Skookumchuck Creek

Contributed by Michael Reeder
What It's Like
16 km of high quality whitewater. River running at medium-high water with more of a creeky feel at medium-low water.
Class
III+-IV
Scouting / Portaging
Scouting is not difficult, however it would take far too long to scout all of the rapids on the run from the bank.
Time
2-5 hours
When to Go
Spring and Summer
Skookumchuck Creek has been described as the best class 4 run that mere mortals can aspire to. It starts off with a great class 2 warm up that slowly builds to class 3+/4 that sustains itself for nearly 16 km with very few flat spots until it eases back to class 2 with scattered bigger rapids for the last few km.

This run has too many rapids to name or describe. They are consistent in difficulty for nearly the entire way with a few slightly larger or longer rapids.  Skook is an incredibly high quality run. High water provides exceptional river running down really continuous whitewater full of surging waves and powerful holes. Medium water makes for really playful rapids full of boofs, eddies and green tongues. Low water slows things down and is about the best intro to creeking for intermediate paddlers there is with bigger eddies, narrow slots, less powerful currents and uncountable opportunities to practice little boofs.

As with any BC river be on the lookout for wood. There is nearly always something in play somewhere along the run.

Flows: There is a painted rock gauge at the takeout. 1 is low, 3 is high. It can certainly be run higher, but does turn very fast and continuous with few eddies and shoreline trees become a real hazard.

Typically this river runs at good flows in early to mid summer, after the spring flood.