When the main Clearwater is low a drive up into the beautiful Wells Gray National Park is well worth it for a new section with a variety of water features.
From the town of Clearwater take the North exit from the roundabout and keep driving for 1.5 hours until you reach Clearwater Lake. You will cross the Murtle River and don't confuse this for what you are going to paddle, it has a massive unrunnable waterfall downstream, but is worth a stop to check out the waterfalls on it.
At the lake there is parking near the boat-ramp, the take-out is on your route up near Baileys Chute, two options of parking, one on the left about 1km below the rapid or one on the right about 100m before.
Put on at Clearwater Lake, and look out at the horizon line at the edge of the lake. Finding the best line here is tricky, there are many to choose from. You can scout from river right but you've got to paddle back up the lake to get across to your probably line choice somewhere down the middle. Or go hard river left, you can scout, and send people off a lip on the left side of Osprey Falls. Beware... at one point of the lip there is a large boulder to piton (visible in the far left of the photo below), it has destroyed boats so be sure you avoid that part!
Shortly after Osprey Falls there is a small creek which enters from river left in dramatic style. It used to be possible to walk up here and huck the drop, but now it is an alternative put-on instead with no way to get back up.
Sven Perschmann doing a switch cartwheel down Falls Creek Falls - Photo Graham Gerry
Then follows a few kms of class 2 which feels very chill then the river builds into some large wavetrain rapids which is read and run and rather fun. The river will mellow out and just around a right corner a horizon line will great you at Myanth Falls. You can scout either side and there are many line options here, river right being the most challenging line. A few ledges lower down make for a 200m long rapid, could be portaged either side.
Daniel Helm and Rebekah Richardson Duffy running Myanth Falls - Many Line choices - Photo Graham Gerry
Some more boogie water and you're up next at Donkey Falls/Marcus Falls. You can scout either side, easily from the left side where there is a trail to the take out for those that don't want to run the lower drops. The left side is fast ramp move into a boof, the right side can be dropped down to for a closer look and then a couple of drops.
Will Grauer running Donkey Falls - Photo Graham Gerry
Natalie York sliding down the left line - Photo Graham Gerry
Richard Maggs running an unusual center line on Donkey Falls - Photo Graham Gerry
Below is a fun rapid with some big holes, you want to push left to eddy out above Bailey's Chute.
Baileys Chute - Photo Graham Gerry
This rapid is optional, you can take out here and walk to the vehicles, or take out just after the rapid. There is a large boulder which creates piton/rooster tail that you want to avoid. This drop is Class 5, Nouria Newman had one of her worst swims here apparently.
An alternative take-out is about 1km downstream at a small campground.
Consider stopping at Helmcken falls on your way home, the afternoon sun often creates the famous rainbow.
The mighty (and un-runnable) Helmcken Falls - Photo Graham Gerry
