Brigade retraces trek of David Thompson

A dedicated brigade of 100 paddlers are headed our way.

The paddlers crossed the Canada-United States border on the Koocanusa Reservoir at the 49th parallel on Tuesday.

They are following in the footsteps or paddle strokes of legendary surveyor, map maker and Northwest Company explorer David Thompson.

The Brigade begins its trek on June 3 in Invermere, British Columbia and arrives in Astoria, Oregon 45 days later.

Organized by the David Thompson Columbia Brigade, this expedition will paddle over 1,800 km (1100 miles) in large 7.2 meter (25 foot) voyageur canoes, visiting 35 communities along the way while sharing the spirit of the fur trade adventurers.

2011 marks the 200th anniversary of David Thompson’s historic survey of the Columbia River.

In 1811 David Thompson completed a survey which enabled him to map the length of the Columbia River from its source to the Pacific Ocean. Thompson played a key role in setting the 49th parallel as the Canada US Boundary.

One of the highlights of this trip will be crossing the Canada-United States border on the Koocanusa Reservoir at the 49th parallel.

Joining the Brigade at the crossing will be International Boundary Commissioners Peter Sullivan (Canada) and Kyle Hipsley (United States). The commissioners will also unveil a commemorative plaque recognizing the contribution of David Thompson to the exploration and mapping of North America.

Thompson was born 1770 in England, practically orphaned at two years old and entered the Grey Coat School in London at age seven. He was only 14 years when apprenticed to the Hudson’s Bay Company and landed in Hudson’s Bay in 1784.

He would never return to England. At the age of 17, he spent the winter with the Peigan Indians near Minnesota.

In the winter of 1788 he suffered a badly broken leg. This resulted in a long convalescence in which he learned practical astronomy (an early definition of surveying) from the Hudson’s Bay Company’s chief surveyor and astronomer, Philip Turnor.

Shortly after learning surveying, he left the employ of the Hudson’s Bay Company and joined the rival North West Company, largely because they encouraged his passion for surveying and mapping. His travels over much of North America between1784 and 1812 covered more than 4 million square kilometers (1,544,408 square miles) of wilderness and allowed him to produce his famous “Great Map” of northern North America.