An all-female team known as the “Hudson Bay Girls” is more than a month into a self-supported 1,900km kayaking expedition from Grand Portage on Lake Superior to York Factory on Hudson Bay.
Their route follows traditional waterways first traveled by the Anishinaabe people, and later used by French fur traders in the 18th and 19th centuries to connect remote trading posts across the Canadian wilderness.
The journey, expected to take 85 days, began at the end of May with a challenging 13km portage, known locally as “Grand Portage.” From there, the team paddled 400km through the pristine Boundary Waters wilderness area, which is threatened by proposed mining projects.
Paddling in the Boundary Waters. Photo: Hudson Bay Girls
Building on experience
The team has plenty of paddling and wilderness experience, having collectively paddled over 6,400km. The foursome of Olivia Bledsoe, Emma Brackett, Abby Cichocki, and Helena Karlstrom has varied backgrounds, including roles as wilderness canoe guides, wilderness medical technicians, and trail maintenance foremen in the Boundary Waters and Quetico Provincial Park.
Olivia Bedsoe (front), Helena Karlstrom (middle), and Abby Cichoki (back). Photo: Hudson Bay Girls
The Route Ahead
Recently, the expedition passed through Voyageurs National Park. They stopped to resupply at the city of International Falls, Minnesota, which straddles the U.S and Canada border. The next leg of their journey involves paddling north across Lake of the Woods, a vast body of water notable for its thousands of islands and indigenous heritage.
A rough illustration of the route. Image: Hudson Bay Girls
Following Lake of the Woods, the team will navigate the 240km Winnipeg River. From there, they’ll paddle along the eastern shores of Lake Winnipeg for three to four weeks, likely contending with shallow waters and large swells.
The Hudson Bay Girls are determined to complete their journey. Photo: Hudson Bay Girls
The expedition’s final stretch is the 480km Hayes River, a Canadian Heritage River historically used by the Hudson Bay Company as a key trading route. The river transitions dramatically from boreal forest to sub-arctic tundra and is home to several Cree communities.
All being well, the Hudson Bay Girls’ journey will culminate at York Factory — a historically significant trading post pivotal to Canada’s fur trade era — in Hudson Bay.
York Factory, now a Canadian National Historic Site. Photo: Wikipedia
