The North Thompson River’s source is Thompson Glacier on the southern slopes of Trigon Mountain on the edge of the Premier’s Range and for 355 km it runs downstream to Kamloops where it merges with the South Thompson River to become the Thompson River.    Along the way are a number of landmarks, the subject of this article.

The Source

• Peaks surround the head of the North Thompson River Valley.   On the north side is a glacial cirque ringed by Trigon (2921m), Chilkst (2811m), and Chamberlin Peaks (2836m).   Thompson Glacier (8 sq. km) is the main source of the river, sitting on the southern flanks of Trigon Mountain.

The Upper Valley

• Km 6.0 – Tributaries join the river throughout the journey.   At this point Ella and Frye Creeks run north from the northern Wells Gray Peaks to become part of the river.   Just ahead, Blackstone Creek joins, draining Blackstone Glacier on Chamberlin Peak.   A remote backroad ends here, 230m up on the north slope.   One kilometer downstream the first cutblock can be seen, evidence of a history of logging on both sides of the river.

• km 18 – Many creeks run off two mountain ranges to join the river – Stormking, Adolph, Pleasant, Manteau and dozens more.   The valley floor is not as steep here and the river meanders.

The Lower Valley

• 28 Km – Just past where both Adolph Creek and Manteau Creeks run into the river, the river begins to meander
• At about 38 km, North Thompson Oxbows Manteau Provincial Park protects the floodplain wetlands for the next 6km between backroads on either side.
• At about 45 km North Thompson Oxbows East Provincial Park protects floodplains and wildlife habitat.

 

• Many creeks run off the Cariboo Ranges to the south and north expanding the volume of the river.   Mt. Sir Alan McNabb is the last peak of this range before the river turns at the Monashee Range.

The Turn Between Two Mountain Ranges

• At about 57km, the river enters another valley.   It heads east, running into the slopes of the Monashee Range, where it is turned southward.
• Albreda Mountain (2613m), Dominion Mountain (3048m), and Mount Lempriere (3208) have large glaciers and snowfields and the eastern slopes drain down into the river.
• From the north a major tributary is the Albreda River
• At the turn of the river near the confluence, Highway 5 North crosses the river.   There is no community there (Gosnell is a railway “stop”).   It was originally called Thompson Crossing but was named after Provincial Archivist R.E. Gosnell.   There was a Japanese Internment Camp there during WWII.

South to Blue River

• Along this section of the river, creeks and rivers run off the Cariboo Range to the west – Chappell Creek, Milledge Creek, Thunder River, and numerous smaller creeks and streams
• From the east, steep valleys with fast flowing streams flow down from the crest of the  Monashee Range – Moonbeam Creek, Pyramid Creek, Bone Creek, and Hellroar Creek and others
• High-clearance Forest Service Roads penetrate a short ways east and west into the mountains, but for the most part, the areas above the highway and railroad have few visitors.   Helicopter tours out of Blue River, backcountry enthusiasts on Mt. Cook and a few remote trails on Bone Creek Ridge and Mt. St. Anne, and snowmobilers on Mt. Chappell may visit these wilderness areas when conditions are right.
• At about 100km, the river meanders again through Blue River Black Spruce Provincial Park.
• At about 105 km, the Mud River joins the North Thompson River.   Mud Lake is just 600 m upstream.   Above Mud Lake is Mud Lake Delta Provincial Park.
• The river passes the town of Blue River in the next few kilometers.   Blue River flows in from the mountains near Murtle Lake.   Blue River Pine Provincial Park is a short way upstream.

Blue River to Avola

• Tributaries along this 40 km section coming in from the Cariboo Mountains are smaller creeks, draining a smaller area of lower mountains.  Much of the area to the east drains south into Raft River.
• From the east are a number of steeper valleys with short creeks running down the east slopes of the Scrip Range.   Finn Creek is the largest tributary in this area and Finn Creek Provincial Park is a conservation area.
• Messiter Summit is a high point along the highway, climbing a shoulder of the mountain to climb above Little Hells Gate (Porte d’ Enfer Canyon).   The River flows through a 9m wide canyon there, best seen from a viewing platform off a side road.
• The River flows past the community of Avola.   Employment in the area comes mainly from the forestry industry.   The Kinder Morgan Pipeline follows the river valley on the west side above Highway 5.

Avola to Vavenby

• The hills are lower and more rounded on both sides of the river for the next 48km to Vavenby.
• Tributaries in this section are mostly smaller creeks with the exception of the Mad River and Reg Christie Creek.
• The CNR follows the east side of the river most of the way from Gosnell to Kamloops, but it crosses the river near Messiter and crosses back south of Avola.
• Some longer Forest Service Roads lead off toward Adams Lake, up the Mad River Valley, and over to the Raft River with the more rounded, lower hills of the Shuswap Highlands in this area.
• Logged cutblocks are visible from all along this section of highway next to the river.
• The river turns west, then south, then west before passing Vavenby at about 196km from the source.
• Vavenby is a community of about 700 people situated on the shores above the river.

Vavenby to Clearwater

 

• The valley is wider along this section and farmland can be seen on both sides of the river.
• A bridge crosses the river at Vavenby and a Forest Service Road goes over the Shuswap Highlands and down to the Adams River.
• The rural community of Birch Island is 15 km downstream (but northwest) of Vavenby.  There is a uranium deposit just east of Birch Island and there was some controversy about a proposed mine on Foghorn Mountain nearby.    Radon testing is routinely done in the area downstream because of leaching down the creek to the river.
• At about 220 km, the Raft River flows into the North Thompson River, draining a large area east of Wells Gray Park
• The North Thompson flows past Clearwater near km 225.   A bridge crosses the river and we can drive over the hills past Dunn Lake to Chu Chua and beyond to Barriere.
• At 230km the Clearwater River joins the North Thompson.   This is the major tributary on its journey to Kamloops.   The Clearwater River runs 200 km north to south, draining Azure Lake, Clearwater Lake, Hobson Lake, and Mahood Lake within 10 000 square km of terrain, almost all within Wells Gray Park.

South to Kamloops

• We paddled our kayaks from Clearwater to Kamloops this year and spent 3 days on the river noting all the features along the way.
• North Thompson River Provincial Park lies just south of the confluence of the two rivers.
• The river braids into multiple channels between Clearwater and Little Fort.
• Just north of Little Fort is a corner of Dunn Peak Provincial Park which extends down to the river near the mouth of Dunn Creek/Joseph Creek.
• At 257 km, there is a reaction ferry at Little Fort.   There was once a small fort on the east side of the river for the Hudson Bay company Brigade trail between the Cariboo and Fort Kamloops.   Little Fort today sits at the junction of Highway 5 and Highway 24.
• At 265 km the river flows through Chu Chua Cottonwoods Provincial Park, a series of pristine islands in the middle of the river (we canmped on them this summer).
• Farmlands near Darfield surround the river all the way to Barriere.   At km 285, the river flows under a bridge over Highway 5 at the north end of Barriere, a town of 1700 people at the confluence of the Barriere River and the North Thompson.   Side roads lead east to the Barriere Lakes area or over to Adams Lake.
• Highway 5 and the CNR both run down the east side of the river all the way to Kamloops from Barriere.
• The small community of Louis Creek lies south of Barriere.   Louis Creek drains the highlands near Tod Mountain.
• About 8km south of Barriere, the river runs through Fishtrap Canyon.
• At 307 km the McLure Reaction Ferry connects Highway 5 to Westsyde Road.
• The river runs for about 20 km down to the outskirts of Kamloops at Heffley Creek.
• Heffley Rapids are met at km 327.  These can be formidable in spring and early summer, but are more manageable later in the summer.   It can only be traveled by river boats/jetboats or kayaks/canoes preventing upstream travel from Kamloops.   The rapids span about 4km on the river.
• Below the rapids, the river runs wider and slower past Heffley, then Rayleigh on one side and Westsyde on the other.
• North Thompson Jensen Island Oxbows Provincial Park is a small reserve, accessible by boat only.   Many years ago we ran and hiked in this area but private property now blocks access by land.
• Old pylons stand in the river where there was once an old log booming operation where Rayleigh now lies.
• As the river passes the Kamloops Indian Reserve, it flows under the Halston Bridge at about km 350, then meets the South Thompson River in Kamloops at km 354.
• The muddier waters of the North Thompson mix with the clearer waters of the South Thompson to become the Thompson River as it flows west to Kamloops Lake, then southwest down to Lytton to join the Fraser River.
• We spent a number of days paddling the river this year and will return to enjoy the rhythms of the river for more days in the next year.