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Search on for missing Norwegian hiker last seen near York Factory
Search efforts are underway in a remote part of northern Manitoba for a missing Norwegian hiker who failed to arrive in York Factory on Friday.
Steffen Skjottelvik, 29, set out on foot from Fort Severn, Ont., on July 25 with his two dogs, RCMP Sgt. Paul Manaigre confirmed Monday. Skjottelvik planned to trek roughly 300 kilometres northwest to York Factory along the Hayes River.
Skjottelvik's last known contact came Thursday, about 20 kilometres outside of York Factory, but he never reached his destination. He has not been seen or heard from since.
VIJUD KIRUBAKARAN LINCOLN / FACEBOOK
Norwegian hiker Steffen Skjottelvik is seen in an Aug. 13 photo near York Factory.
Small-scale searches took place over the weekend, as the rugged and isolated terrain prevents a larger operation, Manaigre said. Help was requested from the Canadian Rangers, but the request was declined.
Assisting in the search are: a Gillam-based RCMP officer, who deployed a drone with thermal imaging expected to fly Monday night, Manitoba Conservation, and local volunteers —including a guide with extensive knowledge of the area and river.
'Just the logistics behind this is insane,' Manaigre said, citing the remoteness of the region and the inability to find nearby fuel, or even a suitable landing spot for helicopters.
Manaigre noted the region is home to both polar bears and wolves, and residents are advised to carry shotguns for protection.
Some in the community fear Skjottelvik and his dogs may have been swept away by the Hayes River.
'One person said that the tide up there fluctuates four metres per day, in and out,' Manaigre said. 'That's almost 12 feet of water. According to the sergeant up there, it's the fastest-moving river in Canada. And the terrain is just bog. It's waist-deep.'
On Monday, a Facebook post suggested that a thin husky resembling one of Skjottelvik's dogs had surfaced in the area. The animal had previously been thought to have been killed by wolves.
'There's a Facebook post circulating that maybe one of his dogs came (to York Factory), but we're not 100 per cent sure that's the dog,' Manaigre said.
In a Facebook update on July 18, Skjottelvik said he had come across polar bears during his journey.
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'I have seen belugas for the first time and had seven encounters with polar bears. Wonder if I can avoid the bears if I travel more inland?'
Skjottelvik called the trek 'intense' and said he had to scare off several bears who got too close.
On another Facebook page, Steffen's Great Canadian Journey, it was outlined that Skjottelvik intended to cross some of the country's most demanding northern landscapes, travelling from James Bay to Nome, Alaska, over a period of three to five years beginning in 2023.
Skjottelvik is said to be an experienced wilderness traveller, according to information Mounties received.
Scott BilleckReporter
Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade's worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024. Read more about Scott.
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