During the spring and summer of 2022, I am planning a 1,500 mile (2,414km) kayak expedition from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, to York Factory, Manitoba, Canada. This expedition will take me from urban city, to sprawling midwestern prairies and farmland, up to the Canadian backcountry, and into the sub-arctic taiga along the Hudson Bay. My route will cross through 3 US states (Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota), and travel most of the length of the Canadian province of Manitoba.
About The Trip
Historically, the book “Canoeing with the Cree” is the first documented recollection of this trip. Eric Sevareid and Walter C. Port completed their trip in 1930, following the historic fur-trading routes of the Hudson Bay Company. While important in the fur trade industry, this area also has a very rich indigenous history. Many lakes and rivers span across northern Manitoba, all emptying out into the Hudson Bay. Sevareid and Port chose to use the God’s River to traverse northern Manitoba.
Seventy eight years later, in 2008, Sean Bloomfield and Colton Witte followed their historic route to the Hudson Bay in a canoe. They started in Chaska, Minnesota, and took a northern variation of the trip, using the Hayes River to reach York Factory. The God’s River is a tributary to the Hayes, so they eventually combine about 56 miles (90 km) before the Hudson Bay. Together, they authored their book, “Adventure North”, recapping their expedition.
Natalie Warren and Ann Raiho were the first two women to complete this trip, reaching the Hudson Bay by canoe in 2011. They also took the Hayes River to the bay. Natalie has since written a wonderful book “Hudson Bay Bound” to commemorate their expedition.
Aside from these three recollections, I have not found any other documented expeditions following roughly the same route. There are a few recollections of canoers paddling from the Great Lakes or Boundary Waters to the Hudson Bay. I occasionally see social media posts of kayakers or canoers completing smaller segments of the trip, but not the whole thing.
In 2022, I will be the first to complete this trip solo, and by kayak.
A Little Delay…
My original plan was to complete this trip in the spring and summer of 2021. However, due to the pandemic raging on, the Canadian border remained closed until August. At that point, I should have been well into Northern Manitoba. I chose to postpone until 2022 so that I could complete the trip as a whole.
I hope to document my kayak expedition on Expedition Alpine, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. My route passes through an area of the country that is not well known for outdoor recreation (aside from hunting and fishing). This, coupled with the relatively low population, makes it hard to find relevant information for conditions on the trip. I hope to help build a better idea of what this region holds for outdoor enthusiasts.
Along the way, I hope to promote environmental conservation. These waterways are the livelihood for so many communities, industries, and farms along the way, which are responsible for feeding and fueling much of the United States. Our care of these lakes and rivers has a literal ripple effect downstream, with waters flowing to both the Gulf and the Arctic. Countless indigenous communities live along these waters in the northern half of my trip.
Coming soon!
I’m excited to finally be approaching the start date for this kayak expedition. While there’s still some concerns regarding the pandemic, I feel things are much more stable. I am actively preparing for a spring 2022 start date! I’m working on wrapping up final gear selection, honing in on the specific maps I want to bring with me, and learning the ins and outs of all of my electronics that will be coming with me to support and document my trip.
I am actively working on securing partnerships with organizations and groups along the way. As I confirm more details, I will announce them to you! I will also be posting more videos about my planning and packing.
