<
 
 
 
 
×
>
hide You are viewing an archived web page collected at the request of University of Alberta using Archive-It. This page was captured on 16:44:07 Dec 08, 2010, and is part of the HCF Alberta Online Encyclopedia collection. The information on this web page may be out of date. See All versions of this archived page. Loading media information
 
   
 
 

AlbertaSource.ca
 
 

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
 
 

Portage

Portage: A way or path by land at an interruption in a water route. During the fur trade era until the beginning of the 20th century explorers, fur traders, voyageurs and natives all traveled via water routes across North America. When there was a land break between two different water systems, these early travelers would have to "portage" or carry their cargo and boat or canoe by foot across land to the next waterway. On a long portage voyageurs would often use packhorses to carry heavier cargo.