Our expedition leader Johan Väisänen has the looks of a Viking with
the vigour of Ben Hur. The latter also refers to the sled on which he
skilfully balances while zipping through a cold and silent, white
landscape. Johan is a modern charioteer, with the only difference that
the carriage is a wooden sleigh pulled forward by six hyperkinetic husky
dogs. The territory of these dogs and their eight, extreme warmly
dressed sledge drivers, is a quiet area around Kangos, a Swedish village
150 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. Johan runs with his family
Pinetree Lodge, an intimate hotel with its own husky kennel. They live
far away from busy and touristy Lapland where most travellers go. Kangos
village is a couple of streets with a handful of typical wooden houses
where according to the tradition; small lights are hung inside in front
of the windows. It’s a gesture of warmth in a wintery landscape where
temperatures often plunge below -35 degrees Celsius. This secluded area
consists of nothing but dense forest, clear rivers and more than 150
lakes. During the winter months, everything morphs into an abstract,
white entity. A wilderness of snow sculptures that were once trees, icy
plains that change during the summer in lakes and quaint fishing huts
that now serve as refuges to escape the -25 degrees nights. Pinetree
Lodge is cosy inside. Far too cosy. Outside everything creaks under the
extreme freezing temperatures and staying inside, close to the fire,
seems the only human activity that is acceptable here. Within two days
our group will leave on a three-day husky expedition. Everyone is hoping
for a clear sky and maybe some northern lights. Don’t think you can go
out in casual winter ski pants or a dress. We get special suits and
giant boots as if we are going to walk on the moon. Thermal underwear is
a man’s best friend here, believe me. Once you step outside to enjoy
the majestic landscape and surroundings, you have to be prepared.
Especially when leaving on a husky expedition.
Fans
of blue-eyed huskies should come here. Johan has his own kennel with
more than 100 dogs. They are well groomed, are in top condition and have
three full time carers who are working with them. Alaskan Huskies are
not really lazy, on the contrary. Jumping, barking, crying, fighting,
pulling … The next three days we will experience that standing on a
wooden sled, pulled ahead by a few huskies on speed, isn’t a piece of
cake. You soon feel that balance and flexibility are important and yes
being fit, because when it goes uphill, you need to help the dogs. If
you don’t, they will look at you as if you are a big lazy bastard. To
hang casually on your sled, is not an option. We whiz past trees, under
low-hanging branches covered in snow, through endless, shimmering plains
where you will have to stay on the track or you disappear into the deep
soft snow. Johan demonstrates his Viking skills and pops out his Sami
knife to build a smouldering campfire for lunch. Reindeer skins serve as
a bench in the snow, a pot of hearty soup hangs on a branch above the
open fire. Shortly after sunset and on arrival at the wilderness cabin
the only thing you want to do is get inside and warm up. But first the
dogs have to be fed and put into bed, well, nest of hay, protecting them
against deadly, cold nights. And the nights are long and dark in
Lapland. Unless the Northern Lights decide to pop-up, then you will have
to get out of the warm wooden cabin and stand in the freezing cold to
see the spectacle. In case of frostbite, there is always the sauna to
heat up again. Or the bottle of Aqua Vit or Jenever that one of our
fellow guests took along on the trip. Life can be simple in the high
north.
Fans
of blue-eyed huskies should come here. Johan has his own kennel with
more than 100 dogs. They are well groomed, are in top condition and have
three full time carers who are working with them. Alaskan Huskies are
not really lazy, on the contrary. Jumping, barking, crying, fighting,
pulling … The next three days we will experience that standing on a
wooden sled, pulled ahead by a few huskies on speed, isn’t a piece of
cake. You soon feel that balance and flexibility are important and yes
being fit, because when it goes uphill, you need to help the dogs. If
you don’t, they will look at you as if you are a big lazy bastard. To
hang casually on your sled, is not an option. We whiz past trees, under
low-hanging branches covered in snow, through endless, shimmering plains
where you will have to stay on the track or you disappear into the deep
soft snow. Johan demonstrates his Viking skills and pops out his Sami
knife to build a smouldering campfire for lunch. Reindeer skins serve as
a bench in the snow, a pot of hearty soup hangs on a branch above the
open fire. Shortly after sunset and on arrival at the wilderness cabin
the only thing you want to do is get inside and warm up. But first the
dogs have to be fed and put into bed, well, nest of hay, protecting them
against deadly, cold nights. And the nights are long and dark in
Lapland. Unless the Northern Lights decide to pop-up, then you will have
to get out of the warm wooden cabin and stand in the freezing cold to
see the spectacle. In case of frostbite, there is always the sauna to
heat up again. Or the bottle of Aqua Vit or Jenever that one of our
fellow guests took along on the trip. Life can be simple in the high
north.
