The motorized Sled.

 Huskies only for short Trips?

Today most of the northern peoples of the polar regions, Russia, Canada, the U.S. and Denmark, apart from Norway, Finland and Japan rely more on the speed now of the motorized sled than that of dogs, and they may still be used in a traditional way for short trips!

For some time the military of the above nations have also used various vehicles for operations in snow conditions and this now includes Australia and China and a few other countries with research also being undertaken in a fast moving vehicle that is now the subject of the green revolution and conversion to both electric power and bio fuels?

What does the future hold is perhaps more of a return to the husky and reindeer to cut down on pollution for civilian operations, but not so for the military and scientists, meanwhile space exploration will need to develop a platform for robotic sleds visiting the Ice moons of the gas giants in the near future?

Bob Sleigh. Part-Two.

Jerking About!

It is amazing how much this unstable sled has proved to be a lasting success from the Lapplanders in northern-Finland to the Eskimos of Alaska and Canada. Simple to build from wood to the present day fibre glass and polyma plastics, from animal power to a small engine?

Some designs were developed as nothing more than a wooden bow, but all continue to be effective in keeping goods dry, transporting young children to older folks and on to slaughtered animals?

The only community not to use them on a small scale is an off shoot of the Evenki in northern Siberia, Russia who are the only ones to have developed a sled house-caravan, which they power with reindeer and live all year around in. 

During the summer they visit the shore line and remain staic, but seem to do more moving about in the snow covered month?

It's Christmas. Part-One.

Sleds.

Father Christmas is on his way to bring good kids their presents this season. There are many countries still using animal powered sleds for the Christmas novelty. 

But it is he motorised sled business, which is continuing to boom in Alaska, Canada, Finland, Greenland and Russia. This is were they are really the only viable way to get from A-Z.

The sled is one of the most interesting means of movement, apart from the wheel and track. Many machines, including aircraft and helicopters are fitted with sleds to cope with icy conditions.

Father Christmas.

Sleds.

'Christmas is a coming and if you listen at night to the air, you will hear the gentle ringing of Santa's reindeer's bells tingling from afar.'

I believe in Santa and why not, my parents worked their socks off to buy me something each year. It was not a lot, but it was enough. Today many people discount this special Christian season and that is sad.

But as to sleds, the Lapp, Evenki and Eskimos continue to use them, because they are essential for travel in snowy regions. Today they are motorised and can pull much more than the good old huskies dogs or reindeer's could. Sleds or ski's are also fitted to aircraft and helicopters and these are found in service in snow capped mountain terrain and glacier regions across the globe.

The sled was originaly made of curved wood or bone and it is not known how old they are. There are many more peoples apart from the three main groups mentioned living around the north pole. There is one group in Siberia who have developed houses for all year travel or life on the snow. I suppose you could either describe them as Snow Gypsy's or Nomads.