On Sunday, April 13th, shortly before 8 a.m., the last dog team left the New Kennels, thus ending the 24/25 season. It wasn't planned, as the last trip was scheduled for Saturday. But with -6 degrees, sunshine, and fresh snow, I, Simone, couldn't resist waking up early, so I harnessed up my favorite team again and went for one last ride. It was a wonderful end to the 24/25 winter season and meant a lot to me.
First of all, I would like to sincerely thank all of the hard-working staff this past season. No matter how long you were with me, you were all a great support this winter and contributed significantly to making my last season a success. Finn, Nicolas, and Svenja are still here, the others are already back in their old homes, their old lives, but I hope that you will all always fondly remember the time here in the North Karelian winter.
Then, a huge thank you goes out to all the guests and friends who spent another week (or their first week) in Eräkeskus this winter. It was a wonderful end to my Eräkeskus-Adventure with you all again. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to guide all of the repeaters myself. My week would often have had 10 days instead of just 7. But it was lovely to see you all here again. Some of the regulars already had double-digit numbers, if you count their previous visits. Many friendships were formed on all these trips, and I hope they will continue. And of course, I also experienced many very emotional moments on the runners, with my favorite dogs in front of the sled. If there were tears in my eyes from time to time, it wasn't because of you, but because of the many "last times" I experienced this winter, those simply touching, unspeakably beautiful moments between human and dog, on the runners, on windblown or otherwise difficult trails, that bond and trust between the athletes in front of me and me on the sled, an experience and feeling that is hard to put into words.
And now to the clear numbers of this winter: The Eräkeskus top runner is once again my Talvi with a cumulative 2,428 km, closely followed in the New Kennels by Stella (2,392 km) and Leica (2,389 km). In the Old Kennels, Freya (2,234 km), Jarkko (2,216 km), and Tuuli (2,190 km) lead the rankings. Together in both kennels, including the resident dogs Maya, Naira, (Jana's) Talvi, Viva, and Chinook, who traveled with our staff, our dogs ran an impressive 134,463 km. They were the main players in the 4 musher workshops, 6 Christmas/NewYear-programs, 2 GoWest tours, 5 Ruunaa weeks, 9 bear trails, 9 winter weeks for beginners, 14 winter weeks "Plus," and 2 Kalevala short programs; without them, nothing would have been possible. What an achievement, considering that we had already rehomed around 40 dogs in the summer of 2024. And what proof of how much the dogs enjoy their work and truly want to run tirelessly. Nevertheless, we were able to send the first dogs into training-end and their more than deserved summer break as early as mid-March. And now everyone is already enjoying their summer relaxation, the warmer days, the longer play and exercise times, and the increasingly thawed natural ground in the kennels. You more than deserve it! A huge thank you also goes to these wonderful dogs for their dedication during this now-ended season.
It was the season of unstable weather with significantly less snow than in "normal" winters, rain as early as January, and temperatures that often required changing clothes 3 times a day to prepare for the changing temperatures. But it was also the season of the Northern Lights; rarely before have we been able to admire them with such intensity and regularity. Standing in front of the Aittokoski until we felt stiff necks, often for several nights in a row, to admire the Northern Lights, was also part of this unforgettable winter.
And now we are all embarking on the well-deserved break between winter and summer. The summer – according to the current booking calendar – will be relaxed and quiet, with plenty of time for vacations, days off, and final projects. As already communicated on social media, Bianca and Antti have now been found as successors, effective October 1, 2025. The two will be in Eräkeskus from time to time throughout the summer, getting to know the dogs better, and familiarizing themselves with their new responsibilities. The handover will take place at the end of September, after which I will embark on a – equally well-deserved – sabbatical. And I'm trying to keep my promise to 12 dogs from the New Kennels after my last sled ride, that I will do everything I can to pick them up by the end of summer 2026 at the latest and relocate them to a small facility with me. This will be my main-goal during my time-out! Unfortunately, this won't be possible in North Karelia due to a three-year non-compete clause. I wish Bianca and Antti a wonderful summer with many intensive moments during their reintegration, and then all the luck in the world that their self-employment will be a complete success. Their fall 2025 programs are already online, and the holiday and winter programs will follow in the next few days. Check it out and start planning your next visit to the new Eräkeskus!
Now, once again, a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved in winter 2024/25. I'm looking forward to an equally unforgettable summer 2025 and hope to experience many more wonderful moments in North Karelia, at and around Eräkeskus, with dogs and guests until the end of September! I wish you all a happy Easter and a pleasant spring 2025!