Northernmost

Yesterday we harnessed up Tuisku, Gem and Titan after dinner and went for a ride in the mountains. This time of the year the sun doesn’t set until 9.30 in the evening and with every day we have about thirty minutes of more daylight. Around midsummer the sun doesn’t set at all for several weeks and if the snow remains on higher altitudes we can go skijoring under the midnight sun. I’m surprised sometimes that so few people have discovered Lapland – we often have the trail and the views all to ourselves. Last night we spent two hours climbing before reaching the plateau where we enjoyed about an hour of leisurely skijoring before it was time to start the long descent home. When skijoring without a sled or pulk, going downhill is almost as tough as going uphill as you have to constantly use your legs and feet as brakes to slow down. Our Mals are always extra eager when we set out on a mountain trip. I guess they can sense the adventure the same way we do and the wind that sweeps through the valleys carries all sorts of interesting information for scent-oriented Malamutes. We didn’t see any reindeer or wild animals last night, but in Lapland they are never far away.

We woke up to -23C and clear blue skies and were quick to get ready after breakfast. Cold weather means perfect trails and we had fantastic skijoring today, completing 33km (20.5 mi) along our “local” trail that connects Hetta in Finland with Kautokeino in Norway. The dogs love the cold weather and needed fewer breaks to cool down than yesterday. The hard trails meant effortless skijoring but the intense sunshine takes its toll and I think we’re all having an early night tonight!

Minus ten degrees celsius, sunshine and LOADS of snow. We’re in Malamute paradise! While the fur kids are busy exploring their new surroundings, we are shoveling snow, filling up the dog houses with fresh straw, fetching water, and keeping the fire going to warm up the cabin. Always plenty of work to do before we’re settled in but come Easter and we’ll be ready to hit the trail!

Well done to our hardworking buddies Keikewabic’s Tundra Tuisku and Mtn Home’s Northernmost Gem for completing the requirements for their AMCA Working Team Dog Excellent Titles!!! During our two most recent trips Titan (Sledog Mountainous Peak) came along to support his friends and accumulate miles for his own future title – a big well done also to Titan for his excellent work on the trail! We had a fantastic Easter in the mountains, skijoring the Kebnekaise-loop during four days. We entered the mountains from Nikkaluokta via the Vistas River Valley, and passed Vistas, Nallo, Sälka, Singi and Keb during our trip, before returning to Nikkaluokta via the Laddju River Valley.

The first night on the trail – camping in Vistas.

Our second day – with the magnificent Stuor Reaiddávággi in the background.

Visit our KEBNEKAISE EXPEDITION GALLERY to see more photos from this fantastic trip!