RBC#03 Chilkotin & Fraser River

After a fine drive, enjoying views of the warm Chilcotin plateau, as the group watches for signs of the great river canyons with distant views of the mighty coastal mountains towering on the horizon. Not until we reach the hidden Chilcotin canyon put in do you begin to understand the amazing diversity of this region! We continue with river orientation, and safety talk. On river we learn to work as a team quickly with you paddling the rafts guided by your own professional British Columbia Registered Rafting guide. Your guide has complete control of the raft, using a set of oars, and assisted by your paddling giving you the ultimate paddle rafting experience. We slip into our first dry arid dessert canyon outside of Hanceville on The Chilcotin and experience a fun paced section of rafting. On into the point of No Return, as we say good bye to the pretty Chilcotin Plateau, we search the ever growing canyons walls for wildlife such as Big Horn Sheep, Mountain Goats, Bears and Eagles! Riding the Roller-coaster Gooseneck rapids, and lunch is spent beside a giant cave where we take time to explore. After lunch we continue rafting the beautiful turquoise blue waters, with beautiful towering canyon walls. Wildlife is abundant.

Camp 1:
Big Creek is a beautiful camp on the river system. This camp holds a special place in our itinerary and we arrive early in the afternoon to the beautiful sound of fast moving water, and bright sunshine and heat introduces the group to the truly unique canyon weather that makes our trips such a great holiday. The afternoon/evening is time to settle in with more time to fish and hike around in our own little secluded canyon, and our first river beach. Nice way to unwind from Rafting and sink our toes into some warm fine river grain sand. Guides will help set up tents and then get to work on the river camp while you take this time to explore or cool off in the river. Dinner is a delicious treat, prepared fresh and served by our river guides who are as much chefs as river runners! With a full river kitchen your holiday comfort is soon realized with the tastes of The meal fresh on the palette, its time for drinks and fire! As a group we take some time to talk and laugh around the great fire. Guitar music is strummed, and beverages are consumed, as the bar is open. Children can join in with sing/song, and enjoy stories told of Native legends and cowboy heroics. Soon comes the evenings best surprise…fresh baked desserts served piping hot out of our Dutch oven! As the canyon cools, its time to sleep, as the next days rafting is yet to come!

Farwell Canyon and Beyond! This is a big day and incorporates world class Rapids through a world class, landscape! After a lengthy breakfast, and coffee, guides get the boats packed back up, and we all get back into the warm morning sunshine in the boats. The first morning rapid is Big Creek Rapids, and you can taste them, smell them, and hear them from the Big Creek Camp. So everyone is anxious and excited! This portion of the river has become much like the dry dessert canyons of Montana and The Grand Canyon of the Colorado! Semi-arid Dry landscapes with giant dessert Hoodoos hundreds of feet in the air above the already huge canyon walls. Temperatures range from 25 degrees to 40 degrees c! The white-water cools us as we rip through large waves and breaking rapids drenching us in cool water! Lunch is enjoyed in Farwell Canyon. This amazing place offers a view and interaction with First Nations people dip netting for salmon on its steep walls. We take a walk around a historic homestead in the canyon, and run the fantastic class 4 gauntlet known as Farwell Canyon!

Camp 2:
Sheep Camp is a very special place on the Fraser River. This overnight camp is highlighted by a giant beach, surrounded by canyon walls and hoodoo spires created by the thermo winds of the region. Dinner is created by the guides again, with an open bar and beach fire crackling; guests walk the Fine-grained sand dunes bare-footed. Sheep Camp is a perfect camp, with the sky opening up to a theatre of stars and sweet smell of summer. Here we are completely independent, and remote. Enjoy another fresh dessert, and loose your thoughts with the relaxing feeling of being in a true paradise found only in this river canyon. We never see another raft company during our trips. Sleep well

Morning brings yet another smell of coffee, and fresh baked goodies. Cereals, toasts, bagels, hot cereals, and much more, including Fresh baked Grapefruit…our morning specialty!  But once again, the anxiety levels rise, and the distant blackness of Big John Canyon awaits the group! Once again we board the rafts, guides row into the morning sunshine.  Before long the roar increases, and the canyon walls become steeper, and darker. This must be Big John! As we negotiate this wonderful Big John canyon we soon find ourselves working as a team and the feelings are excited! Before the white-water overwhelms us, a final staircase drops us into the mighty Fraser River!

Lunch is served buffet style while guests get another chance to take off the life jackets and helmets and just relax! With high spirits and thoughts of the wild run through Big John, the slower paced Fraser river soon brings you back to reality as we enjoy leaping from the boats and swimming in the warmth of the great big sky sunshine! Bears, and Sheep are abundant and the canyon walls continue to grow as we make our casual descent to our final take-out at Churn Creek located on one of North Americas Largest Ranch; Gang Ranch. Here we enjoy a wonderful late afternoon buffet snacks, beverages, and treats.  A shuttle back to Williams lake gives you time to quietly reflect on the truly wonderful experience of river rafting and camping in places only seen by the few that choose to take such a journey.  We arrive back in Williams Lake for a late afternoon, early evening with the option of having a group dinner and beverages. Or we help you on your way with your personal items and say goodbye.