Fort Providence (Apr 29/05) - Ranger Joe Lacorne left behind the first signs of spring in Fort Providence in exchange for a frigid adventure in Canada's Far North.

Earlier this month, Lacorne was among more than a dozen Rangers to accompany Canadian Armed Forces personnel to the Isachsen weather station, 1,400km north of the Arctic Circle.

Joe Lacorne, a member of the Fort Providence Ranger Patrol, reached Meighen Island in Canada's Far North. He was there as part of a sovereignty patrol during the first week of April.

From there, two separate patrols were dispatched: one to Amund Ringnes Island and the other, which Lacorne was part of, was bound for Meighen Island.

The Rangers braved temperatures of -41C and 70 km/h winds.

"The weather's real cold," said Lacorne, adding that everyone was issued a thick parka, ski pants, double-soled boots, leather gloves, hats, goggles and masks.

He and his fellow troops spent about 10 to 12 hours per day on snowmobiles. They were equipped with global positioning systems (GPS). An elder from the Eastern Arctic guided the group.

There were a few snags, such as when some snowmobiles got stuck, but they dug them out and "were on the trail again," said Lacorne.

At night, the soldiers would set up canvas tents, which were tied to the komatiks, or sleds. They kept a kerosene heater and a gas stove burning throughout the bitterly-cold night, he said.

"We slept comfortably, yeah," Lacorne said.

The Rangers melted snow for water. They ate rations like hashbrowns, beans and wieners and spaghetti and meatballs.

"It tasted OK. Some days you crave for wild meat. It's hard at times, but you get over it," he recalled.

After close to 650km, the voyagers reached their destination of Meighen Island.

They set up a tripod with the Rangers insignia on it. It was a joyous moment with handshakes exchanged and photos taken, Lacorne said.

There were supposed to be patrols to two other destinations but the sovereignty patrol - intended to reinforce Canada's claim to the far Northern territory - was cut short due to weather complications.

The Rangers had been delayed in Resolute due to whiteout conditions.

Lacorne said he wasn't disappointed that the mission was scaled back.

"It was just something that we couldn't fight against," he said. "We let nature take its course."

- with files from Lisa Scott