RCMP officers wrapped up their annual high Arctic snowmobile patrol this week, covering areas up to 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle while braving temperatures as low as -50C and hurricane-force winds.The patrol, conducted by Yukon RCMP and the Federal Policing Pacific Region (FPPR) Western Arctic Operations (WAO), has been an annual mission since 2023 to build operational awareness, ensure border security, and reinforce Canadian sovereignty in the region. Officers gain firsthand experience navigating extreme Arctic terrain while monitoring human activity — from scientists and adventure travellers to potential threats — that requires a police response regardless of conditions.“This year, the wind was the real challenge,” said Cpl. Guy Lacroix of FPPR. “Temperatures of -15 to -40C are manageable if there’s no wind, but gusts of 80–100 km/h can turn the environment into a whiteout, making communication nearly impossible. We have to touch our helmets just to speak to each other.”The patrol traversed a mix of tundra, snow drifts, coastal plains, mountains, and sea ice. .While on the ice, the team relied on Arctic cabins for shelter or carried tents when none were available. Their gear includes extreme cold-weather parkas made in the Yukon with fur-lined hoods inspired by Inuvialuit designs, and gauntlets crafted from Canadian beaver hide.The journey began February 17 via the Dempster Hwy. from Whitehorse to Aklavik, but an avalanche covering three kilometres of road delayed the team by 24 hours. Strong winds ultimately prevented them from reaching Qikiqtaruk (Herschel Island) and the Canada–U.S. border, limiting patrols to the Whitefish Station on the Arctic Ocean coastline.“Our mandate covers roughly 2,000 kilometres of Arctic coastline and the international boundary between Alaska and the Yukon,” said Insp. Gerald Walker, Officer in Charge of WAO. “These patrols ensure public safety, strengthen northern community support, and uphold Canadian sovereignty.”RCMP federal policing teams operate across the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, including in Whitehorse, Yellowknife, and Iqaluit, maintaining 59 detachments in the high Arctic. The patrols continue a legacy of northern presence dating back to the RCMP’s first detachment at Qikiqtaruk in 1895, marking over 130 years of law enforcement in Canada’s far north.
