Imagine dog mushing above the arctic circle...

You’ve just taken the deepest breath of fresh air you’ve had in a long time.


You smile as you look around — you’re surrounded by wilderness, on a vast, frozen river, surrounded by the ancient, towering mountains of Alaska’s Brooks Range.


You chuckle as you feel a bead of sweat trickle down your back... how in the hell you’re sweating in below-freezing weather, you’ll never understand... but this you know for sure: All your effort has been worth it. You’ve learned to drive your own dogsled with a team of Alaska Huskies in the arctic.
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You’ve journeyed to the far north to become a dog musher + experience the thrill of living off-grid in remote arctic of Alaska.


Your friends thought you were crazy wanting to “get pulled around by dogs” for a week, but you knew better. You’ve always dreamed of mushing your own dog team, and you expected it’d be hard work. But something you didn’t expect?



This experience may have changed your outlook on life itself.


Arctic Awakening is truly a one-of-a-kind retreat. You’re fully immersed in the dogsledding lifestyle with us — your guides, Sean and Mollie Busby. We live and breathe this arctic lifestyle, as this is also our home.

We hand-built Arctic Hive Wilderness Lodge on 15 acres of boreal forest with sweeping views of the Brooks Range in all directions. The property backs up to hundreds of miles of public lands.


Our retreat facility is a 1-mile hike outside the historic mining village of Wiseman, population 12 -- which includes us! When it comes to the dogsled trails in the area, you’re getting an authentic bush experience on trails that aren’t made by machines; they’re made by dogs and the humans that love them.
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For 4 nights at Arctic Hive, and 3 full days on the trail, you become one of us.

You learn how to harness your dogs, feed them two meals a day, and you learn to watch them as they run, anticipating their moods and their needs before they have to glance back.


You run up hills behind the sled to assist your 4-legged teammates, and you ride  down hills, managing your weight on the brake system to keep the line tight. The only sounds out there are the whoosh of your runners underfoot and the pitter patter of paws on the snow-covered tundra.


You learn to lean this way and that, call out commands, and steer your sled through miles of tight Black Spruce trees on narrow bush trails. You journey along frozen rivers and creeks, climb mountains, and if conditions allow, you get to mush into one of the most remote and least-visited National Parks in the country: Gates of the Arctic National Park*.


You take occasional spills, toppling over into the deep snow while still following Rule #1: Never let go!


You laugh at yourself as your dogs look back, wondering why you stopped. You praise them for their prowess, untangle the lines, and return countless slobbery kisses with belly rubs. You even choose to be initiated into the sacred art of scooping dog shit in the dog yard, morning and night. (This is what authenticity actually looks like!)


Most of all, you become part of a team.

*photo credit above: Alec Sills-Trausch

Whenever you and your fellow mushers stop for a break, the dogs roll around in the snow to cool off, tails wagging and tongues lolling  — the picture of pure joy. Sure, their joy is contagious... but you don’t need any help mustering joy this week.


You’re absolutely bursting with it. 


Looking around at your small group of fellow retreat-goers, you know without a doubt that they, too, are having the best day ever.


The steep learning curve has taught you well -- and the sweat equity you’ve invested has come back tenfold in the serenity you feel.


Evenings are spent enjoying hearty home-cooked meals, laughing and sharing stories and photos from the trail. We prepare for the next day of mushing, play a card game or two before folks head off to bed.


You end the day, snuggled up in a comfortable bed in your toasty warm cabin — and stay up to watch the aurora borealis dance in the polar sky out your cabin window.

*photo credit above: Alec Sills-Trausch

This is just a snapshot of a typical day at Arctic Hive's signature Arctic Awakening Learn-to-Mush Retreat. Every day, we adapt to changing conditions with the group, the dogs and Mother Nature. As you will see, this is the way of things in the far north!


The group size is intentionally small — a maximum of 4 guests — to keep the experience intimate and organized. This is our home and our backyard and we are excited to share it with you in a sustainable way.


You’ll participate in the day-to-day care of working dogs and experience in some of our daily activities such as gathering water from the river — learning the true meaning of “working as a team” on and off the trail.

And there’s no better way to take care of a team than taking care of yourself — first and foremost. You’ll have ample time to relax, a healthy dose of outdoor mushing adventures, cultural immersions in the village, and daily mindfulness + stretching designed to meet you where you're at.


No experience with any of these things is necessary to attend except a good attitude, willingness to learn, be physically and mentally fit, and a strong sense of adventure. Bumps and bruises from falls, running into trees, and other unexpected situations are not uncommon. You're provided an extensive packing list and one-on-one guidance from us to assure you have the outdoor gear you need, and you’re prepared each day for the activities that await.


This is your Arctic Awakening and we look forward to welcoming you into our home and lifestyle. Let’s break some trail together and travel some beautiful country!

Join us in 2025? You have two sets of dates to choose from, and each retreat has only 3 spots available.

• March 18 - 22, 2025
  
• April 1 - 5, 2025
  

Click here for the full details, pricing and links to register now!


Happy Solstice, everyone.
Mollie and Sean


*Arctic Hive holds a commercial use permit to operate in Gates of the Arctic National Park. Our wilderness lodge is situated right on the outskirts of the Park boundary and we have a goal to build your mushing skills up to possibly mush into the Park, where few humans get the chance to visit. However, all daily plans will be determined by arctic weather, trail conditions, and dog/human wellbeing. While the Park is an incredibly special place it should be remembered that all trails and areas we travel are just as special with only an invisible line determining what is “National Park” and what isn’t. We aim to foster a culture where everyday out on the trail, no matter where we go, we are grateful and honored to enjoy these sacred and traditional Koyukon lands.