The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 15, 1997 - AS

CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRAGE STANDARD

TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN: Eileen Puge and her dogs survey the _ believer in Siberi
high alpine landscape atop a local mountain. She says she's a that night.

the Trail

an Huskies and after they brought her down safely

Sled dog enthusiast bets on her Huskies when the going gets tough

By EILEEN PUGE
IT WAS A cool -3°C, driz-
zling and not a lick of snow
on the ground, Where do you
go when there is no snow?

That’s when you look up, way
up.. up the mountain trails
where the ski-doo trails are.
They will be well packed and
lead you into the alpine.

I] had planned on leaving my

main leader Kiska, at home
today, but who could say no to
those pathetic blue eyes, So
‘with just seven of my trusty
Siberians off we went to climb
4,100 ft.
“We ralled into the parking lot
as we usually do, dogs scream-
ing, truck rattling and gear piled
tothe roof top. There we saw
two snow mobilers coming into
the parking lot from the trail.
They nodded at us and we just
continued to make noise as I un-
loaded the sled and hooked the
dogs up.

A short prayer and we are off.
Before you can say this is a
snap, we are going straight up
hill and there is a one runner
strip of snow to run on, Finally,
after running behind the dogs
there is cnough snow to put the
other side of the sled down on
the road.

There were several kilometers
of road like that, but with a
leader with a good head, you
will go from strip of snow to
strip of snow. Thal’s my Kiska,
she would prove to be invalu-
able on this trip.

We huffed and puffed (actual-
ly T did all the huffing and puff-
ing) our way up. We finally
came to a steel shed and once

I decided to trust my leader — she has a memory
like a map. | walked up to Kiska and hugged her,
telling her to please find the trail and take us home.

around the corner it went from
rain to snow.

The dogs and I were so ex-
cited that we forgot how tired
we were and ran several yards.
Sanity returned, we resumed our
slow plod upwards. Every once
in a while we would get spuris
of energy, these became morc
frequent as it became cooler and
more snow.

The trees were bigger and the
snow was deep, I kept telling
the dogs that we were almost
there. When we came to the
edge of the top there were so
many trails - they were every-
where.

So far we had not run into any
snow machines on the trail, but
we knew there were one or two
up here somewhere. There had
been another truck in the park-
ing lot with a trailer. I was
hoping to avoid them as much
as possible.

] really didn’t want to have
one come up to us full power
and possibly run into us. I’m
sure they had no idea we were
up there and were nol expecting
to see a dog teum up there at all.

We traveled on what seemed
the main trail, it was so beauti-
ful and the fact thal it was pour-
‘ing rain farther down and this

‘pristine alpine up here, WOW.
. We were in sledding heaven.

Our peace was toshe brought
to reality, there was the sound of
a machine coming, with all ihe

a bit,

Kiska had been giving me a
lot of trouble all winter with her
commands. I should never have
worried, like the pro she is, she
kept us straight and turned us
around,

Coming down was fast, there
were three hair pin turns and I
could not keep the sled righted
on any of them. The dogs were
so good they actually stopped

and waited for me to right the .

sled and dump out the snow
from the inside of my jacket.
Brrr.

I knew where we should be
heading but the trail just did not
hills and dips it was hard to pin
point where it was aclually com-
ing from. I decided to trust the
dogs their hearing is so much
better than mine and they soon
had it figured out just where it
was coming from.

Sure enough there he came
down a steep hill straight
towards us, I felt a little panicky
but with a little encouragement
the dogs picked up a. bit of
speed and we were out of
harm’s way. He followed us for
a bit then waved and headed off
down another hill full bore.

There were clouds all around
us and a howling snow storm,
the sled bag was filling with
snow everytime I opened it. The
boys were getting restless and it
was time to pack up and explore
seem familiar. We went up and

; a -

down trails. and finaily~ I

thought, “Oh, Oh, we are lost .
on the top of the mountain.”’ 1
knew JT had enough equipment -

to last the night, but I really
didn’t relish the thought of hav-
ing to be rescucd,

1 decided to trust my leader —
she has a memory like a map. I
walked up ta Kiska and hugged
her telling her to please find the
trail and take us home. She
forged ahead went past three
trails and made a sharp tum

down the original trail she had

wanted to go down.

The ride down was an experi-
ence I will not soon forget. We
went from — snow-slush-ice-
snow-slush-gravel. There was
no stopping them on the way
dawn, I had to ride the brake all
the way down, my Jeg was al-
mos( numb at the bottom.

The dogs were covered’ in
mud, snow and just plain wet. 1
was drenched from the rain and
water on the trail.

We were a sorry looking
bunch in the truck, the dogs laid
down and slept while I packed
everything away, the sled was
‘soaked and must have gained
several pounds. The dogs’
harnesses were soaked and
weighed a considerable amount.

The next day everyone includ-
ing me, was walking around
stiff and sore. I’m, proud of my
team and again they have shown
me that they can be a lot smarter
than I can, I should never doubt
my leader.

Siberian Huskies still have it.

Eileen Puge raises Siberian
Huskies here in Terrace.

‘BREAK TIME:
Eileen Puge
takes a pause
-_ with her team
of sled dogs
on the trail.

The Mail Bag

Caledonia students tackle.
unproductive accusation

We received 15 letters from students at Caledonia Sr.
Secondary school in response to an editorial published
in the Dec. 30, 1996 edition of The Terrace Standard.
Here are some of those fetters.

Dear Sir:

I’m writing to you in regards to your cditorial,
“Spare Us’’. I do not believe that it is entirely correct.

First of all, we don't schedule our own classes - the
caunsclors do. When grade ten students choose their
courses for grade eleven and twelve, they must fill in
every time slot. We don’t ask for spares: -

I do realize that the aniount of spares is a problem. |
do believe that student should be doing more praduc-
live things with their time.

A lot-of the violence and vandalism that’s occurring
does nat take place during class lime, il is happening
on our breaks.

I believe that you are wrong in singling out the
people thal have spares as the one’s who cause the
damage to the school. A lot of people use their spares
productively. ,

In order for this violence to stop there needs to be a
harsher penalty for getting caught. —

They can’t just be told not to do it again.

They can’t be suspended, because most of them con-
sider that a holiday; same as Saturday school.

The adininistration need to take action if they really
care abaut the school and the kids that attend it.

Alyssa Wyatt
Terrace, B.C,
Kk kK
Dear Sin
1 was disgusted with the stereolypical view you ex-

. pressed in the editorial, ‘Spare Us’’, Dec. 30, 1996.

In.so many words, you created for the readers in this
city an image of tcenagers who don’t care about taking
their courses to graduate, have nothing belter to do than

vandalize (though the majority of the vandalism hap-

pens during lunch and breaks, not spares), and are
responsible for much of the pollution on the streets in
Terrace,

It is apparent your rescarch was nol in-depth, as you
did. not mention that may of the students do use their
spares to do homework, projects and studying - is this
what you call ‘‘idle time???
~ Yam appalled that you blamed the littered ‘migration
route’” downtown on us, the students.

More times than net, I have witnessed so-cailed re-
speciable adults pass by the garbage bins placed on the

‘TY ‘sidewalks and toss their cups or wrappers irresponsibly

on the ground. It happens with all — young and old.
The judgment you passed was biased and unfair.
As for your solution to these problems, are we all

” eriminals? Perhaps we should see adults shoveling

snow from sidewalks of senior citizens, culling lawns
and picking up garbage on their ‘‘idle timc’’, too,
Sandi-Joy Harrison
Terrace, B.C.
kakkk

Dear Sir:

I understand thal an editorial contains the opinions af
the writer, but I would like to point out that this partic:
ular piece was full of gross generalizations about
Caledonia students which were not necessarily fair.

From personal experience, [ can teil you what goes
on during the spares of ninety percent of students.

Many students slay at the school, true, but they are
usually in the library studying or quietly sitting, chat-
ting and reading in the halls.

Somelimes, you may find a group of students in the
small, barely furnished cafeteria or outside of the
school skateboarding or sitting on the grass talking
when it is warm.

It is also true that many students head downtown.
The thing is that, usually, the teenagers that do go
downtown have cars and don’t leave ‘‘pop cans, candy
bar wrappings, junk food containers, cigaretic pack-
ages, bits of clothing, ripped up homework assignments
and heaven knows what else”’ strewn along their path.
All that is left behind is the exhaust from the tailpipe
and perhaps some money in one of the many
businesses which are frequented.

There are even students who are at their own homes
during their spares. My personal experience tells me
that there aren’ta lot of problems with the people who
have spares or their level of maturity, secing that most
of Calcdonia’s problems do occur during breaks and
lunch hours; and that some of the side cffects of the
spares (such as extra study time and increased business
for some establishments) aren’t all that bad,

Angelle Albion
Terrace, B.C,
kak kk

Dear Sir:

I’m a student of Caledonia and have spent most of
my spare blocks wandering the halls.

If there were a couple of foos ball tables I think it
would make a lot of difference of how many people are
in the halls. The school could also make a couple bucks
on the side.

The idea of shoveling snow, mowing lawns and pick-
ing up garbage is insane. Not one person 1 know would
do this kind of slave labour out of the kindness of their
heart. As far as the violence goes, it’s a cruc]l world —
stuff happens. ;

Derek Kormendy
Terrace, B.C.
akkkkk

Dear Sir:

You, Mr. Editor, are oul of touch with realily, you
obviously did lilile or no research, and never talked to
any of the students,

It appears to me as if you had a deadline and were
desperate for something to write. You would have been
better off leaving the space blank,

Contrary to the belief you scem to hold, very few of
us are vandals, polluters, or bad people.

There is an exelusive group of people who are
responsible for much of the vandalism at Caledonia,
Most of the students who have spures do actually make
good use of their time.

About your ‘‘solutions'’, maybe your generation did
that kind of thing, but don’t try to push it off on us.
Welcome to the twentieth century. It’s almost over.

Gken Holt
Terrace, B.C,

The Terrace Standard welcomes fet-
ters to the editor. Our mailing address
is 3210 Clinton St, Terrace, B.C. V8G

. 5R2. You can fax us at 250-638-8432 or

e-mail us at standard@kermode.ne

ee mE me mie cn nt ett ansaid macs mamma, mami, mmm mmm mum 2