The Slocan River
Nestled between the spectacular Kokanee and Valhalla Mountain ranges and fed by their deep winter snowpacks, the Slocan River flows as freely as it has since the glaciers of the last ice age mapped its course. The River has been used as a transportation route by miners and loggers for well over a hundred years and yet still has the feel of a wild, unspoiled ecosystem. The water is crystal clear and by early summer becomes warm enough for pleasant swimming in its many deep pools. The Slocan River is a perfect introduction to rafting! You will enjoy the pastoral beauty of the Slocan Valley surrounded by the majestic peaks and deep green forests that BC is famous for. As we float around each bend, keep your eyes open for the abundant wildlife on the shores and in the sky.
As we enter the last few kilometers of the run you will feel the pace of the river increase as it makes the final descent towards its confluence with the Kootenay and on down to the mighty Columbia. This last section includes some really great whitewater and we’ll all be getting wet (if we weren’t already). So come on out and enjoy the West Kootenays from a different perspective!
Lardeau and Duncan Rivers
North of Nelson and past the glorious Kootenay Lake lies an area which was once a booming mining region but now sees very few visitors. The locals tell stories of the glory days long past and ghosts haunt the abandoned camps and villages. The natural beauty is unchanged but almost unnoticed in the heart of Southestern BC.
One hundred years ago these massive mountains and pure clean rivers were traveled by horse and wagon and steam driven paddlewheelers. The miners labored long and hard from their camps high up on the mountainside but were rewarded with gold and silver and wild times when they returned to the cities of Nelson and Kaslo.
Now we can take you to these places to seek out the riches that are still there for all of us to share; the pristine wilderness of the Selkirk and Purcell Mountains full of glaciers and grizzly bears, the perfect clear water of the Lardeau River – the spawning ground of the world’s largest rainbow trout and the uninhabited Duncan Valley reaching north up to the boundary of Glacier National Park.