Miguel’s Quest for Making Patagonia the New Alaska of Mushing
Scandinavia. Alaska. The Alps. Siberia. All northern areas that come to mind when thinking of recreational and competitive dog mushing. And all of them extremely far away from the emerging mushing community around the world ‘s southernmost city – Ushuaia, Patagonia.
Ushuaia is the southernmost city on the world.
Make Mushing Great Again
Mushing in South America experienced great growth in the late 90’s. Both touristic sled dog kennels and some competition were established in the region. For some reason, in the beginning of the 2000’s, the sport nearly died out in Patagonia, except for a few touristic kennels. In 2016, at the time 30-year old Miguel Isla Casares returned to Ushuaia after spending two seasons at Sigrid Ekran’s kennel in Norway. The Argentinian was on a mission: to bring Patagonia back on the dog mushing map.
Miguel Isla Casares out on the trail with Sigrid Ekran’s dog team at Gausdal Marathon.
“Today I run my own kennel in Ushuaia, Equipo Tres Cuartos. Our biggest goal is to show what, in my opinion, is the greatest value of the sport – the respect for your dog team both on and off the trail”, says Miguel.
Ushuaia is the South American mecca of mushing with the highest density of kennels in the region. They are all 100% touristic kennels, except for Miguel’s, which also competes in races. Miguel Also created the first mushing race in Patagonia with the Encuentro Musher, running on its fifth year. The race was created as the first step towards showing that the sport can be more than tourism, and to show potential musher what a healthy team he or she can create.
The Race
The podium at Encuentro Musher.
“Encuentro Musher is still a small race compared to the ones on the Northern Hemisphere. We have podiums and trophies, but the main idea of the race is to inspire the local musher to help build the sport and show the community of Ushuaia another side of it.”
We have between 8 and 15 competitors and the race is two days long, running 20 km each day. We made it this way because we want every dog to finish the race happy and healthy. There aren’t too many people in area who knows how to train and take care of a dog for such long-distance competition, so we need to start easy.
Miguel describes the biggest challenges around the development of the sport.
“There is no infrastructure to make the sport and lifestyle develop. We don’t have trails, optimal gear or a culture for high quality dog food. Everything has to be made. With patience and passion, I am confident we will get there.”
Different Conditions
Winter season on the southern parts of Argentina starts in the end of May, and lasts until mid-October. But summertime isn’t really cold either, allowing for proper mushing training also through summer. Usually, it gets down to 5 degrees Celsius during night time.
Breathtaking nature in Patagonia.
“I have been to both Norway and Alaska, but the wilderness down here feels more extreme. There are so many areas that are totally unexplored. So many valleys that are completely untouched by humans or dogs. Patagonia has breathtaking landscapes and a rich wildlife. As we are closely surrounded by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the winter are less harsh, and the summers a bit chilly.”
Dreaming Big
When Miguel in 2005, at the age of 18 moved from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Ushuaia to work on a touristic sled dog kennel, he had no idea what impact it would have on his life. A question quickly arose: “Can a dog team feel the same happiness as me on the trail?” Now, 15 years later, he is still searching for the answer while working hard to improve the sport, and enjoying the experience the mushing life has to offer.
“In 2014 and 2015 I worked as a handler for Sigrid Ekran in Norway. She won Finnmarksløpet both of those years, and both times she entered the race with only one goal in mind – to keep the dogs happy and healthy. And the rest would happen. Those words stuck with me, and I still think about them every day.”
A dog team exiting one of the checkpoints at Encuentro Musher.
Miguel Isla Casares also has big plans for the future.
“My kennel here in Ushuaia has contantly been expanding, and I have now 12 dogs. In the 2021 season, we will be the first Southern Hemisphere team travelling to Alaska to compete. I hope to create some attention and surprise during this, and have lots of fun.”
Miguel hopes to bring back some great stories, valuable experience and true inspiration for other mushers in the region.
“I want to show that anything is possible.”