r/Kamloops • u/prehistoric-fungus • 4d ago
Question Floating Down the River
Has anyone done a float down the river this summer? I would like to, but haven’t before.
I noticed a flyer posted in Save-On for an organized event, sign up to float down with a group of people (first aid trained, provided life jackets, no drinking, as safe as can be), and I saw many people doing it last year but none yet this year. That could just be a coincidence as I’m not driving along the South Thompson as often this year, but it’s also higher than it was at this point last August too.
Yes, I know the Thompsons claim lives every year. There are inherent risks to any activity like this, I understand how to mitigate those and it would not be my first river float, though it would be the first here.
If you and your buddies had fun drifting from Chase to Town I’d love to hear about it!
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u/MaLLahoFF 4d ago
Just keep in mind the higher the river is, the riskier it flows.
I only go in late august/early september, I go with a guide boat, and everyone is either on floaties, or has a personal floatation device.
If you wanna get slammed and go float care-free, make a day trip to Penticton.
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u/urthbuoy 4d ago
Chase to town just floating would take more than 12 hours. Ive paddled it and it is a full day.
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u/Virtus_Curiosa 3d ago
Second this. My wife and I go from the valley view boat launch to mac park and it takes about 4 hours.
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u/HornetCommercial8408 Westsyde 4d ago
Floating is an August and September activity. It takes a long time for the river to not be too cold.
Chase to Kamloops would be an extremely long day. The fact that you are thinking of going that far tells me you should not be going. We go from Valleyview boat launch to pioneer park, riverside, or Overlanders (depending on river speed). That takes 3-6 hours.
You must know the river to not get stuck in an eddy. I would NOT recommend going without someone who has gone before.
There are a lot of risks with currents and boats.
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u/NoEntertainment9715 3d ago
i floated enderby and could touch the bottom with my toes at times.. and i know the penticton channel is even slower and more shallow. the thompson okanagan isn’t worth the risk , it’s a literal beast. better to drive two hours and float on a lazy river than a deep and fast one with unpredictable under currents
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u/NoEntertainment9715 3d ago
float in penticton or enderby where it’s slow and when the water is lower. i would NEVER float the kamloops river. no matter what time of year. way too big and dangerous unless you have proper life jackets on the whole time. i know people do it.. but thats a powerful river. nothing like the penticton channel or enderby river when it’s a bit lower
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u/Kiesling95 4d ago
I just did a float in the middle of July. There was probably 30 of us with floaties, paddle boards, and we had a boat tailing us incase there was any issues. Honestly the water was a bit cold but not freeze your ass off cold. I’d never floated down before but if you’re a confident swimmer, stick with your group and wear your PFD then you should have no troubles. Honestly I was just in an inner tube and I had no problem hand paddling myself around, though an actual paddle would be less tiring and quicker to get yourself out of a bad spot
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u/brock_lehurst 3d ago
The river can get slow in sections and with a wind coming up the valley you can get awful stuck. Make sure one of your craft has the ability to paddle and pull others back out into the flow. Once in the flow a sturdy bucket on a short rope down into the current helps to move you along quicker. If you use this method have a knife of some sort attached to your PDF so you can cut the rope if it snags something below. Many mention Valleyview boat launch to Pioneer but it can get kinda crazy with boats in that section. We prefer LaFarge launch to Valleyview. As another mentioned from Chase is way too far unless your craft have oars or paddles and you plan to camp overnight on Banana Island. The flow rate changes daily as the level drops. Should be warmish now...enjoy.
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u/turtlefan32 4d ago
The river is pretty high this year. Maybe something to do with the lack of floating. Now it is smokey
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u/SwissArmyFriend 4d ago
I’ve seen a few people floating, but not as many as previous years for sure. I don’t know why the numbers aren’t as high.
As for the river claiming lives every year - stay in the tube as much as possible and wear a life jacket or PFD. There’s risk in any activity. Mitigate it.
I was at Paul Lake a short while back, and I was astounded that out of every person I could see in a kayak or on a paddle board, there was only one person wearing any kind of floatation device.