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.
The mission has taken on increased relevance amid the geopolitical scramble for the Arctic's resources as the climate warms. And it comes after US President Donald Trump threatened in January to annex Greenland, a Danish Arctic territory neighbouring Canada, ramping up tensions between Nato allies.
These statements were met with alarm by politicians from across Europe and Canada, and led to a scramble by Nato members to show that they are still focused on defending the Arctic.
Mark Carney, who was born in the Northwest Territories and is the first Canadian prime minister from the north, has unveiled a multi-billion dollar defence plan that includes upgrades to existing northern military sites. But despite recent tensions, Trump's remarks have had zero effect on how Canadian forces and their allies work together, said Brig Gen Daniel Rivière, commander of the army task force responsible for Operation Nanook-Nunalivut.
Rivière noted that Russia remains a formidable force in the Arctic despite its ongoing war with Ukraine, as they reportedly have dozens of permanent military bases in their Arctic regions, while Canada has none.
A key component of the Canadian Rangers is its indigenous Inuit members, whose deep knowledge of Canada's northern territories has been essential to finding safe paths and keeping army members alive – both on this most recent patrol and other operations across the Arctic.
During the patrol, they shared dried Arctic char and caribou – what the Inuit commonly refer to as country food – with those who needed more sustenance than protein bars and beef jerky, and lent gloves and boots made from coyote and caribou fur for anyone who got dangerously cold despite layers of modern winter gear.
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 mission showcased the increasing global interest in Arctic resources amid climate shifts, cementing its importance in Canadian military strategy.
