The Meanest Link Canoe Route

In the fall of 2004, the first attempt to do the route as a single continuous loop trip was accomplished. Up until then, no one had attempted the Huntsville/Brent leg, let alone the entire route. The Huntsville/Brent section goes up the Big East River to Algonquin Park’s western boundary, up the edge via McCraney, Rain, Ralph Bice and Big Bob lakes to the Nipissing River, then down "the Nip” to Cedar Lake and the Brent Store. This is a TOUGH section. Except as a spring whitewater run, the Big East is rarely travelled upstream of the Williamsport Road bridge. Will Lougheed and Randy Pielsticker tried to complete the whole loop in early November 2004 but had to cut their trip short due to bad weather, low water and the fact that they were running out of food. Given the marginal weather, short days, unknown terrain on the Big East River and challenging conditions in general, their accomplishment is significant.

In June of 2005, four determined young women quietly booked time off work, planned, packed and started paddling from Oxtongue Lake. Fifteen days later, Janet Thomas, Jaime Capell, Sarah Strickland and Leah Sanders became the first party to complete "the Full Link” as a continuous canoe trip. Their timing was chosen to give them ideal water levels, at the cost of travelling in peak black-fly season. For the full story of the Meanest Link and a detailed account of their trip, as written by Huntsville writer Don McCormick, please start at “Meanest Link, part one” on our blog and go from there. Since then, many staff members have done sections of the Meanest Link, more Full Links have been completed and, best of all, participation in the Meanest Link has extended beyond Algonquin Outfitters staff to include customers, friends and Full Link groups from Camp Pathfinder.

In June of 2008, Will Lougheed and Chris Bosworth set out to become the second group to complete the full link. Leaving in early June, Will and Chris gave themselves 14 days and two food drops to complete the trip. Their dear friend Clarke Wallace passed away the day before the trip, so the carbon/Kevlar Mattawa canoe (made by Swift) the duo used was named C.W. 1 in his memory and the trip was dedicated to him.

With Clarke looking on from above, the waters stayed calm, the weather clear and the trip was very positive overall. Will and Chris travelled an average of 14 hours a day under gruelling conditions, experiencing sunstroke and a bit of footrot. However, their determination overcame all adversity and they completed the Link in just nine days. The time they set is a record that proved hard to beat! Chris and Will have vowed that, should their record ever be beaten, they would do the trip again but, this time, do it in old-school tripping fashion with cedar-canvas canoes, canvas packs and only gear that was used the year the company was founded, 1961.

You can even join the Meanest Link community on Facebook!