Endless Adventure, Crescent Valley info@endlessadventure.ca 250-359-8181 Endless Adventure offers a multi-sport adventure centre with kayak, rafting and bike tours, kayak instruction, rentals, and a full service campsite overlooking the Slocan River. Their goal is to share the magic found in the lush landscape of the West Kootenay via mountain bike, kayak, or raft. WildWays Adventure Sports, Christina Lake info@wildways.com 250-447-6561 Based out of Christina Lake, WildWays offers tours and custom clinics from beginner to moderate difficulty exploring the beauty of the Kootenay/Boundary region on the Kettle River and Christina Creek as well as multi-sport paddling and hiking trips to the 34m high Natural Arch, and the signature Christina Lake champagne sunset paddle. Kootenay Kayak Company, Nelson kayak@netidea.com 1-877-229-4959 All abilities are welcome to explore the glacier-clear water of 120km Kootenay Lake on tours from a few hours to a few days including multi-sport adventures, and customizable trips departing from the funky city of Nelson. Kaslo Kayaking, Kaslo kaslokayaking@gmail.com 250-353-9649 Based out of “B.C.’s little Switzerland” in Kaslo, no experience is required to enjoy guided day or overnight tours camping on the remote beaches of Kootenay Lake or relaxing in a cozy B&B. R.O.A.M, Nelson info@iroamtheworld.com 1-888-639-1114 Experience the entire Kootenay region with ROAM on multi-day multi-sport excursions encompassing all that makes life in the Kootenays so enviable, including kayaking the Kootenays’ massive interior lakes and river systems.
Page 16
Route 3 Summer 2008
Courtesy Endless Adventure
Courtesy Endless Adventure
Whitewater Tour Operators
Growing up around the Ottawa area, Chris began his ten-year-plus paddling career working for a major paddling company on the Ottawa River where he met his wife Andrea who shortly after became a kayaking fanatic herself. In 2003 the lure of a new land, big rivers, bigger rapids, and a new adventure drew the couple west to B.C. where they followed around the competitive whitewater festival circuit, providing video and photography services as a means to pay for their gas to continue following the dream. During that time they happened across the Slocan Valley and fell in love with the area. “When we first saw this place, it felt like home. The river, the valley, the people, we were like ‘wow we have to find a way to make it happen here’.” For several years they managed the WildWays Water Sports Shop and Tour Company in Crescent Valley before the opportunity-of-a-lifetime presented itself and they were able to buy the business and accompanying 2.5 acres of land a stone’s throw from the river. Endless Adventure was born. “I never saw myself as a land owner. We kind of lucked into the right deal at the right time, and couldn’t turn it down.” Back on the river, after pumping up our inflatable kayaks that would carry our two first-time whitewater kayaking bodies down the five-kilometre stretch of river, we put in at the Crescent Valley bridge, a short drive up the road from the Endless Adventure shop, and were ready for our own adventure. Lazily meandering down the upper and mellower section of the river, perfect for families, children and first-timers like ourselves, Chris imparts a small slice of his wisdom teaching us about the river and how to navigate it safely as we get used to our crafts. With a major focus on family tours, the upper section of the river is a great place to learn and have fun on the water, be it to learn new skills to tackle larger rapids one day, or simply to splash around and have a water fight with friends for the less adventurous. The inflatable kayaks, Andrea Ryman’s specialty in which she is continually pushing the boundaries of the sport, are remarkably stable and manoeuvrable, giving us an immediate sense of security to tackle wilder rapids ahead. One of Chris’s attractions to the Slocan, being an outdoorsman and hobby environmentalist, is the naturalness and cleanliness of the river. There is little development immediately adjacent to the river, its banks are clean, and Chris’s river-loving personality sees him picking up and collecting any unwanted litter in the river, with thoughts to creating some type of sculpture out of the river debris one day. “I really see the world as being one big living thing, and the rivers and