Gold River whitewater kayak

Gauge: Gold below Ucona (be sure to switch to discharge view) available as a realtime gauge through Water Survey web site. Best at 40-250 cms (1400-8800 cfs). Check the river left bridge piling at the take-out for the upper. If the water is just up to the concrete it's right around 40 cms. You'll be doing some rock slalom through the upper at low water. The lower canyon tends to hold its water better as the pools are deeper and the river is more constrained.

Fun Fact: One of the biggest rivers on Vancouver Island with stunning canyon scenery and some great drops.

Character: Pool drop river. Sections of the Upper and Lower cut through impressive bedrock canyons. Rapids are formed by bedrock ledges and large boulders.

Season: Runs throughout most of the year, but most dependable with winter rain or spring snow melt.

Logistics: Head north on Vancouver Island toward Gold River Village (89 km from Campbell River on Highway 28, Yahoo map). To reach the access for the upper, turn right onto Port Hardy Road (headed towards Tahsis/Woss) and drive up to the first bridge across the Gold (2.7 km from town). This is the take-out for the upper and a put-in for the middle. Access is on the upstream river right side of the bridge. To reach the upper put-in turn right after crossing the bridge on the unpaved Hwy. 19 towards Woss (stay left at the Y in 3.7 km) until you reach the bridge across the Muchalat (9.3 km from town) which is a tributary to the Gold. Cross the bridge and turn right into a parking spot and put-in on the Muchalat. To reach downstream access points for the lower and middle runs head back out to Highway 28 and continue southwest toward Muchalat Inlet. You'll immediately cross the Gold (zero your odometer). Continue on the road along river right and in 2.6 km you'll see a dirt road that turns off to the left. Head down this road about 100 meters to a picnic area with a nice beach access. This is the dividing point between the middle and lower sections. The Lion's Club Campground (3.4 km) is another good access option. To reach the lower take-out, continue on downstream. At 6.7 km from the bridge there is a viewpoint where a big waterfall comes in from the side that allows you to check out the big drop (there are a couple pullouts here). The take-out access point is 9.4 km from the bridge where the road drops down to the elevation of the river. Turn left onto a short dirt drive that accesses the river. Scout the take-out to make sure you recognize it from the river. It's just downstream of the Ucona River confluence which enters from the left. A run from top to bottom takes about 5-6 if you're an effcient group.

Upper Gold: The run starts out on the Muchalat. There's one short boulder garden rapid before you join the confluence with the Gold. The Gold is pretty small at this point. The next couple kilometers are through a wide alluvial floodplain river. Alder and second-growth conifer dominate the vegetation along the banks.

The action starts as you approach the first horizon line and see larger boulders and a bedrock wall on river right. The first few rapids are relatively easy to boat scout, but if you're unsure of the line all are relatively easy to scout from shore. There are about four good drops before you reach the most technical rapid on the run. You'll recognize it by a massive house-size boulder on river left. The easiest portage is from the top on river left, but if you're boat scouting you'll likely end up on river right. Depending on levels there is a potential short portage and seal launch option on the right. This drop is pretty congested at lower water. As flows increase it's still a technical drop but the lines start to look a little better.

Continuing downstream the bedrock walls grow higher and some fun rapids are squeezed in between the walls. You'll soon come to a ledge with a nice slide down the river left side (video clip).

As you plunge over the ledge drop you will enter the scenic highlight of the run where the river flows through a 10' constriction in the bedrock. You then enter an open chasm where the canyon walls are narrower at the top than the bottom.

Leaving the bedrock canyon behind, you'll paddle over some white granite shelves. There is one final boulder garden rapid and then you'll be at the bridge which divides the upper and middle run.

Middle Gold: While not as stunning as the other runs on the Gold, this run is nonetheless a very pretty run. The first few miles of the run, in particular, have some very lovely rock walls. The first mile presents several class II rapids, and then one class III-. A short distance below the bridge in town, there is a right-hand turn into a headwall type rapid. Before you reach the take-out, there is one more nice boulder garden. If you're only running the middle section then a run down to Lions Club Campround is recommened to take advantage of a nice set of surfing waves.

Lower Gold: The lower run has incredible scenery and holds its water a little better than the other reaches during periods of low water. From the beach at the picnic spot you have a couple fun class II sections before you reach the first class III with some nice surfing waves at the Lion's Club Campground. There's more fun class II as you approach a big class III drop and the second significant drop on the run. There's a decent line down the left hand side or you can skirt a good-sized hole on the right (video clip).

The action tapers off for a bit as you paddle a short flatwater section through a bedrock canyon but you'll soon be at the lip of the Big Drop. Along river right there is a decent scout and portage option for the first entrance ledge.

The preferred line varies with river level with a nice chute along river left at lower water levels and options to the center as the level increases (video clip). Have a look at the waterfall cascading in from the side and then work your way left for the final big ledge. This one is very difficult to scout from river level. You can see it from the highway overlook but keep in mind it will be much bigger at river level. Head left of the big mid-stream rock and plunge over the lip through some big waves and a hole. At moderate flows it's flushing and there is a good recovery pool at the bottom.

As you continue downstream, there are several fun class II rapids including a couple with some strong eddy lines and deep pools that will keep the playboaters in the group smiling. The take-out is just downstream of a signifcant tributary, the Ucona River, that comes in from the left and upstream of well-marked powerlines that cross the river (marked with orange balls).

Nearby Adventures: Depending on levels you may be able to find paddling opportunities on the Upper Upper Gold or the Heber. Area creeks offer some intriguing possibilities for adventures. Inquire with the local paddling community for additional information. Check Jeff Holden's Gold River page.

Note: Video clips require Quicktime to view.

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