Balsam Ridge Chinooks Home

Balsam Ridge Chinooks

Ann Eakin & Syd Craig

Stow, MA

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Tatla's pups have arrived! Follow this link for info and photos of the pups.

We (Ben, Syd and Ann) are fortunate to share our home with six wonderful Chinook dogs. WoodsRunner X Raquel (aka Racqui) joined our family in December 1997 followed by Saghalie's Kaniksu Reign (aka Rainy) in January 1998. Raqui and Rainy produced two litters of puppies and we kept a puppy from each of those litters - Balsam Ridge Tucker in 2000 and Balsam Ridge Katherine (aka Katie) in 2001. In Sept 2003, we added Rain Mountain Tatla of Bear Creek (aka Tatla) to our pack. And this year, we kept one of the pups from Katie's first litter, Balsam Ridge Lincoln. Yes, Chinooks are like potato chips...you can't stop at just one! The links at the bottom of the page will take you to pages featuring the individual dogs and the puppies. Below are some group photos to introduce you to our pack.

Family Portrait August 2005 - LtoR: Raqui, Katie, Tatla, Ben, Lincoln, Tucker & Rainy

Family Portrait taken December 2004. (LtoR): Rainy, Tucker, Raqui, Katie, Tatla & Lincoln

Another family photo taken Sept '04 (LtoR): Tatla, Tucker, Rainy, Raqui, Katie & Lincoln

We are by no means expert mushers but we do have a great time sledding with the dogs, and true to their heritage, they are natural sled dogs. The photo at left was taken at the Tamworth New Hampshire Winter Carnival where Syd, Raqui and Tucker are giving sled rides to kids. At right below is a photo of Ann, Samantha and Matthew sledding with Tucker, Katie, Hudson and Raqui (LtoR) on the Intervale in Wonalancet where the original Chinook trained with Arthur Walden and other sled dogs in preparation for the expedition to the South Pole with Admiral Byrd in 1929. Photos were taken in Jan and Feb 2002.

Recently we ran a team of 6 for the first time ... and all survived! Syd was riding in the sled and snapped the shot (below at left) from the rear with Katie & Lincoln at wheel, Tatla & Raqui in middle (swing position?) and Rainy & Tucker in the lead. It was the first time Lincoln ran in harness and he didn't miss a beat. After the run, Lincoln hopped into the van's drivers seat to settle down for a well-deserved nap (below, right)

After a fun time sledding, our pack love to run together through the snow in our back meadow. We're hoping for lots of snow in 2005!

As enthusiastic about sledding as they are, Chinooks are also expert couch potatoes as shown below:

Raquel		Rainy			Tucker		Katherine
		Tatla			Lincoln

	Pups 2004			Pups 2001		Pups 2000

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