Paddling the magnificent slocan lake

Fall is a season of cooler nights, colourful deciduous trees and bounty. Kootenay gardens and local farmer’s markets overflow with gorgeous produce.

It is hard not to be grateful this time of year. To give thanks for all the blessings we have here in this beautiful mountain paradise. I am truly thankful every day. And I can’t help but share tales and photos of my kayaking adventures with anyone who shows even the slightest interest.

My enthusiasm for kayaking and exploring in the Kootenays has promoted many of my island friends to brave the BC ferry lineups and drive the 12 hours to visit me and see what this “Kootenay-thing” is all about.

Recently a friend of mine I met while we were both competitively sailing in the early 2000’s came to Nakusp for part of his holidays. He is a renaissance man-brilliant, handy, musical, a sailor, backcountry skier, surfer, diver, and most importantly, kayaker. He is my island adventure buddy and we have paddled around many of the west coast islands but this was his first time coming to visit me here.

I will admit it is intimidating to try to plan a kayaking adventure for someone who has spent decades sailing on the ocean. The adrenaline rush generated from huge ocean swells, crashing waves and rounding the mark in a close sailing race is a hard act to follow.

I reached deep into my bag of “Naomi’s-happy-fun-time-Kootenay-adventures” and went straight for the big guns—the Valhallas.

Anyone who has hiked to Gimli Ridge, or Gwillim Lakes knows this is a very special part of the world. Aptly named for the Viking afterlife where Viking warriors are said to feast at the great table with Odin-a Thanksgiving table of epic proportions.

The Valhalla mountains are breathtaking. The alpine lakes are crystal clear. The views are unparalleled. The hiking is world class and attracts adventurers from all continents.

And the kayaking is incredible—I can only hope my afterlife looks a bit like paddling in the Valhallas!

Slocan lake is only 39 kilometres long, yet there are 9 dedicated camping areas on the western shore. Each spot has a perfect sandy beach to come ashore, dedicated camping spots with fire pits, bear caches, pit toilets and forest hikes to rushing waterfalls or alpine lakes. For those with the “adventure-gene”, the options are endless.

Most paddlers plan for 3-4 days on the lake, although the trip could be extended to a week with overnights at any of the many lovely campsites and endless exploring options.

Wanting to maximize our time we paddled the entire lake from Wragge Beach just east of Hills to Slocan City in two days with an overnight approximately half way at Nemo Creek.

Wragge Beach has the perfect sandy beach from which to launch. So perfect a large group of aspiring paddlers from Castlegar, led by their patient scout leaders, took to the water in brilliant red canoes. This is a popular summer camping spot with crystal clear waters and well maintained camping spots nicely separated for both RV/car camping and tent camping.

launching from Wragge Beach

We hugged the western shore as I wanted to pop out and explore each of the beach campsites for future trip planning.

Our first stop was “Wee Sandy Creek” the site of the first local sawmill and the first of many beautiful waterfalls.

A short paddle away is another campsite at Sharp Creek which offers a fantastic view of Idaho Peak and the trailhead to the New Denver Glacier.

Sandy Point Beach is the next camping area and lives up to its name. This is one of the prettiest with lovely beach and forested campsites.

A few years ago I paddled to Nemo Creek from Silverton and vowed to return with overnight gear.

Life was very busy with my late summer move last year but it was 100 per cent worth the wait and exactly what I had hoped it would be. The beach fire, moon rise, and falling asleep to the sound of the rushing creek made for a perfect end to our first day.

Kayaking is excellent upper body exercise and with proper technique the legs are also fully engaged. However I enjoy hiking as much as kayaking and couldn’t resist the chance to hike up to the mossy Nemo creek trail in search of mushrooms for my Thanksgiving dinner.

I could have spent all day foraging but we had 20 more kilometres to paddle and the days were definitely getting shorter.

We briefly stopped at Cory’s Ranch, Cove Creek and Ben Browns each offering sandy beaches and perfect camping opportunities as well as an interesting cabin at Cove Creek.

The shore is rockier on the southern end of Slocan Lake and many are sheer rock face of varying colours. As I had paddled to the most southerly campsite at Evans Creek, and hiked to Emerald Lake in 2022, we decided to cross the lake to the east side and take in the impressive/infamous Slocan Bluffs. I still have the occasional nightmare of riding in a high school bus on our way to or from a sporting event and having to endure backing up to accommodate a larger transport truck before the road was improved.

Seeing the bluffs from the water amplifies their magnitude. They plunge into the water and disappear into the depth below in a beautiful yet haunting way. The charred trees from the 2021 fires, the sprinkling rain, and the setting sun prompted us to pick up the pace and make our way to Slocan City before dark.

We were blessed with calm waters and only a breath of wind during our two days. However the winds can build quickly on Slocan Lake making for unpleasant and dangerous conditions. Having a proper sea kayak, all required safety gear, physical fitness and extensive paddling experience are essential for longer kayaking trips. Having a competent co-paddler makes for a safer paddle and a lot more laughs. I am lucky to have had all of the above on my Slocan Lake paddle.

I am thankful for my mountain paradise and my island friends who have made the effort to find out how this “Kootenay-thing” pulled me from the West Coast back home.

until next time, happy paddling!

First published by Black Press, Thursday October 19, 2023 in the Arrow Lakes News