CANOEING THE CHURCHILL:
A Practical Guide to the Historic Voyageur Highway

by Greg Marchildon and Sid Robinson
Canadian Plains Research Center, soft cover, 477 pages, $29.95

Canoeing the Churchill: A Practical Guide to the Historic Voyageur Highway is the third book in the "Discover Saskatchewan" series. True to the series designation, the book is an invaluable resource for canoeists and future explorers of northern Saskatchewan. Inspired by the physical beauty of the area and the historical accounts of the fur trade route left behind by traders and explorers, authors Sid Robinson and Greg Marchildon canoed the length of the entire Saskatchewan-portion of the old fur trade highway. Observations and personal experiences on the original trip in summer of 1986 set the basis for the book. They followed the original trek with shorter trips in later years, and together with comprehensive research and presentation of historic data, the authors created this remarkable guide.

The introductory chapter provides practical information for adventurers preparing for a canoe expedition along the old voyageur highway. The historic route includes the most spectacular stretches of river systems in Saskatchewan, from the Alberta border to the Manitoba border: Clearwater River, upper Churchill River, and the Sturgeon-weir River near Cumberland House.

Chapter two surveys the Aboriginal and fur trade history along the route, along with biographical sketches of the earliest European settlers. The remaining chapters provide a detailed guide and canoeing advice for the entire route. This very detailed and practical part of the book is rich in historical information about the fur trade route, and will delight not only an avid canoeist, but a history aficionado as well.

Canoeing the Churchill can be purchased in selected bookstores, or by contacting the publisher; Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina, Regina, Sask. S4S 0A2 (phone: 306-585-4758, e-mail: canadian.plains@uregina.ca, or through web site www.cprc.ca)