 | ||||||
| Home | Our Dogs | Philosophy | Location | Activities | Puppies | Links |
 | ||
 We have been out on a 6-day packing excursion together with Thunder, Tuisku and Gem, hiking 105km (65.24mi) along the King's Trail (Kungsleden) from Abisko in the north to Nikkaluokta in the south. The scenery in this part of Swedish Lapland is truly magnificent and we're already thinking about returning to magic places, such as Sälka and Tjäktja, in the summertime, to fully capture the beauty of this trail.  Tuisku, Gemma and Thunder during the first day of our hike.  Time for a snack!  This was Tuisku's and Thunder's 2nd leg towards their WPDX-titles. According to the AMCA WPD-program, each dog must carry a daily initial weight equal to a minimum of 30% of his weight in his backpack. When I packed and weighed the dogs' bags prior to the hike I found them quite heavy (my own backpack seemed light in comparison) but for a well-conditioned Malamute this is not a big burden even during longer distances - an evidence to the saying that "the Malamute is the work horse of the sled dog world"!  Gemma really impressed us with her enthusiasm and stamina during the hike. When the boys would rest and charge their batteries during a break, she would be up and running, always full of energy. Gemma has been out packing a lot this summer and fall and during this hike she completed the requirements for her WPD-title! Well done Gem!!  The King's Trail is a well-marked and maintained trail that attracts thousands of hikers every year. Its total length is 450 kilometres (280 miles).  Thunder and Gem study the movements of a reindeer herd with great interest! More photos from our hike | ||