By Kevin Greer
Lakeside Communications Manager
Tasha Stielstra and her husband, Ed, had at one time “real careers.” However, the passion for their hobby turned into a thriving business.
The Stielstras own Nature’s Kennel Sled Dog Adventures in McMillan, Michigan, located in the state’s Upper Peninsula. Tasha will discuss all that goes into running the business and their experiences in participating in some of the world’s biggest dog races as the Keynote Speaker in Hoover Auditorium Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. Buy Pass & Parking for this presentation!
Tasha and Ed are graduates of Michigan State University and lived in Ludington, Michigan before moving to Duluth, Minnesota. Ed worked in foundries and Tasha was a teacher, but they also had kennel dogs in both Michigan and Minnesota. In 2002, they moved to the Upper Peninsula to run their kennel on a full-time basis.
“We were kind of balancing a very all-encompassing hobby,” Tasha said. “Something had to give, and that’s what has supported us for 21 years.”
Before Tasha and Ed met, he already had a few dogs with a family friend. After getting married, the Stielstras started their own kennel in 1995.
“I kind of married into the operation,” Tasha said. “It was pretty low-key at that point.”
Their careers took another turn when they got into dog racing. Ed did his first of eight Iditarod races in 2004. It’s one of the most prestigious and difficult races in the world that covers over 900 miles in Alaska. The race goes from Anchorage to Nome over rough terrain in extreme weather conditions that can be as harsh as minus-100-degree wind chills.
“There’s nothing else like the Iditarod,” Tasha said. “It’s spending 10-20 days traveling by dog team. The culture of Alaska from interior native villages to climate is completely different than anything we can train for in the Midwest.”
Both Tasha and Ed won Marquette’s UP 200 Dog Sled Race. They also raced in the John Beargrease race in Duluth and Tasha took a team to Europe.
“There were about 10 years where we were doing a lot of racing,” Tasha said. “We had our first child in 2010 and started to step back from racing a little bit. Racing was fantastic, but just like everything, things change a little bit.”
Nature’s Kennel is one of the most popular attractions in the Upper Peninsula. There are several types of day trips, including 10-miles for all ages, 20-miles for ages 12+, an ice climbing/dog sledding package and a winter photography tour with a professional photographer, where you may see spectacular views of the northern lights.
“I would say the sport of mushing and owning isn’t necessarily growing,” Tasha said, “The tourism side of it has just exploded.”
There are also overnight trips to the remote camp, Mushroom Village. There’s a yurt, which is like a circular tent that’s insulated and heated and a cabin that’s heated with a wood stove. The guides do all the cooking and the caretaking of the dogs. Guests can be as involved as much as they want taking care of the animals.
“That’s a real authentic experience,” Tasha said “We can’t control the weather, so we can have a foot of snow overnight, zero degrees in the morning or 25 degrees and sunshine. You just never know what you’re going to get.”
On trips, Nature’s Kennel provides boots, but guests need to bring their own winter gear, like snow pants, coats, mittens, hats, gloves or anything else that will help keep them warm. If guests forget anything, there are some extras to loan out. Kids must be 10 years old to drive a dog team, then there’s no age or weight limit after that.
There have been guests ranging from 6 months to 94 years old. If people are unsure if they want to drive the team, they can ride in the sled that’s driven by a guide. Guests drive four to five dogs per sled.
The Stielstras have seven full-time seasonal employees who are there from October-May. The snow lasts well into the spring and it’s possible to take a tour in shorts and T-shirts late in the season.
“Other places are mowing grass, and nobody knows we even have snow,” Tasha said. “About the second week of April, people are either tired of winter or they just don’t realize we have snow.”
The Stielstras own 150 dogs, and Tasha is bringing one with her and a sled to Lakeside for her keynote. She will talk about their history, the equipment they use, some of the commands, opportunities for dogsledding in Michigan and other topics during a family-friendly presentation.
“It’s pretty interactive and kids will be part of it,” Tasha said. “Everybody can pet the dogs and it’s pretty fun.”
