FOR HISTORIAN ATHLETES​ AND VOYAGEUR PHILOSOPHERS

- this event is 'by invitation only'  

   (please contact us for an invite)

- Saturday, November 1, 2025

​Davenportage

  • meet at Étienne Brûlé Park at 12:00 am for a 12:30 pm departure
  • bring your own canoe or we'll try to find you one
  • come alone or as a team, but let us know
  • wear tasteful, culturally sensitive clothing that speaks to you and your heritage or Canadiana
  • carry as much stuff as possible, ideally of historical significance to you or to the history of portages, or food to drop off at the Yorkville Fire Station; the heavier the better
  • bring a positive attitude - participating in this portage is not rational and can be very challenging, particularly if it is windy or if your canoe is waterlogged.  But if you can endure some misery you may find it very rewarding.


For those of you that are unable to make sensible choices: 
Meet at the Evergreen Brickworks at 6:30 am (or at the Keating Channel Pub & Grill depending on water levels) and paddle your canoe 18 km (down the Don, across the lake, and up the Humber) to the start of Davenportage.  

  • intermediate/advanced canoeing skills are required
  • paddlers should bring a change of clothes
  • paddlers may bring their own canoes
  • canoes need to equipped with mandatory safety gear including a whistle, bailer, life jacket for each paddler, extra paddle, and rope etc. (all of which we can provide). Hazmat suits should be considered for the Don River section!
  • bring a positive attitude and sunscreen - this can be a very challenging, dangerous paddle to complete.  The difficulty is weather dependent.  Some years we have to drive most of the course, others it can be a relaxing way to get a late year tan.  In 2016, 36% of participants ended up in the water, DNF'd, or both; The water will be very cold.
  • paddlers are expected to complete Davenportage


For idiot savant athletes: 
For those individuals who can differentiate between wisdom and foolishness but chose foolishness, meet at the base of the communications tower on the north side of Roselawn just west of Avenue Road (near Allenby School) at 3:50 am for 15-20 km of running to start your 50 km day.

  • on paper this is a relatively easy 15-20 km as it is mostly downhill; but we decided to run the single track trails that go up and down the sides of the ravines at night making it much harder and more dangerous (think ankle injuries and/or falls into the unknown); it would be quite scenic if it wasn't pitch black.
  • there are no aid stations along the route and again, lots of places to twist an ankle or two; giving up due to fatigue or pain means you are on your own
  • head lamps are mandatory.  Running without one is insane (I say that from experience).
  • runners are expected to complete Davenportage
  • if you've read this far, you probably have a very positive attitude and are pretty much guaranteed to have a good time, even if you suffer a catastrophic injury

Particulars

Starting from Étienne Brûlé Park, you will carry heavy, historically important (to you) stuff, and/or food to be dropped off at the Yorkville Fire Station, and help carry a canoe along the Davenport Trail.  The route we follow runs north along the Humber River then turns east at Lambton Park on what used to be a sand bank in Lake Iroquois.  Further east the 'trail' meets the ancient shoreline of Lake Iroquois and follows it east crossing Garrison and Taddle Creeks.  The trail then follows Yellow Creek down to the Brickworks.


If you are feeling more energetic, join us early either near the Brickworks [and paddle down the Don River] or at Keating Channel, to paddle along Toronto's waterfront and up the Humber River to the start of the portage. The actual starting point of the paddle will be determined the evening before the event!  


If you really want to punish yourself, or are looking for a way to earn the Order of Canada but don't have any other realistic avenues to do so, notify your next of kin and then join us way before sunrise just south of Allenby School for a run through forested ravines to the start of the paddle.  You may get very wet, muddy, injured, and/or stoked!

2025 Davenportage Route

Key:

     Green - Davenportage route: meet at Étienne Brûlé Park at 

                    12:00 am for a brief introduction and the 12:30 pm start                          of the 17 km portage

     Blue - Pre-Portage Paddle route:  meet at the Brickworks at                             6:30 am for the 18 km paddle to the start of Davenportage                     (or if conditions require, meet a little later at the Keating                         Channel Pub and Grill!)

     Yellow - Pre-Paddle Run route: meet at 3:45 am for a 15 km run                           through the woods to the start of the Paddle