(Photographer unknown)
"All life embodies the yin and embraces yang, through their union achieving harmony."
-The Tao te Ching
Experiencing the Serene and the Extreme
Paddling
a canoe, kayak or raft can take an adventurer on many routes - and not just trip
routes.
The
routes can be journeys of spirit, journeys of relaxation, or journeys that pack
an adrenalin rush. At one end of the scale lies the yin of paddling, or the
serene; at the other, the yang, or the extreme. In between those two ends of the
spectrum lay countless variations of those journeys.
The
Serene: Paddling Maligne Lake
Ann
and I
looked forward to this four-day sojourn on the liquid jewel of Jasper National
Park's backcountry. We were going on a relaxing trip with a real bonus: an
overnight canoe trip with no portages!
One
of Jasper's best kept secrets is the flatwater backcountry canoeing opportunity
offered on this lake. The park does not promote this actively, which is probably
just as well. It is tough enough to book one of the two campsites.
Because
I cut my teeth as a flatwater paddler in Ontario, I am always looking for
flatwater opportunities in the west, never an easy task. While I enjoy some
river canoeing, nothing matches my feeling of paddling quietly across a sheet of
still water, surrounded by the majesty of nature. Flatwater day trips don't have
the same effect; my soul yearns for the crackling of a backcountry campfire,
near a wild body of water, at a spot accessible only by canoe.
To
experience nature's majesty on Maligne Lake, you have to paddle well past the
northern third of the lake, past day canoeists and tour boats headed for Spirit
Island, one of Canada's most photographed scenes.
The
tour boats do not go past that island, located about 13 km south on the lake's
eastern shore. Just north of the island is Fisherman's Bay, the first of two
designated camping spots.
As
we pulled in there our first night, we heard we just missed a close encounter of
the ursine kind. Someone had gotten a little close to a bear with cubs. The bear
did not attack, but the camper was still understandingly shaken.
We
set up camp and made our diner, and made the acquaintance of a family of four
from Boston heading back from a three-day trip. While we ate, we watched a deer
stroll by, less than 10 metres away. It seemed unconcerned about our presence,
almost as if it expected a handout.
The
next day we paddled the remaining 12 km down the lake to Coronet Creek. Despite
the fact it rained intermittently the entire morning, it was an awe-inspiring
journey. Once we passed Spirit Island, there were no more tour boats, in fact,
no boats or canoes of any kind. We had the whole lake to ourselves - just us,
the mountains, forests, and birds.
The
Coronet Creek dock was in a sheltered bay surrounded by 2,856 metre Mount Paul
to the north and 3,219 m Monkhead Mountain to the south. Talk about a room with
view!
We
spent a very contented two days there, and whether we were soaking up the sun or
trying to stay dry in the rain, it was indeed a trip guaranteed to soothe
urban-frayed nerves into a semblance of serenity.
The
day we left to return, we eased our canoe into a blanket of early-morning fog.
It was surreal and spiritual, made even more so by the fact that just as we
broke out of the last traces of fog, there lay Spirit Island. We took time to
enjoy it alone - no tour boats, no shutters clicking, no wakes to avoid. Too
soon it was back to paddling and back to civilization to trade in tents, canoes,
paddles - and serenity - for the trappings of civilized life.
The
Extreme: Rafting the Kicking Horse
If
you're looking for a wilderness water trip with more kick to it, what better
place to go than the Kicking Horse River? A whitewater rafting trip on this
river offers a good jolt of adrenalin within a few hours' drive of Calgary.
I
paddled the river in the summer of 1986, with Mad Rafter, a now-defunct
Calgary-based company. Before I took the plunge with Mad Rafter, I had paddled
on many canoe trips in my life; however, I had never experienced whitewater
rafting. Before I moved to Alberta in 1984, I vowed to myself that one day I
would try it.
As
I slipped into my wetsuit on the banks of the glacially-fed Kicking Horse that
first morning, the memory of that vow lingered in my mind. Would I enjoy this
trip? Would I be terrified? Would I die a horrible, meaningless death in
freezing water? These were just a few of the questions flashing through my mind
as I signed the waiver form exonerating the company of any responsibility for my
death or dismemberment as a result of the trip.
Four
rafts headed out into a light rain, the raindrops actually a welcome source of
warmth. The river was icy cold, even in July, necessitating the use of the
wetsuits. We practised our strokes for a while, trying to develop a sense of
teamwork.
The first set of rapids we encountered were rated Class III (Class V being the highest runnable rapids on a commercial trip) - more than just riffles, but nothing too hairy.
That
was still to come.
Less
than half an hour later, we pulled out to scout a monster Class IV rapid known
as "Portage" - for a good reason. Many groups portage around that
particular rapid, as there is a huge hole that can be dangerous if the paddlers
do not have the strength to punch through it.
The
company had a policy that if even one raft was not strong enough to shoot the
rapid, no one would run it on a given trip. That proved to be the case that day,
as in the guide's estimations, a few of the groups would not make it through.
The
next day, with a different group of paddlers, I was able to experience that
rapid - and from the front of the raft. As I was to find out, that was not
necessarily the best place to be. It was great if you wanted a view of the huge
hole just before plunging into it; it was not so great if you didn't enjoy being
assaulted by pounding waves.
As
we entered the rapid, myself and the other bowman were immediately pounded by a
wall of water. I had never felt so violated in my life. It knocked me right off
my perch on the tube and into the bottom of the raft. It was safe, but
impossible to paddle from there. The guide was yelling, "Get off the
floor!" Get off the floor!' I battled my way back up to my perch to paddle,
only to be hammered down again.
Finally,
we made it through, drenched, drained and a little dizzy. Never before had I
felt so exhausted in such a short period of time .
But
with the exhaustion came elation. We'd made it! We hadn't flipped! No one had
gone "swimming" (rafting parlance for falling into the river). And I did not even have to grab the "chicken line" (a rope
running down the middle of the raft for paddlers to grab in case of emergency.)
We
shot through another class IV rapid called "Shotgun" right after that,
but it did not seem as hard as the Portage, perhaps because I had paddled the
'Gun the day before.
The
experience proved to be everything I had hoped for, and more. It certainly
"whet my appetite" for more trips to come, as I subsequently took
trips on the Thompson, Fraser and Zambezi Rivers.
Conservation Corner
Want to help conserve rivers like the Kicking Horse or Alberta's vanishing wilderness areas? Visit the following websites:
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Castle Crown Wilderness Coalition (the background on this page is an image of the South Castle River) |
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Travel Tips
Want to do either of these trips? For rafting wannabe's, check out the following websites:
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These are just a few outfitters. a quick search of the Internet produces many more.
For those seeking serenity on Maligne Lake or other parts of Jasper National Park, visit these sites:
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As of March, 2002, there was no info about back-country canoeing on Maligne Lake on the park website. For info on that, you'll have to phone 780-852-6176 to book your site and date well in advance. Reservations are for the two backcountry campsite locations. There is a maximum stay of two nights per canoe per location. You can paddle all the way to Coronet Creek in one day without much difficulty.
(A slightly different version of this story appeared in the Summer 2000 issue of Odyssey, the quarterly publication of the Calgary Area Outdoor Council.)
Other Journeys ...
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The Yin and Yang of Paddling |
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