Rafting In The Rockies
If lazing around Maligne Lake in Jasper, or walking the odd trail elsewhere in the Rockies, sounds a bit tame, think about white-water rafting - currently all the rage in the national parks, and Jasper in particular. Many operators, notably in Jasper, Golden (near Yoho National Park) and in Banff, cater to an ever-growing demand. Not all trips are white-knuckle affairs. Depending on the river and trip you choose, some rafting tours are just that - gentle rafting down placid stretches of river. Others require that you be fit and a strong swimmer. Trips last anything from a couple of hours to a couple of days. Operators will point to the right trips . While no previous experience is required for most tours, one or two things are worth knowing; the most important is how rivers are graded . White water is ranked in six classes: Class 1 is gentle and Class 6 is basically a waterfall. The season generally runs from May to mid-September, with the "biggest" water in June and July, when glacial meltwater is coursing down rivers. Operators are licensed by the park authorities and invariably supply you with everything you need, from the basics of helmet and life jacket to wet suits, wool sweaters and spray jackets depending on the likely severity of the trip. They also provide shuttle services from main centres to the rivers themselves, and many on longer trips include lunch, snack or barbecue in the tour price. Bigger operators may also have on-site shower and changing facilities if you're on a run where you're likely to get seriously wet. On any trip it's probably a good idea to have a change of clothes handy for when you finish, wear training shoes or something you don't mind getting wet, and have a towel and bag for any valuables. Many people sport swimming costumes beneath clothing. Often you can choose between trips - gentle or severe - where you sit back and hang on while others do the work in oared boats, or you join a trip where everyone gets a paddle who wants one. At Banff the Bow River has no major rapids, and gentle one-hour float trips are offered through pretty scenery by several operators. Most companies in Banff or Lake Louise offer trips on one of two rivers to the west of the park. The Kootenay River in Kootenay National Park, two hours from Banff, is a Class 2-3 river. The Kicking Horse River , a premier destination just an hour from Banff, is a much more serious affair. In and just outside Yoho National Park, it has Class 4 sections (Cable Car, Man Eater Hole, Goat Rapid, Twin Towers and the Roller Coaster) in its upper sections and stretches in the Lower Kicking Horse Canyon which give even seasoned rafters pause for thought. Jasper has perhaps the most possibilities on its doorstep. The Class 2 Athabasca River (from Athabasca Falls, 35km south of the town) is scenic and provides gentle rafting for families or those who just want a quiet river trip from May to October, but it also has one or two harmless white-water sections. The Sunwapta River nearby, 55km south of Jasper, is a Class 3 river with some thrilling stretches of water, magnificent scenery and good chances to spot wildlife. The Maligne River , 45km from town, is Class 2-3+, offering a wide variety of trips between July and September for the many operators who use this river (including a lively 1.6-kilometre stretch of rapids). Yet the most riotous local river is the Fraser , accessed an hour west of Jasper in Mount Robson Provincial Park. This is Class 4 in places, but also has some gentle sections where the chance to watch salmon spawning at close quarters from mid-August to September provides an added attraction. Operators in Jasper include Maligne River Adventures, 627 Patricia St (tel 852-3370, fax 852-3405), who run some of the wildest trips in the park: the four-hour "Sunwapta Challenge" ($60) uses six-passenger paddle-assisted rafts to ride parts of the Sunwapta - which means "turbulent river" in the local Stoney language. All equipment is supplied as are changing rooms and hot showers. They also offer two-hour "Mile 5 Run" (3 daily, $40) raft trips on the Athabasca River on small but lively rapids and three-hour "Heritage Run" trips (small paddle raft $55, larger passenger oar raft $40) on the same river suitable for families and children, as well as a three-day wilderness trip to the Kakwa and Smoky rivers. Jasper Raft Tours at Jasper Adventure Centre, 604 Connaught Drive (tel 852-2665 or 1-888/553-5628) offer good trips for first-timers: two- to three-hour jaunts twice daily in summer on the Athabasca River in comfortable oar rafts. Tickets cost $41, including shuttle to and from the river, with possible pick-ups from your hotel by prior arrangement; tickets are also available from the Brewster office in the train station. Another long-established company offers similar trips at similar prices to suit all ages and courage levels on several rivers: White Water Rafting (Jasper) Ltd (tel 852-7238 or 1-800/557-7328, fax 852-3623, www.whitewaterjasper.com ), with advance reservations from Freewheel Cycles, 618 Patricia St, and Alpine Petro Canada, 711 Connaught Drive - they claim to run trips in all weathers and make special provisions for visitors with disabilities. A two-hour trip on Grade 2 Athabasca water costs $40, three hours $50 (3 and 2 trips daily respectively); a two-hour Grade 3 trip on the Sunwapta costs $40 (2 daily). If you want the real rough stuff on the Fraser contact Sekani Mountain Tours, Work World Store, 618 Patricia St (tel 852-5211), for twenty Class 3 and 4 rapids along the fourteen-kilometre "Rearguard Run" (6hr 30min; $70 including lunch). If you're experienced you can join the 16km of continuous Class 4 and 4+ rapids on the "Canoe River" (8hr; $100) or put these together with the Rearguard in a two-day camping trip for $160. At the other extreme, the same company runs quiet punt-like trips to admire Mount Robson and see the salmon on the Fraser (10km; 5hr 30min; $35), as do Mount Robson Adventure Holidays (2hr; $39; tel 1-800/882-9921), whose twice-daily raft departures are complemented by an evening run during August. They also offer three-hour guided trips by canoe ($45) to Moose Marsh to spot birds and wildlife, with no experience necessary for this or their rafting trips.
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