Slocan Lake /Valhalla Prov Park(paddle & hike)

Slow and Steady Hikers
**Slocan Lake** **Paddle/hike-update on launching on the waters**
**Departure from home base:** As deemed necessary, to be able to start **paddling on 5th Aug, from the south end of Slocan Lake.**

Preference will be given to those with whom I have paddled in the past or those who have multi day kayaking/canoeing experience
**Potential participants:** Please answer the questions, else you will remain in the waiting list

**DESCRIPTION:**
Slocan Lake is about 40km long, at its widest part near New Denver and Silverton almost 2km wide and over 300m deep. The average depth is 171 m. 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. 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 Slocan Lake is embedded by the high ranges of the Valhalla Mountains to the west and the Selkirk Mountains to the east. Dense rainforests cover the west shore slopes from valley bottom to the timberline. The landscape along the west bank changes between smooth round rocks covered with moss, sandy beaches, impermeable forest and the estuaries of the creeks. High in the alpine region springs feed numerous creeks, which caved their way down in millions of years. The water created deep canyons and gorges with impressive waterfalls and flows year-round. Lake fish like the cold clear fresh creek water and fishermen know that the creek mouths are a good spot to fish.
The Valhalla shore of the lake offers many wonderfully located wilderness campgrounds with picnic tables, outhouses and bear proof storage containers for food. Here are also starting points of trails which lead high up into Valhalla Park.
**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
**Refundable deposit of $ 100 by e transfer.** This will be handed back to you in cash at the boat launch
**Health concerns**: please let the team know about your medication/emergency contact and where exactly you are carrying them
**Closed camp sites: Wee Sandy Beach/Sharp Creek Camp site/ Nemo Creek:** These sites have been cleared of burnt and damaged trees; they may be open by the time we start our paddle
**Gear and food arrangement**: We shall firm up these items during the final meeting
**Payment for rental:** Directly to Smiling Otters (please refer below for rental rates)
**Guests:** I have two experience paddlers with me as guests
**Carpooling/departure: location TBD, including cost**
**Carparking:** At Smiling Otters, free of cost
**Onshore emergency contact in addition to 911**: Smiling Otters Owner has agreed to be our contact during the trip duration, if he is in town
**Itinerary**
**Day 1 Aug 4( Travel Day )**: Leave Calgary/Cochrane/Edmonton as deemed necessary to reach Reach Slocan City (about 591 km from Calgary), and stay in a hotel, Airbnb, BnB or Springer Creek RV camp site ($ 25 plus GST for tenting sites 19-35)
**Day 2 Aug 5**: **17.5 Km Paddle**: Dep 7.30 am latest: Paddle from Slocan Beach Boat launch to Cory’s Ranch Camp site; couple of creeks to soak ourselves. Camp at Cory’s Camp site (in case there are weather issues, we can camp at in between at Ben Brown’s camp site or at Mossy Point/Indian Point)
**Day 3 Aug 6 19-20 Km Paddle**: Dep 730 am or earlier; paddle to Wragge Beach Campground; pitch tents at *Wragge Beach camp site*
**Day 4 Aug 7 10 Km Paddle to Bonanza Creek and hike** : Wragge Beach camp site night halt : Relaxed day, paddle to Bonanza Creek mouth; return trip of 10 Km , explore Wragge Creek (we hike as much as we can, along a rugged Forest Service Road, utilizing an old, overgrown logging road and creek crossings that leads to the remote fishing Wragge Lake lake( 3-4 hour one way 14 Km). The view of Mt Vingolf is stunning.
***Return Trip***
**Day 5 Aug 8**: Wragge Beach- Sandy Point camp ground, 13-14 km (in between sites at Wee Sandy and Nemo are closed due to wildfire of 2024); we can hike up, as much as we can (my suggestion is 8 km return max, because the trail is steep and the final elevation is 1900 metres); to get a View of New Denver Glacier.
**Day 6 Aug 9:**
Sandy Point – South Evans Beach camp site 17-18 km, pitch tent.
**Day 7 Aug 10 Total hike 22 km return**: leave early: 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); South Evans Beach camp night halt
**Day 8 Aug 11**
**Paddle from South Evans Beach Campsite- Slocan Beach boat launch (7 km)**; pack up and
**ALT 1 Head home** (Calgary/Edmonton/Cochrane)
**ALT 2** (2 days’ 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 )
Most of the complied information is from public domain, [https://www.smilingotter.com/](https://www.smilingotter.com/) (a local rental outfit in Slocan)
**Main points to note**
1. Cell service: There are two towers, one in Slocan and the other in New Denver; some shadow spots have no cell service
2. Emergency services are through RCMP; there is a Search & Rescue Team in New Denver who will come to rescue in case of emergency
3. 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 and change/tweak our paddling plan, based on weather conditions
4. 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)
5. We can drive right up to the beach to launch. There are no portages required on Slocan Lake.

6. **Hikes**: please refer schedule and
7. **Campsites:** There are roughly 10 established, boat-in campsites along the park’s western shoreline (including Wee Sandy Creek and Nemo Creek)
8. **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.
9: **Unofficial information**: – Parks BC have felled the fire damaged trees on the currently closed campgrounds namely Wee Sandy, Sharp Creek, Nemo Creek.
10. Rental equipment 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.
11. This is Wilderness camping with lots of potential for wildlife encounters including with grizzly bears and cougars.
12. Water potability: Creek water needs little or no treatment to be potable. Leave no trace.
13. Slocan Lake is subject to sudden katabatic winds. Hence, we should start as early as possible
14. Rental services [https://www.smilingotter.com/](https://www.smilingotter.com/) rents out canoes and kayaks for multi-day trips.
– 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.
-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
**Informative websites**
[https://paddlebc.ca/waterway/slocan-lake](https://paddlebc.ca/waterway/slocan-lake)
[https://paddlebc.ca/waterways/lakes/](https://paddlebc.ca/waterways/lakes/)
https://bcparks.ca/valhalla-park/