elder zeitgeist mike
Thankfully, I know a thing or two about surviving—and even thriving—in extreme conditions and the remote bush of our vast, rugged Canadian landscape. Having spent my young’un days working as a professional back-country mountain guide and wilderness survival trainer, I learned early on how to read the lands & waters, manage risk, and respect the elements.
I spent years working the mighty BC Fraser River as a tugboat captain, specializing in challenging, high-stakes / high-value log salvaging operations. That gruelling marine work was a masterclass in reading treacherous and shifting currents, navigating unpredictable waters, and maintaining absolute mental grit under intense pressure.
The Professional Grind, 20 Years of Operations. Beyond the wilderness and the water, I’ve spent the last two decades in the world of independent hospitality. As a hands-on entrepreneur, I’ve owned and operated several small-scale restaurants, a couple of remote resorts, and a small boutique hotel. This wasn't about the glitz; it was about the daily grind of management, complex logistics, and leading teams through the unpredictable. These twenty years of business ownership provided the financial discipline and operational "hustle" required to manage a mission of this scale. I’m bringing that same executive grit to this $1,000,000 expedition—ensuring that every moving part of this journey is handled with the precision and accountability it deserves.
While my life has been spent mastering the land and the river, I only truly began perfecting the art of sailing this past summer 2026. This chapter is a deliberate part of the mission: I want to showcase exactly what we elders are capable of when given the opportunity, respect, and dignity we deserve. It is proof that our capacity for growth doesn't have an expiry date.
Now, as I plan my 6 months elder solo expedition for 2027, I realize just how much that unique combination of deep mountain wisdom and river intuition fits right into my elder wheelhouse. Youth often relies on raw horsepower, but this upcoming journey is all about pacing, earned intuition, and the seasoned expertise of someone who has already proven they can handle whatever the Canadian wilderness throws their way
and yes,…maybe some dumb luck too…
THE NAVIGATOR’S WHEELHOUSE
Mountain Wisdom:
Professional back-country guide and wilderness survival trainer with decades
of experience reading the land and managing risk.Marine Grit:
Former Fraser River tugboat captain specializing in high-stakes,
high-value log salvaging in treacherous waters.Entrepreneurial Grit:
Two decades as a successful hotelier - restaurateur, mastering the complex
logistics of finance, management, and high-performance teams.Lifelong Growth:
Started perfecting the art of sailing at age 65 to prove that the capacity
for growth and audacity has no expiry date.Earned Intuition:
A 6-month solo expedition fuelled by seasoned expertise and the mental grit
required to survive the Canadian Arctic wilderness.Dignity in Motion:
Embarking on this 7,000nm journey to showcase the untapped potential, respect,
and dignity that our elders deserve.