A Small River packed with big fun! Continuous class 3, be on the lookout for wood
Class
III-IV (optional V at put in)
Scouting / Portaging
Most of the river is visible from the road. The fast continuous nature of the river makes scouting difficult.
Time
30 mins/lap (trick is to do a bunch of laps!)
When to Go
June-July
If ever there was one word to describe the Small river, “small” encapsulates it perfectly. Not only is it a narrow creek, it is also only three kilometers long. It is still a great fun time! A small shuttle makes it a fun section to run multiple times. It is also just a small distance from the hamlet of Tete Jaune making access easy if you happen to be camping in the area.
The put-in and take-out are accessed at the Small River rest area along Highway 16 between Tete Jaune and McBride. Leave a car at the rest area next to the picnic tables for the takeout. There is a small beach along the river right side and a trail up to the picnic tables. Remember to take out before you paddle under the highway bridge! Head up the Forest Service Road (FSR) to the put-in. This is an active FSR, and is also used by horseback riders, ATVs, and dirtbikes. Be sure to watch your speed and exercise caution around blind corners.
There are multiple put-in options along the river. The top option is right underneath the first bridge you come across (right at the 3 km marker). Underneath the bridge is the only named rapid of the run, called Mr. Big. It is optional class 5. Take a look from the bridge to find your line, or to see just downstream where the next put-in option is. Along the river right side, before the river turns to the left is a small access point. Put-in here for about 250 m of class 4 that ends in a river wide hole, or put-in just below this hole for the bottom put-in option.
Blasting past the last class 4 section/feature
From roughly the 2.5 km mark on the road to the take out is a lovely stretch of fast, continuous, class 3(+). There are minimal places to stop to clean up a swim and eddies are small, so a strong roll and confidence in class 3 is required. The river is mostly made up of gravel beds and shallow boulder gardens. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for wood the whole way, as this is a section that does not frequently get paddled. There are plenty of fun rocks to splat, slide, and boof off of.
One of many rocks to launch over
Some typical boogie
There is no gauge on the Small River but there are a few other rivers in the area that could be used to approximate the flow (Dore, Canoe). Just as the river is small so is the watershed that feeds it, so it reacts to rain and warm temperatures faster than those rivers. Late June through July is usually a safe bet. As you drive up the road take a look at the river. Low water is recommended for Mr. Big, however the rest of the run would be quite bumpy. If it looks good to go, it probably is!
For live updates on flows, river beta, camping recommendations, and general paddle homies in the Robson Valley area, phone Justin at Stellar Descents (250) 566-0040, or check out the Robson Valley Whitewater Facebook page.
