Rafting & Adventures

Itinerary

Pre-trip Sunday:

The Kumsheen guides, shuttle drivers, and crew and equipment leaves from our Resort in Lytton at 4:00pm on Sunday, and you are welcome to meet us in Lytton, leave your car there, and join us for the voyage to Williams Lake. Prior arrangement must be made with us if you would like to accompany us, and your hotel stay in Williams Lake is not included in the fair of the trip. There are also numerous flights to the Williams Lake airport with Air Canada, WestJet and Pacific Coastal airlines, as well as the Greyhound Bus. You are responsible for getting to our rendezvous spot at Williams Lake, the Overlander Hotel, for 8:30AM on Monday morning.

Day 1 Monday

We meet at the Overlander Hotel in Williams Lake, at 8:30 AM, for the shuttle to the boats which are rigged and ready-to-go at Soda Creek, 30 minutes away. Once at the river you will get a waterproof bag for your gear and personal clothing, then the Guides will do the final loading of the rafts with your personal gear, and we're ready to go.

After a detailed safety briefing we load the rafts and push off, leaving civilization behind us. We are quickly into Soda Creek Canyon. Simon Fraser's noted in his journal: "here the canoes being lightened of half of their lading, were run down. The other half of the lading was carried over by land for two miles through very uneven country". Before lunch we pass under BC's only privately owned toll bridge that was shipped from Alaska in 1968 and reassembled here. Later we stop and explore intriguing "Russian Island", home to a Russian immigrant who came to mine gold but abandoned the Island 50 years ago. After running Chimney Creek canyon, we camp near Riske Creek.

Day 2 Tuesday

We continue south through Iron rapids and semi-arid, sagebrush country exploring a few abandoned miners cabins along the way. We enter the world's largest California Bighorn Sheep Reserve and spot these magnificent animals along the river. After Portage de Barrel rapid (Simon Fraser's description: "the river here, which does not exceed thirty yards in breadth, passes between two precipices, and is turbulent, noisy, and awful to behold!" After he and his men completed their arduous portage, he broke open a barrel of rum. Hence it's name. Camp tonight is in Gang Ranch country, one of North America's largest spreads.

Day 3 Wednesday

After a hearty breakfast and putting on our hiking boots we continue our journey along Simon's River stopping to explore China Gulch, a red canyon that resembles the red canyons of Mars. French Bar rapid is the highlight today. Breaking through "gates" or bars, the river drops over three abrupt ledges and then becomes constricted in a narrow gorge. We tour a reaction ferry at Big Bar - then camp at Watson Bar.

Day 4 Thursday

Not far below here at Leon Creek, Simon Fraser cached his large canoes and continued on foot, the river being impassable for his craft. With our sturdy large rafts we run the 15 biggest rapids of the upper Fraser. After lunching below powerful Powerline rapids, we continue through the steep, granite walls of Moran Canyon and numerous other rapids until we get to Bridge River rapids. Here government law requires us to ask you to walk around the cascade. Camp is not far below the town of Lillooet, the first contact we have had with civilization since we pushed off at Soda Creek.

Day 5 Friday

Continuing down river through high, rugged, often glacial capped mountains, our voyage continues. Along the river 100 year-old evidence of placer mining activity line both riverbanks and we stop and explore one of the largest of the rock tailings, evidence of a Chinese work camp. We run several rapids before passing the mouth of the Stein River, a well-known BC Provincial Park. The mouth of the Stein signals we are not far above the small town of Lytton and our trip's end. Upon reaching our takeout in Lytton, we are bussed to the Kumsheen Resort where we enjoy the pool, hot-tub, hot-showers, electricity, and full amenities of the Luxury resort, and then finish the day (and the trip) with a delicious meal in the Five-Star Cutting Board Restaurant.

OPTIONAL DAY SIX

On Friday after dinner you decided that you were too tired to drive home, and especially after having a peek in our cozy Cabin Tents and being generally very impressed by our Resort, you have decided that the best option for you would be stay over one more night. Try paddle or motor rafting on the Thompson river and turn your five day trip into a six day adventure featuring Western Canada's BEST WHITEWATER. Your guide will take you into the guts of rapids like The Frog, The Devils Kitchen, The Witches Cauldron, and the infamous Jaws of Death.

Add this extra day when you reserve and receive a 40% discount off of the regular price of the standard stay-over package and one-day rafting trip (cabin tents or teepees are regular price). Add this extra day when you arrive back at Kumsheen on Day Five for a 35% discount off of the regular price of the standard stayover package and one-day rafting trip.

 

Back to Fraser River Voyage