Stories from the Arctic: The Sauna

The sauna sat at the edge of Torneträsk Lake

There was only one item on my Swedish Bucket List, and it was this one.

The traditional wood heated sauna was about 15 minutes from our cabin and we had to hike it in the dark wearing our swimsuits under full snow gear. We went back twice and both times we made the trek we found no fires burning, and the sauna almost pitch black. We had to re-start the fire and wait an impossibly long time for it to heat up again.

Then we ran into the lake at 4 in the morning, in -15 degree weather, and wind so cold I thought my skin would peel.

Flushed with adrenaline and our skin whipped by the blistering, arctic wind, we scrambled back to the sauna, laughing and catching our breath. What a rush, what a feeling!

Running barefoot in the snow made my toes feel like they were going to break off. At one point I even slipped and slid down part of the hill. And boy, getting back into the sauna is like heaven.