While the colours of the leaves are changing into this wonderful autumn palet, our dogs are happy to find themselves running again. Autumn training has started off with beautiful blue-skyed and sun-filled days. After a summer of rest and socialising, the dogs are really eager to set off and get prepared for winter again. On some days the temperatures were still a bit on the high side, leaving the dogs to prefer a break in the water filled ditch over drinking out of their bowls. The next weeks will be all about getting the dogs ready for the winter season.

On the 18th of March International Mountain Leader Jeffry Oonk and WTA’s guide Evy Kumpen started their journey on the Vitabandet. A stretch of 1300 km from Grövelsjön in the middle of Sweden all the way op to Sweden’s northernmost point, Treriksröset. In their last blog, you can read about their adventures in the beginning of their expedition. In the meantime, they, and the sixteen dogs, returned safely back home. With wonderful stories, even though not all went as they had planned.

…and off we go! As soon as the days get longer, the temperature is rising and spring is in the air, we pack our sledges and take our guests into the beautiful remote area of the arctic tundra.
A unique mountaintour is the 8-day dogsledding adventure to Sweden’s northernmost point, Treriksröset. This year we did an adjusted version, due to Corona test requirements for our single guest from Germany. It has nevertheless been a wonderful tour.

Last November WTA freelance guide and International Mountain Leader Jeffry Oonk asked the company if it would be possible to take some dogs and go for a four-week expedition on the Vitabandet. A distance of around 1300 km between Grovelsjön in the south and Sweden’s northernmost point Treriksröset, where the borders of Norway, Sweden and Finland meet. Months of preparation followed and on the 18th of March Jef, accompanied by WTA-guide Evy, started their journey with sixteen WTA dogs.

King winter is reigning the country and gives us so many beautiful, cold days. During the day our faces are lit by the rays of the sun while in the evening our eyes pop out because of the stunning light spectacle of the aurora borealis. This is winter at its best.

Already from since the were little critters, Cella and some of her brothers and sisters like to collect all kind of things to make their dogyards look more interesting. Often letting us in surprise were they have found such things. By keeping them as rewards and showing us proudly what they have found, we were always able to take it out of the cages before it would do any harm. So, after nine years of collecting things and leaving them in the dogyard, we were really surprised that one of Cella's treasures ended up in her stomach this time.

Without a doubt we can say that this year is most likely going into the books as the most challenging year in the history of the company! In spring when we had a lot of snow we were lacking customers, right now it seems the opposite. Although snow had been predicted quite some times, it was always less then announced or not falling at all. Nevertheless, we are really happy with all the snow we have and it is just enough to go back on the sledges and drive the trails we love to take in winter.

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While the days are getting colder and the leaves are turning yellow, the dogs are becoming more energetic and eager to get their bodies working again. Time for autumn training! In order to get the dogs ready for their winterjob, we start training with the ATV. In training we are slowly building endurance and power. We are starting with short distances, but even then the dogs are very happy to run again! So great to see their wagging tails and smiling faces! We are getting ready for the winterseason and hope to see you then!

Our two youngest guys, born in the middle of the summer, are growing bigger and bigger. Two totally different guys, not only in looks, but also in behaviour. Noah, a totally white dog, with, unfortunately almost no fur, was already very brave and social with other dogs at a very young age, while Nacho, with a good fur, rather observed first, before acting. Watching those little critters grow up to full-fledged sled dogs is a wonderful journey. Every age, every stage of development has something new to bring and observe.