The Brigade: Race to the Hudson

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, padding dangerous waterways and hiking and portaging over punishing terrain. The team must complete their journey in only 28 days if they hope to share in a $500,000 cash prize. kwadventure

Heading into their first portage, the brigade test 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. In a hasty effort to make up lost time, a key member of the team suffers serious injury.

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. Suffering from a crisis in leadership and divided on how to deal with an injured teammate, they're forced to confront difficult decisions that threaten to break them apart.

The brigade descend the Athabasca Pass as they struggle with a loss, the threat of bears, and new injuries. A turbulent river forces the brigade into packrafts for a downstream stretch of the race that puts everyone in harm’s way and tests the unity of the team.

The brigade’s teamwork is tested when the rough waters of the Athabasca River cause their canoes to capsize. Having completed the mountainous western section of the race, the brigade sets off into the rugged and remote wilderness of Northeastern Manitoba. Long days on the water navigating the complex tangles of river channels and beaver dams, and a grueling portage around Robinson Falls, bring the

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. Their whitewater skills are put to the test as they navigate a series of intense downstream rapids in their 29 foot 2500 lbs voyageur canoe, following the ebbs and flows of the Hayes River,

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. With time a constant pressure and the threat of failure looming, a storm threatens to freeze one of the brigade members. The team receives a surprise from home.

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 to the finish line at York Factory - a historic fur trading post on the shores of Hudson Bay.