Sask. protesters brave extreme cold on long walk to Standing Rock

Through freezing winds and extreme cold temperatures, a group of pipeline protesters are on a 1,400-kilometre trekfrom northern Saskatchewan to Standing Rock, North Dakota.

• Standing Rock protesters celebrate 'big victory' as pipeline construction halted
• Saskatoon protesters say Dakota Access pipeline would have consequences for Saskatchewan

The group arrived in Saskatoon on Tuesday, 18 days and about 460 kilometres after they started their journey in Stanley Mission, Sask.

Ricky Sanderson said his group was raising awareness about pipelines for youth and future generations.

He felt compelled to act when he saw the events at Standing Rock on social media.

"I started seeing a lot of things on Facebook that really scared me a lot, and then I couldn't stand sitting around at home watching this happen, so I just came up with a walk," said Sanderson.

The group started their journey before the Department of the Army announced it would not allow the Dakota Access Pipeline to be built under Lake Oahe, a Missouri River reservoir nearthe Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.

For months, thousands of people had descended upon a handful of camps in the area to voice opposition to the pipeline, which they said threatened drinking water and would harm sacred sites.

Ricky Sanderson said protecting water was also his reason for walking to Standing Rock.

"This walk's for our future generations, for the water, because the water is really important to us because it's a sacred thing to our lives," said Sanderson.