In early 2020, three men embarked on a winter bikepacking expedition along the Wapusk Trail, the world’s longest winter road.
Covering 721 kilometres from Peawanuck, Ont., to Gillam, Man., Ryan Atkins, Buck Miller, and Eric Batty pedalled through the frozen landscape, camping along the way and raising over $12,000 for True North Aid.
The riders traversing through the northern-most areas of the province were surprised to return to a drastically different world due to the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My wife had updated us a little bit without trying to scare us, because we had our satellite communicator,” Batty told TimminsToday.
“When we hit Gillam, we were going to speak at the school, and we were going to have dinner with the mayor. Instead, doors were locked everywhere, signs and posters were up. It was really strange coming back to it. Eight days we were gone. Lockdown started happening the day we left.”
Batty, who captured the entire 2020 Wapusk Trail journey on photo and film, recently posted a 30-minute documentary of the trip on YouTube.
“People go to Antarctica to do this stuff. We have it right here in our own province … It's hardcore, it's beautiful, and it’s in Ontario, which is super cool,” he said.
The expedition was not just about personal accomplishment. The team’s decision to raise money for True North Aid reflected their commitment to supporting northern communities.
Batty recalled an emotional moment when a local man from Peawanuck en route to a funeral in Fort Severn, handed them $60 in support of their cause.
“He thanked us and shook our hands. His gratitude was real. He didn’t see us as rich trespassers to his traditional land, who came only to take experiences for ourselves and leave. He believed in our version of giving back,” Batty said.
True North Aid is a charity dedicated to providing practical humanitarian support to Indigenous communities in northern Canada.
Amanda Amesse, outreach manager at True North Aid, said they deeply appreciate fundraisers like this because they not only raise essential funds, but also bring awareness to the needs of northern and Indigenous communities.
“Every donation we receive helps us provide critical support to these communities. What Expeditions Ontario did was a true act of reconciliation, and we could not have been more honoured to be chosen as their charity of choice to raise funds for,” she said.
The trio, all seasoned cyclists with deep ties to endurance racing, packed everything they needed for the journey on their specialized fat bikes.
Batty, from Whitby, Miller, from Huntsville, and Atkins, a Quebec-based athlete, met through competitive cycling and rekindled their friendship at a 2017 event.
That connection led to the formation of Expeditions Ontario, an initiative dedicated to adventure and charitable efforts.
Starting on the shores of Hudson Bay in Peawanuck, the cyclists headed west, passing through Fort Severn and Shamattawa First Nations before finishing in Gillam.
Their trip lasted eight days, with near-constant sunshine but harsh winds.
Equipped with -40 C sleeping bags, lightweight winter gear, and a winter tent, they averaged 90 kilometres a day while enduring extreme temperatures.
“It's training your body just to kind of be comfortable being uncomfortable,” Batty said.
The experience was filled with unforgettable moments, he said. One of the trip’s highlights was witnessing the northern lights on their final night.
“We were sound asleep, and Buck woke up at like 2:30 in the morning because he had to go pee. He went outside, came back and was like, 'Boys, get up, get out here, the sky’s alive,’” Batty said.
“We went out, and the whole thing was just green and super active and dancing. That was pretty cool.”
Encounters with wildlife also made for lasting memories. While they didn't come across any polar bears, they frequently saw tracks, including some that appeared near their first campsite.
Other sightings included foxes, snowy owls, and a caribou antler they found along the trail.
This wasn’t the group’s first time taking on a northern winter road.
In 2019, Batty, Miller, Atkins, and retired pro cyclist Ted King biked from Attawapiskat to Smooth Rock Falls, raising funds for the Timmins Native Friendship Centre.
SEE: Friends biking through the far north to raise cash for charity
Caitlyn Kaltwasser, a youth employment counsellor at the friendship centre, said the men’s mission raised money to support an organization that many Indigenous people, including herself, have benefitted from.
“I grew up in a friendship centre, and so did my son. Friendship centres provide a means to improve wellbeing for our people, a place of gathering and a sense of home away from home,” she said.
Any support towards the work that the centre does affects positive change for their people and effectively demonstrates reconciliation, Kaltwasser said.
In 2024, Batty, Miller, and Atkins also attempted to ski from Peawanuck to Attawapiskat but had to turn back after Batty developed a serious bone infection in his heel. They hope to attempt the trek again in the future.