Exactly what I was thinking. How can you get lost on a such an easy road?

They were 60km off the main road. That didn’t give them any clues? Like worsening road condition. A road between two major cities of mud and ice? That’s just kinda common sense.

The shortest route is going through the US south of the Lake Michigan, but this still doesn't explain how they ended up in Southeast Manitoba, and especially off of Highway 12.

Also important to know that Google Maps sometimes draws roads where there aren't actual roads - there are trails that are marked like they are roads in a few places that I know about and I've attempted to get Google to correct them because a) it's private property and b) it's not safe to travel there in the winter.

I had the same thought.

If they were starting out in Manitoba, I could see them getting lost getting to highway 1.

But starting in Calgary? You get on the freeway and stay on it the whole way.

Everyone but people in Southwestern Ontario that is!