vorlage

News in English

These News were started on 18th May 2010 to keep our English speaking friends up-to-date about everything important that happens in Eräkeskus! For older News and more pictures, please refer to the German pages!

7.11.2011 / Training, training, training... and waiting for winter

Our training continues, even though the temperatures during the last 10 days were a bit too warm and there is too high humidity. We had already some really nice overnight-trainings with longer and more intense training-session, we will start this system again as soon as the tempereatures drop to maximum 2 - 3 degrees C again. But... we still wait for ice and snow. In the last years, we could normally use the sleds around mid-November, I am not sure if we manage for this autumn!

There is not much more at this time of the year, just training, training, training, waiting for winter and of course update all the material for winter, equip the cabins, prepare the new trails, etc. The days are getting shorter, only 7 1/2 hours daylight left buy now. This means, that we can also enjoy some relaxed evenings in front of the open fire with the few autumn-guests that are still here.

Next update hopefully from a snow-covered area!

24.9.2011 / Training has started

With a few days delay - caused to heavy rain falls making all training roads too muddy - we started to train our dogs. In training at the moment 7 teams with 14 dogs in each, training-time now more or less 1 hour per team. It's good to be back in training, as not only the dogs were desperately waiting for this exciting time of the year. Also we humans are happy to be back in it again! Later on, when the daytime-temperatures drop a bit lower, we will include the "thick-coats" as well. For them it's still a bit too humid and warm. Long-term forecast gives us good hopes, that cold temperatures will be here soon and stay as well. Let's believe in it!

The first seasonal workers are here, more will follow in the next 2 weeks. The team-pages will be updated then as well.

31.7.2011 / summer is almost over

Time is running too fast - or my time is too short to regularly update all the platforms, homepage in all languages :-) Sorry for longtime no update here!

By now summer is almost over. It started too hot, too dry, then it changed into too cold and too wet, then it was ok and nicely balanced. We had long time day-temperatures close to or even above 30 degrees C. Now it cooled down, days still around 20 - 23, nights already fresher, sometimes below 10. We had enough rain in the last weeks to keep mushrooms growing and also the berries are mature and tasting nicely now.

We had 3 litters during this summer: Taiga gave us 5 pups on 18th May, Tuija followed on 1st June with 7 and then Vaasa made it complete with 6 pups born on 6th June. By now they all enjoy the daily walks outside, explore the beach and forests and grow fast! A lot of pictures of the 3 litters on Facebook.

During the not-puppy-guarding-times we serve our clients the well known way. Kids were enjoying kajaking-education, we had duathlon and triathlon trips, many paddling tours during the hot days and of course also bearwatching nights. Still the season is not over, many more guests are expected. In August we are 1 week completely fully booked, which is not happening often in summer. Soon the mushroom-excursions start and we will serve fresh tasty meals with them. By now also many deserts are made from fresh berries, either self-picked or from the local market. Did you ever taste Finnish strawberries? The best in whole world!

We wait for a short-time-helper, Lisa from Austria is joining our team next Tuesday, staying for 6 weeks, before she is heading up further North to Swedish Lapland. That maybe gives us time in early mornings, when temperatures are below 10 degrees C, to start the first dryland-trainings with small teams. The dogs look great and seem to be ready for everything! They know, when summer is over, their real live starts again! Hopefully soon!

We look foreward to see some of you here during the next weeks or in next summer! It's only a bad rumour, that in Finland it's cold all year around! Convice yourself by spending a relaxing week here!

16.5.2011 / summer is almost here

Yes, summer is by now almost here. Day-temperatures sometimes reach 20 degrees already. The nights are still a bit fresher, close to zero still. There is a big lack of rain in the whole area, it's too dry for nature to develop completely. We hope for some rain in the next days.

Our winter-workers have all left now, there is only the Trio of Alex, Martin and Simone left. Later in June, Sven will join our team. The summer-crew will be 4.

We get puppies! Tuija is definitely pregnant, as we could see today on ultra-sound. Also Vaasa is giving birth to a litter at almost the same time. There will be a nice pack of Alaskan Huskies playing on our yard during summer! Both litters are expected for beginning of June.

Again Eräkeskus got the "Certification Plus" from "Mush with Pride" and their voluntary kennel inspection program. We are proud to have passed the inspection on that high level again, although it was mid-April and caused by all the melting snow and ice rather wet everywhere.

The first summer-guests are already here and just in time we finished the re-furnishing of our geust rooms. Remember that we have doublebed-rooms and twin-bedded-rooms and let us know before you arrive, if you have any preferences.

Next News when the puppies are here! Have a nice spring/Summer-start!

1.5.2011 / waiting for summer

Winter 10/11 is definitely over. Hardly any ice left on the lake, the river already completely ice-free, not a lot of remaining snow in the forests. The dogs already enjoy their summer holiday. We keep them happy with long playing hours in the fenced area, some fun-agility and of course the so appreciated fast free runs with short swims in the lake.

We were renovating the kennels as every spring, building new dog-houses, creating new obstacles to keep them occupied and much more. Spring is a busy time here, as the melting snow brings a lot of necessary cleaning and in same time, summer-season has to be prepared and some others already waiting for the next winters programs. Programs and rates are updated in these days. Keep an eye on them and book early, if you want to join one of our tours in next winter.

The seasonal workers already left or will leave soon, one new all-year-worker, Sven, is expected to arrive here beginning of June.

The wedding between Tuija and Timmy seems to be succesful, Tuija should be pregnant and give birth to her litter beginning of June. Looking forward to have these little pups here!

6.4.2011 / season is over, spring is coming

One more month has passed away and by now our winter-season is ended. Last week we still had 2 groups out in nice spring-conditions; due to very sunny days and often plus-degrees around noon, we woke up a bit earlier every day and made the dogsledding in the colder parts of the day. Trails were still great, we could also start training our teenagers from last June on nice, hard lake-trails. On saturday we brought back the last clients to the airport and that same day there were the first rain-drops falling down.
Then it went very quick.... close to 35 mm of rain in the last 4 days made all the trails too soft and dangerous. Sledding was stopped already on Sunday, since then we can almost watch the snow melting away. Spring is coming... some parts of the lake-ice get open and it drops from the roofs almost 24 hours per day. Not a nice time of the year, but we are not going to complain!

The season was long & nice and we had a really great, well balanced winter this year. Like the weather forecast anounced beforehand, it was a record winter. In our area there was a record-amount of snow and the temperatures were for a record-long time in the -20 degrees-area. We had 47 % more overnights than the winter before, record also for us. Still the average size per group was only 3.2 persons per guide - we keep our promise of small groups with familiar athmosphere, far away from mass-tourism. Our oldest guests on the bears-trail weektour were 75 years young and proved, that age is only a figure on papers, nothing that should stop you from new adventures. We had also more children and teenagers on tour than ever before. Some of our dogs made 0 km in harness, the always lazy ones... from the working ones, old Emma keeps the negative-record of 2.8 km in the whole season. She decieded already at the first veterans-run, that she feels too old now for working. The other side of the record is held by Shadow who did a great job as young leader, having 2237 km on her account. All our dogs together made 155'338 km with the sleds and they enjoy now a well earned summer holiday, before autumn-training starts again.

We would like to remind all clients that the photo-competition is still going on. Price-drawing will be on 15th April; send us your best holiday-picture from this winter and get the chance to win a week in Eräkeskus!

The pograms for next winter will be ready within the next month. Bears-Trail and Border-Trail will remain basically the same. Our long-trail to Rautavaara will get some little routing-adjustments as we always try to optimize new programs. And a new pogram for the last weeks of the season, giving some nice days and easy work also for our older dogs, will be presented soon!

Sibylle left back home for Switzerland on Monday. Thanks Sibylle for the last 4 months! Try to enjoy your time back home!

Bye bye winter - welcome summer 2011! We are looking forward to the summer season, but of course... winter is so nice and special here, we will miss it as well!

6.3.2011 / sunny March, Italian week, movie-team and much more...

Sunny days like on postcards... that's what our clients get since a while now. Temperatures were rising in the last few days, at noon just a bit below zero. Beautiful sun, blue sky, that's how February ended and how March started. Last week was in the "hands" of Italian guests, they even took over the kitchen on Friday evening to give us a special Pasta-evening the "Real Italian Way". Mille Grazie a tutti 6 per una settimano perfetto!

We also had a movie-team up here the last week, joining us on the Bears-Trail-weektour. Out of almost 6 hours filmed material, they will now - back home - have the hard job to select the best sentences and create an Eräkeskus-Movie which can then be published and presented on Facebook and at Marketing events. We are very much looking forward to see the final result of the movie-week!

We have several females in heat and still think about the perfect breeding for the 2011-litter. No decisions yet taken, but you will be informed in time!
Our competition 2011 for the best winter-picture goes on - remember to send us your best picture taken during your holiday here and maybe be the lucky winner or 1 week Eräkeskus!
Our pacemaker T-Pow had a unvolunteer meeting with "something" and got 2 holes in her shoulder. As there were wolverines running in the area a few days ago, maybe she met one of them. We wish her good recovery and hope to have her back on track soon! During the sedation we could finally also cut her nails... :-)

Many more beautiful winter-weeks to come - check out the pictures in the german news and get motivated to join us on one of the coming weeks or next winter again!

3.2.2011 / the season goes on, record-winter as predicted

As it was promised, this winter seems to be a record winter like we haven't seen for long time. There are only 3 places in Finnland actually having more snow than we have. And it is enough... a lot of trail works need to be done to maintain the system and guarantee the programs that our clients have booked. Thanks to local helpers and a great job from the team, all trails are useable and all programs could be run so far as published. Small changes in distance and routing are always possible, but nothing that would have an impact on the main-tour-program. Great job also from our dogs who often have to fight their way through deep soft snow or on lake-parts run through overflow and wet snow. We would appreciate to get a bit colder temperatures, many ups and downs between close to zero and -38 make it not easier for our 4legged friends. Also the sun could show up a bit more often...

Snow depth

Unfortunately Mountain Hovivaara was always cloudy so far. The spectacular view from up there would compensate for the long uphill and give much nicer pictures. Also a self-service-fridge filled with Coke would be appreciated up there :-)

Next week will be the 2nd busiest in this season, 3 groups out on Border-Trail, a new challence for us and dogs! Looking forward!

9.1.2011 / Happy New Year! The season started well, winter is perfect!

With a few days delay we wish all of you a Happy new year and hope you started it as well as we did up here!

Christmas was peaceful, cold, 1 group fore the special Program, beautiful snowhow hiking in the Koli National Park and nice dogtrips. NewYearsWeek fully booked with 3 groups out, mixed nationalities, still cold, nice winter! Now we are already in the middle of the "normal" season with Beartrail-weeks and next week starts also first Bordertrail.

We had also nice Rinki-Rides with Families in Kyhkylä - a welcomed change in the daily life here.

In the last 48 hours we got almost 20 cm of snow, heavy winds were blowing away most of the trails and we had - and still have - to re-open them. Temperature was rising also quite a bit... from minus 20 and colder to just a little below zero. Guests are happy, not freezing anymore :-), dogs would apreciate a bit colder. More snow and a few days with similar temperatures are predicted.

Again Happy New Year to all our friends out there, good luck for all your plans and projects in 2011! Greeetings from the whole Eräkeskus-Team!

21.12.2010 / The shortest day of the year...

... lasts here some 4hours 30 minutes between sunrise and sunset and is already history by now. It was a great sunny day, the sky is coloured in red-orange-rose for the whole day and the special light in this time of the year can hardly be described. You have to experience it at least once to know and understand, what we are talking about!

Tomorrow we have re-start of the season, our Christmas-guests will arrive. We are looking foreward to a cold nice winter-season, to show you our live-style and the beautiful surroundings, today covered again with some cm of fresh soft snow!

The Team Eräkeskus wishes you all a Merry Christmas!
We wensen iedereem prettige kerst dagen!

3.12.2010 / 3 weeks later....

... and we still train with sleds, we still have snow, the lakes are frozen and can be crossed by sleds now as well, the trail system gets better evey day.There is no more safety-scooter needed in front now, as the trails are so well packed that the snowhooks can hold the team. It's so much more peaceful to drive without motor noise nearby... This is real mushing! And this is what is special in this area: hardly ever scooter traffic in our area and no motorised company on tour! Join us and experience the silence of Eastern Finland!

Weather forecast announces quite a lot of snow for the next week and we hope to be able then to open all trails, have access to all cabins and doing the long runs by then without repeating the same trails with one team.

13.11.2010 / winter with real sled-driving!

We got winter! It was snowing during last weekend, as the weather forecast had announced. And it snows since then evey day. First we still trained still with the training-carts, on 10th we took out the sleds! Nothing could hold us back! So everything is fine in Eräkekus, we finally run the sleds again and we and the dogs enjoy it a lot!

Sad moment last thursday, when we had to say goodbye to our old Browni, more than 14 years. She was part of our team since the very beginning, had a first cancer-operation in 2004. Successfully fighting against cancer since that, she was enjoying her live as pet, but the tumours came back during the last weeks, were growing very fast. Many of our clients will remember her, saying hello to all new arrivals, just walking around the yard and keeping everything under control. We will never forget you Browni!

03.11.2010 / waiting for winter

On 10th October we got our first snow, which melted away again after 2 days. Then 2 weeks later, on 23rd October, again nice new snow, almost 10 cm, perfect training-runs with the dogs. After 3 days, all was gone again. We expect new snow again for this weekend and hope it will last for a bit longer :-)
In the meantime we continue training the dogs. If weather is dry and cold, we already run them for 1.5 hours, if it is rather warm and with a high humidity in the air, we run them only for 30 - 40 minutes on shorter distance, just to keep them motivated and in happy mood. Today is one of these days... short runs, then backj to dry straw in the doghouses.

Everything is ready for winter, we just wait for the white cover to make everything real nice looking!

There are still a few rooms available for the Christmas- and NewYears-Week. If you want to join us, far away from the commercial celebrating, then check-out our program and flights. Welcome in Eräkeskus - the silenty way back to nature!

24.09.2010 / autumn training started, first new workers arrived, beautiful Indian Summer

Today we finally started our autumn training. It took a bit longer this year, as we had guests until a few days ago and there was simply not enough time to get everything ready. Now since a few days our first new workers arrived here and with the team of actually 5 persons, 6 from next week on, we concentrate now to get our athletes ready again for the sledtours. We train 6 big teams with 10 - 14 dogs and 4 smaller teams with 6 - 8 dogs. Our puppies still have to wait a bit until harnessed first time :-)

For hiking trips and even paddling trips it is still warm enough, although there is a very low water level in lakes and rivers. The birch trees and all the berry bushes took beautiful colours in these last days and everything is now really great looking! And one can find mushrooms now in every corner of the forests...

We enjoy a great autumn - thanks to all our summer guests - looking foreward to meet some again in winter time!

29.08.2010 / summer seems to be over, autumn just started

Longtime no updates... sorry to our readers of the English pages! The summer weeks were too busy to make all the necessary administration work!

After a short period of cooler days (last news), the summer came back with temperatures on record-levels: air up to 39 degrees, lake water up to 32 degrees. Almost no rain was falling and whole North-Carelia was drying out. But now... finally... since a bit more than 1 week, temperatures dropped down remarkeably: in the night we have only arond 3 - 7 degrees, day-temperatures rise a bit over 10 degrees. Forests and bushes started to change their colours, Indian SUmmer, or who we call it here "Ruska" has started!m Also regular rain-falls arrived in the area and so we still have some hopes for a good mushroom-year.

The dogs start to get nervous, now they have the temperatures to run again... training has not yet started, we wait for our 2 new training-carts, which are supposed to be delivered by mid-September. And as we still have "summer-guests" here for 4 more weeks, there is not enough time for training. Although we humans also get a bit nervous when thinking about the soon starting fun with dog-training!

Our team will start getting bigger again for winter-season: end of September, Erik and Sanne arrive as first ones. Gregory and Sibylle a bit later. We are looking forward having them here and meet new collegues.

We hope you enjoy autumn as much as we do here! Start thinking about your winter-holiday early enough! Now you can still find cheak flights to Joensuu or Kuopio for Christmas or New Years time. Why not spend a relaxed week in Eräkeskus?

See you!

19.07.2010 / finally nicer temperatures

Summer goes on, since last weekend finally with nicer, lower temperatures. At the moment we enjoy nice, "normal" summer with 20 - 28 degrees C. The lake has almost 24 degrees today. Some rain was falling during the last days, it was desperately awaited by mother nature.

The pups are growing, almost 7 weeks now. Kela, the mother is showing them new, interesting things during their little excursions. Later this week, they will have their first car-ride to Lieksa for vaccinations.

Yesterday´s bear-night was again succesful; we have a 100%-success-rate so far during this summer. Let's hope, Martin and his 4 guests will also be lucky on Thursday night! Check out Facebook for a video of last bear-night!

12.07.2010 / a little bit too hot...

Maybe a little bit too hot... but who wants to complain! The last 10 days were always close to 30 degrees C, and no changes expected. We go swimming as often as we can, with or without dogs. The puppies start walking around to explore the area and still at midnight perfect pictures can be taken. The next one is from 3 nights ago, taken just before midnight!

02.07.2010 / Great Summer!!

What a great start into summer! Temperatures are between 20 - 28 degrees C, water temperature reached 21 by yesterday evening. It's almost too dry and we would appreciate some more rainfalls. The first mushrooms can be seen and soon the blueberries will be ready.

Our puppies are growing well and exploring their world step by step; every day a bit more active! They are already 1 month old and are so sweet!

A long-term project, the swimming pool for our dogs, is finally finished and the dogs seem to love it! They have now direct access from the fenced playing-yard to the lake and can go swimming or just cooling down!

We saw several bears during the last observation night, but hope for a bit better lights during next night to get great pictures from these impressive huge animals.

July will be rather busy here with up to 16 guests at the same time and many guided activities. But still we try to keep you update regularly!

23.06.2010 / Midsummer

Midsummer is already over! But no worries, the long days and almost not existing nights will last for another few weeks. Reading a book at midnight outside! No problem! Actually the most beautiful colours of nature are right now in the middle of the night, when sky and clouds are colored in spectacular shades of red/rose/viola. It's worth to stay out the whole night! Sunset today at 23h17, sunrise tomorrow at 02h46

09.06.2010 / Summer is getting closer...

We got puppies from Kela and Timmy! 7 little Alaskan Huskies were born on 2nd June early morning!

The first guests already left back home; they were riding, biking, swimming in the lake, fishing in the nature resort of Änäkäinen and had a bear-night out in the Kainuu Wilderness. While serving them, we continued the painting of all our outside walls and the end of this task comes closer...

A few impressions of early summer in Eräkeskus:

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