The story of The Mad Trapper of Rat River is a legendary Canadian mystery that still begs to be solved.
When you visit Aklavik, be sure to check out the grave of the Mad Trapper, who led Mounties on one of Canada’s all-time greatest manhunts in 1932.
In 1931, an unfamiliar man by the name of Albert Johnson spontaneously arrives in Fort McPherson, building a small cabin on the banks of the Rat River, near the Mackenzie River delta.
He led authorities on the longest manhunt in Canadian history, fleeing across frozen tundra and scaling a mountain in blizzard conditions. Albert Johnson played the leading role in a seven-week game of cat-and-mouse that captivated a nation.
Johnson’s identity remains unknown.
Photo: Caveat Doctor, Wikimedia Commons
