longest and toughest
WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST TEAMS to sign up for the inaugural running of the Muskoka River X, touted as the world’s longest and toughest single day canoe race. Its 24-hour deadline makes it an event like no other. The math is simple: Just keep up
a five-and-a-half kilometer per hour pace to finish in time. The reality is more difficult—the 130-kilometer route tracks across four lakes, two river systems and six kilometers of portag- es. It translates into 23,466 strokes at three meters per stroke, through large, exposed lakes and remote river wa- terways. Navigating portages, rapids, waterfalls, chutes and gravel bars with only map and compass are necessary skills; all the better if you can do them in the dark, without sleep. Leaving from the picturesque town
of Huntsville on the morning of Sep- tember 14, racers first crossed a series of
lakes, including the notoriously
rough Lake of Bays, to reach the South Muskoka River and the town of Brace- bridge. By that time, most competitors were paddling into the sunset and the final leg of the loop, upstream on the North Muskoka River, was completed in total darkness. “Muskoka was the perfect place,” says
race co-director Rob Horton. “Its combi- nation of history and accessible wilder- ness made it perfect for a race route.” The area is quintessential cottage
country. Muskoka chairs line the shore- line and canoes have a rich history here. I’m familiar with the area, having mapped it out for a book I wrote about local canoe routes a dozen years ago. The local routes were the hunting
grounds for First Nations communities long before the coureur de bois ar- rived. The river systems afforded access deep into the interior, and explorers like David Thompson navigated them on his way west. In the early 20th century, the re-
source-rich area was a mecca for log- gers, who plied the thick forests for gi- ant pine to ship south and hemlock to float down to the mills to feed the bur- geoning tanning industry. Look closely, and you can still see some remnants of industry along the shoreline, mooring anchors in rock and felled trees be- neath crystal blue waters.
www.canoerootsmag.com | 45
PHOTO: COURTESY RICH SWIFT / ALGONQUIN OUTFITTERS
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