Amazing Dogsledding Adventures

Transcription

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2 Amazing Dogsledding Adventures Photo: Andreas Rydbacken CONTENT Maps & Travel... 3 About The Silent Way... 4 Your Day in the Wilderness... 5 Meals & Accommodation... 6 Tour Programs Dogsledding Tour Tariff & Programs Custom Tours Gear, Checklist Winter Frequently Questions & Answer Booking Information Made by: STORUMANS TRYCKERI AB Frontcover photo: C-G Gustafsson, Andreas Rydbacken Backcover photo: C-G Gustafsson

3 The Silent Way is located in south Lapland Sweden, between two small towns called Storuman and Tärnaby, Surrounded by beautiful scenery by the foot of the mountain Gardfjället, lays the little village Umnäs. How to get to Umnäs - Lapland The easiest way to come to us at The Silent Way is by travelling by air. You should let us know in advance what means of transportation you wish to arrive with, so we may help you to make your trip to Lapland as easy as possible. By Air (International) You must arrange for your own international airfare to Stockholm, Bromma or Arlanda airport in Stockholm is the nearest international airport. Maps & Travel By Air (Domestic) From Stockholm most of our foreign visitors travel by air from Arlanda airport to our local airport, Storuman. We can arrange your domestic ticket to Storuman where you will be picked up by car for transfer to Umnäs. You can pick up your ticket at Arlanda airport (domestic terminal 3) at Skyways air company counter, with a booking number. Booking number provided by us via , phone or fax prior to your departure. DOMESTIC AIRFARE About Skyways Skyways alliance with SAS. Skyways is located in terminal 3 at Arlanda Airport, Stockholm. Skyways Holding AB, box 915, Arlanda Stad Tele: , fax; Arlanda Airport in Stockholm 3

4 Welcome To The Silent Way, Lapland - Sweden. Experience the Northern light, Mountains and Forests. Come closer to nature, the great expanses of wilderness. Our tours is high quality tours, we mush in small groups there all our guests mush their own team of dogs. Our guests get around 5-8 dogs. We travel in Europe s biggest nature reserve Vindelfjällens Nature reserve. The Silent Way is quality marked by Natures Best. Natures Best is the first national ecotourism quality label in the Northern Hemisphere Best for the visitor, best for nature. About The Silent Way Catte Our experience is beneficial on any tours. Dogs at The Silent Way are very sociable and kind. They love to be patted almost as much as they like you to put on their harness and pull you wherever you wish... may that be challenging stormy weather... through cold winter days... while northern light dance for you... warm and beautiful sunny days when the mountain is kind. Small and large groups, conference groups, customised individual tour... we tailor to suit your requirements. On our mountains tours we work with small groups, that means more dogs for your team and more personal service. We offer complete free rental clothing and boots. You can be sure you ll stay warm. We re the experts on cold weather comfort. Kenneth Why The Silent Way. All the nature you can imagine... dense forests... proud mountain birch... wide stretched mires... bare white mountains with deep valleys... pure clean lakes with trout s and char and beautiful social dogs... On our tours you ll mush a team of our friendly Huskies along beautiful wilderness trails every day. Each evening you ll enjoy a new cosy wilderness lodges with great Lapland meals. You ll be accompanied by our expert guides who provide complete dogsled training, share stories and tails about the winter mushing, fishing, wildlife, northern lights, and more. Our sledges are hand made at The Silent Way by Kenneth, your leadmusher, who knows what is the best to use on our mountain tours. History Mr. Robert Janns came to Umnäs in 1870 as a colonist with his spade and dig hopes in this new land in Lapland. It was harsh times settling down as a farmer with only a small family breeding cows, sheep, goats and hens. Since that time a lot has happened. This farm has hosted five generations of the same family, all of whom has maintained strong roots and traditions. Catrine Anderback, your hostess is the grand grand grand daughter of Robert. Now days, our beloved and hardworking Alaskan Huskies and Icelandic horses are what keep The Silent Way alive and our days full of excitement and adventures. The Silent Way on the Internet Log on to or for the latest information and complete information on all our activities here at The Silent Way. Your hosts: Catrine Anderback & Kenneth Gjemmestad 4

5 YOUR DAY IN THE WILDERNESS As a guest you will enjoy the expert help of our professional guides who will take care of you in every possible way. You will be in charge of your own team of 5-8 dogs. For those who are more athletic could choose to go on cross-country skies and be pulled along by 2 dogs (skijoring). However, please note you should have extensive skiing experience for skijoring. The tour leader will manage a team of 8 to 12 dogs and carry most of the food and equipment. Your personal belongings some dog food and equipment will be in your own sledge. We travel between 30 to 55 kilometres each day. The day begins around 7.30 when we feed the dogs. After that we will have a nice breakfast. Around are the sledges packed and it is time to embark the tracks. After about kilometres we will find a suitable place to stop, where we and the dogs have a nice lunch and rest. After lunch we proceed again for another couple of hours until we reach the lodge where we Your day in the wilderness the region we travel. The terrain we travel through varies immensely. From dense forests and mountain birch covering the ground to open highlands with breathtaking views and deep valleys with lakes full of white untouched snow. The light, the colours, the smell of nature and the silent are something you have to experience because this can not be explained by words alone. will stay for the night. The dogs get their reward after our dinner and the evening is rounded off with a warm drink and a sandwich before snuggling into our sleeping bags. During the day you can enjoy the vast expanses of this gorgeous landscape. We travel very quietly and if we are lucky we can spot mountain birds, eagles and animals such as reindeer and elk which are common and, of all Sweden s wild creatures, these are the ones you re most likely to spot. The shyer creatures such as lynx, wolverine, bears and wolves we often see tracks from in 5

6 Meals and Accomodation The first and last day you stay in our village Umnäs and sleep at the cosy and small hotel or a lodge. On our mountain tours we will be sleeping in good and cosy lodges, one of the lodges have electricity. All mountain lodges are comfortable, nice and warm, whit beds and wooden stoves. The meals are home made Swedish food. You can expect all meals to taste exceptional good. We can guarantee you will not be hungry on our tours. You may let us know if you have special food and diet requirements. Breakfast and dinner are prepared in lodges whilst lunch normally are held outdoors, and the fact that we are using dogsleds means that we can take a little extra with us to make our trip even more comfortable. We will collect water from nearby fresh mountain streams and lakes by chopping a whole in the ice. Breakfast On tour: Porridge, blueberry soup, bread, butter, jams, cheeses, sausages, juices, milk, coffee and tee. Additional in village: herring, assorted cereals, ham, eggs, and others upon request. Lunch On tour: All lunches are warm such as souvas (smoked fried reindeer meat) with bread, noodle soups with bread, assorted pasta and sauces. Additional in village: omelettes, game stews, hamburgers, etc. Dinner On tour: Meat soup with bread, game stew with rice and vegetables, marinated elk meat with rice and vegetables, pasta with vegetables and sauces, pasta with grind meat and sauces, chicken stew with rice, and other local game specialities. Additional in village: Game steaks, fish such as trout, char, salmon, etc. Drinks. On tour: Fruit syrups, tea & coffee, juices, red and white wine, fresh mountain water. Additional in village: The hotel has a pub, and servers all kind of beverages in the restaurant. 6

7 Dogsledding Tour Program 2004 Scheduled tours Happy New Year Adventure... 7 days Dec 2 Jan... 4 guests Crystal lodge to lodge... 7 days Jan 27 Jan... 4 guests Training & Competition days Jan 12 Feb... 2 guests Sunshine Awakening days Feb 23 Feb... 4 guests Sunshine Awakening days Feb 3 Mars... 4 guests Northern Silence... 8 days... 8 Mars 15 Mars... 4 guests 16-days Expedition days Mars 4 April... 3 guests Sound Of Silence days April 25 April... 4 guests Spring Adventure... 8 days April 5 May... 4 guests If you book as a group, it is possible to be 2 to 4 guests more on each tour. All the tours are included 2 days for arrival and departure. Custom Tour Programs Private tours... Jan 1 - May 15 Conference Groups... Jan 1 - May 15 Half Day Tours... Jan 1 - May 15 Full Day Tours... Jan 1 - May 15 Six to eight days... Jan 1 - May 15 Eight to fourteen days... Mar 1 - May 15 Sixteen days... Mar 1 - May 15 Photo: Andreas Rydbacken 7

8 Happy New Year Adventure & Crystal Lodge to Lodge Tour Name Happy New Year Adventure Duration: 7 Days & 6 Nights Temperatures: Day -5 to -35 C and Night -15 to -40 C. : Fri 27 Dec 2003 Departure: Fri 2 Jan 2004 Musher s Note: On this year Happy New Year Adventure we will make day tours in our beautiful nature. If its not to cold we will make a two-day trip with one overnight in the mountains. Add the New Year celebration to your dog mushing adventure; experience the northern light and the silence of the dark in a fairy tale surrounding. We will celebrate New Year at the hotel with a nice gala dinner and party in the evening. Most local speak some English, and you will have plenty of opportunities to meet them this New Year! Your base camp is a nice and cosy Russian timber lodge. See pictures at: The day after New Years eve we will have a rest day, you can choose to rest the whole day in front of a cosy wooden stove in your lodge, take a look at the snow mobile museum and the museum from old days or rent a snow mobile for a half day. Dogsledding days: You will mush the dogs for 4 days on different tracks in our beautiful area. The sledges are empty that means high-speed dog mushing. It s a special and exciting feeling to mush 5-6 dogs with an empty sled but it is no problem for a new beginner to do this tour. If it s not to cold, under 25 C, we go two days out on the mountains with one night in Överstjuktan lodge. This New Year you will never forget! Tour Name Crystal Lodge-to-Lodge Duration 7 Days & 6 Nights Temperatures Day -5 to -25 C and Night -10 to -30 C Wed 21 Jan Departure Tue 27 Jan Mushing Days 4 Days & 3 Nights Ice fishing 1 Day & 1 Night Village Days 2 Days & 2 Nights Musher s Note: Mountains and vastness with the sun light going down around 4 pm, crystal white snow reflecting the moon, stars, and northern light (and your head torch). Your experience will not be short of spiritual moments on this exceptional natural wonder tour. The tracks and the mountains are untouched and we will have the mountains for ourselves. When you arrive in Lapland, Storuman airport, we will pick you up by car and drive the 100 km to Umnäs. The first thing we will do in Umnäs is to go and say hello to the dogs. After that we will have dinner at host home or something lighter like sand-wich. We also take a look on what gear and clothes you need to borrow from us. We talk about the tour and how to mush the sled and dogs. The first night you will sleep at the hotel or lodge. 8

9 Crystal Lodge to Lodge & Training and Competition Mushing day 1 You eat breakfast at the hotel around Around 9.00 a clock we will meet at the hotel. We go to the dog yard for packing the sledges and learn to harness the dogs. Now we will have a major lecture time in how to drive a team of dogs. After that it is time to pull the anchor, stand on the brake and GO FOR IT! Överstjuktan is our destination; the distance this day is 55 km long. The dogs and we will have out door lunch after half way. We will travel over three big lakes, through pine forests, mountain birch forests and one mountain plateau. When we arrive to Överstjuktan we help each other to bring water, chop wood, make fire, feed and take care of the dogs. We eat dinner and sleep at Överstjuktan lodge, the only lodge with electricity. Mushing day 2 We will get up around 7.30 and go out and feed the dogs. After that we have a nice breakfast before we pack our bags and sledges. We harness the dogs and are on our way around This day we mush to Ammarnäs, 35 km. We start this day with a big lake and than we start to climb up on Guvertmountian. We will have outdoor lunch before we go down to Ammarnäs valley. The first thing we do is to take care of the dogs. Ammarnäs is a little village with settlers and Laplander people. Here we stay at the hotel in Ammarnäs, if you like we take a sauna and shower before dinner. Overnight at the hotel. Mushing day 3 We feed the dogs around 8.00 before we go and eat breakfast. This day we go to Tärnasjön, 40 km from Ammarnäs. Halfway lays Serve lodge, here we have outdoor or indoor lunch depending on the weather. When we arrive to Tärnasjön we help each other like the days before. Overnight and dinner at Tärnasjön lodge. Ice fishing day/rest day 4 This day we stay in Tärnasjön lodge. You can choose to do ice fishing or rest. In the afternoon we take a sauna that we heat up with wood and take a wash off (or a bath in the snow). We have breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight at Tärnasjön lodge. Last day on the mountain day 5 We will go out to the dogs around 7.30 before eating breakfast. We pack the sledges for the last time and are on our way to Solberg, 34 km, where we will be picked up by car. Half way we have Syter lodge and the opportunity to eat indoor if we have bad weather. After a nice shower at the hotel in Umnäs we eat dinner at hosts home and remember all things that happened during your Dogsledding adventure. Last overnight for this time at Umnäs Hotel. Departureday Breakfast at the hotel. Pack your bags and say goodbye to the dogs. We will eat lunch at our home, write the guestbook and mark the maps over the tour (if you like). We drive to Storuman airport and hope we meet again. Tour Name Training and Competition Duration 16 Days & 15 Nights Temperatures Day -5 to -25 C and Night -10 to -30 C Wed 28 Jan Departure Thu 12 Feb Musher s Note: This tour is for our guests that have been here before and like to do something really special with the dogs. Tour program: You will first join us at the tour Crystal lodge to lodge to remind your self how to drive the sledge, feed the dogs and so on. During the tour you will mush the dogs that you will have under the training and competition. After the tour you will train the dogs with a competition sled and we talk about how to do the race. You will train your team by your selves so the lead dogs start listen to you. After the training days we take the car and go to Femund in Norway to do the Femund race. The Femund race is a classic long distance Dogsledding race and known to be beautiful and nice, one of the most famous one up here. On this adventure you will come close to the dogs and you and your dog team will be like one. This is a lifetime experience! Photo: C-G Gustafsson 9

10 Tour Name Sunshine Awakening I Duration 7 Days & 6 Nights Temperatures Day -5 to -20 C and Night -10 to -25 C Tue 17 Feb Departure Mon 23 Feb Mushing Days 4 Days & 3 Nights Ice fishing 1 Day & 1 Night Village Days 2 Days & 2 Nights Sunshine Awakening I Musher s Note February is the time when the sun is starting to stay up longer, from 7.00 to and the snow is firm and settled. We will also start to feel that the sun start to get warm. We can enjoy longer days. The nights are full of stars and Northern Light. We still have the mountains for our selves and the nature is showing one of its best faces. When you arrive in Lapland, Storuman airport, we will pick you up by car and drive the 100 km to Umnäs. The first thing we will do in Umnäs is to go and say hello to the dogs. After that we will have dinner at host home or something lighter like sandwich. We also take a look on what gear and clothes you need to borrow from us. We talk about the tour and how to mush the sled and dogs. The first night you will sleep at the hotel or lodge. Mushing day 1 You eat breakfast at the hotel around Around 9.00 a clock we will meet at the hotel. We go to the dog yard for packing the sledges and learn to harness the dogs. Now we will have a major lecture time in how to drive a team of dogs. After that it is time to pull the anchor, stand on the brake and GO FOR IT! Överstjuktan is our destination; the distance this day is 55 km long. The dogs and we will have out door lunch after half way. We will travel over three big lakes, through pine forests, mountain birch forests and one mountain plateau. When we arrive to Överstjuktan we help each other to bring water, chop wood, make fire, feed and take care of the dogs. We eat dinner and sleep at Överstjuktan lodge, the only lodge with electricity. Mushing day 2 We will get up around 7.30 and go out and feed the dogs. After that we have a nice breakfast before we pack our bags and sledges. We harness the dogs and are on our way around This day we mush to Ammarnäs, 35 km. We start this day with a big lake and than we start to climb up on Guvertmountian. We will have outdoor lunch before we go down to Ammarnäs valley. The first thing we do is to take care of the dogs. Ammarnäs is a little village with settlers and Laplander people. Here we stay at the hotel in Ammarnäs, if you like we take a sauna and shower before dinner. Overnight at the hotel. Mushing day 3 We feed the dogs around 8.00 before we go and eat breakfast. This day we go to Tärnasjön, 40 km from Ammarnäs. Halfway lays Serve lodge, here we have outdoor or indoor lunch depending on the weather. When we arrive to Tärnasjön we help each other like the days before. Overnight and dinner at Tärnasjön lodge. 10

11 Sunshine Awakening I & II Ice fishing day/rest day 4 This day we stay in Tärnasjön lodge. You can choose to do ice fishing or rest. In the afternoon we take a sauna that we heat up with wood and take a wash off (or a bath in the snow). We have breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight at Tärnasjön lodge. Last day on the mountain day 5 We will go out to the dogs around 7.30 before eating breakfast. We pack the sledges for the last time and are on our way to Solberg, 34 km, where we will be picked up by car. Half way we have Syter lodge and the opportunity to eat indoor if we have bad weather. After a nice shower at the hotel in Umnäs we eat dinner at hosts home and remember all things that happened during your Dogsledding adventure. Last overnight for this time at Umnäs Hotel. Tour Name Sunshine Awakening II Duration 7 Days & 6 Nights Temperatures Day -5 to -20 C and Night -10 to -25 C Thu 26 Feb Departure Wed 3 Mar Mushing Days 4 Days & 3 Nights Ice fishing 1 Day & 1 Night Village Days 2 Days & 2 Nights Musher s Note Sunshine Awakening II has exactly the same tour program as Sunshine Awakening I, so please have a look at the tour program Sunshine Awakening I. February/Mars is the time when the sun is starting to stay up longer, from 7.00 to and the snow is firm and settled. We will also start to feel that the sun start to get warm. We can enjoy longer days. The nights are full of stars and Northern Light. We still have the mountains for our selves and the nature is showing one of its best faces. Departureday Breakfast at the hotel. Pack your bags and say goodbye to the dogs. We will eat lunch at our home, write the guestbook and mark the maps over the tour (if you like). We drive to Storuman airport and hope we meet again. 11

12 Northern Silence Tour Name Northern Silence Duration 8 Days & 7 Nights Temperatures Day -5 to -20 C and Night -10 to -25 C Mon 8 Mar Departure Mon 15 Mar Mushing Days 5 Days & 4 Nights Ice fishing 1 day & 1 Night Village Days 2 Days & 2 Nights Musher s Note: March is a beautiful month for dogmushing. The tracks are getting harder and we will go faster with the dogs. The sun is starting to warm us up and the chances to see the Northern light is still very good. On this tour we maybe will meet some people in the mountains, but we will still feel that we have the mountains for our selves. When you arrive in Lapland, Storuman airport, we will pick you up by car and drive the 100 km to Umnäs. The first thing we will do in Umnäs is to go and say hello to the dogs. After that we will have dinner at host home or something lighter like sandwich. We also take a look on what gear and clothes you need to borrow from us. We talk about the tour and how to mush the sled and dogs. The first night you will sleep at the hotel or lodge. Mushing day 1 You eat breakfast at the hotel around Around 9.00 a clock we will meet at the hotel. We go to the dog yard for packing the sledges and learn to harness the dogs. Now we will have a major lecture time in how to drive a team of dogs. After that it is time to pull the anchor, stand on the brake and GO FOR IT! Överstjuktan is our destination; the distance this day is 55 km long. The dogs and we will have out door lunch after half way. We will travel over three big lakes, through pine forests, mountain birch forests and one mountain plateau. When we arrive to Överstjuktan we help each other to bring water, chop wood, make fire, feed and take care of the dogs. We eat dinner and sleep at Överstjuktan lodge, the only lodge with electricity. Mushing day 2 We will get up around 7.30 and go out and feed the dogs. After that we have a nice breakfast before we pack our bags and sledges. We harness the dogs and are on our way around This day we mush to Ammarnäs, 35 km. We start this day with a big lake and than we start to climb up on Guvertmountian. We will have outdoor lunch before we go down to Ammarnäs valley. The first thing we do is to take care of the dogs. Ammarnäs is a little village with settlers and Laplander people. Here we stay at the hotel in Ammarnäs, if you like we take a sauna and shower before dinner. Overnight at the hotel. Mushing day 3 We feed the dogs around 8.00 before we go and eat breakfast. This day we go to Dalovardo, 50 km from Ammarnäs. We mush on the Vindelriver almost all the way up to Dalovardo, the river lays in a big beautiful valley surrounded by staggered mountains, the area is 12

13 16-days Expedition forbidden for snow mobiles. In this big valley we often see mountain grouse or willow grouse (ptarmigans) golden eagle, tracks from wolverim and lynx. Halfway lays Vitnjul lodge, here we have outdoor or indoor lunch depending on the weather. When we arrive to Dalovardo lodge we help each other like the days before. Overnight and dinner at Dalavardo lodge. Mushing day 4 We get up around 7.00 to give the dogs their breakfast. This day we go to Tärnasjön lodge; we have two tracks to choose. If its very nice weather and the snow is good we go the long way up against the Norwegian border on the high mountain plateau. This track is 55 km to Tärnasjön. If its not so good we will take the shorter one through a valley, this is 30 km long. Overnight and dinner at Tärnasjön lodge. Ice fishing day/rest day 5 This day we stay in Tärnasjön lodge. You can choose to do ice fishing or rest. In the afternoon we take a sauna that we heat up with wood and take a wash off (or a bath in the snow). We have breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight at Tärnasjön lodge. Last day on the mountain day 6 We will go out to the dogs around 7.30 before eating breakfast. We pack the sledges for the last time and are on our way to Solberg, 34 km, where we will be picked up by car. Half way we have Syter lodge and the opportunity to eat indoor if we have bad weather. After a nice shower at the hotel in Umnäs we eat dinner at hosts home and remember all things that happened during your Dogsledding adventure. Last overnight for this time at Umnäs Hotel. Departureday Breakfast at the hotel. Pack your bags and say goodbye to the dogs. We will eat lunch at our home, write the guestbook and mark the maps over the tour (if you like). We drive to Storuman airport and hope we meet again. Tour Name 16-days Expedition Duration 16 Days & 15 Nights Temperatures Day -5 to -15 C and Night -5 to -20 C Sat 20 March Departure Sun 4 April Mushing Days 14 Days & 13 Nights Village Days 2 Days & 2 Nights Musher s Note This is the longest tour of the season, the tour is for guests how have been dog mushing or done some other extreme winter activities before. This is an expedition tour, which means that we will face all weather and condition that the nature will give us, you have to help with everything, take care of your own team, do cooking, dishing, bring water, cleaning after the dogs and so on. We start in the North of Sweden Nikkoloukta, and mush all the way through the Swedish mountain range to the south of Lapland, Umnäs, where we live. The tour is around km. Exceptional it is that you will get to know your team and your self more than on any other tour, which will leave you with a sense of wisdom and belonging you can cherish for life. We will discover openness like nowhere else and creating a whole new perspesctive of things. This is the most beautiful tour we do, this the tour you will never forget. This is for you that really like to do something special! Take also a look at the custom tour program, 16-days at page

14 Sound of Silence Tour Name Sound of Silence Duration 10 Days & 9 Nights Temperatures Day +5 to -20 C and Night -5 to -25 C Fri 16 Apr Departure Sun 25 Apr Mushing Days 7 Days & 6 Nights Ice fishing 1 day & 1 Night Village Days 2 Days & 2 Nights Musher s Note: This is one of the longest tours of the season. Exceptional it is that you will get to know your team more than any other tours, which will leave you with a sense of wisdom and belonging you can cherish for life. Sound of Silence tours arose because this time of the year is the time when the wilderness awakes from the early winter. You will witness the birds coming back from the south and tracks from wolverim, lynx and perhaps from an early awoken bear. The sun is up longer by now and you will enjoy the warm feeling from this while you are mushing. Hence, our routes are also longer, the tracks are smoother and harder, and the dogs runs faster. When you arrive in Lapland, Storuman airport, we will pick you up by car and drive the 100 km to Umnäs. The first thing we will do in Umnäs is to go and say hello to the dogs. After that we will have dinner at host home or something lighter like sandwich. We also take a look on what gear and clothes you need to borrow from us. We talk about the tour and how to mush the sled and dogs. The first night you will sleep at the hotel or lodge. Mushing day 1 You eat breakfast at the hotel around Around 9.00 a clock we will meet at the hotel. We go to the dog yard for packing the sledges and learn to harness the dogs. Now we will have a major lecture time in how to drive a team of dogs. After that it is time to pull the anchor, stand on the brake and GO FOR IT! Överstjuktan is our destination; the distance this day is 55 km long. The dogs and we will have out door lunch after half way. We will travel over three big lakes, through pine forests, mountain birch forests and one mountain plateau. When we arrive to Överstjuktan we help each other to bring water, chop wood, make fire, feed and take care of the dogs. We eat dinner and sleep at Överstjuktan lodge, the only lodge with electricity. Mushing day 2 We will get up around 7.30 and go out and feed the dogs. After that we have a nice breakfast before we pack our bags and sledges. We harness the dogs and are on our way around

15 Sound of Silence This day we mush to Ammarnäs, 35 km. We start this day with a big lake and than we start to climb up on Guvertmountian. We will have outdoor lunch before we go down to Ammarnäs valley. The first thing we do is to take care of the dogs. Ammarnäs is a little village with settlers and Laplander people. Here we stay at the hotel in Ammarnäs, if you like we take a sauna and shower before dinner. Overnight at the hotel. Mushing day 3 We feed the dogs around 8.00 before we go and eat breakfast. This day we go to Dalovardo, 50 km from Ammarnäs. We mush on the Vindelriver almost all the way up to Dalovardo, the river lays in a big beautiful valley surrounded by staggered mountains, the area is forbidden for snow mobiles. In this big valley we often see mountain grouse or willow grouse (ptarmigans) golden eagle, tracks from wolverim and lynx. Halfway lays Vitnjul lodge, here we have outdoor or indoor lunch depending on the weather. When we arrive to Dalovardo lodge we help each other like the days before. Overnight and dinner at Dalavardo lodge. Last day on the mountain day 8 We will go out to the dogs around 7.30 before eating breakfast. We pack the sledges for the last time and are on our way to Solberg, 34 km, where we will be picked up by car. Half way we have Syter lodge and the opportunity to eat indoor if we have bad weather. After a nice shower at the hotel in Umnäs we eat dinner at hosts home and remember all things that happened during your Dogsledding adventure. Last overnight for this time at Umnäs Hotel. Mushing day 4 This day we go over an extremely beautiful area. It is a high mountain plateau in the beginning and than we go out on beautiful lakes before we start to do the exciting down hills to Bäverholmen. This day is 50 km; we will have outdoor lunch after half way. At Bäverholmen it is a little lodge village with a restaurant, shower and sauna. Here we will eat dinner and overnight. Mushing day 5 Now we have one of these days with unbelievable wonderful views again. We go back to Dalavardo the same way as we came to Bäverholmen. It is always nice to get back to Dalavardo again it is a beautiful place. Mushing day 6 We get up around 7.00 to give the dogs their breakfast. This day we go to Tärnasjön lodge; we have two tracks to choose. If its very nice weather and the snow is good we go the long way up against the Norwegian border on the high mountain plateau. This track is 55 km to Tärnasjön. If its not so good we will take the shorter one through a valley, this is 30 km long. Overnight and dinner at Tärnasjön lodge. Departureday Breakfast at the hotel. Pack your bags and say goodbye to the dogs. We will eat lunch at our home, write the guestbook and mark the maps over the tour (if you like). We drive to Storuman airport and hope we meet again. Ice fishing day/rest day 7 This day we stay in Tärnasjön lodge. You can choose to do ice fishing or rest. In the afternoon we take a sauna that we heat up with wood and take a wash off (or a bath in the snow). We have breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight at Tärnasjön lodge. 15

16 Spring Adventure Tour Name Spring Adventure Duration 8 Days & 7 Nights Temperatures Day +5 to -15 C and Night -5 to -25 C Wed 28 April Departure Wed 5 May Mushing Days 5 Days & 4 Nights Ice fishing 1 day & 1 Night Village Days 2 Days & 2 Nights Musher s Note If we are lucky, we will be able to mush in shorts and T- shirt. This time of the year, the snow is melting and we will take the last breath out of the snow, and need to change the routes as we mush along. The sun goes down at 9 pm and you will truly get a suntan if that is what you wish too. Bright warm sun mushing across large mountains... what more can we say, we love this job! When you arrive in Lapland, Storuman airport, we will pick you up by car and drive the 100 km to Umnäs. The first thing we will do in Umnäs is to go and say hello to the dogs. After that we will have dinner at host home or something lighter like sandwich. We also take a look on what gear and clothes you need to borrow from us. We talk about the tour and how to mush the sled and dogs. The first night you will sleep at the hotel or lodge. Mushing day 1 You eat breakfast at the hotel around Around 9.00 a clock we will meet at the hotel. We go to the dog yard for packing the sledges and learn to harness the dogs. Now we will have a major lecture time in how to drive a team of dogs. After that it is time to pull the anchor, stand on the brake and GO FOR IT! Överstjuktan is our destination; the distance this day is 55 km long. The dogs and we will have out door lunch after half way. We will travel over three big lakes, through pine forests, mountain birch forests and one mountain plateau. When we arrive to Överstjuktan we help each other to bring water, chop wood, make fire, feed and take care of the dogs. We eat dinner and sleep at Överstjuktan lodge, the only lodge with electricity. Mushing day 2 We will get up around 7.30 and go out and feed the dogs. After that we have a nice breakfast before we pack our bags and sledges. We harness the dogs and are on our way around This day we mush to Ammarnäs, 35 km. We start this day with a big lake and than we start to climb up on Guvertmountian. We will have outdoor lunch before we go down to Ammarnäs valley. The first thing we do is to take care of the dogs. Ammarnäs is a little village with settlers and Laplander people. Here we stay at the hotel in Ammarnäs, if you like we take a sauna and shower before dinner. Overnight at the hotel. Mushing day 3 We feed the dogs around 8.00 before we go and eat breakfast. This day we go to Dalovardo, 50 km from Ammarnäs. We mush on the Vindelriver almost all the way up to Dalovardo, the river lies in a big beautiful valley Photo: Andreas Rydbacken 16

17 Spring Adventure surrounded by staggered mountains, and the area is forbidden for snowmobiles. In this big valley we often see mountain grouse or willow grouse (ptarmigans) golden eagle, tracks from wolverim and lynx. Halfway lays Vitnjul lodge, here we have outdoor or indoor lunch depending on the weather. When we arrive to Dalovardo lodge we help each other like the days before. Overnight and dinner at Dalavardo lodge. Mushing day 4 We get up around 7.00 to give the dogs their breakfast. This day we go to Tärnasjön lodge; we have two tracks to choose. If its very nice weather and the snow is good we go the long way up against the Norwegian border on the high mountain plateau. This track is 55 km to Tärnasjön. If its not so good we will take the shorter one through a valley, this is 30 km long. Overnight and dinner at Tärnasjön lodge. Ice fishing day/rest day 5 This day we stay in Tärnasjön lodge. You can choose to do ice fishing or rest. In the afternoon we take a sauna that we heat up with wood and take a wash off (or a bath in the snow). We have breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight at Tärnasjön lodge. Last day on the mountain day 6 We will go out to the dogs around 7.30 before eating breakfast. We pack the sledges for the last time and are on our way to Solberg, 34 km, where we will be picked up by car. Half way we have Syter lodge and the opportunity to eat indoor if we have bad weather. After a nice shower at the hotel in Umnäs we eat dinner at hosts home and remember all things that happened during your Dogsledding adventure. Last overnight for this time at Umnäs Hotel. Departureday Breakfast at the hotel. Pack your bags and say goodbye to the dogs. We will eat lunch at our home, write the guestbook and mark the maps over the tour (if you like). We drive to Storuman airport and hope we meet again. Photo: Andreas Rydbacken 17

18 CustomTours Day Tours On these tours you can choose to mush with your own team of 4-8 Alaskan Huskies or relax on a comfortable dogsled through the wilderness of Lapland. It is your choice if you want to stop for ice fishing. These are the only tours suitable for children under the age of 15. We also have conference groups here at The Silent Way. We can organise very large groups up to 120 guests, sometimes bringing in as many as 10 dogsleds and 120 dogs. Custom Tours Half Day Start from the kennel in the morning. On this trip you will experience the charm and mystery of the forest in Lapland. We drive approximately 15 kilometres before we stop for small but nice refreshment. You can also choose to ice-fish on this trip. The type of fish you will catch here is called perch. The dogs will drive us home after an exiting day out in the beautiful forest. Full Day Start from the kennel in the morning with course for the mountains. On this day trip you will experience the real wilderness and the beauty of the mountains. We drive approximately 25 kilometres before lunch stop. After a nice meal you can choose to too fish on the ice. You drill a hole into the thick ice and will hopefully catch fresh water fish as trout or char. After we have been out in the fresh air for around 5 hours the dog will pull us back to the starting point. We will be back at around in the afternoon. Lunch menu Souvas - a dish from the Laplander people, light smoked meet from reindeer - with home baked soft bread. We prepare the food over open fire. Or hot sandwiches with Swedish smoked juniper sausages and Swedish cheese, alternative cheese and tomatoes. We prepare the sandwiches over open fire in a pan. Cold or hot drinks are included. After the food we serve coffee and tea. CUSTOM TOURS To book a custom mountain tour you have to be a group of 3 guests, the maximum size of a group on the mountain is 8 guests. All our tours is guided tours. We like quality, no masstourism. Six to Eight Days Experience the mountains and the forest over a period of six to eight days with dog sledding. Come closer to the nature and enjoy the feeling of the wilderness. We drive at a good speed and you will be able to enjoy the gorgeous nature. You will mush your own team of 5-8 dogs with your personal belongings in the sledge. The dogs love to pull and will take you silently through the wilderness. Before we leave we will go through the equipment and the planned route. After this briefing we will greet the dogs, pack the sleds and we will teach you how to put harness on the dogs. On this trip you will learn all the basics rules and all the commands a musher has to know. Believe us that after this trip you will have many friends with four legs. All the 18

19 Custom Tours dogs are friendly to people and they like to be petted and talked with. The dogs are all named and obey their names when you call them. We will drive 30 to 55 kilometres every day, with stop for a deserved, nice and relaxing lunch in the middle of each day. Your guide will drive in the front with a big sledge containing all the equipment you need for a wilderness tour like this. If the weather allows it and if you want to, you can choose to stay one night in a tent. The rest of the nights we will stay in mountain lodges along the selected route. The lodges we stay in will have good standards. Eight to Fourteen Days These tours are for those of you who want to have a unique natural experience. We can promise you that you will meet any challenges you must desire on a trip like this. You will come very close to the nature and will feel very close togetherness with the dogs you mush. On this trip we will move very silently through national reserve and the chances to spot a large wild animal or their tracks such as lynx, wolverine, wolves and a bear just awaked from his winter hibernation is quit good. Before we leave the kennel we will go through the equipment and the planned route together. After this briefing we will go to the kennel to greet the dogs, pack the sledges and we will teach you how to put harness on the dogs. On this trip you will learn all the basics rules and all the commands a musher has to know. All the dogs are friendly to people and they likes to be petted and talked with. The dogs are all named and obey their names when you call their names. All days except for one day we will drive 30 to 55 kilometres each day with a nice, relaxing lunch break at noon time. We will mush at a good speed but have time to enjoy the gorgeous landscape and look for tracks after wild animals in the untouched snow. Sixteen days The 16 days (custom tour) in the Swedish North Mountain track crossing the Artic Circle: Nikkoloukta, Kebnekajse, Ritsem, Padjelanta National park, Mavas, Laismountian, Vindelmountian nature reserve, Umnäs. On this trip we will follow the mountain trails from Sweden highest mountain - Kebnekajse. Sweden s highest peak is the glacier-capped northern peak for Mountain Kebnekajse at 2111 meter (6924 foot). We will drive through nature parks and nature reserve at this unforgettable trip. You will be accommodated in mountain lodges and two nights in hotel. On this trip you will really have a feeling that you are on a wilderness expedition. We will mush the dog through variable scenery and will be in close contact with the nature. If the weather conditions are good for the dogs we will follow the old King track. If it is too much snow down in the deep valleys, we will follow the Norwegian border. This is a tour for you who want to experience a real long dog sledding trip with unknown challenges. Because of the nature of a trip like this we would like to know if this is your first challenge as a musher or if you have common experience from other tours in the wilderness. We can guarantee up to 14 days away from all the noise and demands you have living in a modern society. Private tours This tour is made for you that like to be out alone or with a friend on your Dogsledding adventure. This means that you can tailor made your tour specific for your wishes. When we are out on the tour we can make changes as you wish. Here you also have the opportunity to mush bigger teams. All our tours are guided. Photo: Andreas Rydbacken 19

20 Gear Checklist WInter The First layer Clothing next to your skin must wick perspiration away from your skin to keep you dry and warm. Capilene and wool is excellent. Polypropylene is good. Cotton are inappropriate as they are poor wicking layers. The Second layer (or layers) This layer provides insulation and retains your body heat without restricting movement. Pile, polar fleece, and synchilla are great. Wool is heavier and will hold moisture longer but maintains most of its insulating ability even when wet. The Third layer This must offer protection from the wind. The more wind proof often is the less breathable. Gore-Tex is a good choice as it is very windproof. GEAR CHECK LIST WINTER As you will be outdoors every day it is important to have the right clothing and footwear with you. If you do not own anything suitable you are most welcome to borrow the right equipment from us. You are also welcome to borrow a warm and comfortable sleeping bag. The Silent Way uses only the best equipment available and provides our clients with the warmest, most durable and technically adapted clothing for winter in the mountains. We provide our clients with most of the outer layers of clothing; you need to bring the inner layers. If you have your own equipment or outer clothing that you would like to use, please bring it along and we will evaluate together which items are more appropriate to use. Developing a winter clothing system Your clothing must work as a system that wicks away perspiration, insulates you from the cold and protects you from the wind. The preferred system is made up of several layers. This allows you to easily adjust your clothing to changes in the weather and changes in your heat output. The Fourth layer This offers extra insulation. A down filled parka or thinsulate over-pants are good examples. The Silent Way can provide the following An expedition down filled parka with a generous hood and fur ruff insulated bib over-pants with full side zippers Warm boots (with double liners warm to -50 C), gloves, head gear Sleeping bag system, with fresh cotton liner Headlamp and batteries With much of our recommendations we offer two choices of materials - wool or synthetics such as polypropylene. Both have their advantages. Synthetics are lightweight, wick moisture away from the skin efficiently and dry out fast. But when wet we feel that synthetics lose much of their insulating ability. Wool is heavier and will hold moisture longer but maintains most of its insulating ability even when wet. Maybe we are old-fashioned but we like at least one layer of wool over every part of our bodies. You need to bring Towels and face cloth Duffel bag max 60 litre to store your clothing in for transportation 1 warm windproof hat that covers your ears well 2 pr. light weight fleece gloves 2 pr. light weight liner socks (apilene, polypropylene, wool or silk are excellent ) 2 pr. warm wool or fleece socks sized to fit over the liner socks 2 pr. capilene, polypropylene or silk top and bottom long underwear 1 midweight fleece top or light weight wool sweater (100 weight fleece) 1 pr. pile or fleece pants (200 weight fleece or pile) 1 warm pile or fleece jacket (200 or 300 weight fleece or pile) 1 windproof jacket (with a generous hood and sized large enough to fit the midweight top and pile jacket) 1 pr. windproof pants (large enough to fit over your pile pants) 20

21 Gear Checklist WInter Undergarments toiletries (lip balm is good to bring) Camera and film (we suggest you have a case or pouch of some kind to carry your camera in) Sunglasses that block out most ultraviolet rays and sunscreen and skigoggles. Tip: Tie small pieces of ribbon or nylon cord through the eye of each zipper pull on all zipper heads to enable you to operate zippers with mitts on. Comfortable, warm cloths for the evenings In-lodge: Footwear - something to get you out of your boots (mukluks with insulation, lightweight insulated boots) Spare hats - a wool stocking cap makes a good spare; a lightweight hat or headband is often useful If you have any questions or concerns about any items on this list please do not hesitate to contact us. There will not be any opportunity to purchase more items ones you are in Umnäs. Please us if you have questions. Photo: Andreas Rydbacken Photo: Andreas Rydbacken 21

22 FaQ - How long have you been in the sled dog business? The Silent Way has existed for 9 years, and we have been in the dogsled business for 15 years, combined with wilderness guiding experience. People from all walks of life from all around the world have been enjoying our tours. - Who actually conducts the trips? What are their qualifications and experience? What medical training have they had? Our guides are Swedish, Norwegian, English and French spoken, experienced in backcountry winter survival, first aid and dog handling, and carries a NMT mobile phone for evacuation or emergency first aid assistance, along with the assistance of a GPS. Kenneth, our mushing leader, has fourteen years of mountain guiding experience, with ten years mushing experience. When trips are more than 4 guests booked Dominique who has been mushing for 15 years in the same area assists us. Besides that we have Catrine and Malte, who are our other key personnel here at The Silent Way with more than 20 years Ranch expedience. -How many dog teams do you have operational at one time? How many teams will be going on this trip? How many people per sled? How many guides? All our trips feature one person per sled. A fully booked trip consists of 4 guests and 1 guide (perhaps one assistant). Under typical conditions each guest drives a 5-8-dog team while the guides drive 8-12 dogs. You can also book as one group. In that case we take maximum 8 guests with two guides. - How much are guests involved in harnessing? We encourage maximum involvement. - What kind of dogs do you use? Alaskan huskies; all are of them are racing stock for competitive racing. - Do you ever have dogfights? We have worked very hard to eliminate fighting from our kennel and consider a fight extremely unlikely. - Are the dogs socialized well? To children as well? All dogs are individuals; some are very friendly while some are more reserved. Our dogs have very little contact with small children and are therefore not well suited for them. The dogs are very friendly but their size is large. Thus, a happy dog and a small child is not a good mix. - What about weather conditions? We will be in full operation unless the temperatures is -35 C degrees or colder. And unless there is very stormy wether. However, this very rare and we stand by for weather improvements which always change quickly. - What kind of meals are provided? Hearty, healthy home country cooking. Mouth watering stews with meat from the local forests. Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements. We will do our best to accommodate you. - How much time will we be on the trails? You will spend arrival and departure day in Umnäs village. When we are on the trails, we usually mush 4-8 hours per day. - How many miles will be covered each day? Distance can vary depending on conditions. We mush from lodge-to-lodge. In average conditions we will mush km per day. - Is experience required? What kind of physical ability is needed? No experience is required, except otherwise specified in the program. Good health and average physical ability combined with a willingness to learn are all that is necessary. When driving a modern dog sled you stand on the runners. There is no requirement to run behind or walk in front. You can also choose to be pulled by two dogs while you are on ski (skijoring). - What is skijoring? Instead of a sledge you will ski on cross-country skies being pulled by two huskies. There is an emergency release built in to the skijoring equipment should the need to separate from the dogs arise. - Will there be pre-trip training available? You will receive proper instructions and training for each tour. Don t worry; we will accommodate the tour according to your skills. You can also receive answers to any questions you might have before your trip via . - Do you have adequate liability insurance? Yes, the owner/operator/guide carries liability insurance, however participants must recognize there are risks inherent in these sports. You should also have personal travel insurance prior to departure. - Have you ever had an accident that injured a guest? No. - Do you have all necessary permits? Yes. Photo: Andreas Rydbacken 22

23 Booking Information BOOKING INFORMATION The Silent Way accepts direct bookings or bookings from travel agents. Book a tour by or fax booking@silent-way.com Fax: Please include the following information: Name of desired tour (for Dogsledding please indicate if you wish to have your own dogsled or skijoring) How many people Full name, gender and age of each tour member Contact information: , Phone (home and work), Fax, and full address Food allergies and/or preferences, and physical limitations/concerns How did you learn about The Silent Way? Additional information or questions Book a tour by phone Tel & Voice mail: Mobile: (Kenneth Gjemmestad) Mobile: (Catrine Anderback) You can reach us daily from 09:00 to 20:00 You may also leave a message on our voice mail 24hr if we are not available and we promise to get back to you shortly Availability Maximum eight sledges are available on tours. Group Rates & Discounts If you wish information on group rates and travel agent discounts, please us at info@silent-way.com or telephone us at Payment All payments should be paid in US$, Euro or SEK equivalence 20% deposit (by transfer or cheque) is required two week after your booking has been confirmed by us via or phone. An additional 30% (by transfer or cheque) deposit is required 10 weeks before the tour date. The remaining 50% (Cash, Cheques, or Credit Card: Visa, American Express or MasterCard) should be paid in full after your arrival at The Silent Way Money Transfer (SWIFT) Payment Made out to: The Silent Way Nordic Wilderness Adventures Bank Name & Address Nordea, Box 7063, Stockholm SWIFT Code - NDEASESS Account Number Cheque/Money order Payment made out to: The Silent Way Nordic Wilderness Adventures Catrine Anderback Umnäs 48, Lapland, SWEDEN Cancellation Policies There are sometimes good reasons for cancellation of reservations. We have provided a list of what we consider good reasons or acceptable reasons for cancellation. All prices includes/excludes If you cancel before 8 weeks prior to our engagement, you will receive only 25% of your 50% deposit. If you cancel within 8 weeks of our engagement, we will retain the entire 50% deposit. You will receive full reimbursement of all deposits if we must cancel for any reason. If illness is a factor, the necessary certificates will be requested from a qualified physician. All Prices includes Domestic airport transfer Full accommodation all the days Hotel Accommodation (double room or what s best for the group) Lodge Accommodation (group room sharing) Individual huskies Team Lectures / training - Guide(s) Gear and clothing Taxes & MOMS (25%) All prices excludes International and domestic air fare Travel insurance Bar-drinks Gratuities and items of personal nature If you have any other questions feel free to contact us. 23

24 PRODUKTION: STORUMANS TRYCKERI AB 2003