Elk River Paddle Tour

Check it out Distance: 17 miles Difficulty: Moderate Paddling time: 6 hours Season: July through October Maps: Canadian topo series Fernie 82G Info: Fernie, British Columbia, Chamber of Commerce, (604)423-6868

Paddling trip notes

Access:

Put-in: From bridge over Elk River at NORTH end of Fernie, British Columbia, drive 6-1/4 miles north on Highway 3. Cross bridge over Elk River just south of Hosmer. At first opportunity, make U-turn and drive back south on Highway 3 for better entry to access road, which parallels highway barricade on downstream side of river just north of bridge.

Take-out: From bridge over Elk River at SOUTH end of Fernie, take Highway 3 south 8-1/2 miles. (Or 9-1/2 miles north of Elko.) Turn east on Morrissey Road. Just before bridge, bear right on dirt road to rough boat launch and parking area.

Attractions: Lightly used river in scenic river bottom, lined with cottonwoods and surrounded by spectacular peaks. Trip flows right through delightful ski-resort town of Fernie, where paddlers can easily stop for food. Trip especially scenic in late September and early October, when cottonwoods and aspens on higher slopes turn brilliant yellow. Fishing for cutthroat trout good August through mid-October.

Hazards: Possible log jams. High, wild water during runoff May through June.

Comments: Flood in 1995 rearranged river channel on any previous map. Post-flood river channel straighter than was before 1995.

Trip begins across highway from flank of Mount Hosmer, spectacular mountain that peaks in and out of view for most of trip. One of best views is looking upstream between two bridges in Fernie. At Fernie, one also looks up at stunning Three-Sisters Peak.

Paddling from Hosmer to Fernie has couple of snaky turns, plus one potentially upsetting drop as stream approaches railroad grade about two-thirds of way to Fernie. Drop no big deal at flows over 1,000 cfs. But rocks can protrude almost unavoidably at flows under 800 cfs.

Float from Hosmer to Fernie takes about 2-1/2 hours. Although paddlers can pull out at either bridge in Fernie, upstream bridge is better suited to parking vehicles. Heading north out of Fernie on Highway 3, cross bridge and immediately make sharp left turn. Dirt access road parallels highway barricade on northwest side of bridge.

This trip, however, continues through Fernie another three hours or more to Morrissey Bridge.

This stretch has more riffles and tends to be closer to highway as river gradually flows into area more heavily timbered with evergreens. Only points of concern, other than possible log jams, are:

Several places where river braids into channels where wrong decision can put paddlers into tight situations;

Several sharp turns against banks, including one near highway two-thirds of way from Fernie to Morrissey that can involve Class II rapid at some water conditions.

Land along Elk River mixed private and federal ownership (Federal lands referred to as “crown land” in Canada.) Camping possible along river for paddlers who find public land. But maps pinpointing ownership not readily available.

Developed camping available at Mount Fernie State Park, 1-1/4 miles south of Fernie off Highway 3.

Easiest paddling (and best fishing) at flows around 800-1,000 cfs. Higher flows can intensify Class II spots between Fernie and Morrissey. Lower flows can make some riffles skinny on water.

For info on flow rates, call Water Survey Canada office in Cranbrook, (604) 426-4718. (Multiply cubic meters/second by 35 to convert to cubic feet.)

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Map of area

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN - Routes: Classic trips in the Inland Northwest