Hetta Huskies 8 Day Arctic Mushing Package February 2017
Hetta Huskies treasures its dogs as much as its clients and is a great example of responsible tourism. Committed to giving every dog a chance to fulfil its potential, the result is a dog team with characters you will love and never forget. Well organised, with high standards of care, this is a great holiday for dog lovers with a sense of adventure looking for an active holiday and a challenge.
We went on an eight day arctic mushing package. These tours are usually for six clients accompanied by two guides, one on a snowmobile. Having previously been on a husky safari without a snowmobile, we did wonder if this might be intrusive, but this was not the case.
Togged up, you venture out into the sharp fresh air. This is a hands on adventure and you are encouraged to help with all aspects of the process. You are shown how to harness a dog and help to make up the teams. Although excited, the huskies were relatively calm and a pleasure to handle.
The first day you are given driving instructions and practice sledding on trails close to the farm. You start off just using the metal claw break, finding your balance and learning how to take corners.
On the second day of sledding you are introduced to the mat brake and the anchor. This day you will set off with the team selected for the rest of the tour, although the guides are very good at switching dogs to ensure that everyone goes along at a similar pace. In fact, the guides are very good at most things, well trained and with lots of skills. Both our guides were trained chefs, most are multi-lingual. That night we had the luxury of electricity and a plumbed bathroom; this was a real treat after using compost toilets by headlamp. Meals were served in a local cafe/restaurant.
The third day saw us tackle seven hills. By this time you have learnt how to use your weight to help steer the sled and how to pedal or push the sled to help the dogs up hills. I was helped up the hills with a strong team of dogs, for which I was very grateful. This day you climb to the highest point on the tundra.
I love the tundra; it is bleak but very beautiful. We were lucky with the weather and the trail conditions. The winter light gave a blue hue to the snow and the undulations in the snow are cast with indigo shadows. Just stunning. There is something addictive about this activity. A wilderness that is impossible to reach by normal means, the whispering sound of the sled runners and the enthusiasm of the dogs. The different types of snow and landscape. The light, the hoar frost, the challenge of the cold, the wonder of the northern lights.
The fourth day saw us travel the seven hills in reverse and finish with a steep up and downhill to another remote cabin. This was a tough day for me but the reward was a sunset painting the sky pastel pink and blue. With snow laden trees in the foreground this was a scene almost too beautiful to be true.
By the last day I was much more confident on the sled. During this tour I had two occasions when I stepped off the sled due to deep snow (one of which I recovered without help) and one occasion when I fell off. All these were my fault, due to lack of predicting what was required or a lapse in control or focus. Driving a sled does take skill and concentration. Throughout these hiccups, the guides are very professional and competent and I felt in safe hands. The snowmobile back up also gives a sense of security.
By the end of the trip I was using the brake, mat and anchor competently, and using my weight to steer the sled. It was much easier going and I relaxed and enjoyed the ride. A herd of reindeer were being moved on the lake as we approached Hetta. We saw them running with their strange high-stepping gait, herded by snowmobiles. Driving a dog sled I felt part of this culture and privileged to witness...
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