The Legendary Thompson River is one of the most popular Whitewater Rafting BC Rivers
Hundreds of BC’s pristine rivers offer world-class white water rafting with the Thompson River, located only three hours from Vancouver BC, near the top of the list
The Thompson River is the largest tributary of the mighty Fraser River (British Columbia’s longest river) draining an area of 21,600 square miles. In the spring, it gathers the melting snow from this vast area and fills its banks with a huge volume of water. Its peak flow during spring runoff is more than 100,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) on average.
The largest flow ever recorded was 146,000 cfs in 1948. That’s about 15,000 bathtubs full of water a second, or 3 Olympic sized swimming pools filled every two seconds.
The main stem Thompson River begins at Kamloops BC where the North Thompson and South Thompson Rivers converge. From this confluence, the Thompson River heads west 5-miles into Kamloops Lake, the descendant of glacial waters that filled the valley for thousands of years.
The lake is 17 miles long and at its westerly end at the little community of Savona, the Thompson River begins its 73-mile journey to Lytton BC. First, it flows west for 22 miles then heads south to merge with the Fraser River at Lytton in a dramatic spectacle of colour – the azure water of the Thompson slowly mingling with the brown, silt-laden Fraser.
The local First Nations peoples called this spectacle the Kumsheen or Great Forks of the two rivers.
The Thompson River is famous for its fishing. Wild rainbow trout are indigenous to the river. Sockeye, Chinook, Pink, Coho and Steelhead salmon head upriver to their spawning beds located on the Thompson’s tributaries between July and October.
The salmon leave the ocean; head up the Fraser River for about 160 miles, then into the Thompson to their spawning grounds in the Thompson’s many tributaries. In 2010, the largest sockeye salmon migration in 97 years – more than 30 million fish – headed for the Thompson. A continuous ribbon of fish, that began as a trickle in early August and continued until late October.
The first descent of the Thompson River took place during low water in October 1828. Governor George Simpson of the Hudson’s Bay Company and fifteen of his men ran the river in two large freighter canoes and a heavy, dory-like boat that they paddled, not rowed. The best river guide in Canada was in charge of the three craft.
Simpson kept detailed records of his first descent and describes a hair-raising trip through a section now called the Devil’s Gorge. He and his men made it through without flipping a craft – credit is due to the competency and skills of the head river guide – but they did swamp the canoes and came close to losing one in the Jaws of Death rapid.
All of the Thompson River from Savona to its confluence with the Fraser River is navigable. In 1881, a 128 ft. sternwheeler The Peerless navigated 47 miles from Savona downriver to Spences Bridge, and back again. The downriver journey took less than a day and the return voyage a week.
Today, the most popular section for whitewater rafting and kayaking is between Spences Bridge and Lytton, a distance of 25 miles. The very best rapids on the river – 18 in all – erupt in the last 10 miles of the river from The Frog rapid at Nicomen Falls to Lytton.
In 1973, the first commercial whitewater rafting BC operation began on the Thompson River when Bernie Fandrich advertised an 8-mile tour through the rapids near the tiny town of Spences Bridge, about 4 hours from Vancouver BC. The one-hour rafting trip sold for $8.00 (adult fare) or $5.00 (for children).
Whitewater rafting on the Thompson River started small. The business consisted of a 4 x 8 ft “Raft Rides” sign on the highway, (visible from both directions of course), a 15-ft travel trailer that served as an office and living quarters for Bernie and a friend, and a VW shuttle van. The fleet consisted of one 15-ft Avon Professional River Runner raft. A few lifejackets, oars, and a raft guide with more enthusiasm than the Dallas Cheerleaders rounded out the company assets.
Bernie opened the VW van doors for business June 15, 1973 and was ready and able to take someone down the river every day until early September. His gross income was $1160 for the season.
However, he was hooked on whitewater rafting BC, saw the potential in river rafting, and stuck with it for almost four decades growing his Kumsheen Rafting Resort and whitewater rafting BC business a little at a time.
Today, whitewater rafting on the Thompson River is still the reason most guests come to the Kumsheen Rafting Resort. The business has expanded to include several other rivers and other activities besides whitewater rafting. More than a quarter million whitewater rafting enthusiasts have enjoyed the Thompson River with Kumsheen Rafting over the years.
Bernie Fandrich and his family continue to own and operate the Kumsheen Rafting Resort based on the outskirts of Lytton BC overlooking the stunning White Canyon of the Thompson River. It’s a popular river rafting BC resort destination with comfortable lodging, restaurant, meeting room, and a host of outdoor activities.
Whitewater rafting BC on the Thompson River now begins May 1st each year and continues until the end of September. When the river is in spring runoff mode, big power rafts are the order of the day. Motorized K-rigs (specially designed Kumsheen rafts) – 22 ft. and 28-ft.in length- are utilized in May and June. However, once the river drops to about 70,000 cfs, oar-assisted paddle rafts float into action.
The Thompson River Canyon is one of the driest and hottest regions in British Columbia. Annual precipitation is usually less than one inch per month, in contrast with the BC coast, which can get more than ten times that amount in places.
Average daytime temperatures during the summer months hover around 80° F and 105 degree temperatures are quite common. The desert-like climate warms the water of the Thompson River creating perfect conditions for descending a great river while whitewater rafting BC.
About the Author
Bernie Fandrich is a pioneer of the whitewater rafting industry in western Canada and founder of the Kumsheen Rafting Resort in Lytton, BC. He has been sharing his love of the river with the world since 1973. Bernie co-authored Rafting BC: Featuring the Lower Thompson River and currently working on his latest project, a chronicle of river running and other events along the legendary Thompson River
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