Espen, Delphine & the dogs
OffTrack Experience is a French - Norwegian company founded in 1998, focused towards human size expeditions at the heart of the arctic. It is the result of the project of Delphine Garcin and Espen Prestbakmo.
After many years of expeditions at sea and in the mountains, they decided to create their own concept, and got the conviction that smaller groups and organisation are a major advantage for an authentic and customised polar adventure, which gathers quality of service and respect for the nature.
Our journey takes us by dogsled, skis, sailboat or even under the sea, to explore the best of the arctic in terms of wilderness, culture, heritage and inspiring landscapes that only a few other people visit.
Espen has been immersed in the mountains and high plateaus around his native Troms all his life. He is a 5 times finisher of the Finmmark race - longest European dogsledding race, a mountain ranger and canoe instructor. He also worked for feature film logistics and led the regional council for outdoor sports. He has been competing with his dogs since 1995. His passion has taken him all over the world – from canoeing through Canada to skiing over the Norwegian arctic and trekking in South America. His passion for the lands and cultures of the Norwegian Arctic only matches his enthusiasm about sharing it with new friends!
Delphine was born and raised in the French Alps, and is educated as a diver and Officer in the merchant navy. She has been a professional sailor for over 15 years, the past 7 of which have been dedicated to the higher latitudes of Norway and Svalbard. She also works with photography and is published by several European magazines. She has been working on Svalbard for the past 6 years as the captain of different ships and sailboats. She is highly specialised in Arctic sailing and has a limitless passion for wilderness and exploration, in addition to her pack of huskies when she is back home.
Visiting our little Husky farm any time of the year, is a genuine experience in itself! Say hello to our 35 friendly Alaskan huskies, who are ready for action! Trained to be in contact with many different people, they are very social and friendly to humans.
Raised for their strength, agility and stamina, they have an excellent ability to work in group. Their name comes from the US, where during the Gold Rush, at the end of the 19th century, husky type of dogs were crossed with local dogs, American-Indian dogs and other European dogs, in order to improve their performances. These multiple crosses explain their differentI looks. Their colour being the least significant matter, their working abilities is the most important thing : hence we have dogs of all aspects and styles!
But most importantly : they are top level athletes, affectionate, hardworking and resistant to the cold!
