Chilliwack River - Pointa Vista to Vedder Bridge

Contributed by Claudia Schwab
What It's Like
Braided gravel bed, pool drop, medium volume
Class
II
Scouting / Portaging
Should be easy but watch for wood
Time
2-3 h
When to Go
Year round. Could be too low in late summer, fall and winter if it doesn’t rain for a while.
Gauge
18.8cms↓ (Dec 3 07:05)
This description may contain outdated info.

Gauge and Levels
: Environment Canada, Chilliwack above Slesse Creek. Low: 1.1 m. Medium: 1.4 m. High: 1.7 m.

Scenery: Watch for Bald Eagles and salmon.

Length of Run
: 8 km.

Length of Shuttle
(one way): 7 km

Special Considerations
: This run is popular with beginners, but be sure to know how to recognize and avoid the frequent sweepers and strainers in the river. Also be aware of fishermen and their lines.

Directions
: For general directions to the Chilliwack River/Vedder Crossing see (7). Put-in is at Pointa Vista/Osborne Rd at kilometer 7 on Chilliwack Lake Rd from Vedder Crossing. Turn right (south) and park at the dead end well out of the way of residents. Since there have been problems with break-ins consider parking your vehicles on Chilliwack Lake Rd. The take-out is just above Vedder Crossing Bridge. Here the river is braided and convenient take-out locations change from year to year. Make sure you park your vehicle off the road.

Description
: This is a good beginner run, but be aware of log jams, strainers and sweepers. There are lots of eddy lines to practice turns and small wave trains and holes to hone boating skills.