Where to Whitewater Kayak in Valemount

Canoe River - A continuous glacier fed boulder garden river with lots of logjams and small eddies. The view of the river on the drive up provides a very good impression of the character of the river. The water is freezing cold and non-stop class III with some III+/IV rapids in the mix. The crux rapid is the grade IV “False Teeth” found ~2km into the run, it consists of a log jam fence coming off river left leaving a narrow slot between it and the log jam on the river right corner requiring a tight right to left move. Preferable scout and portage is on river right, though left is also possible. This run can be combined with the grade IV lower Canoe to make a full day.

Canoe River - Pool drop run with ice cold water through a short but scenic canyon. The run starts off quite mellow until the powerlines overhead signal to you that you have reached the first rapid “Powerline”(grade III+) which creates an impressive horizon line. There is a brief straight section after Powerline before the river turns left and drops into “Headwall”(grade IV). Once you start paddling into the left bend that leads to “Headwall” there are few, if any, eddies to stop and have a look so eddy out early after Powerline and go for a little walk. Following this are Headwall II, Tooth, and Exodus followed by the railroad bridge that signals that the excitement is over and the river is grade II to the takeout.