Kootenays

The Kootenays have some of the finest whitewater I've ever had the pleasure to paddle. The Eastern Kootenays often have similar paddling to the rockies. The seasons tend to be later do to high snowpacks and big spring run-off. The diverse geology of the Kootenay range contributes directly to the diversity of rivers. Glaciers and deep canyons are common, with the Yoho, Toby, and the Spillamacheen coming to mind. The West Kootenays are just across the range, yet the paddling is totally different. Bedrock rivers, granite and other igneous rivers, waterfalls, slides, warm(ish) water, cedar forests, and big lakes make up the defining characteristics of the West Kootenays. Neither region is to be missed!