Ray leaves his life in Lower Mainland, B.C. in 1965 at the age of 20 to establish himself in the North as a property assessor. Embarking on a series of reconnaissance missions through the region’s remote, rugged terrain, Ray is driven to build a fly-fishing and guide outfitting business to bring others to this incredible land.

Teaming up with his brothers, Ron and Reg, with the guidance of his First Nations colleagues, Ray takes on the challenges of the wilderness business—from skinning a caribou to obtaining his pilot’s license—nearly losing his life to the perils of the wild at each turn. Flying over vast alpine meadows, rolling grasslands, and the winding Stikine, Ray marvels at the teeming herds of caribou and moose below, but over the years they gradually fade away.

Others, too, have their eye on Spatsizi, including industry giants, the B.C. government, and Greenpeace. When Greenpeace fails to see Ray’s conservation approach for the Spatsizi wildlife in 1979, a dangerous encounter escalates into a contentious court battle. And just as the dust settles in the Collingwood vs Greenpeace media storm, a tragedy strikes that deeply impacts the Collingwood family.

Amidst a lifetime of sacrifice just to be able to live and work in Spatsizi, Ray fights for the land up to his last breath. Beyond the Spatsizi Sky is the story of some of the last untouched wilderness on Earth and the man who would do anything to protect it, even when vilified for trying to destroy it.