Stein River

The Stein River trip is one of the classic multi day trips in South West BC. The river flows from Stein Lake 60 km's to the Fraser River near Lytton dropping 800 meters along the way. The trip itself is Class 5 due to the remoteness and several drops along the way.... and the wasps.... everyone gets stung.

Their is a route into the Stein that can be accessed by logging road then a bit of a trek in, see the article in rapid mag where the group hiked in and did the north Stein as well:


Those who want a different experience can try the float plane route in as we did. The experience of being planed in was worth it in itself.




The view is worth the $200 and change per person....





The trip takes 3 days if you dont want to rush.... maybe do a little fly fishing along the way, if you want to go hard it can be done in 2 full, long river days. Their is no guage for the river, the best time to go is usually early-mid August depending on snow pack or early spring. The 2 canyon sections on the river are very pushy at high water and bring the grade up to a solid 5.

Flying into Stein lake... the adventure begins.






You realize how remote things are when the plane takes off and you paddle away on the lake... wondering what will lye in the 60 km of river to follow.





The start of the river is slow as you have to haul your boats and gear about 1 km past a maze of mini log jams from the lake down to the confluence of the North Stein and main Stein. The easiest way is on river right following the well marked hiking trail. The wasps on the upper section of the river are more dangerous then the run itself... I got stung 3 times dragging my boat over the thousands of wasp nests... trust me, the river is much safer.




Once you put in on the river you get to sample some of the best quality whitewater in BC... the first section is a series of slides onto pools. All are runnable but require some scouting and more wasps.




After the first set of slides you come to a few km of flat water. If your taking your time you can camp along here... their is some unreal fly fishing on this section, if your pumped and want to run some rapids you can continue on to the first canyon section which is mainly really fun grade 4 with a few drops that should be looked at.

Here is Dave running one of the bigger drops in the first canyon.




This one in the first canyon section is worth a look... runable, rocky and really should be scouted.



After the first canyon you come to a long section of moving grade 1 flat water, approx 20 km with a few smaller and 2 major log jams. This section makes you earn the whitewater that follows. The first major log jam is best portaged on the right and the second is portaged on the left. They are not easy treks throught the thick bush with the loaded boats and constant threat of wasps. The second log jam you actually bushwack on river left approx 200 meters straight up to the hiking trail then hike the trail down to where you can see the river again, approx 1 km.

Me Loving the portage and the sore neck.




The best place to camp is after the second log jam. IF your doing the river in 2 days this will probably be the end of a very long day. Youll find some sweet open beaches with prime fishing opportunities. Find something open otherwise youll get killed by the black flies. If you see something good grab it otherwise youll miss out and end up getting eaten, we missed it and got eaten.




Youll know that your comming up to the second significant canyon section when you get to the old cable crossing which now has a foot bridge over the river. This is the best section of the trip. It is class 4 with probably two class 5 drops in the first bit then constant sweet grade 3/4 until the Fraser river confluence.

Me punching through a hole in some of the best water in BC.




The river responds to rain quickly and it doesnt take much for it to turn into a brown torrent. Here is the view of the river when we woke up after the second night... brown flooding water increases the consequences.




The first really significant drop after the cable crossing is the grade 5 Devils Escalator, it is runnable but really should be looked at as their are consequences to a bad line. You know your comming up to it when you see a horizon line with 2 large house size boulders in the middle and right. Get out and scout on the right.

The next major drop is Devils Staircase and also should get a look. Its a series of ledges and boulders with huge holes depending on flows. You know its comming up when you can see a red/brown cliff face on river right. Scout this drop on the left.

Dave and Darren picking their way through the bottom of Staircase.



After the Staircase it is really fun grade 3/4 until the Fraser. Darren lovin the lower Stein.




Once you get to the Fraser its a short drift to Lytton where the Thompson and Fraser meet. Some cheap Chinese food and draft beer are waiting... makes it all worth it.

Callahan Creek

Class 4/5

Located near Whistler BC

One of the best local runs in the Whistler area. Three big drops including a 25 foot water fall with class 4/4+ boulder gardens.

Its runs for most of the spring/summer and in the fall with rain, no guage judge the level from the creek bed at the takout, very pushy at high water.

To Get There: Head toward Whister on Hwy 99. A few km outside of Whister youll drive over the river on the 99. The gravel parkinglot beside the bridge is the takeout. To get to the put in drive over the bridge on the 99 then turn left on the first logging road after the bridge. Drive up the logging road approx 3.5km then take a left on a very well used logging road, their may still be a sign from the Whistler Creek Cup. Stay on the main road, when the road forks take the left on the first fork then the right on the second, youll come to a cul de sak at the end of the logging road, approx 1 km from the left turn off of the main logging road, park here, hike about 5 min to the creek and put in.

Most of the drops are straight forward; however, the first falls is usually run on the right as the left is undercut, low water makes the right line difficult, good idea to scout all the major drops.


Dale running the second falls:






The boys having a look at a horizon line:





Darren on the 25 footer:









Here is Dale after the second falls, peeling out for the line on the 25 footer:






This run is a must if you are in the Whistler/Squamish area and the levels are right.


Here I am disappearing over the lip:




Some of the fun class 4 between the drops.... doesnt get better....