Rafting the kootney river

[Dour]

I’m thinking about rafting it in oct. My question is. Roughly how many days does it take from canal flats to lake koocanusa. I can’t find any info on the est time.

[shotgunner]

Talked to some canoers last August who said they planned on a 2 day trip which seems about right.

[James52]

I rafted from Canal Flats to Fort Steele about 9 years ago. We went in September. Things are moving quickly from Canal Flats to Skookumchuck. ....after that things slow down quite a bit. We left about 4 pm on Day 1 and arrived in Fort Steele around noon (if I recall correctly) on Day 3. So I would agree that in a canoe two full days should put you in Koocanusa.
It was a good trip. We saw elk, wt deer and black bear......and turkeys.....and coyotes.

[Dour]

Perfect you said 3 names I was hoping someone would say lol haha and thanks for the info we will be walking on the little islands trying to push something out well that’s the plan anyways last year I seen lots of mule deer on the river in wardner

[blackbart]

been thinking about a water access turkey hunt there

[Kraven Bacon]

I've done canal to skook and skook to wasa several times and my guess is you'd need 3 fullish days (6-8 hrs on the water per day) to get all the way to koocanusa. It really depends on the wind more than anything else. Once you get past wasa, the water really slows down and with a moderate headwind, downstream progress can be painfully slow. Bring along someone who's big and strong and super keen to man the oars for hours on end!

From a a strictly rafting perspective, there are much better trips upstream of canal flats.

[theoutdoorsman]

I've only done beer drinking floats in aug. Skook to the highway T junction (rest stop) is a good day float 6~hr. Did fort steele to the highway bridge in a pontoon boat (wardnerish). It has a lot of dead water. An expected 4hr float was more like 8hrs...out in the dark. A multi person pontoon boat with a 4hp kicker for the dead sections would be an Ideal setup

[LBM]

Perfect you said 3 names I was hoping someone would say lol haha and thanks for the info we will be walking on the little islands trying to push something out well that’s the plan anyways last year I seen lots of mule deer on the river in wardner
just watch along the edges for there is places that it is private property.

[brn2ryd]

I have also done afternoon floats from Fort Steele to Wardner in a canoe. I agree that wind would be the biggest determining factor for time. The water slows the further downstream you get.

[wideopenthrottle]

my bud and I did a few over the years in his zodiac with no motor...

Princeton (just up from bromley rock) to just about at the US border took 2 days...1st day ankle deep rule and "full alert" white water rafting-Rule:pull off and bail once raft was ankle deep-overnighted just before Hedley...2nd day fishing and sleeping was no problem after some extreme stuff in the morning...caught a few squaw fish and 1 trout that we cleaned up and donated to the lady with the vineyard that allowed us to park 2nd car at her place and to pull the boat there...only thing to watch for is all the Poison Ivy on the lower section...
W
e also did a 2 day trip down to just before spences bridge....

Also a 2 day trip from Lillooet lake to Harrison lake (we overnighted at the St Agnes Wells hot springs aka Skoocumchuck hot springs and ended at the repair shop/facility at the top of Harrison lake (I think it is called the Lynum logging camp IIRC) we also did a one day trip on the squamish river and a few others I cant think of ATM

[Dour]

Thanks for all the info. We do have a small out board for the slow parts. And I’m hoping some of the islands will be holding a few critters. I’m sure we will see something weather or not we can take a poke at it is the question lol.

[Rackmastr]

Thanks for all the info. We do have a small out board for the slow parts. And I’m hoping some of the islands will be holding a few critters. I’m sure we will see something weather or not we can take a poke at it is the question lol.

Have seen lots of animals on islands along the Kootenay. Depending on the time of year watch some of the back waters for grizz as they feast on the kokanee in those little back water areas. I've had some fun times chasing some elk around in the past though when I first moved here.

[GEF]

Those islands get hit pretty hard on the weekends by the locals
.I have pushed them before lots of fun .Cagey white tails that crawl thru the brambles and lay still in hiding .