A simple row of spruce trees marked the finish line for Canadian army reservists and combat members after a marathon two months pushing through one of the harshest environments on Earth: Canada's vast Arctic. The patrol, which ended on Friday in Churchill, Manitoba, was the largest northern mission in the history of the Canadian Rangers - a branch of the Canadian Armed Forces responsible for monitoring the country's remote regions. For 5,200km (3,200 miles), they moved across the Arctic, following a route that had not been attempted in 80 years. They drove snowmobiles across ice-covered terrain, navigating blizzards and high winds as they travelled for hours between remote northern communities. Some nights, they camped on the ice in tents as temperatures plunged to -60C (-76F).
On the final night, on the frozen shores of the Hudson Bay, they set up camp next to an abandoned trading post as the ice crackled beneath them while the northern lights danced above. There were constant hazards to be wary of, from polar bears to frostbite and cold-weather dehydration.
The patrol is part of an annual Canadian Armed Forces operation to showcase Canada's military presence in the north. A total of 1,300 military personnel took part this year, with a mission to survey the land, learn more about climate change, unlock new travel passageways and test Arctic survival and warfare capabilities in a region that accounts for 40% of Canada's landmass and 70% of its coastline.
This year's operation, which ran from mid-February to the beginning of April, included a contingent from Greenland who had asked to observe the Canadian Rangers in action. Army members from the US and the UK were invited to monitor progress from a command centre in Edmonton, and French and Belgian soldiers conducted ice-diving missions with the Canadian military.
Reflecting on the end of the mission, Chief Warrant Officer Sonia Lizotte, who was involved with the operation, told the BBC: We have tested the limits, and we can now see the future. Canada has recently made the Arctic a focus of its national security policy, asserting in 2024 that Canada's sovereignty in the north is the most urgent and important task. The money will also be spent upgrading airports and highways that can be used by both civilians and the military. Getting around in Canada's north is difficult due to limited infrastructure, with flights between towns often costing thousands of dollars.
On the final night, on the frozen shores of the Hudson Bay, they set up camp next to an abandoned trading post as the ice crackled beneath them while the northern lights danced above. There were constant hazards to be wary of, from polar bears to frostbite and cold-weather dehydration.
The patrol is part of an annual Canadian Armed Forces operation to showcase Canada's military presence in the north. A total of 1,300 military personnel took part this year, with a mission to survey the land, learn more about climate change, unlock new travel passageways and test Arctic survival and warfare capabilities in a region that accounts for 40% of Canada's landmass and 70% of its coastline.
This year's operation, which ran from mid-February to the beginning of April, included a contingent from Greenland who had asked to observe the Canadian Rangers in action. Army members from the US and the UK were invited to monitor progress from a command centre in Edmonton, and French and Belgian soldiers conducted ice-diving missions with the Canadian military.
Reflecting on the end of the mission, Chief Warrant Officer Sonia Lizotte, who was involved with the operation, told the BBC: We have tested the limits, and we can now see the future. Canada has recently made the Arctic a focus of its national security policy, asserting in 2024 that Canada's sovereignty in the north is the most urgent and important task. The money will also be spent upgrading airports and highways that can be used by both civilians and the military. Getting around in Canada's north is difficult due to limited infrastructure, with flights between towns often costing thousands of dollars.
