Where to Whitewater Kayak near Grande Cache

Sulphur River - A very continuous grade II-III run through a deep scenic canyon. The canyon cuts through a coal seam and the grain of the rock provides endless eddies with clean sharp eddy lines, and lots of one-shot waves, particularly at high water. There are also a couple of decent sized, sticky hydraulics, especially at higher water. The run passes by the incredible Sulphur Gates before its confluence with the Smoky River. To get to the Sulphur Gates take out: you must ferry as soon as the Sulphur and Smoky rivers meet in order catch the river left eddy on the Smoky, located immediately downstream of Sulphur Gates. To get to the blue bridge take out: carry on down the mellow grade I-II Smoky for close to 1hr and grab the river right eddy after the blue bridge.

Sheep Creek - A cold, remote, medium volume river through beautiful rocky mountain scenery. The run starts with 45 minutes of flat water to get you warmed up and provide a little time to watch for moose and other wildlife along the way. Be aware that many of the rapids on this river are created by rock ledges which create retentive holes that have dished out their fair share of beat downs. A hike out may be very arduous depending on mine traffic as this run is more or less in the middle of nowhere. The fun starts as the river begins to drop at the Horn Rock rapid(III+) and becomes fairly continuous. Not long after the start of the whitewater the river passes under a large concrete bridge and enters a short canyon section which ends as the river constricts into the the Grade IV Cauldron. At the cauldron the river is forced through a slot ~8m wide which often catches large logs. Scout/portage on the right. Below the Cauldron are a number of ledge drops before the river enters the Grade V canyon(often log choked), after running or portaging the Cauldron eddy river left and hike up the steep hill ~200m to the 4×4 track and scout/portage the canyon. Below the Canyon you'll find plenty of fun grade IV boogie water, a few more ledges (including the very retentive Heidi's ledge), and some mellow bits between with lots of one shot waves.

Sulphur River - Renowned for its breathtaking beauty and steep canyons the Sulphur is a class II River with a little class III towards the end however, in flood this run turns into continuous class III and IV with many nasty hydraulics. The Sulphur merges with the Smoky River at the Sulphur gates. From this point on it is a relatively flat-water paddle through the scenic Smoky River valley to the take-out. The put in is incredibly beautiful but steep. Budget 2-4 hours on the water. Trip Info thanks to Wapiti Paddling Club. Original author unknown

Muskeg River - An easy flowing section with distinct eddies and straight forward river running as is a great section to take beginners down. There is the odd sweeper and/or strainer on this section to watch for. A quick paddle, easily completed in under 1 hour (but can be made longer with more surfs).

Muskeg River - See "Upper Muskeg" for the paddle to Mason Creek. Below Mason Creek, the gradient increases, and features become more pronounced. Intermediate paddlers will find this section challenging, especially when it comes to the 15' seal launch around Little Muskeg Falls. Rapid Description Fraser's Ledge is the first class III+ -IV drop below Mason Creek where the river funnels and deflects river right through a broken 5' ledge drop. This drop should be scouted, as the landing is full of rocks and sketchy at best. Scout and portage on river right. Tumble Weed is a small hole / wave feature downstream of Fraser's Ledge which gets a lot of play time. This spot is great for practicing freestyle wave moves on the river left side, and hole moves on the river right of the feature. Groups will spend a lot of time here, and it makes for a great spot for a break before heading down to Little Muskeg Falls. Little Muskeg Falls is a two stage class IV+ -V drop which drops into flat recirculating holes. You will be able to identify it ahead when the river constricts significantly. The drop has been run in the past, but it is wise to portage on the river left side. The portage is sketchy in wet weather, as the sloping rock leading to the seal launch becomes very slippery. There have been incidents in the past where people have lost their footing here, and have fallen into the class IV below. Wapiti Whitewater Kayakers has identified this spot as being extremely hazardous, and has launched some funding with the Alberta Whitewater Association to place a fixed bolt cable handrail for paddlers to use to help with the portage to the seal launch. The seal launch is about 15 feet off of an overhang landing in the large pool below. The take out is downstream a short ways just past a small class II. There is a calm stretch of river and the main falls can be heard here. Take out anywhere along the left short, and make your way back to the take out via a very steep 1.5km trail.

Muskeg River - The lower Muskeg is a fun, but long, class II run with the occasional class III- drop. This 22 km section is very scenic, and is a good long day for beginners and intermediate paddlers. However, there are sweepers and strainers along this stretch, so be aware. In 2024 a large landslide created a river wide hazard and a mandatory portage (portage river right) with a seal launch.