Great Bear or Bust
Follow Mike Ranta and his dog Spitziii as they paddle over 2100km around Great Bear Lake to raise awareness and support for veteran’s and first responders struggling with PTSD.
The Expedition
This summer, Mike and Spitziii are taking on one of the most ambitious paddling expeditions in Canada.
Starting in Wrigley, NWT, they’ll paddle 250 km down the Mackenzie River to Tulita, where the Great Bear River begins. From there, they’ll tackle the full circumference of Great Bear Lake—over 2,100 km of rugged shoreline, remote wilderness, and 24-hour Arctic sunlight.
As they travel through the remote northern wilderness, Mike and Spitziii will live off the land and engage with Indigenous communities who have cared for and called this region home for generations.
Mike is paddling to support Warrior Adventures Canada, a non-profit that helps Canadian veterans and first responders living with PTSD through guided wilderness therapy programs.
These outdoor trips provide space for veterans and first responders to reconnect—with nature, with others, and with themselves.
Live Location
This is more than an adventure—it’s a mission.
Through this journey, Mike hopes to raise awareness, funds, and community support for veterans and first responders—who continue to carry unseen burdens.
The Trip So Far…
Meet Mike & Spitziii
About Mike:
Mike Ranta is a nationally recognized solo paddler, adventurer, and storyteller with a long history of record-setting canoe trips. He’s also a familiar face here at Killarney—having worked here at the lodge, and as the visionary behind The Big Dipper, the world’s largest log paddle, proudly installed at Killarney Mountain Lodge.
About Spitziii:
New to long paddles, but already full of heart—Spitziii is a purebred Finnish Spitz and Mike’s loyal co-pilot. This is his very first big trip, and he’s taking to the adventure like a natural.
