We've been on a skijoring trip in Swedish Lapland with Gem, Titan and Tuisku. A strenuous trail with lots of steep uphills that really tested our dogs' stamina and determination, not to mention our own! I bought a new pair of backcountry skiing boots just prior to the trip and ended up with awful blisters on both feet. But spending a few days in the magnificent mountains is definitely worth the pain...
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| The journey began in Katterjåkk near Riksgränsen, 300km north of the Arctic Circle. Our trail took us far above the lift system, up on the "roof" of Lapland. This is a barren alpine area, home to eagles, reindeer, lynx and wolverine. We were lucky to see four eagles circling above us at close range - wow! |
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| The winds were strong during our first day but luckily we left the worst weather behind us as we travelled south on the trail. |
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| As always, Tuisku was a huge asset to our expedition. When negotiating steep descents, Tuisku's ability to follow left and right commands meant I could avoid crashing down the mountain and instead enjoy an (almost) smooth ride, zig-zagging down the hills. | | | | |
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| We transported our gear in two pulks. The new Polaris pulka sled worked really well in the terrain, sliding easily on snow and providing ample space for tent, sleeping bags, cooking utensils, food etc. |
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| On top of the sled bag is a built-in map holder which is really useful on a trip like this. In some places the trail markings were missing and we did manage to take a wrong turn that set us back about 2 hours. Lesson learned: check the map more frequently! |
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| Spot the dog team! I could have stayed all day in this beautiful place. |
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| A break to admire the view. Somewhere in the distance is Sweden's highest mountain, Kebnekaise. |
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| On the ice of the river in the Abisko Valley towards the end of our trip. |
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| We met some friends on the trail. Happy huskies heading north! |
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| Titan and Gem had lots of fun on the trail - check out their smiles and tails. :-) |
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| Well done Titan who completed the requirements for his WTD-title - including some extra bonus miles! |
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| This was Titan's first major trip and he absolutely loved it! |
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| Tuisku and Gem are now one step closer to their WTDX-titles. Well done all! |
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| So long mountains, miss you already and hope to see you soon! |
2 comments:
It's looks so wonderfull... wish I could go with you on a trip like that! Amazin landscape, incredible dogs! WOW!
Yes we feel truly lucky to have such close access to the wilderness. If I could I would spend ALL my time out there, as there's nothing better than being out in the wild...
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