It was the longest portage in the fur trade. Twenty kilometeres of trail hacked out of a rough and unforgiving terrain. The men who worked this route performed Herculean feats of strength and some carried over 200 pounds of supplies and fur on their way towards the Clearwater River. By 1850, when packhorses were being used, this route had become a veritable Trans Canada Highway of the 1800s. Today it is still a tough challenge for modern adventurers.