Alexander Mackenzie: The Race to the Pacific

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One of the most compelling episodes in the series recounts the journey of Alexander Mackenzie, the Scottish fur trader and explorer who became the first European to cross the North American continent to reach the Pacific Ocean in 1793. Gough explores Mackenzie’s grueling expedition up the Peace and Fraser Rivers and his ultimate arrival at the Pacific—years before Lewis and Clark. The podcast highlights Mackenzie’s indigenous guides, his struggles with the rugged terrain, and the significance of his achievement in opening trade routes for the North West Company.