The Great Portage, "La Grande Traverse" was the one of the two major portages on the fur trading route from York Factory on Hudson Bay to the mouth of the Columbia River on the west coast. From 1811 onwards for almost fifty years, this was a key route traveled twice a year by Canadian fur trading expeditions.
In Part 3, Dr. Peter Murphy describes the trips of fur traders and adventurers who travelled the Great Portage (La Grande Traverse) from Jasper House on the Athabasca River up through the Athabasca Pass to the Big Bend on the Columbia River. He then describes in detail the steps on the route of La Grande Traverse with photos and airphotos. Remnants of the trail can be found throughout Jasper National Park. Dr. Murphy describes what he has found in his research for the actual path of the La Grande Traverse.
Dr. Peter Murphy is Professor Emeritus, Forestry, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta. He is a co-author of "A Hard Road to Travel", about the land, forests and people of the upper Athabasca River from Hinton, Alberta to Jasper National Park. His presentation was the evening keynote address at the 2013 Forest History Association of Alberta annual general meeting, March 2013.
This video is part 3 of 5.
