When you aim far you will get somewhere.
We set out in the evening. The harsh weather didn´t stop us, the snowy wind blew in our faces as we moved forward. We were heading north. Like so many explorers before us. Well prepared. Carrying our supply of food, no sledge dogs. Dressed in layers upon layers of clothes. With extra gloves in pockets near the body. Warm hands are necessary when you want to press a camera button in icy weather.
As soon as that bitter air hits your face, your body will try to insulate itself by moving blood away from the skin and outer extremities, such as fingers and toes, and toward its core. This process is called vasoconstriction, and it helps limit the amount of heat you lose to the environment. The bad side of this process is that your fingers and toes are more prone to frostbite. Even though your feet are usually protected by shoes, toe temperatures can get very low, and if you sweat, the wetness will draw even more heat out of the area. The trick is to dress in layers and be sure the inner layers transport humidity to the outer layers.
We left the city behind. We had to walk very carefully because there were icy spots in the snow. This is indeed a strange winter. The landscape opened – the horizon wide. An enormous sky – a strong feeling of being in space. Being small on a large planet. Our feet made traces in the snow. We followed the stars.
We had a clear goal and turned towards it. It was far away but who cares. It´s not the goal but the process of getting there that´s interesting. The adventure. The north pole is just a dot on earth.
After some time we started question if we were getting anywhere. Did we walk in circles? Could we trust the stars?
We saw some strange lights in the sky. It was beautiful. At first we thought it was Northern lights which is quite common close to the poles. It is caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere and has to do with the earths magnetic field. Later we got uncertain – Northern lights are usually high above and these were close to ground.
I suddenly remembered a story I heard, as a child, It was about Snow Woman a spirit who was fierce and if her breath touched you – you would freeze instantly. If you looked her in the eye you were lost. She was extremely beautiful with pale or even transparent skin that made her blend into the snowy landscape. Other legends say she lead people astray so they simply died of exposure to the cold.
As a child I liked the story. She had power. I didn´t mind her beauty – in my world at that time everyone was beautiful – it was later that I learnt that beauty was something that I was supposed to strive for (a constant redressing of myself). I disliked she was evil. Like most female Gods or Spirits we never get the true story. Her real story was lost, ages ago. The real story is much more complex.
I don´t know why this story came to me. If it was the shadows of my friend spinning in snow or some other presence. The wind in my ears. The harsh weather. Or the warm feeling inside.
I had a strong sense that if there is a Snow woman she is Strong. She can move in every weather. If it is warm she melts and is free to be anywhere she wants, moving swiftly with the wind – when cold returns she gather herself. She loves the snow, all the shades of white. The winterlandscape is her natural element, she blends with it, cares for it. Signaling to the trees when it is time for them to pull themselves down into the earth. Giving the animals some time to organize their winterplans. Then she plays, breathing snow in all directions. Catching winds and changing their direction. She is clear like ice and will mirror you. If you are afraid of her she play the role you gave her. She will scare you to give you the possibility to be brave and walk through your fears. If you walk with joy she will play with you.
The flash gave up. The camera kept going. We, humans, had to be on the move. We clearly didn´t get very far. By now we were pretty sure we would not make it. Our expedition was a flop. Maybe it was too low-budget. If we had better gear, more time… Never mind. We had some experiences and still a lot of energy to move. We decided to focus even more than before on having fun. Explore the possiblilities of this space. What can we do here where we ended up?
We enjoyed the space. When energy was running low we lay down to rest. The earth welcomed us but soon the cold came creeping. We found some branches of pine to build a shelter from the wind. We finished our last supplies and decided to walk back towards civilization. Despite all the walking we never reached the north pole. Not that night.
If you need more information about what to bring: WINTER EXPEDITION LIST (long and cold)
Exploration number: 019
When: 13th of January 2012
Where: Gärdet, Stockholm
Duration: 19.30-20.00
Participants: Jenny, Ulrika
Archive material: 17.jpeg + 92.raw
