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ARCTIC ADVENTURE Left: Lars Hoffmann and Malin Strid. Below: Get a unique perspective on Arjeplog from the back of a dog sled “ ARJEPLOG IS A PINE-COVERED WILDERNESS AT THE EDGE OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE” At 3pm, the sun is already low in the pale blue winter sky above Arjeplog in Swedish Lapland. Snow crunches underfoot on the walk down to Lake Sälla. Despite multiple thermal layers, the -22ºF cold almost takes the breath away – a startling yet strangely invigorating feeling. Standing by the edge of the frozen lake are Lars Hoffmann and Malin Strid, harnessing ten of their Alaskan huskies to an eight foot sled. Tails wagging, some of the dogs bark excitedly; this is what they were born to do and it’s almost time to go. As we settle under a thick woolen blanket on the front of the sled, Strid takes her place standing at the rear. With one loud command the dogs fall quiet, race forward and we accelerate away. Silence envelops us as the sled heads deeper into the powder-covered pine trees along the lake, punctuated only by the gentle whoosh of the wooden runners across the snow. We sit back and enjoy the ride, savoring the picture-perfect winter scene. This is a very different side to Arjeplog. The majority of visitors to this small town, located in the sparsely populated, pine-covered wilderness of northern Sweden at the edge of the Arctic Circle, spend most of their time in the driver’s seat. In the winter, ice more than three feet thick covers the region’s many lakes, making it ideal for Land Rover’s extreme cold-weather testing regimen, as well as for driving enthusiasts looking to test or expand their skills. 63