Thinking of paddling the Bowron River between Bowron Lake and Highway 16. This information comes from old Trip Reports written by a paddling group out of Prince George, but please note the dates.... current conditions will differ.... but this can give you a rough idea on what to expect. Part Three Bowron River Trip 3 (1992) Highway 16 to Box Canyon Grade -- 1 to 3 Hazards -- Log jams at high water, sweepers and canyons Length -- 24 kms Time -- 5 - 6 hours plus 2 hours car shuttle (good for two day extended trip) Maps -- 93G-16; 93J-1 Prime paddling May to Aug. Put in -- At the Bowron Forestry Recreation Site on the left side of Highway 16 just before the bridge crossing over the Bowron River Short grade 2 rock garden immediately below the put in, then a mixture of flat sections before Basket Canyon. Basket Canyon is like a chute over a rocky outcrop rather than a canyon. Immediately before the chute the river bends to the right with a log jam on river left, which should be avoided by staying on the right. The water velocity increases slightly and the river narrows - stay on river right and eddy-out to scout the chute. In high water the chute should be lined on the right as water below the chute piles into an ugly log jam. At normal levels the best route is down the middle avoiding a few boulders. At lower levels either the extreme left or right can be run. Watch the eddy on the right at the bottom of the chute - it is very strong. This is an ideal play and lunch spot. For the next 5 kms the river bends quite a bit, usually with rocky ledges protruding form the outside edge of each bend. The grade varies 1 to 2. The river then straightens for 500m. After which the river bends to the left past a large washed out creek/mudslide, and a big isolated boulder on river right - this is your warning that Portage Canyon is 500m downstream. In Preparation for scouting or lining the canyon stay on river right and eddy-out about 50m above the rocky ledge that will soon come into view. Again, Portage Canyon is not really a canyon, the river bends gently to the left past a rocky ledge on the right and then plunges sharp right through a gap which is full of hidden boulders. There is a slight headwall on the left as the water piles into more ledges. Portage Canyon is a grade 3 and run centre left by advance paddlers in open boats and intermediate paddlers in closed boats. For those who choose to line, this can be done with some difficulty on the right. In high water this lining is very difficult and there is no easy portage alternative. Below the canyon there is a tricky rock garden which can be avoided by staying left once clear of a log jam on the left, or by running it center right with some tight manoeuvring to avoid boulders and hidden ledges. River mellows for awhile, passing a few rock gardens before Boat Canyon, which is more like a typical “S” bend in the river. This can be scouted on the right. Grade is 2 + and the best way to run it is to stay right of centre and then ferry left to avoid rocky ledge on river right. The river slows into deep pools below this canyon and remains calm for another 5 km after which it passes through a maze of log jams. The route through these log jams varies year to year. Present route is on river left after rounding a wide left bend at the start of the log jams. The channel does not look like much but do not be sucked into channels on the right which end in impassable jams. Once past the log jams the river bends sharply left into Box Canyon, the only true canyon on the river. The entrance to the canyon has some tricky boils, but once in, at normal water levels, the river is very mellow. At high water levels there are big waves and boils in the canyon at grade 2 +. At the end of the canyon there is a bridge, take out either river left or river right. Take out -- starting at the Yellowhead Bridge drive east 17.5 km and turn left onto Upper Fraser Rd. Proceed for 9 kms then turn right onto the Beaver Forest Rd. This gravel road crossed the Willow River and then the Bowron River at Box Canyon at 26 km. Take-out is by the bridge.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 21:10:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015