A Hercules, a snowmobile and a Klondike bar – A priceless experience on Ex ARCTIC BISON
April 17, 2025 - Lt(N) Keith Diakiw, 3rd Canadian Division Support Group Environmental Services
What do you get when you combine a sailor, 64 Army soldiers from 16 other units, two Japanese military observers, and 38 Light Over Snow Vehicles (LOSVs) on a remote trace for five days and four nights surrounded by pristine Yukon mountains?
A successful austere winter military training exercise and memories to last a lifetime, thanks to Exercise ARCTIC BISON 25.
Ex ARCTIC BISON is 38 Canadian Brigade Group’s annual Arctic Response Company Group (ARCG) training exercise. Every year, they travel to northern environments with austere winter conditions to conduct challenging training that adds to their diverse skill sets while exercising their response capabilities in such conditions.
If you didn’t participate this year, you missed some spectacular winter wonderland scenery, overlaid with valuable military movement and tactical training, as well as meaningful community engagement in Carcross, Yukon. For those of you reading this, I know you are familiar with having to be flexible in the field considering many previous military training exercises and operations do not progress in a straight line. Ex ARCTIC BISON 25 did have its fair share of challenges, but in the end we all became stronger Canadians in uniform at the same time Team Canada was winning the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in hockey.
With our memorable roundtrip journey from Winnipeg’s Minto Armoury to Haa Shagóon Hídi (Carcross/Tagish Learning Centre), it is important to share some of the exercise highlights and acknowledge the local Indigenous Land Guardians who showed us the way by breaking trail, allowing us on their traplines, and were always there to lend a hand when needed.
After a lengthy six-hour CC-130J Hercules flight from Winnipeg to Whitehorse, Yukon, we had the challenge of unpacking all our gear while trying to wake up our legs after being stationary for so long. The ‑35 C weather also followed us from Winnipeg, but we safely loaded the gear onto various vehicles and drove out to Carcross in a vehicle convoy.
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The 38 Canadian Brigade Group team at the end of Exercise ARCTIC BISON with their celebratory Klondike ice cream bars.
Photos by Lt(N) Keith Diakiw, 3rd Canadian Division Support Group Environmental Services
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Elder Russel conducted a cultural briefing for Canadian Armed Forces members before the start of Exercise ARCTIC BISON at Haa Shagóon Hídi (Carcross/Tagish Learning Centre) in Carcross, Yukon.
Our military ‘home away from home’ was Haa Shagóon Hídi, and it was initially awkward because a funeral was taking place at the same time we arrived. It was a sudden loss to the local community and a sombre time for everyone, but they required our assistance. I am pleased to report some military members on the advance party volunteered to help dig the grave in the frozen ground with pickaxes, which the family was very grateful for. During this uncertain time, we still conducted the required tasks prior to stepping off, such as receiving a cultural briefing by Elder Russel, avalanche training, exercise briefings and living outside in our 10‑person tents to get acclimatized.
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Lieutenant (Navy) Keith Diakiw on a Light Over Snow Vehicles during Exercise ARCTIC BISON.
Photo courtesy Lt(N) Keith Diakiw, 3rd Canadian Division Support Group Environmental Services
When the morning of our step‑off day arrived, the camp was buzzing with energy with last‑minute kit checks and LOSV inspections while packing all personal and tent gear and dividing the equipment amongst our section skimmers. As the Exercise Environmental Officer (EnvO), I took the opportunity to conduct the out-clearance bivouac site inspections and found only footprints – no garbage and only icy spots where the camping stoves were. Personally, I give professional courtesy to all Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members for doing the right thing and I am very happy to report this initial inspection foreshadowed the great work my fellow military personnel did as land stewards of the various bivouac sites along the trace.
The first day on the trace started well, even with some challenging portions of the journey. We snowmobiled on top of railroad tracks that from time to time had steep drop offs on both sides, and then transitioned to a lake crossing into the alpine forest for a late afternoon arrival at our bivouac site.
The second day was one of the most challenging of the exercise because of the abrupt elevation changes on the trail along the flanks of the mountains. Our convoy became more of a stop‑and‑start accordion when we were on these narrow rocky trails. During one of the steep climbs that also had a sharp left turn, the LOSV I was riding started having mechanical difficulties and was not able to move in gear. As smoke began to rise, we quickly moved the machine to the side of the trail and turned it off. It was a good thing, too, as I saw oil leaking into the snow when the side compartment was opened.
I quickly conducted an emergency spill response with absorbent pads with a vehicle tech, and completed the contaminated snow site clean up when the LOSV was towed away. What are the odds my first Army exercise as the Exercise EnvO put me at the right place and time to respond and mitigate an oil spill? I am thankful I had this hands-on experience and together we were able to mitigate this situation in a quick and efficient manner.
The highlight of day three was valuable tactical training, both on the frozen lake where we camped and during the downed pilot scenario in a nearby willow‑infested ‘U’‑shaped valley. In my predetermined hiding location, I enjoyed watching the sections advance in waves via LOSVs on the four of us who roleplayed the enemy. I was the good detainee, but next time I would like to go down in a blaze of glory.
Day four was the last day on the remote wilderness trace, and weaving in and out between trees was my favourite part of LOSVing. However, there was always the risk of falling off because of not leaning far enough, and I personally fell off eight times. This day also had the most challenging obstacle to overcome out of the entire exercise, a steep 30‑metre hill we called “Sisyphus Hill.” In the end, we all overcame this Greek mythology challenge as one‑by‑one we pulled and pushed each of our LOSVs up a hill that seemed to never end. It is also worth mentioning there were a couple members who were able to accomplish this feat all on their own, which resulted in loud cheers erupting when they crested the hill.
During our last day on the trace, we did additional tactical training by utilizing all sections working together strategically by firing on an enemy position and eliminating the threat along the shore of Bennett Lake. During the afternoon, I had the amazing opportunity to witness the end of the scenario by helicopter. Then our civilian pilot took us on a memorable flight westward towards Mount Logan at an altitude of more than 3,000 metres and back to Carcross along the B.C./Yukon border.
While attending my first community relations event at Haa Shagóon Hídi, the Carcross/Tagish and Tlingit First Nations did not disappoint by being amazing hosts with welcoming community members, great food and wonderful speeches, including one from Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai. In return, our CAF band played amazingly and military hardware was displayed for the community to enjoy.
At this time, I want to share my gratitude to several people. Sergeant Alexander Dunning and his staff for their efforts on the Cold Weather Operator course I successfully completed before Christmas to get me ready for Ex ARCTIC BISON. Lieutenant‑Colonel Peter Sliwowski, fellow officers and non‑commissioned members, and my amazing section mates for making a sailor feel part of the Army team during Ex ARCTIC BISON, as well as inviting me into the post‑exercise ARCG tradition of eating ice cream in winter, led by Sgt Robert Human. Lastly, my heart-felt thank you to our local Indigenous Land Guardians Elder Russel, Elder Howard and Canadian Ranger Nico Helm, for stepping up on behalf of their community to give guidance, break trail and show us the way on their traditional land. Gùnèłchīsh (Tagish) and Gunałchîsh (Tlingit) – Thank you!
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As Exercise ARCTIC BISON wrapped up, Lieutenant (Navy) Keith Diakiw had the chance to view the end of the exercise from above in a helicopter.
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Canadian Armed Forces members headed to Yukon for Exercise ARCTIC BISON board a CC‑130J Hercules at 17 Wing Winnipeg.