Whatchan River 5th Descent

Submitted by: Dane Menzies

July 7th is the day we decided to drive to the Whatchan river for a 5th descent, we arrive at the ferry terminal and prepare for a scouting mission that we are about to go on. We find a trail that leads down to the river from a construction site that we are able to take, we walk for about 15 minutes before we see the river and the first drop. The first drop we see is about a five-foot boof that others told us is usually a 20-foot boof depending on the lake level below so we assumed that it was higher water. we keep walking on this trail and find this 50-foot manky waterfall that was not clean at all, this drop had two reconnects halfway down that was huge, so we looked at that drop and decided that we would make some decisions at the top.

We were not able to keep walking as it canyoned out heavily so we decided to walk back out and up the road and try to hike into the canyon. We hiked up the road for about a kilometer and then we start to hike into the canyon, the Canyon is located about a hundred meters from a road which is great for excess ability, But since It was such a deep Canyon and we did not bring any gear so that we could repel into the canyon and Scout for Wood and stouts. After bushwhacking And climbing down Cliffs we arrived at the start of the canyon and the third drop on the river, which was a 30 footer with lots of reconnects and a cave on the left but we decided it was good to go.

We got tired and it was getting late and it started to rain so we decided it was a good idea to hike out of the canyon and go get a good night’s sleep and take the run tomorrow slowly and steadily and very precociously. It rained all night and we were stoked to wake up in the morning and eat some good breakfast to get ready for the day. We put in at the bridge and took it super slow Eddying out behind every corner just to make sure we are good to keep paddling safely. We find one of the markers that we put as there’s a big drop soon and Eddy out and Scout. We decide that this is an unrunnable Canyon because of all the wood and the water level is too high, Start carrying our boats to the slippery what and Moss above the canyon and start to Portage the second drop which we did not see and it was 20-foot waterfall into a 40-foot named hurley burley waterfall which was unrunnable at the water level we were there at.

After the portage, we got in our boats and kept on paddling down the river when we ended up at the first and only non-waterfall drop which was a boof then a slot then a boof with a huge rock in the middle making it more dangerous. I decided to walk this one because of the rock but the rest of the crew decided to run it. After everyone got down safely we paddled 100 meters to the next waterfall. After a 30 min skout mission, we all decided to run the drop, We all got down safely with lots of stoke and smiles. After paddling for about 30 minutes we arrived and the start of the big canyon, (also where three British people had stayed in the canyon overnight) we eddy out and hike up the canyon wall to see if it was runnable, we repel into the canyon from the top of the canyon to skout and just to see it was an unrunnable slot drop. We hike back down and set up a rope to hike out of the canyon so we can portage the drop. After the long and grueling hike, we make it to the bottom of the slot drop just to find another 60-foot waterfall that was unrunnable and some wild blueberries. So we start walking again and come to a cliff that we have to walk down, after making the walk around we arrive at the last quarter of the canyon put in our boats, and start paddling to the next drop, we arrive at the last portage and decide to throw our boats and jump into the water, we get out on the shore and were all stoked on an epic day that we just had, we load up the cars and drive back to our campsite and eat marshmallows and share the stoke with the others that opted out of the run.

Such a sick trip out top the Kootenays!