2010-2013
Through the wilderness of Canada
In the spring of 2010 our journey began on the Canadian border and took us over four years through the wilderness of Canada to the border with Alaska.
Again we didn't want to ride along the streets, but through the wild backland. In the USA we followed a long-distance hiking trail, but in Canada we had to find our own way. First we were on forest roads and ATV trails, then on hunting trails and finally we followed the tracks of the moose and caribou.
In southern Canada we rode through the majestic mountains of the Rocky Mountains and through the national parks of Banff and Japser.
The further north we got, the more lonely and deserted and wilder the country became. Our journey became more and more an expedition. We were in the wilderness for up to four months with no contact with civilization. To do this, we had to have packets of provisions flown into the wilderness by small aircraft. That seemed crazy to us, but for the hunters of the north it is quite normal. For a long time there were no longer any hiking trails that we could follow, we were now on the old trails of hunters and trappers and on tracks, which are used by moose, deer and caribou as well as by grizzly bears, black bears and wolves. Again and again we got to see the wild animals ourselves. Encounters that kept inspiring us.
In the northern Rocky Mountains we crossed a vast wilderness area, the Muskwa-Kechika. An area as big as Switzerland, but without streets and villages. For the first time we were out in the wilderness for four months in a row, without contact with civilization. The biggest challenge in this area was the numerous rivers that we had to cross. Here we realized once again how important horses are for us. For us they are much more than just mounts and porters. They are our companions. Without them we couldn't have made the trip. Thanks to the pack horses we can transport provisions for up to four weeks and the riding horses have carried us safely through rivers that we would never have been able to swim through due to the freezing water temperature.
Last year we rode through the Yukon Territory. Here in Canada's real north you can still experience the wilderness as the first prospectors did and Jack London described it: Unlimited expanses, endless forests, crystal-clear sights, majestic mountains and living glacier worlds. Again we were led for months without crossing a single road. It was a beautiful summer that demanded a lot from us and the horses, but also a fantastic experience.
In the fall of 2012 we arrived in the old gold rush town of Dawson City near the Alaska border. We spend the winter in the Yukon. The horses and we have to cope with temperatures of up to -40 degrees. For this we are rewarded with a wonderful winter landscape and lots of sunshine, and our horses are in their own paddock and could eat as much hay as they want.
Alaska
In spring 2013 we will start the last leg of our journey: to Alaska!
It's a very special summer. Alaska attracts with fascinating landscapes and untouched nature! The mountains of Alaska promise to be a worthy end for our long journey.
Again we will be traveling far away from the roads through the wilderness. We will ride through the St. Ellias and Wrangell Mountains and the Alaska Range to the highest mountain in North America. The long journey from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska will come to an end at the foot of Mt. Denali.
What's next?
Anyone who travels like us will never run out of ideas. We haven't made up our minds yet, but there are plenty of dreams and ideas. For now, we're looking forward to going on tour with our new lectures in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, starting spring 2014.
