Winter is quiet today. I am laying in the snow with my camera, waiting for the first sled dog teams to emerge around the bend. I hear the wingbeat of a curious Raven circling overhead, wondering if I might be lunch. Snowflakes drift down, accumulating at an imperceptible rate. Finally, the first lead dogs come in to focus, driving forward with purpose, excited to be headed out on the trail.
The excitement of the first run of the season on sleds never gets old. Although we’ve been running and training the dogs all fall with four-wheelers, the anticipation of sleds is always there. A couple butterflies, a pinch of adrenaline, an insatiable smile— those emotions are all part of the swirling excitement of the first sled run of the season.
Silently gliding down the trail over a thick bed of freshly fallen snow is an unforgettable feeling. This week, the evergreens are laden with a heavy blanket of snow — making the experience all that more magical. Disney and Animation can’t touch this image today. Winter is here, and it is fabulous.
-Theo
Jerod is a native of Ely, MN. He is an avid outdoorsman and guide. He spent his youth exploring the Boundary Waters by canoe and dog team. He has built his own Native Bait business supplying local shops for fishing season. He also is an accomplished bird waterfowl hunting guide in North Dakota. He is known for his calm demeanor and steadiness in teaching guests about dog sledding, ice fishing, and sharing his love of the north woods.
