If you are new to Alberta or British Columbia and already know how to paddle, here's some advice on kayaking in these parts. As an expat Ontarian, much of this is from personal experience:
- Check for hazards before each trip on the Canadian Whitewater River Use Log. Document your trip afterward for the benefit of other paddlers.
- Report all injuries in the Canadian River Safety database so others can learn from your misfortune experience.
- Get the guidebook. The definitive guidebook for whitewater in western Alberta and eastern BC is Stuart Smith's two volume series 'Canadian Rockies Whitewater'.
- Western rivers are cold. Well, either cold or damn cold (glacial in fact). Most people in these parts paddle in drysuits all year and always keep pogies, mitts, or gloves on hand - if not literally then at least in their boat.
- Western rivers are fast. Most mountain rivers are considerably steeper and more continuous than the pool-drop whitewater typical of Appalachia and the Canadian Shield. Until you become accustomed to it, paddling rivers that simply never let up can be unsettling.
- River flow patterns are different. Especially in the mountains, it's imperative that you know the source of the river you're paddling (glacial vs snowmelt vs dam release). Glacier-fed rivers fluctuate in volume over the course of the day and can double or triple in volume within the space of a couple hours. Spring thaw affects different watersheds and different mountain ranges at different times depending on weather and elevation. Sudden, intense rainstorms are common in early summer and cause rivers with small watersheds to rise quickly, which in turn can cause grief on steep creeks and constricted canyons.
- Most rivers are remote. Even if a road is nearby, traffic is sparse on most backroads and sparser still on logging roads. Don't count on other groups being around for assistance - the sheer number of rivers in the region makes for a low density of paddlers. Your group will commonly be the only one on the river, even on popular runs during peak season. There are few towns in western Alberta and eastern BC with a hospital of significance - any serious injury will require evacuation to Edmonton, Calgary, Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George, or Vancouver. Basically, you cannot reasonably expect immediate help outside your group on most rivers you're likely to paddle, so factor that into all decisions.
- Most rivers flow partly or entirely through canyons. This means that you can't always portage or hike out if you get in over your head; nor is air evacuation always possible if you get hurt.
- Pay attention to the time. It's easy to get accustomed to the long days when paddling in the north during summer. However, the amount of daylight becomes surprisingly short surprisingly fast in the fall and water levels can plummet on glacier-fed rivers in late afternoon. Be careful of late starts on long runs with little water after Labour Day or you risk being stranded in the dark.
- Brush up on the basics. Missing an eddy or blowing a ferry can have serious consequences on a lot of rivers out west. Fortunately most big cities have slalom courses nearby (Chiliwack and Kananaskis Rivers primarily) where you can improve precision paddling technique.
- Watch for wood. Paddling in the west means all kinds of wood all the time. Errant logs to entire logjams can appear overnight on virtually any river at any time of year. If you can't see around a corner and there are no eddies in sight downstream, then get out and scout. Seriously, no amount of skill will save you once you're stuck on/in a strainer.
- Don't rely on cell phones. Anywhere you paddle will be outside or on the fringe of cell phone coverage. For emergency communication, paddlers in these parts are increasingly resorting to a SPOT emergency locator beacon.
- Regular road maps are useless when you're lost in a maze of logging roads. The best maps for these parts are the 1:250 000 Backroad Mapbook series since they cover enough area in enough detail to be practical, affordable, and useful. You can buy them at most gas stations for about $25 each.
- Carry spare gear. Except for Endless Adventure in Nelson and Just Liquid Sports in Cranbrook, there are virtually no paddling shops outside the major cities of Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. Creeking is notoriously hard on equipment and anyone who paddles with any regularity out west typically experiences at least one equipment failure/loss every season. Get in the habit of packing a spare paddle, helmet, sprayskirt, neck/wrist gaskets, mitts/gloves/pogies, booties, and dry suit/top or you risk a wasted weekend.
- Logging trucks have the right of way. Forestry is big business in Alberta and BC, although the mountain pine beetle may change that. Regardless, obey fire bans and be extremely careful travelling on active logging roads since logging trucks have the right of way. They drive fast (as you'd expect of someone with a company vehicle, seasonal work, being paid by the load) so don't dawdle. If you can't park off the road then at least be well to the side.
- Get used to driving. The closest whitewater to Edmonton is Brierley Rapid at Rocky Mountain House (2.5 hours) and the closest river run is the Red Deer River upstream of Sundre (3.5 hours). Calgary is better off with the Kananaskis River and a bunch of classic creeks all within an hour or so of the city. Still, being a kayaker in Alberta means you'll be making a lot of road trips to BC.
- You aren't at the top of the food chain. Be bear aware when camping and consider carrying pepper spray with you if there's a lot of scouting, portaging, or a long hike to/from the river involved. Cougars can also be of concern, though being in a group lessens the chance of both bear and cougar attack. Be careful walking around in the bush in the fall since anything with antlers will be in rut. On the bright side, wolves are probably the least of your worries and there are no dangerous reptiles or insects you need look out for (other than the lowly tick and mosquito).
- Avoid driving at night. There's a lot of big game in these parts and they can make quite an impression on you and your vehicle. Also beware of drunk drivers and quadders, especially on back roads, side roads, and during holiday weekends.
- 'No services for X km' <-- Pay attention to these signs! For a region with so much gas, there are precious few gas stations. Unlike eastern Canada, hardly any service stations are located beside the highways in Alberta/BC and extremely few are open 24 hours. Most are located in town off the highway and, being more recently settled, towns out west are fewer and further between. Always enter the parks and mountains with a full tank and fill up at every opportunity - except at Saskatchewan Crossing since gas there is typically at least 30¢ more per litre than at the next service station. Every few years Alberta experiences a gas shortage when a refinery shuts down for repair.
- It can snow any month of the year. Weather changes fast in the mountains. Even in mid-summer it is common for the temperature to drop to single digits at night, so keep cold weather as well as wet weather clothing on hand.
- About the bugs... There aren't many black flies in the mountains but mosquitoes can be bothersome in the valleys of BC from June till August (esp. along the Columbia River since it's mostly swamp). No-see-ums (gnats) are occasionally a nuisance in the evenings around camp. Check yourself for ticks if you've done a lot of walking in the bush. However, you do need to be seriously prepared for bugs if you venture into the north, especially on the Slave River. Insect repellant won't cut it - get a full-on bug shirt. Besides the annoyance and itch factor, the only serious concern is West Nile virus (transmitted by mosquitoes); however, the human infection rate in Alberta and BC is low.
- There's more to kayaking than cartwheels and kickflips. Because of the world class creeking in these parts, there is considerably less focus on playboating compared to other parts of the country. Still, if playboating is your thing, then the best park-and-play destinations in Alberta are 'S-Bend' on the Red Deer River upstream of Sundre, Brierley Rapid on the North Saskatchewan River near Rocky Mountain House, and arguably some of the features on the Kananaskis River west of Calgary. In British Columbia, check out Pink Mountain on the Clearwater River, Brilliant wave by Castlegar, the Trail Wave, and Hero Hole on the Columbia River. There's also the infamous tidal rapids at Skookumchuck Narrows near Egmont, BC.
- Take it slow. Don't expect to be running class V creeks your first week here. Locals are rightfully wary of allowing just anyone to join them on a creeking expedition. However, it's not an exclusive clique - simply join a club, make some friends, and develop a reputation as a safe and competent boater.
- Listen to the locals. They aren't all on the international rodeo circuit, but there are more than a few world class paddlers in these parts.
- Campgrounds are for tourists. Albertans prefer 'random' (i.e. free) camping. Originally, all provincial campsites were free but in the 1990s the provincial government privatized campground management. There remains a bitter resentment reminiscent of the NEP at having to pay for what was once free. Most Albertans opt instead to camp on Crown land outside of the parks, which is legal and still free. Now it's practically a way of life: from spring till fall the ditches and turnouts along virtually every highway and side road are packed with city-dwellers and countryfolk alike - all camped out in preposterously over-sized RVs. Wherever there is crown land flat enough to park, an RV or fifth wheel will be there - typically with music blaring to mask the wail of a gas generator outside. Remember though: random camping only applies to crown land outside of a park - you'll be quickly caught and evicted if you opt to squat in a provincial or national park.
- Watch out for one-man caravans. Since it's legal in Alberta to tow up to two trailers, you'll often see a truck pulling a fifth wheel pulling a boat, car, or second trailer full of quads or horses - all with a G license. Typically, this train of trailers will pass you going 140kph on highway 1, 2, or 16.
- To quad or not to quad - it's not for you to question. A quad is a four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle. In the west, unlike most of the rest of Canada, they are used predominantly for recreation. It's not just a rural thing either; plenty of city folk ride or own them too. Quad trails frequently follow cut-lines and power lines through the bush and parallel secondary roads and highways. Expect to see (and hear) them everywhere except in national parks.
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