondy, Spokane, WA
- November 11th - 13th, La Pine Mushing Weekend, La Pine OR
- November 12th & 13th, Canadian Championship Dog Race, Bristol ON
- November 20th & 21st, Dryland Sled Dog Challenge, Kirtland OH

- December 11th & 12th, Between the lakes sled dog dash, Grand Rivers, KY

- September - December, Mid Union Sled Haulers Fall Training Sessions, MI



Based on our current production/shipping schedule, the next available cart could be ready for shipment or delivery in the third week of November. If you are still in the market for a new cart for the upcoming season, please contact us asap.

Also, we're traveling to various events around the country and can always drop off a cart along the way. Check with us for our travel schedule to arrange delivery.

California Mushing Clinic & Fun Run

Sierra Nevada Dog Drivers' annual mushing clinic is coming up on the weekend of October 1st & 2nd in Truckee, CA.
They also organize a dirt fun run on September 17th & 18th in Hobart Mills, CA, just north of Truckee.

For more information about these events, please see SNDD's website here.

2011 Northern New England Sled Dog Trade Fair & Seminar

Update 8/23: one final spot for a cart available. If you are in the market for a new dryland cart this season and would like us to deliver along our route or at the trade fair, please contact us asap.

More road trip news!
We are attending the New England Sled Dog Trade Fair in New Hampshire October 1st & 2nd.


We wanted to take on the cross country trip for a couple years now, and this will finally be the year.
As always, we're more than happy to bring a bunch of carts with us and deliver either at the Fair, or at your doorstep, if you live somewhat close to our route.
While we cannot offer free delivery for this trip, we can certainly offer reduced rates, plus you get an introduction from the manufacturer himself!
This would also be a great opportunity for our friends in Canada's eastern provinces to make the trip to NH to meet-up, take a cart home and save a bunch on freight charges.

Our planned route will be along I-40/70/90 from southern CA to NH:

Even if you live a little farther from our proposed route, feel free to contact us and we'll see if we can make arrangements for delivery.

So, if a new cart is in your future, here's your chance to save on shipping. Please contact us asap, so we can get the manufacturing process going to have the carts ready in time for our trip.

Our e-mail is info@arctis-carts.com and phone (949) 280-7019

Urban Mushing

Even though we're in the middle of summer in southern California, we still find ways to get out with our dogs, and take them on runs in the area. Coastal CA temperatures stay in the moderate range for most of the summer, since we have the marine layer off the Pacific Ocean keeping things cool.

So we meet up early in the morning or late in the evening at various places around Orange County and hook up a few sled dog teams.
Remember to keep your dogs hydrated, do not run in the heat and watch closely for signs of heat exhaustion.

We frequently run two or three cart teams and several scooter teams as well.
Cart teams run 6 or 8 dogs on an Arctis Cart and scooter teams anywhere from 1 to 3 dogs on a Diggler scooter.



Most of our trails are dirt trails through local parks, along creeks and around lakes. Occasionally, we have to make use of bike paths and sidewalks, too.











If you are in the southern California area and would like to join or just check out what we do, feel free to take a look at our Urban Mushing website for more information.







Equipment sources:
Arctis Carts
Diggler Scooters
Alpine Outfitters for harnesses, lines etc

...and more Siberian Huskies available in southern CA

2 year old litter mates Cinnamon and Bandit are in need of a good home. Please call Ole or Gayle at (no longer available, sorry)





























and this 3 year old red/white male Siberian also needs a home that knows how to handle a very energetic dog. Please contact Jamie at (no longer available, sorry) for more information

California Rattlesnake Avoidance Clinic & Fundraiser

New date and location announced!

Even though rattlesnakes are a year round occurrence here in southern California, summer is definitely the most active season for our slithery neighbors. As dog owners we need to make sure that our furry friends won't get into trouble by going after rattlers or inadvertently stepping on them or putting their curious noses into gopher holes etc.



On Sunday, August 28th, rattlesnake avoidance training is being offered in San Juan Capistrano CA.
Proceeds of this day's training will go to two local animal recues, Animal Crackers in Laguna Beach and Doberman Pinscher SOS in Tehachapi.

For more information, please see SnakeWiseK9.com

Siberian Husky Available, southern California

Courtesy listing for Animal Crackers Pet Rescue in Laguna Beach

"Oceanz" is a purebred Siberian Husky, red / white , blue eyes. 5 years old, has all his shots, healthy, neutered and micro-chipped.

Leash, crate & potty trained, loves to run, great companion for those who have an active lifestyle. Friendly towards people though he is rambunctious and doesn't always realize his strength towards children. Fine with other dogs once properly introduced.

No longer available, sorry.

Road Trip!

It looks like plans for our first major road trip of the season are starting to fall into place.
Time frame will most likely be mid-September. As always, we're happy to carry a cart or two with us for in-person delivery, so if you live in the general area of the map shown below, please contact us to check for details.



If you live in CA, OR, WA, NV, UT, ID and MT, as well as BC & AB, we might be able to swing by, say hello, and drop of a brand new Arctis at your door.
The routes run roughly from Los Angeles along the I-5 and I-15 corridors to the Canadian border and extend north to Canada Highway 16, between Prince George, BC and Edmonton, AB.

Ready for dryland mushing season?

Dryland season? Now? It's only June and we're just about to head into summer, right? Right!
But: fall is only three months away and the first dryland events on the west coast have been posted:

- Oct 1st & 2nd: SNDD 14th annual mushing clinic, Truckee, CA.
- Oct. 8th & 9th: NWSDA Dryland Challenge at Camp K, Cle Elum, WA
- Oct. 22nd & 23rd: Pacific Northwest Dryland Championships, Camp K, Cle Elum, WA
- Nov. 11th - 13th: La Pine Mushing Weekend, La Pine State Park, OR
...and many more to come!

Are you ready for the new season? All your equipment in good working condition? How about that new cart? After our "Bumble Bee" made it up to Fairbanks, AK, we received quite a bit of publicity and interest in our carts, thanks to Brent and his Wild & Free Mushing team. Slowly, but surely orders are coming in, and since all our carts are handmade to order, production slots are filling up. As of today (June 20th), our next available cart would be ready in the 2nd week of July, so it won't take much and we'll be in August, and boom, fall his here. Mix in work on one or two brand new products and our own road trips to various events, and time will run out before you know it. So now would be a great time to contact us in order to receive your cart just in time for the new season.



On a different note: are you interested in being a handler for a racing dog kennel?
Our friends Wild & Free Mushing in Fairbanks, AK and Kipp D'Amundsen Kennels in Strömsund, Sweden are looking for kennel help for the upcoming season.

Spoiled dogs!

It's that time of year again...May, when our girls Gidget and Gaia have their birthdays celebrated by us humans. Gidget turned 9 and Gaia 6 (approximately, since both are rescues) and like every year, they had their cake and ate it, too!

Actually, they shared with 17 of their best friends at Fairview Park after our weekend fun run.
The birthday cake came from our friends at Three Dog Bakery in San Clemente and is made for canine consumption. No worries fellow dog lovers, we don't feed cake made for humans to our dogs.

...and speaking of rescues, check out Husky Camp's website for currently available rescue Huskies!

Urban Mushing Video

Here's a short video clip of our run last weekend with a team of eight Siberian Huskies and an Arctis Cart at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa CA.
Want to join us? Check www.urbanmushing.com for more details.