Ten strangers unite to tackle a spectacular wilderness expedition. They will travel 750 miles of the historic fur trade route the York Factory Express, from British Columbia to the shores of the Hudson Bay.
Heading into their first portage, the brigade tests their strength and skill in a dangerous face-off with the swift current on the Columbia River. A menacing logjam on Wood River forces the brigade to confront a growing crisis of leadership.
Faced with a grueling upstream fight against the glacier-fed current of the Wood River and a back-breaking uphill hike through the rugged Rocky Mountains, the brigade struggles to keep pace.
The brigade descend the Athabasca Pass as they struggle with a loss, the threat of bears, and new injuries.
The brigade’s teamwork is tested when the rough waters of the Athabasca River cause their canoes to capsize.
Fourteen days into their race, with their energy reserves drained and food rations diminished, the brigade is on a mission to find new ways of conserving energy, supplementing their diet, and keeping morale up.
The Brigade must contend with a crack in their voyageur canoe in preparation for an epic lake crossing and the most dangerous stretch of rapids.
Stormy weather and a miscalculated move bring the expedition to a halt. With only three days remaining in the race for $500,000, it’s down to the wire as the brigade faces the last stretch of rapids and a marathon paddle.