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910 Kilometers of Infinity

A Snowmobile Expedition with Russian Arctic Travel

Tina Uebel

Over tundra and mountains, through blizzards and white-outs, at Gulag ruins and Nenets’ camps – ten days on a snowmobile through the Russian Arctic.

Tina Uebel stands next to her snowmobile overlooking the Arctic scenery

Life is infinite when travelling; a friend once said to me. On the last slope, at full throttle, the momentum of the snowmobile is carrying us effortlessly upwards. Close to the ground, the wind is driving intricate snow ribbons towards us. I stop beside Vladimir on the crest of the pass, and ahead the already unearthly landscape is unfolding into a panorama of mindblowing grandeur. 

We are looking down to the broad channel of the river Longotjogan, behind which mountain ranges rise, clad in immaculate snow. Blue shadows nestle into the valleys. It is about -25°C and life is infinite. Only when I try to open my eyes wide with amazement, do I realize that the lashes of the left one, narrowed to a slit against the sun for a few minutes, have frozen shut.

Tony on his snowmobile at the start of the expedition