Every year when September rolls around, I start to think about heading up to British Columbia for a birthday paddling trip. I'm usually greeted with nonstop freezing cold rain, snow, and super high water so I've learned to come prepared to camp and paddle in all kinds of conditions.
Here's a few other things I've learned about BC: If the locals say the water is a little low, it's most likely going to be a great level. If they say it's a good healthy flow, it's going to be flooded. If they say it's Class IV, it's probably solid Class V, and if they say it's Class V, you'd better bring your A-game 'cause it's going to be full-on! I guess it's all relative . . .
This year, Drew Eastman and I were pleasantly surprised to find sunny, 95 degree weather and low water, and I'm relieved to report that I finally got to experience a BC leisure tour. For a minute I thought I'd died and gone to California. We paddled a handful of new runs in the Fraser Valley and looped up and around to the Whistler/Squamish classics. Everywhere we went the scenery was incredible and the whitewater was phenomenal. There was a great variety of big water rivers, low volume creeks, pool-drop waterfalls and continuous boulder gardens.
B-day celebration on the Nahatlatch
Nahatlatch Canyon
The Thompson
WCKA on the Fraser Ferry, en route to the Stein
The Stein
The trailhead
Hiking 4 km to the put-in
The Lower Stein, my favorite run of the trip
The Fraser
Lillooet Lake
Thirsty Drew
Christie G.
Roger's Creek Waterfalls; We decided not to drop into this gorge with
just the two of us, but I definitely put it near the top of my wish list!
We soaked in the hot springs at the takeout instead :)
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