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Combining lots of outdoor activity, natural beauty, and four nights in an award-winning resort, this wintertime adventure vacation is the perfect interlude in your daily life that is at once invigorating and deeply relaxing. The invigorating part comes from the very fun activities of dog sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. The rest of the trip is for relaxing! It's not just the hot tub or saunas, or even the optional massages. It's also the beauty and quiet of the condos with their windows looking out over Lake Superior, delicious meals that you don't have to plan or cook, and the camaraderie of other wonderful women. We guarantee that by the end of these six days you will have completely escaped the daily grind. Maximum group size: 10
Winter fun at its best! On this trip we'll try a variety of winter sports: dogsledding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Whether you're totally new to these winter sports or already experienced, the guides will give you the instruction you need to get to the next step. Relaxing in the sauna or outdoor hot tub is an equally important part of the Minnesota winter experience.
The first night will in Duluth at the Inn on Lake Superior. "If you were any closer to the lake, you'd be in it!" The Inn has a fitness center, indoor pool, sauna, hot tub, and roof top pool and nightly s'mores by the fire. We will then spend four nights at the award-winning Bluefin Bay resort. Bluefin is a collection of well-designed, comfortably appointed seaside vacation resort condos located right on the lake. Each condo has a fireplace, jacuzzi, and stunning views. They also boast a year-round outdoor pool and hot tub, two saunas, indoor pool and whirlpool/spa and an exercise room. We've reserved two and three bedroom condos, each with either one king or queen-sized bed in every bedroom and 2 shared bathrooms.
Trip Resources
Below is the proposed itinerary for the trip. As is true on any adventure travel trip, plans for any specific day may be modified due to weather considerations, unforeseen circumstances, new opportunities, and group interests.
Included Meals: Dinner
Accommodations: Inn on Lake Superior
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Bluefin Bay
Travel Time: Driving (2 hours)
Daily Activities: Snowshoeing (1.5-2.5 hours, 2.4 miles, 380 feet of elevation gain/loss)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Bluefin Bay
Travel Time: Driving (30 minutes)
Daily Activities: Cross-Country Skiing (1.5-2 hours, 2-3 miles) and/or Snowshoeing (1-2 hours, 2-3 miles)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Bluefin Bay
Travel Time: Driving (2.5 hours)
Daily Activities: Dog sledding (full-day, 11 miles)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Bluefin Bay
Travel Time: Driving (1.5 hours)
Daily Activities: Cross-Country Skiing (1.5-3 hours, 2.4-5 miles) and/or Snowshoeing (1.5-3 hours, 2-4 miles)
Included Meals: Breakfast
The guides and other women on the trip. All were delightful and a pleasure to get to know.
This kind of trip self selects women who are adventurous and willing to take a few risks in order to experience something special, maybe outside of their usual boundaries. They are also accepting of others fears, strengths, limitations and levels of ability without judgement. The absence of competition among women of this nature is what makes AGC so special and why I choose it above others.
It fulfilled a childhood dream of mine to always wanting to go dog sledding and what a better time when it occurred in my state of Minnesota. I love the North Shore area and it was perfect for all the activities. I would have to say there we so many great parts of the trip, but learning to cross country ski and actually "did it" was so welcoming and exhilarating for me. I got to spend time with a dear friend that lives in Colorado which was great and meeting all the other women from all over the States was wonderful. I the guides, Deb & Adele were amazing, so accommodating, great chefs, fantastic guides and so much fun. Thank you AGC for an awesome adventure!!!
The whole trip was an incredible experience. So many winter activities and choices every day.
The anticipation of learning how to drive a team of dogs on a sled was a childhood dream and I was NOT disappointed at all!
Deb and Adele were wonderful guides - the group was very cohesive - the weather was perfect - the trip had been on my bucket list for a long time
I've been to the North Shore many times, but marvel at the fact I can still travel there and have new experiences. This AGC Winter Fun trip was no exception! Before this trip, I'd never hiked Oberg Mountain in the snow, I'd never stayed at Bluefin Bay (but had always wanted to!), I'd never eaten at the Coho Cafe (now I'll definitely stop there again!), I'd never ventured any meaningful distance on a cross country ski trail, and I'd most certainly never been on a dog sledding adventure! The 22 mile dogsled trip through the woods of the Superior National Forest that reminded me so much of the beloved Boundary Waters - so, so peaceful and pristine was a dream! When we emerged from the woods onto frozen Surprise Lake I pretty much died. I could not believe my good fortune to have such an experience!! What a day!!! I feel so lucky to this trip offered so many "firsts" in a place I consider myself very familiar with.
Wonderful group of women adventurers, supportive guides, delicious food, beautiful terrain, and variety of interesting winter activities with GREAT snow. Dogsledding to the lake for a cookout lunch was magical. Very fun to mush the dogs (though challenging to harness them: definitely a skill that needs practice!!). Three highlights for me were the beautiful sunrises over Lake Superior that we viewed every morning from our condo's, the beauty of the rock formations and ravines at Temperance River (would like more time to hike here), and the wonderful afternoon at Pincushion, starting with yummy sandwiches and hot soup lunch in the warming hut, followed by beautiful elevated views while either skiing or snowshoeing.
All the ladies were so sweet ,the guides the best. Even tho I wasn't always feeling the best Brenda and Inger did their best to make sure I was comfortable and had everything I needed.
Enjoying the snow and of course the dogs Highlight !
The great guides and the dogsledding.
The guides were very accommodating and flexible in working with the participants and the weather conditions. The food was good and plentiful. The accommodations were lovely.
I loved this trip! It was well organized, and, considering the less than optimal weather conditions, our guides were able tweak plans to provide options suited for everyone. The food was fantastic! I liked that at breakfast we discussed plans for the day, and at dinner we reviewed the day.
The dog sledding was the highlight of my trip for sure!
The dog sledding, fellow travelers & guides Deb & Chloe
The guides were outstanding, accommodations were 5-star condos right on Lake Superior, weather was sunny and unseasonably warm, hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing were great activities in beautiful places but the dogsledding was totally awesome and the trip highlight! It could not have been a better trip. Beautiful morning sunrises over Lake Superior we’re the icing on the cake.
It was a really nice mix of winter activities. Lots of fresh air in a really beautiful part of the country, and of course, there were dogs!!
The guides were excellent. I've never been on a non-camping trip where the guides did the cooking before. It seems like a lot of work but they did it with grace and a smile. Dog sledding was amazing. I would have liked to do more of it.
This is the trip I can't stop thinking about. The pure beauty of being right on Lake Superior with all of the pristine snow was incredible. All of the activities were new to me and it was so fun to challenge myself to learn how to do them. Anne and Inger were so great in teaching us first the basics and then offering additional help as we decided how far we wanted to go with it. I enjoyed going to so many different areas / trailheads for each activity. And then there was the dog sledding. I don't think I will ever forget it. Everything up to launch happened so fast because the dogs were ready to GO! Then once we got going it was magical. I found a beautiful rhythm while standing on the footboards / runners. The accommodations were beautiful, the food was outstanding, the knowledge offered was impressive and the Guides were the best. I highly recommend this trip. In fact, this trip has opened my eyes to new adventures other than just hiking. I will definitely be considering some other multi sport trips and more things I've never done before.
Obviously, the dog sledding is a bucket list goal that all of us thought was a huge highlight of the trip. But just being in this lovely winter landscape, relearning how to snowshoe and cross-country ski, and the companionship of this great group of women was reason to try this rather counter-intuitive adventure!
I love every moment of the trip (except for the flight home…). Leaders were supportive and full of knowledge of the various activities that we were embarking on. Having never cross country skied or driving a dog sled Anne was full of tips on how to do both. Additionally, Anne also suggested that i practiced skiing what i had recently learned versus getting frustrated on something I was unable to master on the second day. The food was fabulous, and all the women were so supportive. The latter is one thing I love about AGC versus other mixed sex companies that I occasionally travel with.
EXCELLENT guides— Anne and Inger were knowledgeable, friendly, hardworking, and fun. These ladies are the best in their field in my opinion! Also — Pacing of activities was good— busy but not overwhelming. Great food and comfortable accommodations
I think I have filled this out already. But in case I have not- so many things made it excellent. The group of ladies all bonded well, Anne and Chloe were great guides and did everything they could to make the trip the best it could be. SNOW! We had so much snow- it was awesome. Getting to dog sled and do all the planned activities was great. I know winter weather can sometimes impact the planned itinerary. The accommodations were great. Loved having my own room and bathroom and the setting right on the lake was amazing. Food was great every day! I would highly recommend this trip to anyone.
WOW! Totally out of my comfort zone. I don’t like winter especially being cold. The packing list helped - as well as Multiple pre trip consultations with Janie ( who is incredibly patient). While on the trip, the knowledge, guidance and patience of Chloë and Ann made it comfortable, exciting and FUN!!
The guides!
Anne on her home turf, showing us her “backyard” Defying the “big cold” - and I’m Canadian :-) - and going out to do activities despite it Learning skills and about gear for outdoor winter activities
Cross country ski, snowshoeing and dogsledding, all were very unique experiences.
It was special to get to be "in the elements" reconnecting with activities I once enjoyed (XC skiing and snowshoeing) and getting to do something brand new -- dog-sledding!
The dog sledding was fantastic but I really enjoyed the tips and tricks that Deb gave me on cross country skiing. She was a great teacher and motivator. Kaitlin was wonderful as well, very personable and they both wanted to make it a fantastic vacation for all of us.
Dog sledding, great group leaders
The trip exceeded my expectations and I contribute that to all the planning, organization and preparedness of the guides. There had to be accommodations made for the cold tempertures and the amount of time we were exposed to the elements. Having the most fun is knowing when it stops being fun! Having experienced guides who live in Minnesota and have guided this trip many times was the key to its success. I know they were making adjustments to best accommodate the conditions and their care and concern was much appreciated. They truly always not only had our safety foremost, but making sure everyone was achieving what they hoped to achieve on this trip. My personal goal was to try some new winter sports and I was most looking forward to the dog sledding. I developed a new perspective and appreciation of the outdoors and nature in the winter. The North Shore of Minnesota was absolutely beautiful. From the minute we pulled into the dog yard you could feel the energy and excitement of the dogs barking and howling to get to work. The opportunity to harness the dogs and place them on the gang-line reinforced our bond with the dogs. There is an awe in watching working dogs in action. From the high energy take-off and through the quiet wilderness and across frozen lakes there is no experience like it. Now, on another note, my musher. (a.k.a, my daughter), fell off the sled and I didnt notice. Not sure she will ever let me forget that one, so there is that.
Yes, indeed! It exceeded my expectations. Each day was unique and active and the area was gorgeous. I have never been to Minnesota and have certainly never been in such freezing temps! I don't think I will EVER be cold again. I picked dog sledding because it was such a different activity- something you can't just go do anywhere-- and it did not disappoint!
Had no idea of what to expect but the expectations were Superior (ha ha)
The order of activities was well thought out.
I enjoyed seeing the snow. It was great to see snow without it causing panic. I enjoyed the activities. It was a beautiful area. Being outdoors and active with other women is a bonding experience. Dog sledding was a great experience.
All activities were great as well as the location for the. But really enjoyed the dog sledding and being able to drive the sled.
Dog sledding was spectacular. The scenery, dogs, weather, and guides were way beyond my expectations. It is an experience not to be missed!!! Dog sledding was not the reason I was interested in this trip, but it would be the reason I would strongly encourage others to pursue this experience.
Deb and Anne, and help from Julie, were amazing! Of course all the activities were amazing, the food was delicious, and the people on the trip were fun!
I really enjoyed meeting new people and trying activities I had never done or had not done in a while.
Dogsledding day was awesome! Just an amazing experience overall. Hard to describe. I really enjoyed that we had options whether to ski or snowshoe a couple of days and we got lucky and had fresh snow which was awesome for skiing. Anne and Deb made sure everyone was prepared for the day as far as staying warm and what to wear. Food was great as well, good variety and accommodating to peoples needs.
The trip exceeded my expectations. Our guides were amazing. They were very helpful and friendly. The activities were fun and well chosen!
I chose this trip because I have had little exposure to winter activities except downhill skiing. I have never been in weather single digits and below. I was expecting the worst in terms of being cold but although it was cold, snow shoeing, x-country skiing warmed me up. The dogsledding was amazing - a bucket list experience for me. I really liked the comradery with the women on the trip and Ann and Deb were fabulous. I would do another trip with either one in a heartbeat. I would even do this trip again.
I loved all the activities that the trip included. The dog sledding was awesome, snow shoeing was fun and trying to cross country ski was a good challenge. The scenery was beautiful. The guides were awesome, and so were the other participants.
At the top of Oberg mountain, looking out over the hilly snow swept landscape and being able to see for miles was absolutely breathtaking. an image I will hold in my mind for many years.
Learning new skills; time spent with a young friend made on another trip; time spent with our group; time spent with two very special guides for whom MN is home; shared meals
The highlights are hard to choose as everything was wonderful. Of course, the dog sledding was the absolute pinnacle of the trip. It was incredible. Plus I loved all the snowshoeing opportunities, cross country skiing, and meeting new people. The guides were AWESOME! Anne and Deb are both kind, patient, knowledgeable and lots of fun! Wonderful time, all around.
The dogsledding was awesome. So much more fun than I had imagined. the guides were great. We had a great mix of people on the trip - discovered I really like snowshoeing.
Cross Country skiing
Really enjoyed the mix of activities. Equipment was excellent. Guides very organized. I liked the snowshoeing best.
Really enjoyed the mix of activities. Equipment was excellent. Guides very organized. I liked the snowshoeing best.
Dog sledding!! And very nice people...
Absolutely loved the dog sledding. I will be considering a longer dog sledding trek in the future.
Trip was even better than I expected. Dogsledding was soooo much fun. Enjoyed that each hike we took was slightly different...the traills were in relatively close proximity to each other but were quite different. Liked the fact that we went to a place (Ted Tofte Lookout or Peak...not sure what it was called) that neither Anne nor Margi had been before. That hike was probably my favorite. Also enjoyed that we finally got to snowshoe (rather than use traction devices) on the final day. Snowshoeing was so peaceful. Wish the conditions had been better the second time that we went cross country skiing. Even so, it provided entertainment and funny stories.
Dog sledding was a highlight, but we also did this trip with a group of new and old friends, so that made it special as well!!
It is hard to pick out a highlight, the entire trip was beyond my expectations. I was super impressed in the way the guides taught and spent time with everyone making sure everyone knew what to do and were able to do the activities they preferred.
Every day was a treat - it's impossible to pick a favorite. Loved visiting snow again.
Dog sledding and interaction with the dogs.
the guides were lovely, very knowledgeable. they were so accommodating in every way. the participants were all wonderful. everyone was friendly and ready to assist the next person the day trips were very well planned and executed.
This trip far exceeded my expectations. Deb and Anne are awesome in every way, shape, and form. One of the highlights for me was having so much fun in all that snow. It has been a long time since I've even seen that much snow and even longer since I've gotten to play in it. How white, fluffy, soft, peaceful, and beautiful it is. A second highlight was learning how to XC ski. Anne and Deb are excellent teachers and I appreciated their patience very much. And, of course, the dogs. That was such a great experience.
Kayaking was just amazing! Snowshoeing in the quiet pines - so serene and magical. I loved every part of the trip - everything was perfect! Of course the dog sledding - what an experience - the dogs are exactly how you describe them.
Wonderful guides. Beautiful scenery. Enjoyed the condo. Loved the camaraderie of the group. Loved developing my winter outdoor skills. Had a wonderful time dog sledding.
dog sledding, scenery everywhere was beautiful
It was a surprise trip organized by my wife. She and I have traveled with other outfitters before and AGC did a superb job with this trip. I think it's safe to say, everyone who went had a terrific time to the extent we've been heavily discussing our next AGC trip since returning home.
Dog sledding was absolutely amazing. But I do have to say, Minnesota and Lake Superior was simply beautiful. I never would have though about going to Minnesota for a vacation. Since I have been back home, I have told everyone to visit.
Everything was well planned and organized. It was nice to go on vacation and not have to make decisions like "what is for dinner?" The dogsledding was the highlight for me!
I enjoyed all of the activities, but I think the things that I enjoyed most were the camaraderie of the group and the fabulous outdoors of Minnesota. I'll be frank when I say that going to Minnesota in the winter was no where near my bucket list, but I will return there sometime, for sure!
The people, the guides, the organization of everything...great time management. The days were full but not overfilled. The equipment was in good shape, no issues.
The guides provided plenty of flexibility with activities, yet kept us plenty busy!
Everything about this trip was spot on. It allowed us to experience all of the activities that we have never tried. The location was awesome and the weather was amazing. Both Anne and Maureen where amazing. Very knowledgeable and just a joy to be around. It was hard to say goodbye.
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