Expression of Interest: Slocan Lake /Valhalla Prov Park(paddle & hike)

For the trip to happen on Jul 26th/Aug 8/9 or end of Aug 22/23: we need a minimum of 4 participants
Virtual Meeting date: Jun 21, 2026
Preference will be given to those with whom I have paddled in the past or those who have multi day kayaking/canoeing experience
Group event: We follow S&S Hikers’ club rules; the organizer/s are volunteers, hence participants are joining the event at their own risk.
Rules/regulations: We follow the itinerary including hiking trips from the camp ground; absolutely no straying alone on the waters or in the bush
Health concerns: please let the team know about your medication/emergency contact and where exactly you are carrying them
Gear: Since there will be no newbies, we can firm up the gear requirements during the final meeting
Minimum participants : 4 persons; I can either paddle a kayak or team up with a canoeist
Payment: shuttling expenses to be equally split; rental cost to be paid directly to Smiling Otters
Carpooling/departure: TBD
DESCRIPTION:
Slocan Lake and Valhalla Provincial Park complement each other, where deep, mirror-like waters meet the jagged glacier-carved towering granite monoliths and pristine hemlock forests that looks and feels like a true mountain paradise, the mythical Valhalla that the Norsemen always pined for.
Join me to bask in this ethereal beauty, enjoy the remote beaches, ancient pictographs and lush cedar hemlock forests.
We paddle slowly, each stroke must raise a ripple and not a splash for we want to luxuriate under the watchful eyes of the castellated peaks & awe inspiring rock spires like Gimli, Asgard, Gladsheim.
Now the prosaic part
Proposed itinerary (subject to discussions)
Day 1 Jul 26: Leave Calgary/Cochrane by 7 am, Reach Slocan City (about 591 km from Calgary), and stay in a hotel, Airbnb, BnB or camp( Springer Creek Camp site)
Day 2 Jul 27: 730 am: Pick up gears and head out to Launch point ie Bonanza Creek road launch; 5-6 km paddle to Wragge beach and pitch tent. Hike on a rugged, 3 to 4-hour return trip from the Wragge Creek Forest Service Road, utilizing an old, overgrown logging road and creek crossings to reach the remote fishing Wragge Lake lake.
Day 3Jul 28: Wragge Beach- Sandy Point camp ground, 13-14 km (in between sites at Wee Sandy and Nemo are closed due to wildfire of 2024)
Day 4 Jul 29: Sandy Point – South Evans Beach camp site 17-18 km, pitch tent
Day 5 Jul 30: Total hike 22 km return: Hike to Emerald Lake (approx. 4 km , 500 m elevation, first 1.5 km is a steep hike); then to Cahill Lake( 3.5 km, 215 m elevation gain) and then to Beatrice Lake ( 2.5 km , 215 m elevation gain)
Day 6 Jul 31: South Evans Beach Campsite- Slocan Beach boat launch (7 km); pack up and
ALT 1 Head home(Calgary
ALT 2 (2 day trip)
-travel to New Denver, the site of a Japanese concentration camp in WW2 and also as the site for forced residential school enrollment for Doukhobor children in the 1950s. Continue to Nelson(approx. 100 km) stay over night.
-Nelson-Castlegaar-Trail-Creston-Cranbrook-Fernie -Calgary/Cochrane ( 683 km , can be done with an extra day )
Slocan Lake is located in the Slocan Valley of the West Kootenay region. It is drained by the Slocan River, which flows south from the lake's foot at Slocan City through the Slocan Valley to the Kootenay River a few miles above its confluence with the Columbia.
The lake is fed by Bonanza Creek, which comes down the pass from Summit Lake, beyond which is the town of Nakusp on Upper Arrow Lake. Paddling length 40 km. width 2.7 km max, depth 171 m average
Most of the compiled information is from public domain, https://www.smilingotter.com/ (a local rental outfit in Slocan)
Main points to note
1. I shall collect $ 100 from the participants, as a deposit which I shall return upon reaching the launch point.
2.Usually winds are N/S directions; all paddlers do a NS trip; the details are worked on that basis
3. I have the brochures and quite a bit of information, which I shall forward to the participants post EOI.
4.https://www.smilingotter.com/ rents out canoes and kayaks for multi-day trips.
5. Rental rates for kayaks and equipment for budgetary purpose

• Single Kayak: $75
• Tandem Kayak: $95
• Canoe: $85
  -Kayaks include PFDs, paddles, throw ropes, spray skirts, pumps, sponges, and paddle floats.
  -Canoes include PFDs, paddles, throw ropes, and bailing buckets.
  -Overnight rentals are billed as a full second day.
  -Shuttle service to the north end is $180 plus tax.
  -Group rates are 10% discount for parties of six or more.
  -Payment methods are e-transfer (preferred) and cash. We do not accept credit cards.
• A 50% deposit is required to confirm the booking, Final payment is due two weeks before the trip.
• Dry Bags & 60L Canoe Barrels: $5/day each.

6. Types of equipment available for renting
   Two single Necky touring kayaks, two single Seaward touring kayaks, and three tandem Necky touring kayaks. 12 Hellman canoes.
   7. Suggest we launch mid week or a Tuesday to avoid the mad weekend rush.
7. There are few large bays, numerous small coves provide shelter. We can easily find safe places to pull onto the shore in most areas during severe weather condition
8. Camp sites-Out of the 8 campsites on Slocan Lake, all of which are open to the public, Wee Sandy, Sharp Creek and Nemo Creek are closed

• The six campsites in Valhalla Provincial Park (west side) are free and first-come, first-served.
  - Wragge Beach is a BC Recreation site with a small fee, while Bannock Point is a free BC Recreation site.
  -All camp sites offer picnic tables and pit toilets and close to each other. (between 5 to 6 km)
  10. We can drive right up to the beach to launch. There are no portages required on Slocan Lake.

11. Suggested routing- We park at south end with Smiling Otter and use their shuttle service, launching at Bonanza Rd Beach. They can shuttle 4 passengers and up to 10 boats at one time. If the group size is more than 5, we shall drop our gear at the launch; drivers return to Slocan Village Beach parking, and Smiling Otter shuttle the drivers back to the launch.
    12. Hikes: 3 to 4 hikes are available,
    -New Denver Glacier hike is 8 hrs one way with 1900 m elevation gain;
    -Emerald Lake-Cahill Lake-Beatrice Lake hike: is classed as moderate, 11 km one way. We could camp at South Evans Beach for a couple days and explore these lakes
    13. Park Updates (as of March 24, 2026):

• Open: Evans Beach, Ben Brown, Mossy Point, Cove Creek, Cory’s Ranch, Sandy Point, Wragge Beach, Bannock Point.
• Closed: Wee Sandy, Sharp Creek, Nemo Creek.
  14. Return location: Smiling Otter Canoe & Kayak Rentals, 612 Main Street, Slocan, BC.
• Walk up to their place, they will provide a cart to wheel the boats back from the beach.
  15. This is Wilderness camping with lots of potential for wildlife encounters including with grizzly bears and cougars.
  16. Water potability: Creek water needs little or no treatment to be potable. Leave no trace.
  17. Slocan Lake is subject to sudden katabatic winds. Hence, we should start as early as possible
  15. Informative websites
  https://paddlebc.ca/waterway/slocan-lake
  https://paddlebc.ca/waterways/lakes/
  https://bcparks.ca/valhalla-park/