TOP 5 WHITEWATER RIVERS IN BC
Whitewater rafting in British Columbia is beyond compare. Those tiny water droplets tumbling down steep-sided mountains, turning into swirling, frothy frenzies entice adventurers of all ages.
‘TIS THE SEASON!
Snow is falling in the Rocky Mountains, peacefully covering trees, lakes and rivers. Filling our minds are thoughts of wooshing down slopes or gliding across frozen waterways or, perhaps, just nestling up next to a warm fire with a good book. It is that Winter Wonderland time of year. Dressed up in cozy clothes, boots and mittens, summer seems a long way off. Who, really, is thinking about whitewater rafting and getting completely soaked from the refreshing waves and rapids? Give The Gift of Experience Perhaps people with gifts to give are thinking of whitewater rafting! What better way to give someone the gift of adventure & experience than by giving a Wild Water Adventure’s gift certificate. Pick the specific trip, or a specific dollar amount, to create the perfect gift for someone you love (or simply like!). Gift certificates are available for all trips, including our two half-day trips (Gentle Introduction to Whitewater and Whitewater Exciter), our full-length trip (Tradition with gourmet BBQ lunch) and our super adrenaline, double shot trip (Maximum Horsepower). Gift certificates for any of our packages with Lake Louise Gondola or Golden Skybridge are also available. The process couldn’t be easier. Purchase directly from our website (click the yellow Gift Certificate button on the bottom of any website page) or call us at 1-888-647-6444. To have all the information emailed directly to you, rather than the recipient, simply enter your email address twice, into both fields. Print up the information right at home and then wrap accordingly. Afterwards, the lucky recipient calls us to make an actual reservation for a specific date and trip. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3! Canyon Lights in North Vancouver For those in the Lower Mainland, head out to enjoy the Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver. There’s a way to win not only a rafting trip for 4 on one of our river adventures, but an entire 4-day Rocky Mountain holiday courtesy of our friends at Cathedral Mountain Lodge. Follow the snowy owls throughout the property and enter to win this fabulous grand prize experience. From all of us here at Wild Water Adventures, we wish everyone a Happy and Safe Holiday Season. May your celebration be filled with love and lots of laughter! See You On The River Next Summer. Author: Deborah Wade
THANK YOU, RAFTERS!
Hello, Rafters! Thank you for another amazing season of whitewater rafting on the Kicking Horse River. 2021 sure threw us some curveballs but we rafted, together, with smiles on our faces and glee in our hearts. It is, after all, so very easy to have fun white water rafting in Banff on the river no matter Mother Nature’s mood. Because of COVID-19, we once again had a late start to the season. Rather than mid-May, we were on the river by mid-June and quickly greeted with super-high water levels. The heat dome of 2021 rapidly melted snow in the alpine, causing it to gush down the mountainsides to the river. Not once, but twice this year, we had to either re-schedule our BIG whitewater trips or re-locate departures to a safer section of the river. The Kicking Horse was not just kicking but bucking like a world-class Calgary Stampede bronco! Then the forest fires arrived, and the smoke. A lightning strike on nearby Mount Hunter, just a few kilometres down the highway from the RiverBase, put the entire crew on alert. Fortunately, after burning for a couple of weeks, the BC Wildfire Service took proactive action and performed a controlled burn, taking away most of the fire’s fuel. Filling the air for days and weeks on end was dense and eerie smoke not only from our neighbourhood wildfire, but also from fires north, south, and west of us. It wasn’t until the temperatures dropped and some rain returned that blue skies and rocky mountains were admired once again. Thank You! Despite all these challenges (and another season of COVID-19 face coverings), all guests remained enthusiastic and arrived at the RiverBase determined to have fun. The crew of Wild Water Adventures sincerely thanks each and every guest for spending time with us on the Kicking Horse River, sharing lively conversations and hearty laughs! 2022 Season If looking to return next year, our 2022 roster offers an array of ‘mild to wild’ rafting options and adventure activity packages. Keep in mind, also, that different times of the rafting season offer different river experiences. High water season runs late May through early July; mid-water season from mid-July through mid-August; and low water season, with its demanding technical rafting, runs mid-August through early September. OPENING DAY FOR NEXT SEASON: SATURDAY, MAY 21ST! For further information on any of our trips or packages, we are only a telephone call away (even in the off-season!). The Wild Water Crew (Josh, Andrew, Marcie, Carlos, Simon, Mike, Austin, Landon, Juan, Andrew, Dickie, Dan, Jessie, Kate, Paige, Wade, Diana, Amanda, and Deborah) all look forward to seeing everyone on the river, again, next season. Wild Water Adventures Toll-Free: 1-888-647-6444 Email: info@wildwater.com Rafting The Kicking Horse Since 1992 Author: Deborah Wade
ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES FOR GROUPS
Whitewater rafting on the Kicking Horse River is fun for groups, large or small. Bring your gathering of friends, family or colleagues for a day of fantastic waves, amazing scenery and heaps of laughter. Wild Water Adventures can accommodate any number of rafters, whether there are 8, 58, or 108 in your reservation. Family groups, corporate groups, social, wedding, work and school groups (just to name a few) all benefit from reduced fares. Here are the most important pieces of information to know when planning a group adventure activities and rafting near Calgary experience with Wild Water Adventures. Trip Options: Group discounts are available for the entire Wild Water Adventures roster. Choose from the half-day Gentle or Whitewater Exciter, the full-length Tradition with lunch, or the double-shot Maximum Horsepower. ** Lunch upgrade options are available for morning (8:45 AM) Gentle and Whitewater Exciter trips. Please Note that minimum age and weight criteria apply to all rafting groups: Gentle: 8 years of age and 50 pounds in weight Whitewater Exciter: 12 years of age and 90 pounds in weight Tradition: 12 years of age and 90 pounds in weight Maximum Horsepower: 16 years of age and 100 pounds in weight Group Discounts: Rafting discounts are available for groups with a minimum of 8 rafters. 8 to 15 Rafters: 10% off rafting fares 16 or more Rafters: 15% off rafting fares 50 or more Rafters: ** Call Us Directly About Pricing & Exclusive Departures ** Wedding and Birthday Groups: To help celebrate an extra special day, we offer extra special discount arrangements for Birthday, Stag, Stagette and entire Wedding Party rafting trips. Wedding Planners are welcome to contact us directly to chat about specific wedding party considerations. 4 to 7 Rafters: Bride or Groom or Birthday Rafter receives a 25% Discount 8 to 15 Rafters: Bride or Groom or Birthday Rafter rafts for FREE 16 or More Rafters: Option A: Bride or Groom or Birthday Rafter rafts for FREE Plus Rest of group receives 10% Discount; Or Option B: Bride and Groom both raft for FREE Corporate Groups: For even larger corporate groups, with 50 or more enthusiastic rafters, we are happy to work together, one on one. Let’s make a day out of the office that much more fun and rewarding. In addition to rafting, we can build transportation and lunch options into your exclusively designed Play Day package so that all anyone need do is show up and have fun during your group adventure activities! Inquiries, Reservations and Cancellations: For further information or to make a reservation, simply call us directly at 1-888-647-6444. Payment in full, by credit card, is required at the time of booking. Cancellations require a minimum of 7 days’ notice prior to the reserved date of departure. Any cancellations or changes made to a reservation within the final 7 days prior to trip departure, or no-shows on the actual day of rafting, are non-refundable. ** Larger groups may have slightly different payment arrangements but the 7-day cancellation policy remains in effect. Rafting together in a group, for any type of reason, is fun. Pure and simple. Join us this summer for some Golden white water rafting fun or even start planning your white water rafting in Banff group adventure for next summer. It’s never too early to think about adventure activities and white water rafting in BC! See you soon on the river! Author: Deborah Wade
A Beginner’s Guide To River Rafting
Whitewater rafting is fun, exciting, and exhilarating. It is also a fabulous way to experience wilderness and see spectacular Rocky Mountain scenery from a different perspective. Many of our guests are new to rafting and keen to see what all the hubbub is about. Let’s answer some commonly asked questions in our beginner’s guide to river rafting so to make everyone feel comfortable and knowledgeable about their upcoming Kicking Horse River rafting adventure. Do I need to know how to swim? No. Guests, however, should be comfortable around moving water and be prepared to get splashed (it is river rafting, after all!). In addition to wetsuits, neoprene booties, spray jackets, and helmets, Wild Water Adventures also provides government-approved life jackets. A comprehensive safety briefing is conducted at the river’s edge before rafting begins. Be sure to pay attention to this briefing and to your guide once on the raft. What do I need to bring? Guests need only bring a few items from home: Bathing suit (to wear under the wetsuit) Towel (for changing afterward back at the River Base) How big are the rapids? All trips have Class 2 & 3 waves and rapids. This translates into bouncy and splashy whitewater that spills over the sides of the rafts. For this reason, the Gentle trip makes for a perfect introduction to whitewater rafting with its ‘mild to moderate’ wave action. Our other trips also have Class 4 whitewater. This is the BIG stuff that produces BIG waves. Rafters will definitely get soaked in this kind of whitewater. The half-day Whitewater Exciter, full-length Tradition, and double-run Maximum Horsepower trips all raft the Class 4 ‘wild’ section of the river for which the Kicking Horse is famous. How many people are on a raft? Our rafts hold a maximum of 8 guests, plus a guide. The raft is set up so that the guide sits in the middle, in a rowing position, with 4 guests in front and 4 guests behind. Our rafts are ‘self bailers’ which means when water lands in the raft, it drains away naturally without the need for guests to bail with a bucket. Will I fall out of the raft? Every guide’s mission is to keep all rafters in the raft! Guests who listen to their guide and hold on when told to hold on have a really good chance of staying in the raft for the entire trip. For those statistically minded, of the 10,000 guests, on average, we take rafting each summer, only 30 or so unexpectedly fall out of the raft (because they usually are not holding on). The moral of the story: Listen to your guide and hold on! What happens if I do fall out of the raft? Rafters in the water travel at the exact same speed as the raft itself. They do not get swept away. Anyone who unexpectedly finds themself in the water for a refreshing swim will stay close to the raft and be easily pulled back in by the other rafters. The safety talk at the beginning of the trip explains exactly what to do if such a rare and refreshing event occurs. Can I wear my eye-glasses on the trip? For guests who wear prescription glasses and sunglasses, we do have a supply of safety straps available for sale at the River Base. Or, bring your own to prevent your glasses from falling in the river. Can I bring my camera? No. Cameras and cell phones stay safe (and dry) at the River Base while guests are on the river. Throughout the trip, our crew takes a variety of photographs that will be on display and available for sale afterward. We also have a limited amount of GoPro Hero cameras for rent, or helmets with GoPro mountings for those who wish to bring along their own GoPro camera. Is there anything to eat at the River Base? Yes. Our full-length Tradition automatically includes a gourmet packed lunch served back at the River Base e after the trip. Guests joining us for a morning (8:45 AM) Gentle or Whitewater Exciter departure can upgrade to also enjoy the gourmet BBQ lunch. Hot and cold beverages are always served after every trip and pop, chips, and granola bars are available for sale as well. Where is the River Base? All trips depart from our River Base, conveniently located on TransCanada Highway #1, 45 minutes west of Lake Louise and 20 minutes east of Golden. This is the location where all guests are to arrive at either 8:45 AM or 1:45 PM. For GoogleMap directions, simply click here. Once at the RiverBase, Wild Water Adventures provides transportation to and from the river put-in and take-out locations. Just a short distance from Calgary, we offer the perfect rafting near Calgary experience. For answers to more questions, check out our Frequently Asked Questions page. To chat further about any trip detail or question, please simply call us directly at 1-888-647-6444. See you soon on the river! Author: Deborah Wade
RAINY DAY ACTIVITIES IN GOLDEN, BC
Activities in Golden, BC, are varied and plentiful, even on a rainy day. One may think of Golden as an extremely picturesque, yet sleepy, small town nestled between the Rocky and Columbia mountain ranges. When Mother Nature decides to test human patience on a rainy day, however, there is no shortage of rewarding and enjoyable options from which to choose. 1. Start With A Hearty Breakfast Rainy day activities in Golden, BC start at the breakfast table. There is nothing like inclement weather to make the tummy rumble. Head over to one of the many local digs for mouth-watering dishes sure to satisfy the biggest of morning hungers. A favourite place for the Wild Water Crew is the all-day breakfast at Big Bend Café, right in downtown Golden. The menu has as many options as the Kicking Horse River has rapids! Enjoy COVID-19 friendly options by either sitting outside on the ‘Polar Patio’ or take your meal to go. 2. Rafting in Golden, BC Rafting in Golden, BC while it’s raining just makes perfect sense. You’re going to get wet from the waves anyway, right? Does it really matter if a few raindrops fall from the sky when everyone is hooting and hollering together downstream? It’s not as if anyone is going to melt because of a little rain! And as for keeping comfy and cozy on the rafts, Wild Water Adventures has that covered. Rafters are provided with an extensive wardrobe of gear so to keep everyone grinning from ear to ear … even in the rain. Wetsuits, neoprene booties & gloves and spray jackets are donned in our spacious and heated indoor RiverBase change rooms. For guests who like to be extra cozy, and possibly consider themselves as thermally challenged, bring along your own polar fleece sweater (i.e. synthetic fleece or merino wool) as an extra layer. Please … NO cotton! Let’s not forget about the assortment of hot beverages served after every trip, or the BBQ lunch upgrade option with morning departures. 3. A Little Bit of Culture Kicking Horse culture is alive and well in Golden, whether it be outdoor concerts in the summer, live performances at the Golden Civic Centre, or bands playing at the local pubs. On cool, damp days there is nothing finer than perusing through the Golden Museum and/or the Art Gallery of Golden. Learning a bit of the local history enhances appreciation for all those who wandered the region before us. The museum houses permanent collections as well as vast arrays of photographs from days gone by. Local artists (of which there are many) display their wide-ranging and talented works at the art gallery. Both destinations are definitely worth checking out, rain or shine! 4. Fuel Up Again! Activities in Golden, BC, require a constant flow of energy. After a day of exploring and, of course, rafting, the tummy will need topping up again. When dinnertime rolls around, choose from a vast array of international eating establishments. Golden’s restaurant scene includes a cosmopolitan selection, ranging from food trucks to burger joints to fine dining, and everything else in between. My personal favourite for beer and a burger … The Golden Taps Pub, right across the street from the Art Gallery of Golden, with plenty of outdoor seating both in front and out back! 5. Evening Movie and/or Music When the rain is falling, daytime or evening, cuddle up with a bag of popcorn at the local movie theatre. Golden Cinema houses two screens (that’s right … two!) and runs box office hits on a rotating weekly schedule. Currently, the cinema is offering exclusive private screenings for families and small groups. Who needs the big city to see your favourite flick? And, if popcorn isn’t your thing, have a scoop or two of some of the best ice cream in town! After the movie, wander into one of the many bar and grill joints and take in the local music and beer scene. Whitetooth Brewing, Golden’s local beer maker, can no doubt be found at most of the area’s watering holes (all of which have outdoor patios!). In summation … Activities in Golden, BC, even when it’s raining, still offer excitement and not-to-be-missed holiday moments. Sunshine or not, there’s plenty of fun to be had. Golden is a great place to visit! For rafting reservations, no matter the weather, simply call us at 1-888-647-6444, or click the yellow ‘Book Today’ button on any Wild Water Adventures website page. Wild Water Adventures is your premier outfitter for family rafting trips on the Kicking Horse River. The 2022 Rafting Season ‘Kicks’ Off On Saturday, May 21st. See You Soon On The River! Author: Deborah Wade
We Are Still In This Together: 2021 COVID-19 Protocols
It is 2021 and COVID-19 is still a hot topic. Every day we all continue to keep our distance, wash our hands frequently and wear increasingly colourful face coverings. We have all done a tremendous job … and deserve to blow off some steam! We here at Wild Water Adventures cannot wait to welcome everyone back to the river. It has been a long winter and we are ready for some fun! Soon the crew will gather, the RiverBase scrubbed from top to bottom and the rafts prepped and pumped. Back by popular demand, this season will be the well-thought-out COVID-19 protocols established in 2020. If the last two years proved anything, it was how well everyone respected and adhered to provincial health guidelines. Each and every guest knew in advance what to expect upon arrival at the RiverBase and took their own responsibilities seriously. We are so proud of this effort. This season will be no different. The same well-entrenched protocols and measures, as outlined in 2020’s blog, remain in effect again for both guests and crew to follow. 2021 COVID-19 Protocols Please be sure to familiarize yourselves with Wild Water Adventures‘ COVID-19 protocols, before arriving at the RiverBase: Remain at home if a) feeling unwell or displaying symptoms of COVID-19; b) have been in contact with anyone else who is unwell or displaying symptoms of COVID-19, or c) have returned to Canada in the past 14 days. Guests will be screened before entering the RiverBase. Guests will be required to sign a declaration of health and release of liability waiver, as well as agree to contact tracing. Kindly provide your own face covering(s), and a small Ziploc bag, for when a 2-meter distance is not possible with other guests and crew. Face coverings must be worn by all when in the change rooms and travelling by bus between the RiverBase and the river (crew included). Face coverings will not be worn on the rafts due to river safety. While on the river, face coverings will be stored in your own Ziploc bag and kept in the pocket of your spray jacket. Please have your bathing suit on before arriving at the RiverBase to make changing into rafting gear more efficient. Personal clothing and items not needed on the river will be kept in your own vehicle. A cloth or plastic bag will be useful to keep such belongings organized. Car keys will be locked in a safe at the RiverBase. For added warmth and comfort while on the river, we recommend bringing a polar fleece sweater(s) and/or polypropylene layer(s) to wear on top of the wetsuit. Do NOT bring cotton sweatshirts (they are useless when wet and will only keep you cold). Post-trip snacks on half-day trips, regrettably, will not be available this year. Hot beverages, however, will be served after each trip, back at the RiverBase. Lunch for the Tradition will be served, as usual, after rafting is completed. Menu items and presentation may require adjustment depending on provincial health regulations. It is a good idea to bring your own water bottles and water supply. Wild Water Adventures will not be able to top up water bottles. Guests will handle and touch only the equipment provided directly to them, and not handle equipment provided to other guests. In other words, please keep your hands on your own gear! Pack along your own hand sanitizer to complement provisions at the RiverBase. Be prepared to regularly clean and sanitize your hands! Maintain a 2-meter (6-foot) physical distance at all times from guests who are not part of your cohort family or group. Credit and debit payment is preferred for souvenir items and trip photographs purchased at our gift shop. As always, bring along an adventurous spirit and a smile on your face! A guest not in compliance with any of these protocols, unfortunately, will not be able to raft. Wild Water Adventures’ Implemented Safety Measures: Monitor the health of the crew on a daily basis Enforce physical distancing Use of PPE where recommended Reduce the number of touchpoints and increase cleaning of remaining touchpoints Wild Water staff are trained on enhanced cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing procedures Guests and staff alike must adhere to Wild Water Adventures‘ policies and procedures A full list of the company-specific COVID-19 measures will be posted at the Wild Water front desk. We Can Still Do This We hope life will be more familiar in 2022. For now, however, we continue to kindly ask for each guest’s cooperation to support our COVID-19 measures. Comments left on our TripAdvisor page over the last two seasons offer lovely insights into the effectiveness of everyone’s efforts. Please feel free to call (1-888-647-6444) or float us an email (info@wildwater.com) if there are any questions. We are so looking forward to seeing everyone on the river this summer. Author: Deborah Wade
River Rafting In The Time of COVID-19
OPENING DAY: SATURDAY, JUNE 27TH! Whitewater rafting on the Kicking Horse River, near Banff National Park, might just be the best outdoor activity to enjoy in the coming months. Once everyone gets the green light to move about more freely in our COVID-19 world, the river will be the place to be. High on everyone’s minds are three critical questions: ‘Where do we go? What do we do? And, is rafting a good activity in the time of COVID-19?’. Question #1: Where Do We Go? Staying relatively close to home, and exploring further into our own provincial backyard, is the message from our health experts. Weeks and weeks of cooped up isolation mean that fun-seeking adventurers are wondering where they can go to play. The Canadian Rockies could not provide a better wilderness setting in which to kick back, relax and blow off some pent up COVID-19 steam. When permitted, hop in your car, truck or RV and road trip out to Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho National Parks. Long-lasting summer memories can still be made without travelling too far from home. Question #2: What Do We Do? The world may have changed in the past several months, along with how we interact with each other within that world. One aspect, however, that remains steadfast is the importance of spending time in nature and wilderness. River rafting has always offered a grand, naturally wild experience: a chance to deeply breathe in pine-scented air; gaze out at stupendous mountain scenery; and, vigorously shake off cascading water after ploughing through a thrilling set of waves and rapids. Recent articles in the L.A. Times and Men’s Journal reflect on this exact thought. Also worth noting is that the river is already running at a high level, and forecasted to remain so for the season. This summer will be the perfect time to experience the true ‘kick’ in the Kicking Horse River! Returning to the question of ‘what do we do?’, the answer is simple. Let’s go rafting! Question #3: Is Rafting A Wise Activity In The Time of COVID-19? In a word, yes. Public health officials encourage activities that involve being in wide-open spaces. ‘Outdoor rather than indoor’ is the motto when it comes to choosing what to do. For a summer adventure, river rafting could not be better suited to put a smile on a guest’s face while respecting public health advice. Wild Water Adventures adheres strictly to industry safety standards regarding how to raft a river. Provincial guidelines regarding COVID-19 will be met with the same high standard of care. Whether it be at the RiverBase, on our shuttle vehicles, or on the rafts themselves, government safety measures and protocols will be followed to the letter. Exceptions will not be made. Guests gather at the RiverBase, our main hub of activity, before and after the rafting trip. Fortunately, the naturally spacious setting ensures no one needs to feel crowded. Extensive measures will be implemented to uphold both distancing and sanitary requirements. Similar considerations will also come into play while transporting guests to, and from, the river. On the raft itself, guests are already spaced between the bow and stern (or, front and back). Each 16-foot raft holds 8 guests, with 4 in the front, and 4 in the back. The guide sits at the centre of the raft, rowing with the oars. Private raft options are available for intact travelling groups along with fully private departures available for large groups of up to 32 people. Whether on land, in a vehicle, or on a raft, face coverings will be worn, by both guests and crew, if the 2-metre distance cannot be maintained. Guests are required to provide their own face coverings. Rafting gear provided by Wild Water includes wetsuit, wetsuit booties and gloves, spray jacket, life jacket and helmet. Over the past 29 years, it has been our modus operandi to clean, dry and sterilize gear after every single use. With such well-established systems already in place, we are good to go for COVID-19 procedures. For additional warmth, guests are encouraged to pack along their own polar fleece sweater or polypropylene layer. You’ll have that much more fun when warm and happy on the river! WHEN CAN WE RAFT? Opening day on the river is SATURDAY, JUNE 27th! The entire crew at Wild Water Adventures wishes to reassure each and every guest that your health and safety remain our Number 1 priority. That is the way it has always been and will continue to be. Adjusting our current safety-conscious operations to incorporate COVID-19 health measures requires only minor tweaking. We are, essentially, ready to ‘rock and raft’. To chat about summer possibilities, simply give us a call at 1-888-647-6444. We do look forward to seeing everyone on the river. Remember to bring your bathing suit, towel and face coverings! Author: Deborah Wade