In preparation for my 2022 Hudson Bay Expedition, I looked for all the information I could find about my route. I managed to find three books following almost identical plans to mine. There is also a variety of other books with unique variations of the trip, some starting at the Great Lakes or in the Boundary Waters. Each recollection I found had vastly different experiences on their journeys, and all worked to show pieces of the history and culture that exist along the way.
There are a few variations of the full trip. On Lake Winnipeg, one can travel either side of the south basin. Additionally, there’s a few options for rivers in northern Manitoba, which all run parallel to each other to the Hudson Bay. Each option has its pros and cons for travelers. I plan to travel on the western side of the South Basin, cross the Narrows, and follow the eastern side of the North Basin. I will use the Echimamish and Hayes Rivers to reach the Hudson Bay.
Canoeing with the Cree
By Eric Sevareid
Eric Sevareid and Walter C. Port embarked on their 1930 trip to the Hudson Bay when they were fresh out of high school. Their route took them 2,250 miles (3,621 km) from Fort Snelling State Park in St. Paul, Minnesota, to York Factory, Manitoba, via the God’s River. Much of their journey followed the historic Hudson Bay Company fur-trading routes through the region, which also have rich indigenous history.
While the information would likely be dated, I felt it was necessary to begin my research and planning here, where it all started. This book is a coming-of-age story that is regularly read in midwestern schools. Sevareid’s recollection would be a very different experience from any future books, as York Factory was still functioning as a trading outpost at the time with an established, year-round community still living there. This would all change in 1957, almost three decades after their trip, when York Factory closed and the community was relocated to York Landing.
This book allows readers to live through an incredible journey in some of the “last wilderness” left in the world. It also periodically mentions conservation and preservation of our wild lands, as well as stark cultural differences between Sevareid’s home town and the indigenous communities they visited along the way.
You can get your copy of Canoeing with the Cree here.
Adventure North
By Sean Bloomfield
Sean Bloomfield and Colton Witte launched for their trip in 2008. Their route took them from Chaska, Minnesota, to York Factory, Manitoba, and used the Hayes river to get to the Bay. Just like Sevareid and Port, these two started their journey right out of high school. They accelerated their studies and graduated early to leave for their trip.
This book was the first modern recollection of this paddling route. It also was an early-season trip where the boys moved very quickly, launching in late April and taking only 49 days to get to the Bay! They moved so fast that they went from spring weather back into winter conditions as they traveled north.
You can get your copy of Adventure North here.
Hudson Bay Bound
By Natalie Warren
Natalie Warren and Ann Raiho were the first two women to accomplish this route in 2011. Unlike the previous trips, they left for theirs after graduating from college. Warren and Raiho took what is becoming the traditional route, starting at Fort Snelling and using the Hayes river to get to the Bay.
Warren gives a fresh view on this classic trip, focusing on both environmental and societal impacts of the local communities on the watershed. Her analysis shows a very woman-centric view of the river and nature, and explains how that impacts its conservation. Additionally, she brushes on some of the issues that the First Nation communities in the north face.
You can get your copy of Hudson Bay Bound here.
