Peter Pond and the Mythic Methye Portage
At an overgrown landing in a small cove not far from the Saskatchewan-Alberta border, Clearwater River runners will encounter a path leading steeply up to a forested ridge. A short hike into the woodland above reveals an historic trail. Worn down by the feet of countless aboriginal hunters, voyageurs, pack horses and moose, and deeply rutted by the wheels of fur-laden ox-carts, the route extends 20 kilometres over a pine and spruce-covered sandy ridge.

The legendary Methye Portage (also known as Portage La Loche) spans a plateau separating the Clearwater River from Lac La Loche, and marks a continental divide between the Churchill and Athabasca-Mackenzie river systems. In 1778, this short stretch of land became one of the busiest hubs of the 19th century fur trade, opening up the rich fur country of the North West to the merchants of Montreal.

Ancient Pathway to the West: The portage was no secret to First Nations tribes, who had followed its path since ancient times. But it was a revelation to Peter Pond, a maverick New England fur trader who had joined forces with other independent traders in an effort to bypass the fur monopoly of the Hudson's Bay Company.

In the spring of 1778, Pond and his 5-canoe party of "free trader" voyageurs slipped past Hudson Bay Company-controlled Fort Cumberland, on the Saskatchewan River. They began a perilous, difficult and uncharted journey through the chain of lakes and rapids that made up the Sturgeon-Weir River, and the Churchill River. Eventually reaching Lac La Loche, the Pond struggled on through a winding creek to a sandy ridge, spurred on by the assurances of knowledgeable aboriginal guides, who advised him that the portage would lead to a westward flowing river.

When he traversed the plateau and looked out over the waters of the Clearwater River, Peter Pond became the first white man known to have crossed from the Hudson's Bay watershed to the Arctic river system.

North West Company Advantage: Peter Pond's discovery of a western water route put an abrupt end to the Hudson Bay Company's longstanding fur trading monopoly. Since the Company's "Rupert's Land" trading rights extended only to lands draining into Hudson's Bay, Peace River-Athabasca Country became fair game for rival fur traders. Pond himself continued immediately down the Clearwater to the Athabasca, stopping just short of Lake Athabasca to build a trading post.

As free traders gradually coalesced into the Montreal-based North West Company, the Methye Portage became a valuable advantage over the rival Hudson's Bay Company. For the next 40 years, the portage was the only overland connection between east and west. During its hundred years of active use, thousands of tonnes of furs were hauled up the steep embankment that bordered the Clearwater River, and carried south to the ragged chain of lakes and rivers that led to the eastward-flowing Churchill River.

Ferrying Furs: The trip along the portage was long and arduous, requiring many stops, but the exorbitant value of the pelts provided ample incentive. Initially, Cree porters where hired to carry the heavy packs, but horses and ox carts were eventually pressed into service. When the North West Company merged with the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821, freight volumes carried along the portage increased, with cargo ferried from one York boat to another.

The portage was used continually until 1886, when it was replaced by an alternate route from Edmonton north to Athabasca Landing.

Explorer Entryway: In addition to furs, the Methye Portage also carried a steady stream of explorers, adventurers and entrepreneurs. Among the notable figures that crossed the ridge were David Thompson, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, Sir John Franklin and Sir George Simpson.

Today, the historic trail is marked by a National Historic Plaque which commemorates its role as a major doorway to the west.

The North West Company: Fur Trading Upstart
The fledgling alliance of fur traders and Montreal merchants that sent Peter Pond into the uncharted waters of the Northwest was born of a bitter rivalry with the Hudson's Bay Company. Prior to 1783, the group was a loose conglomeration of French and Scottish merchants and voyageurs, all seeking to operate independently of the English-dominated Rupert's Land monopoly.

McTavish and Mackenzie: When a group of Montreal merchants under the leadership of Simon McTavish officially created the North West Company in 1783, they met with opposition from another independent firm, Gregory and McLeod. The two companies finally merged in 1787, but dissension continued to plague the young business. Sir Alexander Mackenzie, McTavish's partner, broke away to form yet another rival, the XY Company. Mackenzie reunited with the North West Company when McTavish died in 1804.

In addition to finding an overland route to the waterways of the west, the North West Company also expanded into the United States. The Southwest Company, established by American businessman John Jacob Astor, was at various times a rival and an ally, and led to North West Company interests on the Pacific Northwest coast.

Union of the Rivals: By 1810, rivalry between the North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company had become bitter and sometimes violent. Years of conflict, including tragic confrontations with Lord Selkirk's Red River settlers, eventually led to the absorption of the North West Company by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1821.

A Lingering Legacy: In spite of its stormy history and often dubious business practices, the adventurous spirit which characterized the North West Company led to some of the greatest exploration expeditions of the era. Alexander Mackenzie's voyages to the Arctic and the Pacific and David Thompson's surveys of the west were all carried out in the course of North West Company business.