British Columbia: Chilko River Raft Expedition

We pride ourselves in running a relaxed and flexible schedule. Every trip is different depending upon the group, other trips in the area, and sometimes the weather. Our daily distances can fluctuate depending on weather, activities, and National Park notices. The following is a sample of what your trip might be like.

Day One:

Meet in Vancouver for flights.  (Please review our various flight options but in any event make sure your gear is packed in soft luggage as this will allow for easy storage and transfer into the aircraft).  As soon as everyone’s gear is stowed, we will board our plane for the incredible flight over the mountains and glaciers.  Once at Bear Camp, on the banks of the Chilko River, we’ll settle in to our luxury safari-style platform tents before exploring the stunning surroundings before returning to a gourmet welcoming dinner.

Day Two:

After a delicious and hearty breakfast, you can choose to mountain bike, inflatable kayak on the friendly waters of the upper Chilko River, cast a line for trout, sea kayak, SUP or simply hang out in our scenic riverside camp. Yet another gourmet meal signals the end of an epic day and following some pre-trip instructions, we’ll head off for another peaceful night as our minds dance with thoughts of tomorrow’s rafting adventure.

Day Three:

Today we’ll rise early and pack up your gear into waterproof bags to be stowed on our expedition rafts. You will be assigned your personal wet suit, pdf and helmet and after a thorough safety briefing, we begin our rafting adventure with a 20-mile scenic float from Bear Camp to our first camp at Bear’s Den. We will keep an eye out for bald eagles, and the occasional bear along the shore as we fall into the relaxed flow of river travel. Those looking for some splashy fun can try out an inflatable kayak. Arriving at camp in the afternoon, we’ll transfer our gear to our preset tents and then meet in the dining tent for cocktails and dinner.

Day Four:

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll break camp, stow our gear and don our wetsuits, pdfs and helmets before pushing off into the river. As the current quickens, so do our heartbeats knowing what’s in store. We descend through Lava Canyon and challenge the longest, continuous rapids of the trip. Heart-stopping hydraulics and towering, standing waves cascade for more than 18 miles through deep and narrow lava gorges, making for some non-stop excitement. It is no surprise Lava Canyon has become world-famous among white-water enthusiasts. We will stop at Bumper Camp, a secluded riverside camp just below where the river doubles in size as the turquoise Taseko River joins the Chilko.  At camp, a delightful evening under the stars and celebration is in order after a fun-filled day of adventure.

Day Five:

This morning the river valley opens as we emerge on the Chilcotin Plateau. Birdlife abounds and our casual float is a welcome reprieve after yesterday’s excitement. This will be a great day for trying the oars or paddling an inflatable kayaks and everyone will be encouraged to give it a try.  Arriving relatively early into camp, there will be time for swimming or reading around the campfire. Try your hand at some fishing or sit and watch the sunset on the metamorphic rocks across the valley.

Day Six:

An early departure will set the stage for an action-packed day.  In the morning, we will enjoy some friendly Class II and III rapids before arriving at our lunch site at an ancient First Nation fishing spot deep in the 1500 ft. canyons. This stop offers outstanding hiking, swimming and for the more adventurous, cliff jumping into the refreshing waters of the Chilcotin. After lunch we can ride the Goose Neck Rapids while golden eagles soar high above us. Tonight, we’ll camp at the confluence of Big Creek.

Day Seven:

After a leisurely day yesterday, we will break camp and immediately enter the Big Creek rapids.  Lots of fun splashy rapids and accelerating current keep the pace up as we whirl past towering hoodoos and dramatic canyons. Today’s adventures include a wild ride through Farwell Canyon as we eventually enter California bighorn sheep country.  After lunch, we float through a California Big Horn sheep reserve and hopefully we spot a herd or two from the rivers’ edge.  In short time we’ll enter the Gates of Mordor and challenge Big John Canyon. This stretch of the Chilcotin features countless massive wave trains that roller coaster for miles in a rushing chorus down deep desert canyons only to dissipate into the mighty volume of the Fraser River. In this country, there will be plenty of photo opportunities for the camera buff. The rolling grasslands and the massive canyons provide a dramatic backdrop to the white-water experience.  Tonight we will camp on one of the many massive beaches of the Fraser River.

Day Eight:

After a peaceful float down the mighty Fraser we’ll arrive at our take-out point by the historic Gang Ranch. Here we’ll board our vehicles for the shuttle to Williams Lake to meet our plane for the spectacular ride back over the Coast Mountains and eventually reach the Pacific.  Weather permitting, we plan to arrive back at the Vancouver airport by 3:00 PM.

Bear Camp is a safari-style tent camp with ‘a Canadian twist’

Sheltered by the Pacific Coast Mountain Ranges, deep in the unspoiled raw wilderness of British Columbia, and protected by the vast terrain of the Tsilhqot’in (Chilcotin) First Nation People, lies Bear Camp. Forged out of Douglas Fir timbers and perched at the juncture of Chilko Lake and the Chilko River, it was originally built 1954 as a hunting & fishing camp, but has since been re-created into a funky, world-class adventure and wildlife-viewing destination. The main log structure is the focal point for meals, cocktails and most socializing. The surrounding tent cabins are a mixture of king or two bed rooms carefully positioned for privacy and view. There are river rock showers, flush toilets and plenty of staff to keep you dearly spoiled while keeping the adventures flowing!

The Terrain

Our trip begins at the north end of Ts’yl-os Provincial Park. Established in 1994, Ts’yl-os (pronounced sigh loss) is 233,240 hectares in the Chilcotin Ranges of the Coast Mountains. Although Chilko Lake is the centre piece of the park, it is just one of many incredible natural features. Though there is much to explore in the region, it is rugged and unserviced leaving its visitors up to their own devices. This is where we fit in.

The Chilcotin River flows near Nazko Lakes Provincial Park and Stump Lake Provincial Park. Both were recently expanded to protect wildlife habitat and BC’s only colony of nesting white pelicans, respectively. Upstream from the confluence of the Chilcotin and Big Creek, lies the new 660 hectares of rolling grassy plateau protected in Big Creek Provincial Park.

Cultural Notes

To aboriginal people of the Nemaiah Valley, Ts’yl-os is much more than a provincial park. Ts’yl-os was a man, or at least he used to be long ago, and like any man he had his moods. Given his towering height of 3,061 meters (Mount Tatlow on a map), it is wise to respect him and especially not to point at him. His presence can be so dominating that when occasional bad weather hits the valley, the 250 native residents wonder if it is a message from their spiritual protector.

For the isolated Nemaiah First Nation, their agreement on the park represents an important, but tentative first step toward reconciliation with the outside world. It is this world that led to the so-called Chilcotin Indian War of 1864 and the subsequent deaths of many. Today, that historic uprising against the white intrusion on Chilcotin Lands continues to colour the native psyche and the park’s future.

The silty confluence of the Chilcotin and Fraser was also a major territorial boundary. The Ts’ilhqot’in people of the Athapaskan language group held a territory on the northwest side of the confluence where the Junction Sheep Range is located. Small bands of natives traveled the Chilcotin watershed, hunting and gathering food. During salmon runs, these bands would come together at the mouth of the Chilcotin.