Manitoba·NewThe family of a Norwegian hiker who died in northern Manitoba landed in Winnipeg on Friday to embark on a trip that retraces their late son’s Canadian journey, and to meet the people who embraced him along the way. Steffen Skjottelvik’s family travelling to remote First Nation communities in northern Manitoba, OntarioLauren Scott · CBC News · Posted: Aug 30, 2025 4:57 PM EDT | Last Updated: 30 minutes agoThe family of hiker Steffen Skjottelvik arrived in Winnipeg on Friday to retrace his steps along the shores of Hudson Bay in northern Ontario and Manitoba. (Steffen Skjottelvik/Facebook)The family of a Norwegian hiker who died in northern Manitoba landed in Winnipeg on Friday to embark on a trip that retraces their late son’s Canadian journey, and to meet the people who embraced him along the way. Steffen Skjottelvik, 29, left on foot with his two dogs from Fort Severn, near Hudson Bay in northern Ontario, on July 25 for a difficult 300-kilometre trek to York Factory in northern Manitoba.He was reported missing when he didn’t arrive in York Factory as planned on Aug. 15. For over a week, a search crew led by members of Fort Severn First Nation looked for Steffen. His body was found on Aug. 24 along the banks of the Hayes River, where he drowned, an autopsy showed.On Friday night, his family arrived in Winnipeg after a long and tiring journey from Oslo, spokesperson Christian Dyresen told CBC News.On Saturday morning, Skjottelvik’s family held a “private last goodbye” in Winnipeg, where they met with Angus Miles, the leader of the search team and Skjottelvik’s primary contact during his trek. Skjottelvik is seen here in an undated photo provided by family. His family will be holding a memorial service for him on Monday in Winnipeg. (Submitted by family spokesperson Christian Dyresen)”It was an emotional meeting. It was really important for the family to meet him and thank him for everything he’s done, and also the rest of the Cree peoples of Steffen’s close network in Canada,” Dyresen said. “From now on, the journey is going to be all about going in Steffen’s tracks, going to the places he lived, meeting the people he loved, and also meeting the people that participated in the search and rescue.” CBC has also reached out to the chief of Fort Severn First Nation for comment.When CBC reached Dyresen on Saturday morning, he said the family was about to board a plane to Peawanuck, the northern Ontario First Nation community where Skjottelvik settled when he first arrived in Canada in the spring of 2023. From there, the family will be travelling to Fort Severn, retracing Skjottelvik’s steps along the rugged edge of Hudson Bay to the Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge, the remote northern Manitoba lodge where he was last seen alive. Skjottelvik left Fort Severn, Ont., on foot on July 25 with his two dogs, intending to reach York Factory, Man., indicated in red here. (Google Maps)Dyresen said the trip is a “big unknown” for the family, because Skjottelvik didn’t share much about his Canadian adventure with them. But the family is committed to continuing the story of his journey, he said. “Steffen [worked] for two years to document his life and love for Canada, and especially the First Nation. So we’re working on maintaining his storytelling and making plans for how to continue that storytelling,” Dyresen said. “I think his curiosity and love for people, and the way he conducted himself is the reason why people have connected to him, and paid notice to his journey these last two years.”The family will return on Monday to Winnipeg, where a memorial ceremony will be held for Skjottelvik, Dyresen said. Later next week, they’ll head back to Norway and lay his body to rest, he said. “I think the family were exhausted,” Dyresen said. “But they are lifted forward and onwards from all of the positive attention, all the support and all the love that’s coming out from Canada.”ABOUT THE AUTHORLauren Scott is a Winnipeg-based reporter with CBC Manitoba. They hold a master’s degree in computational and data journalism, and have previously worked for the Hamilton Spectator and The Canadian Press.
Family of Norwegian hiker who died in Manitoba ‘meeting the people he loved’ as they retrace his steps
