We paddle the rivers of our area in early spring. There are a limited number of launch spots and some of those are in faster water. There is a good beach launch on the northeast side of Lafarge Bridge so we launch from there from time to time, but it makes a better landing spot for a downriver paddle than an upstream launch spot. The river moves quickly and there are a number of gravel and sand bars for many kilometers.
Progress is so slow upstream that it feels like paddling on a treadmill. It took almost an hour to travel 2.7 km upstream and only 25 minutes back downstream, mostly drifting. This is a good aerobic workout, for sure, but a lot less fun than paddling on slower rivers, on our lakes, and on the ocean. The lakes will clear of ice soon and we can take a break from upstream paddling.
The first paddle of 2017 waited for the snow and ice melt and landed on the first day of spring. The river is low, but t is still easy to launch from Pioneer Park. Since the water is still cold, we try for a dry launch, keeping feet out of the water. Its not so easy to do that on the landing. The river was calm for paddling slowly upstream to Valleyview.
There were ducks (mallards and mergansers) and geese on the water. Sheltered spots still had some snow or ice. Banks that are covered in water for much of the year were exposed. Very little colour was on the trees and shrubs except for the faded reds of red ossier dogwood and some faded yellows of willows on the banks. The reflections of Mt. Paul and Mt. Peter and Paul Ridge reflected on unrippled water.
The paddle up to the end of the Gregson Trail at Vicars Road and back is only 7 km, but a good start to the paddling season.
In most years we can easily get about 8 months of paddling. We start on the river then go to the larger lakes once the ice disappears, then the high country lakes, then sections of the river again. In the summer and early fall we travel to the ocean and some destination paddling-camping trips. We return back to the river in late fall for final few paddles before it gets too cold. One down and sixty more to go…..
In late October in Kamloops fall colours adorn the riverbanks, especially on the North Thompson River. I launched at Pioneer Park and paddled downstream to the confluence, then turned upstream paddling steadily against current to the Halston Bridge and back.
This same route was paddled in March (Up the North Thompson) and will be hope to return in early spring and fall in the next year. I spotted an osprey, two great blue herons, a kingfisher, and eagle, a flock of buffleheads, seagulls, and the usual crows, magpies, and other birds. No other boats were on the rivers on this mild fall day. Our “orange corridor” on the Thompson Rivers is a special place in October.
We paddle the lakes of the Interior all summer, then once the river becomes quieter, we return to paddle upstream and back. Our favorite launch is at Pioneer Park.
The current on the South Thompson River is slower than the North Thompson or the combined Thompson River so we can make good progress upstream. On this day the wind was blowing from the east so it was a slow process to advance to the Yellowhead Bridge and beyond.
It takes anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes to get to the bridge, depending on the season (the river runs quicker during freshet) and the winds. There is a nice green space corridor past the Jack Gregson Trail.
Backroads Mapbook
Past the bridge the river runs faster as gravity “slingshots: the water around the curves. With an S-shape between downtown and Valleyview, it is usually a good idea to paddle across the river to wherever the water is flowing more slowly.
The green corridor on the sides of our rivers is home to birds and small mammals. We paddle upstream, then turn the boat downriver whenever the time seems right. The more open skies of the west lay in front of us.
The boat launch at Pioneer Park is our return landing spot after a good paddle up the river.
In 2016 we paddled from Chase to Kamloops in 3 stages, each downriver leg 21 km. We launched our boats from the beach in Chase in the morning. The lakefront was quiet and Little Shuswap Lake was calm. Our boats were pulled quickly down the river at the outlet. Pritchard was 3 hours away.
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Every section of the river is different. The main flow of the river follows the easiest course downstream. The fastest sections follow the deeper water as centrifugal force swings the river around the outside of each curve. The other side of the river on each curve runs slower and sometimes back eddies around points. The zone between the faster water and the slower water is turbulent and whirlpools sometimes form. Ripples rise over shallow water, usually gravel bars in the South Thompson. During freshet the river spreads out from bank to bank, and logs get stranded along the shoreline. Some of these are hazards to anyone in a boat so paddlers usually steer clear of them. A sweeper is a log sticking out into the river in a faster current, an unsafe situation for kayaks and canoes. We paddle out from the shoreline, but we try to leave the middle of the river for powerboats following the line of navigation buoys upstream. Most boaters are considerate of other boats on the river, but we still try to paddle downstream early before most of the motorized watercraft are out.
The 64 km of the South Thompson River from Chase to Kamloops is a long green corridor frequented by birds and small mammals. We often see geese, ducks, eagles, osprey, herons, and a variety of birds. On this last paddle downstream, we were entertained by the chittering kingfishers as they flew from branch to branch leading our boats along the shoreline.
We planned our paddle trip to include a stop on Banana Island. It was traditionally used by the First Nations people of the Neskonlith Band as a base for fishing. Birds nest on the island and in 2006 it was turned into a Provincial Park. In high water, the beaches are very small, but we managed to land on the grassy shores on the north side. The south side has a better beach right by the sign.
When the river’s volume decreases, there are numerous sand bars and gravel bars that can be used as a landing spots, but at freshet when the river is full, Banana Island is one of the only places for paddlers to stop on a downstream journey.
From Banana Island, the final section of the downriver paddle is 6km to the Pritchard Bridge. The wooden bridge is one lane, except for a passing zone in the middle. It is safest to cross through the middle of the bridge in a boat since there are booms and trapped logs near the other uprights. The landing area is on the northwest side of the bridge, a local hand-launch spot. We will return to paddle the South Thompson River in next year.
There are a handful of good launch spots on the South Thompson River and the beach at the Lafarge Bridge is one of the best ones. A dirt road goes down to a gravel beach. We can park on the side road above after unloading the boat.
We launched and paddled upstream east to Rivershore Golf Club. There is a lot of shallow water and a series of gravel bars on the north side
Although the river appears to be wide in this section, the extensive shallows on the north side means that the bulk of the water flows down a narrow channel on the south side. The current is An hour up the river and half an hour down the river is enough for a day’s paddle early in the season. We will be back later in the spring to paddle downstream from Pritchard to Lafarge (20km).
With milder winters, I have been able to get the kayak onto the river in February for the last two years. In 2015 the last paddle outing was in the middle of November (although I paddled in New Zealand after that). There is no one around this early in the season and if there is no wind, paddling is good. The water is not too cold, but I wear neoprene boots and a good paddling jacket, but I am also protected by a good spray skirt. I launched from Pioneer Park on a fine day at the end of February.
With no wind, the river was calm. Paddling upstream is hard work, but the South Thompson is the best choice for an upriver-and-back workout.
With blue skies, the hills were reflected in the water.
I went upstream for an hour then turned back for an easy return paddle downstream.
the prow of the new boat – a Current Designs 17.5 ft. kevlar heading downstream
By getting out early and paddling long slow distance, we can build for the endurance we will need in the main part of the paddling season. We have planned to do the Bowron Circuit, Clayoquot Sound, the Wallace Island area, the Columbia River Reservoirs, and Murtle Lake, among others. This was Day 1 of an estimated 70 days of paddling for 2016….
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The South Thompson River from Chase to Kamloops provides excellent downriver paddling. We can divide the river route into 3 sections (based on accessible launch/landing sites) – Chase to Pritchard, Pritchard to Lafarge, and Lafarge to downtown Kamloops. We paddled from Lafarge to Pioneer Park in mid-June.
The paddling is all easy and the only issue is avoiding a lot of powerboats. By getting an early start, we were able to avoid most of the motorized traffic. Most boat owners are considerate and slow down when passing canoes and kayaks (but not all). The silt cliffs rise above the shores of the river.
There are many riverfront homes in Dallas and Valleyview. Behind them, Sunrise Mountain stands among the wispy clouds over the south shore of the river.
Mt. Peter and Paul stand over the north side of the river as we approach downtown Kamloops.
The river section is 20km from the launch area next to the Lafarge Bridge to the boat launch at Pioneer Park. We are very lucky to have two rivers running downstream to the “meeting of the waters,” making fine downriver paddling for us from March to November.
In spring we paddle downriver, enjoying the green corridors of our valleys in our kayaks and canoes. We choose to go before the noise and wakes of powerboats take over the rivers.
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We paddled from the public beach at Chase on Little Shuswap Lake to the Lafarge Bridge, a total of 40.5km.
Wile the rivers are in flood, the water moves more quickly and we were able to average about 7.5km/hour. On the North Thompson, we have been able to do about 9km/hour. There is little swirling water on the South Thompson, but the current does run faster on one side, then the other as the river winds its way west.
Banana Island Provincial Park makes a good stop for a break. Even at high water, there is a small beach on the north side of the island.
About halfway along the route is the Pritchard Bridge. There is a good landing spot on the northwest side of the bridge.
The next 20km downstream is steady paddling all the way to the Lafarge Bridge. There is a good landing beach on the northeast side. For most paddlers, half of this route will be a good choice. Pick a nice day with little wind in May, the first half of June, or September to avoid power boat traffic and noise.
Other good (and easy) downriver sections are Lafarge to Pioneer Park, Pioneer Park to Cooney Bay, and Harrington Road in Westsyde to McArthur Island, all scheduled for this year.
In Kamloops, we can paddle on our rivers in 9 of the 12 months of the year. With a cool spring, the first day of paddling on the river this year was the last day of March. From Pioneer Park, the upstream paddle is easier when the flow rates are down. With a reduced current, we can progress east on the South Thompson River more quickly, but it is still a good workout, especially early in the season as we build our paddling endurance levels. The Valleyview Boat Launch is about 5.75 km. The paddlewheeler Wanda Sue is berthed just east of that, a good place to turn around.
Many geese and some ducks were in pairs or small groups on the shoreline. One great blue heron probed the shallows of the river off Shuswap Road. The best part of paddling at this time of the year is the complete absence of power boats. Although the river goes right through the middle of town, most sections are quiet, especially on a weekday morning. There were 3 other kayaks on the river and one rower too.
We paddle on the river in the early season before the noisy power boats overwhelm the river. They seem oblivious to the intrusiveness of the noise, the wake, and their speed in such a narrow space. When they arrive on the river, we move to the upland lakes.
