Just Short of Magic was recommended by some locals so we thought we'd try it and, WOW, we were glad we did. Eloise was so friendly and made sure we had the right clothing for the sled ride. While we were waiting for our musher, Darren, to arrive we were able to spend time with the dogs in the yard; what a treat! The ride itself was SOOO much fun and neither of us wanted it to end!!! Darren was extremely knowledgeable and was able to answer all of our questions. Once the ride was over, we were able to spend time with the amazing team of dogs and take lots of pictures. The dogs were so sweet and gentle, and they seemed to love the extra scratches behind the ears. Just Short of Magic is wonderful place with a group of genuinely good people creating special adventures and experiences for their guests.

My wife and I had a blissful three night stay in Eleanor's yurt this past March.  It was a great escape from our noisy city life in downtown Honolulu.  The tranquil remoteness of Just Short of Magic allowed us to enjoy the dark starry nights and quiet snow covered forests of Alaska. 

The yurt was very comfortable and warm with both rustic and modern amenities.  The furniture and bed were solid, warm and relaxing.  For heat, I had fun maintaining the fire in the wood stove because there's something strongly appealing about a good old wood fire in the winter time.  The outhouse is 10 feet outside of the yurt and very plain without heat, providing the user a challenge in the freezing temperatures.  The yurt has a propane stove allowing you to make hot drinks, and there is electricity too providing power for a few lamps and charging your cell phone or laptop.  I can't recall whether the yurt had its own internet because I simply used my cell phone as a wi-fi hotspot to connect my laptop to the internet when necessary.  And there is no TV/cable, . . . but we didn't care because we didn't need it.  And finally there is no plumbing for running water, but rather the staff brings in buckets of water for simple hand/face washing and another for drinking.  So in essence the yurt satisfied both ends of the spectrum, providing a little frontier escapism with some modern amenities. 

Eleanor/staff delivered delicious breakfasts to us in the yurt each morning.  They were quite filling and very thoughtfully prepared and presented.  We looked forward to her breakfasts! 

My wife and I also enjoyed a dog sled ride through the nearby woods.  Our driver, Christine, was very friendly and knowledgeable and provided a fun ride.  The dogs were really happy and eager to run too.

The many beautiful dogs at Just Short of Magic were enjoyable.  Each has their own personality and were very excited to greet you looking for hugs, pats and back rubs.  And since I'm a dog person, I was happy to accommodate them. 

The staff at Just Short of Magic were very courteous, helpful and sought the comfort and satisfaction of the guests.  They made our stay very enjoyable.