Ep. 07 | Born to Run: Husky Sledding Across the Arctic Snow in Saariselkä
Unexpected Joys of Travel
One of the greatest charms of travel lies in the unexpected. It can be a spontaneous discovery you never planned for, or an itinerary stop you arranged without particularly high expectations. While our journey’s primary chase—the northern lights—never arrived, the trip remained deeply memorable thanks to these unscripted, delightful moments.
In an aurora destination, daytime activities outside of chasing the night sky are fairly straightforward. Most revolve around the snow: feeding reindeer, boarding timber sleds, riding snowmobiles, or exploring the frozen wilderness. I hadn’t built up massive expectations for these excursions, largely because of my time living in Canada. Spending half a year in rural Canada during the winter meant I had already experienced my fair share of cold-weather activities.
Still, husky sledding was something I had never tried. When a friend who had traveled the Arctic insisted that huskies offered far more excitement and speed than reindeer, the choice became easy.
A Husky Named Collie
Growing up, a neighbor of mine had a Siberian Husky named Collie. They lived in a two-story home, and Collie’s doghouse was nestled right beneath the exterior staircase connecting the ground floor to the upper level.
On my walk home every afternoon, I passed right by his pen. A low fence separated us, so I made a daily habit of stopping to say hello. Collie had a remarkably sweet disposition and always greeted me with boundless enthusiasm. Occasionally, I would spot him out on neighborhood walks with his owner, and during those strolls, he looked undeniably radiant. Even though his living space was generous compared to most indoor dogs, it was obvious that Collie was at his happiest whenever he stepped beyond his small enclosure to explore the wider world.
Gliding Through the Arctic Forest
Our husky safari lasted for about an hour. For that entire duration, the team of six huskies sprinted across the snow with almost no pauses.
At first, the feeling of carving through Finnish Lapland’s snow-draped pine forests was sheer bliss. But as the run stretched on, a quiet concern began to set in. Seeing them pull our weight continuously, I found myself wondering if they were being pushed too hard.
The dogs panted audibly, yet their expressions remained bright and focused. Whenever thirst hit, without missing a single beat in their stride, they would tilt their heads, scoop up mouthfuls of fresh snow from the trail edge, and keep charging forward with steady momentum.
When we finally looped back to the kennel and brought the sled to a halt, I stepped off to check on them. Instead of looking exhausted, they turned around with eager, impatient eyes that seemed to demand: “Why are we stopping? Let’s keep going!”
Even with the sled anchored, they were bursting with energy. When I stepped up to thank them with gentle pats, they leaned in with full force, wagging their tails and rubbing against me as if ready for another round.
Born to Run
Husky sledding turned out to be an absolute highlight of the trip. The silent glide of the runners over packed snow, the soft crunch of paws beneath the powder, the rhythmic breathing of the team, and the crisp Arctic wind rushing past our ears—it was immediately obvious why everyone recommended huskies.
More than that, I realized that huskies are animals truly made for this vast, frozen terrain. Just as Collie back home felt most alive when venturing out into open spaces, these dogs seemed to reach their purest state of happiness when running freely across endless white fields.
Watching those spirited dogs dash tirelessly through the snow brought genuine warmth to our journey—an unexpected joy that quietly made up for the aurora we never saw.