Frozen Trails and Canine Tales: Filming the 2023 Idaho Sled Dog Challenge

In late January 2023 Lauren and I filmed the Idaho Sled Dog Challenge. This is a 100 and 300-mile sled dog race starting on the frozen Lake Cascade. It was my first time in Cascade, and boy, was it a cold adventure. The stunning winter wonderland, bone-chilling temperatures, and the sheer excitement of the race made it one heck of a trip.

We rolled into town around 7 am and we were amazed to see that temperatures were down to -25°F. What confused us more was how freezing we were, while locals were standing happily in jeans and a light jacket. Coming from Arizona, I was not acclimated to these temperatures yet...The cold weather didn't stop the excitement at the starting line. There were a ton of kids on a field trip, locals, and family and friends of the mushers there to support.

Filming the teams getting ready was much more overwhelming than I expected, I should have brought earplugs lol. Some groups were more quiet than others, but most of the dogs were just screaming in excitement to run. One of the people we interviewed told us that these dogs are bred to enjoy and do better in these cold temperatures. -25°F is no problem for these pups, in fact, they enjoy it this cold. Now for our camera gear... our lav mics didn't do so well in the cold, we only got a few minutes of battery life before they started shutting down.

The dogs got wax and booties on their feet, harnessed up, then they were on their way. We chased the sleds to their checkpoints, where the racers have to take a 3-hour break. During these breaks the mushers feed themselves and the pups, set up hay beds for the pups, a vet checks on the wellbeing of each pup, and the musher will maybe get some sleep since they will race into the night. Throughout the whole day of shooting, I found myself with frozen eyelashes, hair, and hat. The cold was brutal.

Our next morning started before the sun was up. We found the finish line, after getting lost on some back roads. By the time we got to the finish line, there were a couple of teams already finished with a few teams almost finished. There weren't nearly as many people at the finish line compared to the start, but the energy was still high and very supportive. Warming tents, fires, and warm drinks awaited the mushers after they cross the finish. Once finished, the pups get to nap and eat before getting packed up.

Filming The Idaho Sled Dog Challenge was a great experience to see the relationship between musher and pup(s), a sport I've never seen before, and the breathtaking beauty of the Cascade winter landscape. Now onto curing being frozen to the core...Taking a boiling hour-long bath lol.

Chat again soon,

Mya

Equipment Used

Camera gear:

FX3, Sony lav mics, GoPro 9, Insta360 One X

Clothing:

Outer shell: Patagonia Stormshift Hardshell

Insulation: Patagonia synthetic puffy

Base layer: Under Armour polyester turtleneck

Accessories: cotton yoga pants, Smartwool ski socks, simple beanie hat, Buff Polar gaiters, Melink Mittens