Lens Creek Photo Dump

Images from Lens Creek. Check out our beta page for all the info you need to actually go kayaking there.

Relaxing on a fine sunny day at the Lens put in.


This is what the first canyon on the Lens is like - low slung walls of solid rock.


A random rapid in the first canyon. Difficult lighting conditions for photos existed in here.


One of the boulder rapids at the start of the first canyon. Awkward photo angle.


The entrance to Stairway to Hell, the marquee rapid of the Lens. It's a big rapid.


The bottom 1/3 of Stairway. Those logs were deposited by high water.


The hole/boil at the end of Stairway.


A nice boof.


Lens Creek adventure portage.

Spring Has Sprung: Harris Creek

Yeah, spring has sprung - kinda. The weather is warming up in the lowlands, warm rains are falling and some of the creeks are starting to come to life. While it might be a while before many of the mainland rivers in BC roar to life, the Vancouver Island season has just begun (does it really stop?).

Here's some beta about Harris Creek, one of the nicest higher end runs in the Port Renfrew zone. Check it out.

Hector DMcL running the first solid rapid on the Harris.


This is a remarkably classic boof. Geoff Dunbrack.


Standard downstream view.


From the canyon rim (the road).


Raphael cruising the Stairway to Heaven.


A great closing set on the Harris.


Classic Vancouver Island water.

Mid Winter Update

It's been pretty quiet around here lately. Don't worry, LiquidLore isn't fading away - even though we can paddle all year on the west coast it is still winter and there are other things to do instead of going and finding rivers to put in our guidebook!

Here are some random thoughts, and a report about a trip I took last summer, my third visit to California.

Big Silver/Shovel/Tretheway IPPs

First off, cheers to everyone who sent in comments about preserving recreation on these rivers. The response, particularly from people outside BC, certainly raised the attention of the proponent and the regulatory bodies.

Callaghan Race 2012

This winter is turning out to be normal, despite the threat of La Nina (which often means above average snowfall, like last winter). The race will be held around the same time as the previous years (late July) and will probably offer up similar or lower levels then the last 2 years. It's really impossible to speculate what the level will be when considering spring weather, how much more snow we get over the next month and the weather in the week leading up to the race.

California 2011

I've been to California several times to go kayaking, however any time I've been there it has been later in their runoff season and I've never had a chance to paddle some of the 'early season' runs. Due to a record setting snowpack last winter many of the runs that flow in May/early June didn't come in until late June/July meaning that a trip where we hoped to paddle some of the classic grade V multidays turned into picking off some of one day runs that are currently en vouge. It was nice as I didn't do any rivers I've done before.

This trip started off by having a quick stop off in Hood River for a trifecta of Little White Salmon laps, then rallying straight to Cali. In the first three days we were successful in smashing out the South Branch Middle Feather, Big Kimshew and the Upper Middle Cosumnes. The South Branch and Big Kimshew are classic runs. South Branch is as described in the glut of blog posts you can find about it on the internet. Big Kimshew had a lot more mank then I expected, but the core sections of whitewater are fantastic, challenging class V. I broke my boat there.

The UMC - beta for Upper Middle Cosumnes found here - is a good run, but I would not consider it classic. The granite portion of the run is only a mile long, and there is a relatively long paddle to the take out. This in itself isn't so bad, but it had (at least the way we went) a long shuttle, probably longer than the run was when it was all said in done. The water was a bit low, which might have tainted my opinion, but I wouldn't rush to get back on this one.

We finished off the trip by paddling a selection of runs in the American drainage, and the three day trip on the Middle Feather. I was dubious at first, but turns out it's a wonderful, relatively low stress V- trip (2800cfs putting on). If you think it won't be gnarly enough for you, just fire it up at high water. We also hit 49 to Bridgeport, another classic low elevation day trip. Work and severe poison oak stopped us from getting on the SF Merced, which just came in when we decided to head home.

Check out some photos from the trip, and the UMC.

A trip to California always fits well with a few laps down the Little White. This rapid, Boulder Sluice, is an outstanding boof.


Cody Howard runs the last rapid on the South Branch - even though it was late June, it was rainy in California for a few days.


A solid miscalculation on Big Kimshew, near the start.


A random bedrock rapid during the paddle in to the good stuff on the Upper Middle Cosumnes.


There are a few annoying portages on the UMC.


Boogie.


Philip Kompass, typical whitewater of the UMC.


Portage above Skate Park. Probably fine with a bit more water.


Skate Park.


Nearing the end of the granite mile, this small waterfall is named after the late Lars Holbeck.

Preserve Navigation on Big Silver (and friends)

Don't want to read the report below? Send in your comments about preserving navigation on Big Silver Creek, and others in the area at the following links:

Big Silver Creek

Shovel Creek

Tretheway Creek

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Once again, a new cohort of creeks in BC are under direct and immediate threat of small hydro development. The three creeks I'm talking about are Big Silver Creek, Shovel Creek and Tretheway Creek.

The original proponent, Cloudworks, was acquired by Innergex (the owners of the Ashlu and Rutherford hydro sites) to form an entity that currently owns, operates or is currently developing about 15 small hydro projects in southwest BC.

On Thursday January 19th, Innergex, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Office and the BC Environmental Assessment Office hosted a public hearing in Chilliwack which included a question and answer period with these organizations. To sum up the evening, the proponent Innergex genuinely recognizes the recreational value of these places and they seem eager to appropriately mitigate the loss to the kayaking community in the event the projects go ahead.

Herein lies the problem:

Innergex base their proposed mitigation measures on a report prepared by a subcontractor called TyPlan. They don't have time to do everything in-house and their proposals come from these reports. This information is included in a navigational assessment for each creek. You can find these documents here:

Big Silver Navigation Assessment

Shovel Navigation Assessment

Tretheway Navigation Assessment

It is concluded for Big Siver Creek that "The Project is expected to have a positive effect on recreational navigation on Big Silver Creek. No specific measures are required to mitigate any adverse effect on navigation." Similar conclusions are reached for Shovel and Tretheway.

I think it goes without saying that the whitewater boating community generally does not agree with this statement.

After a thorough review, myself, the team at Fraser Valley Whitewater, the CKBC River Access Coordinator Curtis McHale and others all feel that the navigation assessments are full of errors and inaccuracies, hence the proposed mitigation measures are not valid because this is the information they are based on. For example, the altered flow regime is represented in this graph:

Source: Big Silver Navigation Assessment

As confirmed at the open house, the Big Silver project will divert everything and anything up to 42 cms - the graph should look more like the following modified graph. If you think I'm out to lunch in my analysis, please speak up in the comments. This is just one example of the inaccuracies in the reports.

Source: Big Silver Navigation Assessment. Modified by LiquidLore.

The above graph is a more realistic representation of what the flow should be in the diversion reach after the dam is put in place. Look only to the Ashlu for a real-life example - outside of spikes due to intense snowmelt or heavy rain, there is usually just a base flow of a few cms present in the river for the majority of the year. There is no reason to assume why Big Silver would be any different.

The dewatering of a creek or river with recreational value can only be mitigated by providing whitewater releases. If you feel the same way, now is the time for you to comment on the BC EAO website. Please note that this is not the time to put out all encompassing statements about the evils of IPPs - it is the time for people with an interest in preserving navigation to make their voices heard, especially in light of the inadequate mitigation measures proposed. Innergex are interested in our opinions and I feel they will seriously consider everything we say. They have been professional and courteous to us, I recommend responding in kind.

Things to include in your comments:

• The proposed mitigation measures are inadequate and are not in line with the mitigation measures provided on other creeks in southewest BC (even creeks with no access and/or no history of navigation have multiple releases each year. See this link for more).
• These creeks have recreational value.
• Whitewater releases are the only true way to mitigate the dewatering of a creek. The amount of releases should be proportional to level of use.
• Releases should happen in the traditional period of use.
• Gauges are a welcome mitigation measure.
• Whatever else you feel is important.

If we are granted releases that we sign up to use, we still have the option to paddle on these runs. If nobody uses them, at least the option is there, and the proponent doesn't lose any money. A win-win situation.

From Fraser Valley Whitewater:

For those unfamiliar with these creeks Big Silver Creek has several runs on it, one of which will fall in the diversion reach of this project. It is a newer run only being explored in recent years and is seeing a large increase in use every year. This is one of the most scenic and diverse streams I have ever paddled on, it has something to offer everyone and the scenery is second to none. Tretheway Creek is listed in the latest guide-book, “River Gypsies Guide to 294 of the Contents BEST Rivers”, its referred to as one of the most special places you can visit in a kayak. Shovel Creek is the lesser known creek and has yet to be fully explored by paddlers.

Here are the links for you to send in your comments. You have until Feb 9 to help make a difference.

Big Silver Creek

Shovel Creek

Tretheway Creek

For more information check out River Access (CKBC Rivers Access site) and Fraser Valley Whitewater.

Big Silver scene.


Such an awesome place.

Stein Multiday

The Stein is one of the rare runs in SW BC that has relatively moderate whitewater for almost 50 km - long river sections are a rarity around here! While the bottom few km is a popular hike in day trip, you can also fly in to Stein Lake and make a multiday trip by paddling the whole river. Depending on the group, this can take anywhere from 2 to 4 days.

The Stein is good, but I'm not sure if I'd give it the 'classic' stamp of approval. It's not that the whitewater isn't fun, it's the fact that there is an abnormally large amount of portaging because of wood that take away a bit from the run. I'd say all told over a standard 3 day trip a normal group will spend at a minimum 4 hours portaging. The final 15 km of the run is head and shoulders above the rest of the run in terms of quality - it's a super classic section of solid grade IVish read and run - motivated people might find it more rewarding to simply hike up from the bottom!

Despite some quality issues, the Stein is worth the trip. It ends with a bang, and it does give up an enjoyable wilderness experience with wild forests and impressive mountain scenery. The Clendinning is a worthy alternative, but it's a bit harder. Check out the beta and scope the photos to see what it's all about...

PS It's the comment period for the Big Silver/Tretheway/Shovel IPPs - speak out and help make a difference in preserving recreation!

Whistler Air's DHC-3 Turbo Otter - it carries around a lot of kayakers.


Otter dashboard - this definitely isn't a new plane...


The crew - James, Sandra, Sacha, Jen, Toni, Ryan.


Tundra Lake - an unusually blue lake en route to the Stein.


A wicked scene at Stein Lake.


The dirty hike at the start of the trip. At least there's a trail.


Ryan Bayes routing the one of the first slides.


Sandra on a random ledge - the water at the start is super clear. It doesn't last long.


Scenic forest floating.


First rapid with any major consequence.


Hey Don Barrie, we found your paddle! Don't ask how we found it....


Toni routing a nice drop in the most canyon-like part of the run.


Random low water boogie.


The start of the massive 2nd log jam portage. On all the rivers I've done, I've never seen such a terrible thing to portage where there are absolutely no canyon walls.


In the thick of it. This is one of the good parts.


The good stuff on our third day.


A big boulder rapid. This might be Devils Escalator - not to be confused for Devils Staircase


Group shot at the end of the river where it is swallowed by the Fraser.