Kicking Horse River - A rock and roll III+ run that is a Rockies classic. If you have never paddled the Kickinghorse River it is glacier fed and so can be a milky colour and due to the consistent gradient and volume is more pushy than many other rivers in the area. It paddles a bit more like bigger volume rivers. Holes can be quite sticky and sometimes harder to see.
The run is filled with big waves, and some demanding paddling. However other than Portage/Shotgun the two major rapids it is for the most part straightforward. This is the run that if most often done by the rafting companies in Golden, BC.
The first major rapid on this run is under an old cable car crossing. A class III.
The next rapid is Hoppies Hole, large hole River right indicated by a large rock outcrop.
It is a little while before you reach Portage/Shotgun two larger class IV rapids. You scout and portage on river left and there is even a sign above a big eddy there. The challenge with Portage/Shotgun is the length and the size of a few of the holes in the rapid. Worth a look.
After this I recall it mellowing out a bit again. It picks up for a bit underneath the large road bridge where at the certain water levels there are two big standing waves they call the 'Twin Towers'.
The run finishes at the Kicking Horse Rest Area. The takeout is on river left and very obvious.