Along Alaskan Trails: Adventures in Sled Dog History Paperback – June 23, 2012

"He who gives time to the study of the history of Alaska, learns that the dog, next to man, has been the most important factor in its past and present development." Judge James Wickersham (1938)Helen Hegener's "Along Alaskan Trails: Adventures in Sled Dog History" remains true to this focus, putting the focus of Alaska's history on the canines involved in exploring, settling and simply enjoying Alaska's many riches. Even if you've never stood on the runners of a dog sled, the simple magical combination of a dog team, a sled, and Alaska's trails casts a spell. Hegener keeps her writing simple and sparse, leaving you wanting more.From the early days when the dogs pulled or even carried supplies needed for the simple survival of intrepid explorers to today's Iditarod, a sled dog race that utilizes many of the trails haunted by the ghosts of Alaska's history (and there is a chapter on the spirits that still make their presence known along the trail), it's all there. You'll meet both the famous, such as Leonhard Seppala and Hudson Stuck, and the less famous, such as Mary Joyce and Ernest de Koven Leffingwell, as well as getting to know their dogs. "Along Alaskan Trails" provides a tantalizing peek at those who've dared to travel Alaska's sometimes dangerous and unmarked trails while presenting them as human being, enhancing our enjoyment of the short segments on each.Travel "Along Alaskan Trails" and, in addition to the dogs that traveled the trails, you'll encounter reindeer, tough, no nonsense freighters and mail teams, even some Olympic participants and historic stained glass decor. Bottom line, it's a must read. Thoroughly illustrated with an abundance of largely historic photos, you'll find yourself wanting more. As I've told Hegener, my only criticism of the book is that she needed to "write longer".

Snuggle up and experience some of the amazing stories that have made Alaskan Sled Dogs legend, along with the men and women that drove them into history. From the more famous Balto, Togo and others to the lessor known teams that hauled the mail, ran in the Olympics and helped map out Alaskan and blaze trails that have since become hihways Helen brings them all to you in a well researched volume. Living in Alaska as I do some of the names are familiar to me, a few are even friends and neighbors, but Helen has spent years "dogging" the trails and the people she writes about, many of them are close friends of hers and most of the trails she writes about she has been out on in the company of dogs and their drivers. If you love Alaska, Dogs, History and Adventure you will love this book as it wraps all of them up in 16 different and distinctive chapters.

Helen Hagener, historian extraordinaire, has, in this volume, assembled a fine compilation of both historic photographs and many little known historic facts associated with sled dog history.You can learn about Wada, Togo, Fritz, Balto, Ernest de Koven Leffingwell and trailblazer Clyde "Slim" Williams, among others. This volume is a "must have" for followers of sled dog sports and historians alike.

This was an OK introductory book. I'd hoped for more detail. It seemed to be a compilation or summary of a lot of different books and articles; it didn't seem to add anything original.I found it mostly useful for the references, although I couldn't make some of theURLs work.

I'm really enjoying reading Along Alaskan Trails. We have 13 Siberian Huskies and race them in the cooler weather. This book is very informative and I just love to read about the History of Mushing and Alaskan History, would highly recommend this book to anyone who's also interested in the History of Mushing or who like ourselves owns and races Nordic Breed Dogs

not that interesting to read