Exploration

Canada’s 90 Greatest Explorers: Human limits

Part of our roundup of 90 of Canada’s greatest explorers, these eight explorers pushed their physical and mental limits in pursuit of knowledge and to inspire others
  • Jan 27, 2020
  • 808 words
  • 4 minutes
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SIMON FRASER
1776-1862 | St. Andrews West, Ont. 

Charted much of B.C., and descended the perilous Fraser River with voyageurs and Indigenous guides while seeking new trade routes to the Pacific — a journey still considered one of the greatest feats in European exploration. 

CHIC SCOTT (FRCGS)
1945- | Banff, Alta. 

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International mountaineering great, guide and historian. He was the first Canadian to break into the international climbing scene, guiding in the Alps, and later made many Canadian first ascents and major ski traverses in the Rockies and Columbia Mountains. 

RAY ZAHAB (FRCGS)
1969- | Chelsea, Que. 

Global adventurer and ultramarathoner who has run more than 14,000 km through the world’s most extreme environments, including the Sahara and Gobi deserts, Antarctica, Lake Baikal and Baffin Island. His foundation impossible2Possible harnesses “adventure learning” to empower and educate youth. 

LAVAL ST. GERMAIN (FRCGS)
1968- | Calgary

Mountaineer and endurance adventurer: climbed the Seven Summits and the highest peaks of almost 20 countries; was the first Canadian to climb Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen; and set the speed record for rowing solo across the Atlantic Ocean (53 days). 

GEORGE KOUROUNIS (FRCGS)
1970- | Toronto 

George Kourounis Ambrym volcano Expand Image

Storm chaser and Angry Planet host who specializes in documenting natural disasters and extreme weather all over the globe, including Kansas tornadoes, Gulf of Mexico hurricanes, B.C. forest fires and an erupting volcano in Vanuatu. 

SIMON DONATO (FRCGS)
1976- | Canmore, Alta.

Ultra-endurance athlete, geologist, television host and founder of Adventure Science, which combines ultra-endurance athletics and field-based research such as health studies and large-scale archeological searches. 

MYLÈNE PAQUETTE (FRCGS)
1978- | Montreal 

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Ocean navigator and the first North American to row solo across the North Atlantic (a more than four-month journey) in the more difficult west-to-east direction. She is a member of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps. 

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