Sikanni River Crossing at Marion Lake Trail

[tyyota]

Can anybody comment on the river crossing on the Sikanni River to access the trail to Marion Lake? What can we expect for water levels in early October?
Thanks in advance.

[bighornbob]

About a little less then gas tank deep on a quad when I was there in November a number of years ago. The trick was you could not go straight across (some guys tried and flooded the machine in the middle of the river). If I rember correctly you went upstream of the crossing a bout 100 yards where it was shallower and went half way acroos then you had to turn down stream for about 50 yards then cut it to make it across the second half. Things have probably changed since then. You can see where its shallower. Made it across in the morning fine but when I came back in the evening (it had snowed hard all day) the river had a ton of slush floating down it. You could not see how deep it was and where it was shallow. So I had to guess the route I took in the morning. Hit one deep spot that I just punched the gas and made it across luckily but I was puckered up for a brief second.


BHB

[Thunderstix]

It is definitely lower in November compared to October. It is hard to say how high it will be this year as it has rained a ton and doesn’t seem to want to let up. Are you going all the way to the lake?

[Thunderstix]

I will say the River has never been “low” in early Oct in the last 7 years or so, but not necessarily high either. It also depends on your comfort level, and where your intake is . Many times I have pulled into the airstrip late Sept to have all the camps (you get to know people when you keep going same area) say “Mike, the River is too high, no one can cross”....and then I cross the next morning haha.....comfort level! Oh, and did I mention I always make my buddy go first?

[tyyota]

Good tip on getting buddy to go first!

[DBASTOCK]

I'm not going first Ty.

[tomahawk]

Ive had the joy of crossing that river on 5 separate hunts over 14 years, all at the same time of year. Its a crap shoot due to weather, could be low might be high. Guys who stayed at Sikanni when Mike was around said he let them go off his place which sounded much shallower.