Life as a cabin host in remote areas demands great adaptability. "I usually say that you do everything from emptying outhouses to fixing boat engines," says Sonidsson.
Located 50 kilometers above the Arctic Circle, the venerable wilderness camp of Miekak is nestled among mountains both tall and gentle, with only a satellite phone as a lifeline to the outside world.
– If you can get your stress level down to zero anywhere in the world, Miekak is the place to do it. Even if you're there for months, you're always amazed at how beautiful it is, says Sonidsson.
The journey began in July 2020, when he and his wife, Helena Sonidsson Lundkvist, filled in for the then-permanent cabin host. In 2023, Sonidsson was on-site from February to April and July to September.
– Since I was between two jobs, I had the opportunity to be there during the winter, summer and autumn seasons.
On the quieter days, Sonidsson has taken the opportunity to go out by boat, go on a mountain hike, or go bird hunting during the hunting season. "Since I'm a grouse hunter and have setters, it's been a benefit of the job to live and be up there."
A little over a month ago, Ola Sonidsson started his new job as headmaster and head of student services in Sorsele municipality. Now he is leaving his job as a cabin host in Miekak. "It feels like a wise decision, considering the big picture.
Working in the camp, located more than forty kilometers from the nearest road in the Arjeplog mountains, requires certain qualities from the cabin host.
– You have to be able to leave behind your family, friends, and everything else that has to do with everyday life. You become one with nature, and it's a very special feeling.
Life as a cabin host for the camp, which consists of 21 four-bed cabins and 4 mountain cabins, also requires a lot of resourcefulness.
– I usually say you do everything from emptying outhouses to fixing boat engines. There's a fairly well-equipped workshop, but sometimes you have to be resourceful.
Sonidsson recalls a summer storm that knocked a birch tree onto one of the cabins. Another time, a dog sled team damaged their sled and had to borrow a welder to repair it. Occasionally, there have been emergencies, such as broken bones when fly fishermen slipped on treacherous terrain and disoriented paddlers who capsized their canoe.
– There have been a few incidents that we've dealt with, and we've flown people out by helicopter for treatment. The camp becomes a central emergency station in these situations.
In 2023, Ola Sonidsson spent almost a third of the year at Miekak. To the left is the trail to the camp, and to the right is the host's cabin in full summer mode.
Life as a cabin host for the camp was tough work. But there are also many fun memories that Sonidsson will take with him.
– One summer a boy from Switzerland managed a grand slam, catching a char, a trout and a grayling weighing over a kilo on a fly rod, and the joy in the boy's eyes was incredible, he says.
According to Sonidsson, the decision not to return to Miekak for a fourth season was not an easy one.
– I have mixed feelings. I'm going to miss it, but it feels like a wise decision considering the bigger picture. But I haven't closed any doors for the future, he says.
The search for a new cabin host is currently underway, on Miekak's Facebook page.