First Paddle of 2012 Kananaskis River - April 8

Michael leading the way.

Becky and Bryan in front of Mt. Yamnuska and the McConnell Thrust Fault

Rob sliding down to the launch point.

Leah and Rob in the Jackson Tandem kayak



Chip enjoying the sun.

Bryan and Chip sliding to the Kananaskis

The launch into the Kananaskis River

Michael, Rob and Leah

Rob and Leah through the rollers

Yukon Polo - Bow Valley Kayak Club

The Bow Valley Kayak Club concluded their winter pool sessions with an actively contested game of Yukon Polo.

Lower Kananaskis Paddle

Chip's mothersday's float has evolved into a Paddle down the Lower Kananaskis River from Canoe Meadows to the SeeBee "Pond" (Penstock)

Here we are at the take-out point above the Seebee Dam at the confluence of the Bow and the Kananaskis Rivers. Thomas is checking out the canoes. In the background the prominent vertical wall of Mount Yamnuska is formed from Cambrian carbonates of the Eldon foundation (deposited over 500 million years ago). The carbonates have been thrust along the McConnell Fault over Creatceous clastic sediments of the Belly River formation(depositied 80 million years ago).

Our paddling party includes kayaks and 2 canoes. Here we are at Canoe Meadows in Kananaskis Country. This is our put in for Chip's Mother's Day Float. The Kananaskis River flows out of the Barrier Lakes where it is controlled for hydro-electric purposes.

The launch point is at the bottom of the kayak racing course. Here Chip is presiding over colour coordination of the boats and the launch sequence!

Thomas is off like a shot out of the first eddy.

Everyone lined up to surf at the Holy Roller wave. Jim heads into the surf with a forward ferry.

A great exhibition of "hand rolling" by our safety boat.

Louise's boat disappears behind a wave.

Rob is very pleased with the outing and his matching kayak and paddle!

Chip and Becky happy after a busy paddle.

The kayakers line up to exit the last eddy in the shadow of the TransCanada highway bridge.

First Paddle of the Season

Spring is finally threatening in the Bow Valley and we jumped at the chance to launch our canoes into the Bow River for the first paddle of our season. It was -5 degrees Celsius at sun-up and a forecast of +10 for the afternoon. On May first the Banff Springs Golf Club unlocks the gate to the road around the course and we were first in line to launch our boats. We call this paddle the Golf Course Loop. We launch our boats at the confluence of the Spray and Bow Rivers immediately below the Bow Falls.
Above is a Google Earth map of the Banff area with the canoe launch and take-out marked.


There was still three feet of candling ice on the shore as we launched. Fortunately there was a narrow beach so we could launch our two canoes and an inflatable kayak. After scraping over a few rocks we reached the Bow and began our paddle downstream

Our pilot dog Kira loves to be at the front of the first boat in the group and whines until she gets her way. She also is prone to leaping into the river at a moment's notice. You must always be ready to balance the boat or she can quickly capsize you.



The first part of the paddle is alongside of the Banff Springs Golf Club at the base of spectacular limestone cliffs of Mount Rundle

Part of the paddle is an area where the Bow River meanders through unconsolidated sediments left behind by the last glaciers that scoured this valley.





Note the Hoodoos in the upper middle right. Hoodoos are caused by wind eroding the glacial sediments. Mount Cascade rises in to the north.