When Miami dentist Ted Brooks (Cuba Gooding Jr.) finds out that he's been named in a will, he travels to Alaska to claim his inheritance. Once he gets there, however, his dreams turn to mush: he discovers he's been left a mischievous team of sled dogs -- who have got it in for him. Making matters even worse is the crusty mountain man Thunder Jack (James Coburn), who's also got it in for the city slicker. Wanting to claim the dogs for himself, Jack urges Ted to hotfoot it back to warmer climates.