Though far from British Columbia’s population centres, the Thompson River remains the province’s rafting mecca. When setting out to get soaked, many like to hedge their bets by choosing an area with 325 or more days of crystal blue sky each year. And the utterly foreign semi-arid landscape is an added attraction to waterlogged coastal British Columbians. The real reason for the popularity of this waterway, however, is the 25 class iii and iv rapids squeezed into a 40 km stretch of the lower Thompson Canyon. Having an extra long rafting season certainly helps too. Commercial trips on the Thompson River usually start at the beginning of May and continue until the end of September.

While many companies have built respectable rafting operations on the Thompson only two cater specifically to the car-free tourist. After the brief but intense rafting season on the Chilliwack River ends, Hyak Wilderness Adventures starts ferrying participants to the Thompson River. As with their shuttle to the Chilliwack River, this service originates at any major hotel in downtown Vancouver. At present this shuttle is only offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting at the end of July and continuing until the end of September. Pick up is at 6 AM with drop-off scheduled for 9 PM. This is by far the quickest and cheapest way to enjoy a day of rafting on the Thompson. We can only hope that the popularity of this service will push Hyak into extending it to include weekends.

This coyote calls the Thompson River drainage home.

Kumsheen Rafting Adventures offers a “Three Hour Whitewater Quickie” which can be undertaken in a day if travelling by Greyhound. See <http://www.car-free.ca/miscellaneous/appendix/getting-to-hope-&-lytton.html>Getting to Hope & Lytton. This package is not offered on weekends and does not include lunch but does cram 18 of the Thompson’s gnarliest rapids into a compact adrenaline rush for thrill seekers in a hurry. Those recreating at a less frenzied pace may want to consider over-nighting at Kumsheen’s riverside resort and undertaking one of their other single or multi-day rafting packages. Kumsheen is located along the banks of the Thompson River just 5 km east of Lytton. Ask the bus driver to drop you off at the rafting company’s doorstep.

Many other companies have developed luxury, full-service camping resorts from which they base their rafting operations. Fraser River Raft Expeditions offers free rustic camping at their home base near Yale. Rent or bring your own tent or use their giant teepee free of charge when signing up for a raft trip. Fraser River Raft Expeditions offers both the usual Thompson River day trip and a power-rafting scream through Hell’s Gate on the mighty, muddy Fraser River. Because of scheduling, neither can be undertaken as a simple, car-free day trip from Vancouver.

If a single day of punishment is not nearly enough, the truly jaded might find what they’re looking for in a wham-bam two-day package that splices together the Fraser and its biggest tributary, the Thompson River, with a night of riverside camping in between at the mouth of the Nahatlatch River.

Ask the bus driver to drop you off on the highway in front of the rafting company’s base of operations just 22 km past Hope. Alternately, since Hope is much more frequently serviced by bus, arrange for staff to pick you up in Hope when you make your rafting reservation.

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