FIRST ANNUAL
SLED DOG HISTORY AND ADVENTURE SYMPOSIUM
JANUARY 25TH AND 26TH 2006 QUESNEL, BRITISH COLUMBIA

This event is being held in conjunction with the Gold Rush Trail Sled Dog Mail Run, but this is just to facilitate attendance, it is a separate event that should appeal to those with an interest in the history and traditional use of working sled dogs and the excitement of outdoor adventure involving sled dogs.

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 25TH

Morning Workshop 9-12 a.m.
The evolution of the sled dog harness. An illustrated and hands-on workshop tracing the history and evolution of the sled dog harness from its origins to the present day. The Inuit sealskin harness and the chest harness of the Native hunters of the Boreal Forest were the basis for all of the harness designs that have followed (and there have been lots of them). Participants will be asked to design and make their own harness, there will be lots of harnesses for hands-on examination as well as lots of photos.

Lunch Together 12-1:30 p.m.

Afternoon 1:30-5:00 p.m.
Running Dogs. Those with sled dogs are encouraged to harness up and run their dogs on trails of varying distances. An opportunity to run together. Those without dogs can travel with the dogs by snowmobile or possibly in one of the dog sleds, or may enjoy a trip to Wells/Barkerville, a tour of the Quesnel museum or simply enjoy some free time.

Evening 7:30 p.m........HISTORIC SLED DOG VIDEOS FROM GREENLAND AND THE CANADIAN ARCTIC

The 1921-1924 Danish Ethnographical Expedition to Arctic North America, known as the Fifth Thule Expedition, was led by Knud Rasmussen. The expedition ended in an epic dog team journey by the Greenlanders, Kunu (Rasmussen), Mitiq and Arnarulunguaq from their headquarters in Greenland to East Cape, Siberian. In the process, Rasmussen became the first person to traverse the Northwest Passage by dogled. The geographical explorations and scientific studies of the expedition produced important descriptions of various Inuit peoples between Hudson Bay and Bering Strait. In the process they produced a film which has only very recently been “rediscovered”. This film is being shown at the Symposium by special permission of the Danish Film Institute and the Kitikmeot Heritage Society, an organization based in Cambridge Bay Nunavut devoted to the preservation of the language and culture of the people of the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut.

Robert J. Flaherty’...Nanook of the North—In 1922, Robert J. Flaherty who is known as the “father of the documentary” changed the course of filmmaking with this film. Filmed in the Belcher Islands, Nanook of the North follows the Inuit hunter Nanook as he braves the elements in the vast and inhospitable Arctic. The movie not only illuminates the landscape but also offers an intimate look at the warmth of Nanook’s family life with his wife and two sons. There are some great sled dog scenes as well as an unforgetable never-before-seen kayak segment.

Eskimo Dogs....Personal Observations. Sylvia Feder is perhaps the only person in the world who has studied and worked with Eskimo (Inuit) Dogs in the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, Alaska, Northern Canada and throughout the mainland U.S. This oral and video presentation will feature Sylvia’s own footage of Eskimo Dogs in Greenland. Drawing on her own experiences working with Eskimo Dogs as well as her academic research, Sylvia will share her personal observations regarding the origins, temperament and working history of this incredible breed of sled dog.


THURSDAY JANUARY 26TH

Morning Workshop.... 9 – 12 a.m.

Jack Schulte will be sharing some of the experience he has gained during almost 50 years of trapping and mushing sled dogs. At the end of this workshop, Jack (and those in attendance) will have completed the construction of a padded leather collar harness. He will walk participants through all of the steps and stages of harness construction from drawing the pattern to cutting out the leather, stuffing the harness with moose hair, shaping and finishing the padded collar, attaching the traces to hooking up the completed harness to the traditional wooden dogteam toboggan. There will also be a brief presentation regarding the history and importance of the padded leather collar harness in the history of dog mushing throughout the Boreal forest regions of Canada. A very special video will be shown at the end of this presentation, highlighting the padded collar harness and the Mackenzie Husky. It is hoped that this workshop will be videotaped for posterity.

Lunch Together 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Afternoon 1:30-5:00 p.m.
Running Dogs. Those with sled dogs are encouraged to harness up their team and run on trails of varying lengths during the afternoon. This is an opportunity to run with other mushers over packed trails. Others may want to travel as passengers or to use the afternoon as free time.

Evening 6:00 p.m.
Everyone is invited to join the participants and organizers of the Gold Rush Trail Sled Dog Mail Run for a non-host supper, meet and greet, musher’s meeting and packaging of mail run envelopes. To take place at Granvilles Coffee Shop on Reid Street in downtown Quesnel. Come and be part of Canada Post and sled dog history.


This symposium is an inaugural event. For this year there will be no registration fee. If you are interested in taking part, please call event organizer Jeffrey Dinsdale (250) 992-9143 or email jdinsdal@quesnelbc.com to confirm that you will be participating. You will be informed regarding the details of venues. It is planned that lunches will be prepared by the participants and you are only asked to share in the cost of the food.