Will’s 2026 Solo Expedition


By the Numbers:
800 miles
260 pounds of gear on three sleds

1 seven-foot, eight-pound whitewater raft
60 days
81 years of age

Alone

Will’s unsupported solo trek has begun.

The Journey

The Steger Center is providing daily satellite phone dispatches called in by Will.

Listen to today’s dispatch by clicking the play button below.

Day 28: April 30, 2026

The Progress

Land Use Acknowledgements: to the Sahtu Dene and Métis peoples; to the Inuvialuit people.

Every step of Will’s journey is tracked on his Garmin GPS. Follow his tracks on an interactive map that details this 800-mile journey to the top of the North American continent.

Chad Sylvain Chad Sylvain

Day 12: April 14, 2026

“They were doing acrobatics. They were in sync. And obviously a couple. Almost like they they have been working on their maneuvers... just having a little bit of a holiday here with the wind.“

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Chad Sylvain Chad Sylvain

Day 11: April 13, 2026

“It's a real severe weather, real cold weather here... Windchill is about a... about 30 (minus 30). The hands freeze up real fast. A totally different climate than the forest. It's an amazing the difference. The big difference though is the hard packed crust.“

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Chad Sylvain Chad Sylvain

Day 10: April 12, 2026

“I built up a pulley system from the top and I was able to get that first load up... I don't exactly have a climbing rope here though. It's probably about... a fourth (quarter) inch at the most... every ounce counts and I just make with what I do.“

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Chad Sylvain Chad Sylvain

Day 9: April 11, 2026

“We have an idealistic idea of... image of the wilderness... But it can be quite harsh like right here. I've made a point all my life, to stay out of these boreal forests like this.“

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Chad Sylvain Chad Sylvain

Day 8: April 10, 2026

“I followed the wolf tracks, one large wolf, all day long, patrolling the river... the wolf has the tendency of following the better snow, not too thick, so I basically followed his tracks.“

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Chad Sylvain Chad Sylvain

Day 7: April 9, 2026

“And caribou react really strangely to a team of... a long team of dogs. They're not sure what they think.“

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Chad Sylvain Chad Sylvain

Day 6: April 8, 2026

“It takes about 10 days before you're really in sync and you get a good appetite. Your appetite... it takes about a week before you get a really good, strong appetite, that's the sign of getting in shape.“

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Chad Sylvain Chad Sylvain

Day 5: April 7, 2026

"And my mind during the day, it's always pretty much in the moment. I don't think about the outside world at all... I'm observing all the time. Watching beautiful around me."

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