Annika Brodén is an accomplished professional photographer from Sweden, whom spent three weeks with us on the tundra in the summer & early autumn of 1998. Annika has this to say about her trip with Great Canadian Wilderness:

 

"The Barrens is a truly magical place..

A blackboard at camp welcomes us with the words:

"You are now standing on one of the most remote places on earth. If you ever wondered where the middle of nowhere is ... you just found it, and it´s a magical place.."

"Tundra Tom is a legend in the north because of his long experience and passion for the land. I don´t think I´ve ever met a man with such burning passion for what he is doing. He doesn't live there just to make a living - he lives there because the Barrenlands stole his heart away and now it´s his life - like photography is mine, and as every coin that comes with good and bad.

If you are looking for someone to show and teach you about the land up north, you can´t find a better interpreter. When Tom picks up an old book from his extensive library and tells the stories of the past you are swept away. The long past spirits are once again alive, for as long as Tom keeps telling us their stories of their way of life. Many of them have not been written down yet.. Tom lived them, but I hope one day he will share his memories and knowledge in a book. To me, his stories made a big difference. They taught me the history, the old way of life and the present threats of the tundra that tied my total experience together."

"Imagine a warm summer night, it's almost midnight and the sun is just setting. The sunset seems to last forever (just like home for a woman from Sweden) and the sky is glowing as if it was made of gold. Down by the beach two silhouetted caribous roam. They haven´t even noticed your presence. You are free to enjoy the experience of true wildlife up close."

"Another day you hide out from the wind on "the hill", spending a few hours to look for the inhabitants of the Barrens. Suddenly a fluffy white and gray tail catch your attention. From behind an old fur tree, bent by many years of hard wind, a tall white wolf turns up, a few hundred feet away. All of a sudden you are alone with one of the world's most mythical animals in its natural habitat- the white wolf. It is such a privilege to experience true wilderness!"

"Finally the last, but very important, piece in my puzzle are the guides and the other guests. I admire the guides that spend every waking moment to make sure their guests experiences would be the best possible. Do I need to tell you they are doing an excellent job?"

"...and of course hiking the Barrens with Lee and Jim, calling ptarmigans and enjoying every moment of life a hundred percent. Since then Lee has become my mentor. He really is a brilliant photographer and I admire him and his work immensely! I could go on forever and tell stories of the wonderful people that I met in camp.."

"The Barrenlands' vast landscape beholds a special energy that is hard to describe, it is magical, it is spiritual.. you have to experience it!"

-Annika Brodén