Success in Lapland, A Busy Season in the Arctic & Record Controversy
If you’ve been following me on social media, you’ll know that a friend and I recently ventured to the far north of Finland for a ski trip around a frozen Lake Inari. Despite the warm conditions, possible open water and lake overflow (meltwater on the surface) leading up to our journey, we had an incredibly enjoyable and successful trip, covering approximately 205km in just under 11 days. The lake was well frozen and snow covered, and the temperature stayed below zero throughout, with some days dipping into the -20s.
In the northern part of the lake the landscape opens up into an almost 360-degree blank horizon, creating a real sense of being "out there," despite being relatively close to civilisation. We were often greeted with heavy snowfall in the mornings, which would give way to brilliant sunshine and long dreamy sunsets in the evening. At some point this year I’ll make time to write more about this frozen gem of Finnish Lapland.
A typical camp on Lake Inari
Since returning I’ve been covering the Arctic for ExplorersWeb, reporting on the many expeditions currently taking place in the north. A standout story is Borge Ousland and Vince Colliard’s upcoming attempt to become the first to make an unsupported north-to-south ski crossing of the vast Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic. You can read more about this and other Arctic journeys in the links below.
In other news I’ve spent time covering yet another polar record controversy. Last week, I reported on British adventurer Camilla Hempleman-Adams’ claim to an Arctic record for her solo ski journey between the Inuit communities of Qikiqtarjuaq and Pangnirtung on Baffin Island. Her claim garnered significant media attention in the UK and beyond.
Camilla and father David Hempleman-Adams on Baffin Island. Photo: PA Media
Hempleman-Adams asserted that she was the first woman to solo traverse the island, despite having only crossed a small section of its southeast arm and following a very well traveled tourist route. Since then, some Canadian Inuit have challenged her claim, stating that she did not fully cross the island and calling her assertion disrespectful to the generations of Inuit who have long inhabited Baffin Island and traveled that route.
I interviewed an Inuit representative who subsequently pressured the BBC to revise their coverage of the claim, and as a result, Hempleman-Adams has also issued an apology.
Elsewhere, I spent my birthday last weekend in my favourite mountains, the Brecon Beacons, and was lucky enough to enjoy some unseasonably good weather. Later this month I’m hoping to head back into more local mountains for another camping trip.
