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Eric Fredrickson
Eric Fredrickson cuts his family’s Christmas tree near Thunder Bay as Daniel, Riley and Katie help out.
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Eric Fredrickson
Eric and Daniel move the tree to the dogsled.
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Eric Fredrickson
The family adventure at Boreal Journeys ends with smiles for Eric, Daniel, Katie, Riley and Jackie Fredrickson.
Two years ago, Eric and Jackie Fredrickson of Thunder Bay hopped in the car with their kids, Daniel, 6, Katie, 8, and Riley, 9, and drove off to find the perfect Christmas tree.
But this wasn’t your routine tree search. Nope, about a half-hour west of the city, at Boreal Journeys Sled Dog Kennel, they all got on dogsleds for a ride out to crown land to cut down a tree. It was cold, but the kids were bundled up … and stoked.
To this day, everytime the family drives by the road to Boreal Journeys, the kids still talk about the outing.
This will be the third season that the kennel owners Paul Amano and Andrena Toth offer Christmas tree excursions. One of their goals remains the same – to make a memorable experience for families so that the excursions become a holiday tradition.
The trips start by letting the family members spend a little time with the dogs, to get to know them before loading the sleds. Paul and his wife will drive the teams, but sometimes the parents, or even the children, can relish the role of musher.
When the Fredricksons went out, Eric drove a dogsled carrying Jackie and Daniel, while their other Katie and Riley rode on one driven by Paul.
There’s no charge for the tree. Boreal Journeys’ property borders crown land, and by law each family has a right to go out and take one tree at no charge on crown land.
“We carry the saws; they do the cutting,” Paul says of his guests.
Because of last winter’s lack of snow and the warm spring, there is concern about damage to trees. So Boreal Journeys will limit the number of tree-cutting trips this season. “We want to make sure we are being good stewards for the land around us,” Paul says, adding, “There are still healthy trees out there.”
The tree excursions cost $80 for a one-sled family (one adult and one or two children on a sled), or $120 for a two-sled family. They typically last an hour to an hour and a half.
Besides the Christmas tree excursions, Boreal Journeys offers family rides ($50 per adult or $30 per child) on nearby trails. The period between Christmas and New Year’s is a busy time, Paul says, as people with friends or family visiting for the holidays will call for rides.
“It ends up being a time when we meet a lot of people from our own community and from other places,” says Paul, who has competed in the John Beargrease Mid-Distance Race.
Paul and Andrena, who have 40 dogs, also can provide longer, all-day excursions. Call for details.
“We finished up back at their house and had hot chocolate,” says Eric Fredrickson. “The kids were pretty taken with the whole thing.”
Boreal Journeys Sled Dog Kennel, Kaministiquia, Ontario. 877-933-4224, www.borealjourneys.com.