Lars Thorbjørn Monsen is a Sámi

Sami people

The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...

-Norwegian adventurer and journalist, famous for his exploration

Exploration

Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...

s and backpacking

Backpacking (wilderness)

Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...

 expeditions in harsh wilderness. In particular, he became especially known for his thru-hiking

Thru-hiking

Thru-hiking is the process of hiking a long-distance trail from end to end. The term is most commonly associated with the Appalachian Trail, but is also used for other lengthy trails and long distance hikes, including the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. Thru-hiking is also...

 trip in northern Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 and Alaska

Alaska

Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...

, which was filmed and documented by Monsen himself, and then broadcast on NRK in 2005. He spent 2 years and 7 months on this trip alone.

In 2010 Monsen was expedition leader for the Norwegian program "Ingen Grenser" which is a remake of BBC

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

s Beyond Boundaries

Beyond Boundaries

Beyond Boundaries is a documentary series produced by Diverse Bristol for BBC Two. Each series follows a team of physically disabled adventurers as they take on some of the toughest expeditions on the Planet under the guidance of ex-SAS Major Ken Hames....

.