Tucked away in the sunrise shadows of the Canadian Rockies rests the small town of Radium. This hidden gem has the views and scenery of its more popular counterparts like Banff and Lake Louise, however a few tourists push the extra hour and a half to escape the crowds. In fact, most of the hustle and bustle lies east of the BC / Alberta border. We however were travelling north on highway 93 from Cranbrook in the east Kootenays and decided to make a very specific stop. Yes the rugged rock wall barrier on your east is a dramatic draw for most. And seeming endless quantity of both commercial and public hot springs also is why people enter to this section of Western Canada. However, for us it is the water. Not the surprisingly warm lakes near Invermere or the glacial blue ponds in the mountains, but the rushing white water. 

We checked in and set up our tent in the Redstreak National Park Campground among the nature of tall trees and surprisingly spacious and quiet sites. Being late in the summer we were amazed on how vacant it was. There were a handful of wildfires in the area so the smoke may have been a deterrent of some. After a casual picnic table dinner we took a walk in the area and located a small playground for the girls. We were shortly joined by the seemingly resident deer that casually ventured through the area. Once the air started to cool we made our way back to our campsite and settled in for the night.

Come morning a round of scrambled eggs and sausages filled our bellies, then we loaded up in the truck and checked into Kootenay River Runners. This family run, local operation has been in the area for years and has expanded their white water adventures north to the neighbouring town of Golden. Without hesitation the warm hearted staff had us all smiling and ready for the day’s adventure. We were a little hesitant about taking our 5-year-old girls rafting through glacial fed water deep in the rockies but they assured us that they had done it before with their own kids and they were going to love it.

We were all suited up in our gear and they actually had wetsuits that fit our little twins like a glove, complete with booties, life jacket and helmets. Before long we were on the bus and heading out. We climbed out of town through the famous narrow canyon near the Radium Hotsprings and you could hear the crashing river echoing off the walls as we climbed. Luckily for us this portion of the river was not on the itinerary.

After a small section on the main highway we eventually shifted to an active mining road deep into the bush. The surprisingly nimble bus made short work of the gravel roads and tight turns. Before long we were stopped at our put in point on the banks of the Kootenay River. Once unloaded we were divided into groups and all joined in on a short safety briefing. Before we knew it we were pushing off shore and getting carried away down stream with the swift current.

Our entertaining raft guide had us do some practice strokes as he told us stories, both true and fabricated, of the history of the river. Like all rivers it had various sections to it. 100m long stretches where the river narrowed and we had to paddle hard, steer left and get splashed in the face. This was followed by casual parts of relaxing and gazing up at the stunning landscape in this part of the world. We were free and encouraged by our guide to join in with sharing stories and telling jokes for everyones entertainment. It wasn’t long before you could hear the river start to come alive. It would start with the noise the water makes as it crashes about. Then you could see the white water splashing in every direction as it descended more swiftly. This turned into the surge of adrenaline you would feel as you get tossed about and waves come crashing over the raft’s edge filling up the interior. Us adults were tasked with propelling the boat from the edges and our girls sat in the middle pontoon holding onto the cross strap that kept them in place. You could hear a pleasant but mix of smashing water and cheers and laughter as the noise bounced off the rock walls from all the boats in our fleet.

Before long we were soon pulling over on the sandy river bank for a leg stretch and a lunch break. With proper seating and an outhouse it was far from uncomfortable. The section of water is only accessible by water vessel so the guides prepared a serve-yourself lunch complete with drinks and dessert from the cooler we had been carrying with us. After an hour or so break we were all cleaned and packed up and ready to start the second half.

The next couple hours was much like the same, with floats and waves intertwined with magnificent rocky mountain peaks. We rounded a large horseshoe bend and pulled up along side a brilliant waterfall as it tumbled its way down from the river above now joining us towards its voyage to the Pacific Ocean. There were a couple brave souls that forged the courage to leap from the boats edge into the graciously refreshing water around us. Before we knew it the full day trip was complete and we found ourselves pulling up on the shoreline and rejoining the bus for our return trip to town.

Retracing the road back to town there was a mix of characters in the seats. Most were chatting with excitement of the days adventure and the remainder had passed out with exhaustion. Either way you could tell that there were no regrets, and memories were made that would last a lifetime.

And as for our girls, every time we see a raft or do a little float on inner tubes, they bring up the memories and emotion they gained from their experience in the rockies.

Check out Kootenay River Runners website for more info on how you can get on the water with your kids.