The crew of explorers is selected, and they begin the first week of their journey facing the same hardships the original crew would have had to deal with in 1840s Canada.
The explorers begin the task of rowing the York boat to Hudson Bay under the hot summer sun, finally arriving at the Cree community of Norway House at the top of Lake Winnipeg.
Setting out into the northern wilderness, the adventurers fight their way past the beaver dams and leech-filled sloughs on the Echimamish River. But on finally reaching the 1,600-meter Robinson Portage, the group's spirit is tested by a torrential downpour of rain.
The team reaches the magnificent Hayes River, but rapids with razor-sharp rocks damage the boat and a struggle for the leadership breaks out.
The team is still 180 miles from York Factory, but their boat has been destroyed, the arctic cold is closing in, and their food is running low. They must battle illness and distrust to complete their quest to relive the epic journey of the Hudson's Bay fur traders.