Paddling on the Pipestone River

Pipestone River - Lake Louise Ski Area to Lake Louise Village. The Pipestone is mostly a grade 3 run with a couple class 4 rapids. It is pretty continuous and 'in your face' class III. From the start, expect a mix of ledgey whitewater, and boulder drops. The creek has a fairly bed rock character, but isn't at all slidey. There are two very distinct horizons. The first is at a drop called two step. There are some nice eddies on the right above it, but you need to be paying attention to make them. The drop has a very distinct green tongue, and ramps about 6 ft. You will definitely want to scout it, and if you run it have safety set. At lower water you will notice a second ledge behind it that is more in the range of 1-2 ft. It doesn't hurt to boof this drop, but if you miss, I've seen people go very deep, doing strange mystery moves, without finding the bottom, so not a bad place to learn some more exciting whitewater. Grade 3 rapids continue for a short section until you reach Sidewinder. Eddies are on river left. This is a class 4 drop which you can easily scout and set safety from the left. It shoots out at a bit of an angle, into a huge and very deep pool. This drop has a pretty significant hydraulic in it. Below here the river pools, and then tears into Mr. Splat. This is a class 3+ boulder garden with a massive midstream boulder. Most mistakes on this rapid happen because the crux is not the rock itself, it's the stuff on the right, where you're not looking. Below here the river starts to ease up, there is some great scenery in the canyons. You can either take out by the gravel road on river right, or it's often fun to boat right into the town of Lake Louise and get out at the parking lot there.