By GERMANIA RODRIGUEZ POLEO, US CHIEF REPORTER Published: 18:29 BST, 21 August 2025 | Updated: 18:42 BST, 21 August 2025
A Norwegian hiker on a trip of a lifetime vanished in a remote part of Canada before his dog wandered into a nearby town, per officials.Steffen Skjottelvik, 29, was last heard from on August 14, when he used a GPS device to contact people in York Factory in the Hudson Bay, which he planned on visiting during a years-long journey on foot from Ontario to Alaska. Skjottelvik said he would be at the historical site the next day, but never arrived, as reported by the CBC. During his last call, Skjottelvik mentioned he had lost one of his two dogs in a wolf attack, according to officials.A Facebook user then shared images of a skinny Husky found wandering alone in Fort Severn on Monday that resembled Skjottelvik's companions. The hiker had set out on foot last month from Fort Severn in Ontario alongside his two dogs, according to a Facebook page set up to chronicle his trip titled 'Steffen's Great Canadian Journey.' Steffen Skjottelvik, 29, went missing on August 14 during a trekking journey from Canada to Alaska, according to officials A Husky believed to be the hiker's was found wandering alone in Fort Severn on Monday The hiker's family said they have GPS evidence that placed him near the fast-moving Hayes River before he vanishedSkjottelvik said he planned on hiking from James Bay in Canada to Alaska over a period of three to five years, aided by the dogs and sledding. He had set out from Ontario in the spring of 2023, and Facebook users had been monitoring his journey since then.The hiker's family said they have GPS evidence that placed him near the fast-moving Hayes River before he vanished. Police said they are now focusing their search in the area of the river, which is about 2.7 miles from York Factory. Officials said they suspect Skjottelvik tried to cross the river before he went missing. 'I want to hold out hope that we can find him, but in reality, it’s becoming more search and recovery aspect at this point,' said Sgt. Paul Manaigre with the Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 'We’re looking at a week now that he hasn’t made contact with anyone, so we have to assume, at this point, the worst.'Officials added that the area where Skjottelvik went missing is filled with wolves and polar bears. Skjottelvik said he planned on hiking from James Bay in Canada to Alaska over a period of three to five years, aided by the dogs and sledding, per his family The hiker's family and friends have raised more than $40,000 to fund a search for him The area where Skjottelvik went missing is filled with wolves and polar bears, officials saidSkjottelvik had dreamed of walking from Canada to Alaska for years, his uncle Lars Jorgen Sorensen told the Norwegian news outlet Røyken og Hurums Avis, as reported by the CBC. 'He has dreamed about crossing Canada by foot for a number of years. By foot in summer, and with dog sled in winter. He has saved money for many years to be able to do this trip,' Sorensen said. 'He has prepared himself for this trip for many years. He got to know many people while walking. He also lived with them for longer periods, before moving along.' People in Fort Severn who knew Skjottelvik have raised more than $40,000 to fund the search for him, as reported by CTV News.
