The 2010 season is officially under way here, in Kasilof, despite the lingering warm weather we’ve enjoyed lately.

I’ve been taking the dogs on runs in the evenings, which wouldn’t be possible if our trail didn’t cross a wetland between two lakes.

The trail is submerged under a foot of water for a good 40 yards. I stop the four-wheeler and the dogs flop down to cool off or lap up the delicious lake water. It’s been in the lower 50s Fahrenheit, about the upper limit of these dogs, even though I’m putt-putting around at 5 to 7 mph in these early days of the training season.

Dogs take a breather in lake

Salem, 3, enjoys the run

It’s an interesting year ahead. For a couple of reasons, I knew I would not feel comfortable competing at a high level this winter. I’ve wound up leasing my favorite dogs to teams that are going to compete, and am tackling the really exciting challenge of training and conditioning my 13 yearlings with the aid of just five older dogs. I still hope to enter races this winter, but won’t be running the dogs at a pace anywhere close to winning. It should be fun. I like my yearlings a lot already.

I happened to see Aliy Zirkle’s blog this morning, showing a movie of her dogs in a serious mud puddle in the trail, having the same moment my guys do.  Here’s her video.  So I might as well post my version from last night’s run…

Open water is an excellent training tool, since Alaskan huskies generally have a healthy fear of open water. To plow through it in training, and enjoy it, can help them mentally if they hit overflow on a river or creek when it’s 25 below in the winter.