June 5, 2018 by Chilliwack River Rafting

Extreme Stoke? More like Extremely Soaked!

Transition times can be hard. Winter to Spring, Spring to Summer, pants to shorts. One thing that shouldn’t be hard is choosing to have an awesome time! With the Classic Extreme wrapping up, the Chilliwack Canyon is opening and getting ready to play! Break out those shorts, slap on some sunscreen and get ready…

Chilliwack Canyon season is sneaking up!

June 2, 2018 PM Canyon

But what is Chilliwack Canyon season? And how is it different from Classic Extreme?

Good question.

The Classic Extreme is our extreme high water option. Early season, as the snow melts and the water level rises, the Chilliwack Classic fills with huge waves and fast water. The first time down, everyone gets used to paddling and getting wet… AND THEN… a second, optional lap of the last 4-km of continuous class 3 and 4 is offered for those keen and stoked. On this lap, we go full send and hit things hard- where “extreme” earns its name.

The stoke from Classic Extreme is high and that definitely doesn’t go away on the Chilliwack Canyon trip!

June 1 PM Classic Extreme

As the river transitions away from flood levels to more sane water levels, we take the rafts down a completely different section of the Chilliwack river. The Chilliwack Canyon is 14 kilometers of continuous class 3-4 whitewater above the Chilliwack Classic. Like all great things, the Chilliwack Canyon can’t stay open all year. This prime extreme rafting trip is open during medium water flows and is sure to get you dreaming of being raft guide (one of us, one of us…).

June 2 Pm Canyon

Like we said, transitions are tough and the river has a mind of its own. Some days the water is screaming Classic Extreme, other days it rumbles Chilliwack Canyon. To make the transition from one season to the next easier, throw on your zip-off pants and get stoked for a good time. There is only one season – the extremely soaked season!

Let’s Go Rafting

They said it would be fun. 🙂

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March 18, 2017 by Chilliwack River Rafting

Trip Sampler 2017

This Trip Sampler shows authentic adventures on the Chilliwack River at different times of the year. We are unique in that we are open year round and raft during a large variety of water levels. This allows us to have four diverse trips to offer;

The following pictures and videos were captured between April and September 2016.

April and May

In 2016, we hosted the Chilliwack Classic, the Chilliwack Canyon and the Chilliwack Classic Extreme trips during April and May. The water level fluctuates up and down until the end of May. Then the Chilliwack Canyon is likely to close due to high water and the Chilliwack Classic Extreme usually opens up. The Chilliwack Classic is open throughout April and May and can be modified for nervous guests to miss the extreme rapids at high water flows. No terror, but boredom is not an option here.

Chilliwack Classic Extreme on April 23, 2016

Chilliwack Classic Extreme on May 7, 2016

Chilliwack Canyon on May 14, 2016

Video from May 24 to 30, 2016

June

In June, the sun starts to shine more strongly and there is typically consistent high water levels. The Classic becomes swollen with snow melt and the Classic Extreme is in full swing. The Canyon will open up at medium water flows.

Chilliwack Canyon on June 10, 2016 – rare for this time of year!

Chilliwack Classic on June 11, 2016

Video from June 7 to 12, 2016

July

The smaller rafts are brought out and weekend camping at the raft ranch is getting busier. There are music nights, Chilliwack Canyon raft trips, and sunny Chilliwack Classic trips at medium water levels.

July 28, 2016: the Classic is a great time for families and first timers!

Fun in full wetsuits on the Chilliwack Classic on July 3, 2016

Chilliwack Canyon on July 9, 2016 in a little sport raft “no fear”.

July 16, 2016: Chilliwack Canyon Airtime

Video from July 19 to 25, 2016

August

Early August offers excellent Chilliwack Canyon and Chilliwack Classic Trips. As the water becomes lower and friendlier, we bring out the Inflatable Kayak Tour to replace the Canyon.

August 18, 2016: Team-building in the inflatable kayaks!

August 29, 2016: Chilliwack Classic bonding time!

Video from August, 2016

Booking Your Trip

Find a date on the calendar below, then book online, email chilliwackriverrafting@gmail.com, or call 1-800-410-7238. Summer Saturdays sell out, so make sure to reserve your seat in advance. 🙂

See you on the river.

August 26, 2015 by Chilliwack River Rafting

Wildlife Wednesday Part 2

Some of you might be thinking, how much more wildlife do I have to show you in this PART 2 section of WILD LIFE WEDNESDAY. Some might even be thinking “did you guys even see all these animals on the river… I mean I came on 1 trip last year and saw nothing!” Well ya, that happens. Sometimes our little friends get a wee bit shy (and sometimes our clients are also a wee bit loud… just saying haha) But they do pop their heads out sometimes to say hello and our safety kayakers/cameramen are always ready to shoot them! With the lens I mean! So here are a few more shots and fun facts of the nature we call home!

The Salmon Run!

It’s that time of year again when one of the world’s greatest events occurs. The pacific salmon swim for thousand of miles from the salt water ocean all the way to the fresh water stream where they were born, to spawn the next generation. This year is the year of the Pink Salmon. They only come back every 2 years to spawn and its pretty amazing that they still find their way back!

Fun Fact : Salmon can smell and identify a SINGLE drop of water from their native stream in gallons of salt water on their journey home.

The Salmon Run is not only an amazing phenomenon but vital to the survival of so many of the other critters that call the West Coast their home.

Black bear at the Inflatable Kayak put in!

The Black Bear and all other North American bears, especially Grizzlies, depend on the salmon run to feed themselves and their young in preparation for the long slumber ahead. So basically, they wake up, walk around a bit, eat some berries, wait for the salmon and then have a big ol’ feast!

Fun Fact: Bears don’t like to get their ears wet so when they try to pick up fish from the bottom of a lake or river they use their feet! That’s some pretty Fancy Foot work eh?

The salmon know that the bears are hunting them.. they even take precautions and scout ahead to see if the bears are waiting and where!(Pretty smart fish) Although they think ahead.. the don’t think about above….

A bald eagle telling us to back off its fresh catch!

The Bald Eagle is majestic in its hunt for salmon. It soars from above unseen by the salmon until it has it in its claws. These birds are indigenous to North America only (including northern mexico as well) and they LOVE salmon season, but its safe to say the salmon don’t love the birds. Watching them hunt is truly an amazing experience especially from the raft, its pretty crazy! I wouldn’t want those talons anywhere near me that’s for sure!

The Porcupine doesn’t actually hunt the salmon. But I thought he was pretty cool so I threw him in here too! So everyone, say hello to Henry. He likes to cruise around the riverbed searching for the juiciest of all the tree bark to chew. Don’t get too close though, he’s not the cuddling type.

Porcupine on the riverside on the Classic trip!

As cool and important as the salmon run and our other neighbors are, animals aren’t the only awe striking sights on our trip. We also have views of mountains and trees all around us. Ask your guide to name them all, see if they know their surrounding mountain range (they should :P).

Mt Slesse can be seen from most places along the river. Many clients want their picture taken with this majestic mountain in the background. It makes for quite the postcard: Sun, mountains, sexy neoprene wet suits, what more could you want for your new profile picture!

The Slesse Memorial Trail is also a gorgeous hike that offers an amazing view of the mountain and commemorates the victims of the 1956 plane crash.

That’s it for me today! Keep checking in if you want to disconnect from the absurdity of reality TV like desperate housewives and get to know what the actual reality of life and the world we live in is!

Cheers from the staff here at Chilliwack River Rafting!

July 15, 2015 by Chilliwack River Rafting

Get Ready for Wildlife Wednesday at Chilliwack River Rafting!

Ahh, the great outdoors! If you’re anything like us here at Chilliwack River Rafting, then taking a deep breath of fresh air smells better than a perfumed restaurant, watching a sunset means more than a picture, and being present in nature feels more exhilarating than any action packed 3D movie! We spend our days surrounded by our neighbors and sharing our workspace with them.

As you know, getting along with your fellow colleagues is important! You have to respect their boundaries, their way of life and their… unusual habits. In our office, we are not separated by a cubicle wall and don’t have to listen to co-workers hum Celine Dion’s “My heart will go on” as they overcome their heartbreak. Instead, we hear the chirping of different birds as seasons change, the scurrying of feet as we get too close, and the peering eyes that watch us float by. Alright, so maybe our neighbors are more easy-going than yours. So, here’s to the creatures we share our office with, and have been lucky enough to catch of glimpse of as we go through our day on the water!

1) Bald Eagles are often seen flying overhead and hanging out in big cedar trees on the side of the Chilliwack river. Hardly a day goes by where these gigantic birds don’t threaten to poop on our rafts. Just kidding, that hasn’t happened. Although I do have an irrational fear that one day it will.

An eagle watches the rafts go by on the Classic!

2) Hummingbirds zoom around Chilliwack River Rafting’s base resort, you can see them on flowers and feeders everyday (if you’re quick enough to catch a glimpse). Sometimes when the door is open, they fly right into our office and hang out by the windows trying to get back outside. The office workers have to catch and release them. They are so tiny, light and soft to hold!

A Hummingbird feeds right outside of Chilliwack River Rafting’s office!

3) “THIEVES I SAY! THIEVES!!” These adorable, baby ‘coons were caught in the act of stealing our plums right next to our volleyball court. They almost got away with it too because they were so well camouflaged in the branches.

Baby racoons in the pear tree at Chilliwack River Rafting's resort!

Baby racoons in the plum tree at Chilliwack River Rafting’s resort!

4) Ooooh, aaaaaaaah, a mysterious and rare Canine! So elusive that they are almost never caught on film. No, but seriously how adorable is this fisherman’s dog. He just wanted to say a quick hello to all of the rafts at Fisherman’s drop!

A Friendly fisherman’s dog!

5) On a less cute note, check out these turkey vultures scoping out the scene for some dead fish snacks. Someone’s gotta do it!

Turkey vultures eating fish, spotted at the top of the Chilliwack Classic

Keep posted for a wildlife story every Wednesday on our social media feeds. There will be bears, porcupines, deer, butterflies etc… in the next editions.

Chilliwack River Rafting Blog

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