August 2015
This trip had probably the most scenic 3 days we have ever had on a river. The first 100 miles below Telegraph Creek you are surrounded by towering granite mountains capped with glaciers. We lucked out with perfect weather for the first 3 1/2 days. After that we had non-stop rain and didn't see too much (typical weather here), but the scenery is less spectacular in the bottom section so we are told (we saw nothing).
We started the river at normal August levels of about 100K cfm. We did the braided/wood-hazard section (Scatter Ass Flats) at that level and it was fine though attention getting. You need to be fully competent in turning 180 degrees in a strong current and doing a ferry when needed in this section. Then the river rose 6 feet in a few hours to 150K cfm. But then we were in the less wood-hazard area and paddling the high water was fine. We stayed at the forest service cabins (Shake's Slough and Garnet Ledge) for 3 nights during the worst of the weather. We spent 3 hours at the hot springs and got them to ourselves. They are to die for. Really special.
Full blog with pictures, maps, packing lists: https://northernwaters.shutterfly.com/lowerstikineriver
There is a good guide book that covers the trip: Canoe Trips in Northern British Columbia, Vol 1.
Logistics
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Getting there: We flew to Wrangall on Alaska Air from Seattle and then took a flight with Sunrise Aviation from Wrangall to Telegraph Creek. Sunrise Aviation is at the same (tiny) airport that you arrive at with Alaska Air. Flight from Wrangall to Telegraph Creek was 45min and $850. Unfortunately the plane they had is a bit on the small side (their Beaver was in Petersburg). Weight limit was 900lbs and we were 965lbs but more importantly, we physically could not fit 4 people and 5 duffle bags (gear plus 2 boats) into one plane. We had to take 2 flights (ca-ching). The flight was spectacular. We got to see a lot and the pilot did a little sight-seeing for us on the way in. The airport is 2 miles from Telegraph Creek. There was a bit of traffic on the road and we were able to hitch-hike. Then we paid a local $20 to come back in an hour and 1/2 to meet the 2nd plane trip. Other people we met had driven to Telegraph Creek and then took a boat back up the river. Cost is similar to 2 plane flights but you can take rigid canoes on the boat. We have skin-on-frame canoes so we can go in airplanes. We saw a boat going to Telegraph Creek daily with canoes strapped on top.
There used to be the Riversong Lodge in Telegraph Creek but it closed (for good?), two weeks before we arrived. You can camp right near the lodge if needed, but we paddled out of town. There is a grocery store up above the river about a mile walk up. Ask people because you won't know where the grocery is otherwise; you cannot see it from the river and it is not in the cluster of buildings by the river. It is small but has the basics, including some vegetables, cheese, etc. You probably wouldn't want to get all your food there but you can get some. I didn't look to see if they had camping fuel.
Camping fuel, bear spray etc: When we arrived in Wrangall, we got a taxi and went to the local hardware store ($20 round-trip). They have white gas. We also got a tarp because airport security took a knife to the duffel with our canoes inside wrapped in a tarp (seriously!). Fortunately, they only destroyed the tarp. The airport is 2 miles outside of town. Easy walk if you don't want to take a taxi.
Maps and river info:
Flow: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=15024800
Maps: Search online. You can download free topos. YOU NEED TO BRING TOPOS! The river is very braided in spots and you'll want topos. That said, the one time we got into a unpleasant spot with lots of wood-hazard was when I took what the topo said was the main channel rather than read the river. After that we read the river and followed the main/widest flow.
GPS: Helpful for knowing where you are generally and knowing which side streams are coming in. Not so helpful for choosing where to be on the river. You start in Canada so make sure your GPS maps include Canada. Always check how your location looks in your GPS before you leave, otherwise you could be in for an unpleasant surprise when you get to the river.
Guide book: Canoe Trips in Northern British Columbia, Vol 1.
Big map: bring some kind of map that covers the larger area. Lot's of peaks that you'll want to id and helps with navigation to know what the peaks are.
When to go and # of days: Most of the parties who signed into the cabin log went late July to end of August. Most took 7-8 days. We took 7 days. We could have gone faster if we had wanted. 90-150k cfm is probably ideal with 100k cfm providing relatively easy water. 200k cfm is for very strong, experienced paddlers due to wood hazards.
Weather:
Most people who wrote in the cabin logs had about 50% rain.
Wood hazards:
During our trip and the 2 weeks before, the river had 3 'flood' events. During those times, the river would rise about 4-6 feet in 1/2 a day and stay up for 1-3 days and drop just as rapidly. There are sections that are very braided (obvious on the topos). Those have significant wood hazard. Wood everywhere. Stay in the main channel and stay alert. Choose the cautious path and get in the path you want very early. The river is strong and you don't want to be spinning around to front ferry right about wood if you don't need to. We went through the worst of the wood area (Scatter Ass Flats) at 100K cfm and good weather. It was fine, but we had to be alert and 'on'. We picked a poor line once and had do a full-on front ferry (well above the wood, but current was taking us towards it fast). Otherwise we were able to see good lines and stay in them. There was one section where a tree came down ahead of us. We eddied out below another tree and inched our way forward to make sure it had not blocked the channel (it had not).
Rapids and eddies:
The rapids were straight forward class II. Big waves in places but straight runs---except Bad Rapids. What required more care was where the river took a sharp bend into a rock wall. There were a number of these places. The result was choppy water (fine) and a big eddy line with BIG whirlpools (yipes). Just know that that happens and take an inside line on the turn so you stay well away from the eddy line and the rock walls. If you get too far outside as you come into the turn, you can't ferry out (the current is perpendicular to the eddy line), so you have to ride the eddy line and avoid the whirlpools. If that happens, stay alert and paddle hard past the whirlpools. But for us, the inside line was always easy. Also the current is strong enough that anytime there is a 'point' jutting into the current, you'll have an eddy with whirlpools. Be alert for these give them room. Don't space out on this river. Stay alert and keep away from wood, rock points, and take the inside line on sharp turns.
Bad Rapids: mark this on your map so you know it is coming up. It is in the RL (left as you paddle downstream) channel. Massive rock in the channel. Scout it at high water and take RR if needed. We ran it RL at 100k cfm and slid through hugging the right shore of RR starting well above the rapid. It was easy but we were cautious. We did not want to get anywhere near the rock, waves and big eddy + whirlpools.
Other hazards:
Bears are around. We saw 3 bears and there were prints all over. Didn't hear of anyone having trouble with them. Keep a clean camp, make lots of noise when hiking, and steer clear of those you see. We carried bear spray with us at all times.
Cold water! This is glacier water. It is very cold, the river is wide and the current is strong. Capsizing would be bad; you wouldn't be able to swim very far. We wore dry suits (and our pfds, obviously) at all times.
Camping:
At 100K cfm, there was easy camping on gravel bars and islands. If it is raining, do not camp within 4-5 vertical feet of the river. The water comes up fast on this river. When the river is higher, you'll want to know where the high camps are. Read the guidebook and mark them on your map. You can't camp just anywhere in the forest. It is very dense forest.
* Glenora. There is a forest recreation camp. Not much there.
* Whitesands. Very nice camp. Room for lots of tents. UPRIVER of the river coming in. Big easy eddy to get in. Don't miss it or you might not be able to get back up river.
* Great Glacier. Nice forest recreation camp. Picnic tables, outhouse, trail to lake. Can get busy. The guidebook says it can be hard to land at but that is at higher water. At 100K cfm, it was easy and there was a rocky beach for 2 boats.
* Hot Springs. Maybe ok in dry weather but very buggy and would be soggy in rain.
* Shakes Slough cabins. #1 sleeps 6. #2 has a loft and you could sleep 10 easy and 12 fine. There is a tent spot next to #2. You need to bring heating oil if you want to run the heater.
* Garnet Ledge cabin. Has a loft. You could sleep 10 easy and 12 in a pinch. I can't imagine tenting near the cabin in rain. It's a bog. Try the woodshed or the porch. Nothing in the trees either. Regarding that nice flat spot in front of the cabin... that flooded at a 3+ foot tide when river was at 150K cfm. Worse comes to worse, paddle a little south to the creek coming in. There is a spot in the woods next to the creek. Not much but better than by the cabin. You can get cell phone service (including 3G) from the cabin so you can call a boat to pick you up from Wrangell.
* More tent spots are marked on the US and BC forest service recreation maps. You'll want to get those so you know where camps can be found at high water.
* Cabins can be reserved and paid for online. Google the name of the cabin and you'll find the link. We had a sat phone and called a friend to make us reservations at Shakes Slough cabin when the weather turned bad. That was good since the cabin filled up with others escaping the rain and rising river.
Crossing to Wrangell from Garnet Ledge cabin:
The boat operator said there was no problem for the boat to get in and out of Garnet Ledge at all but the lowest tide (contrary to what the guidebook said). There was plenty of water near the shore for canoes at all tides. The conditions on the crossing change dramatically in hours so you might have to wait. You can get weather for Fredrick's Sound just north of Wrangell but the weather there is worse than to the south/inland of Wrangell where you will cross. You'll need quite calm and probably slack tide if you have open canoes. Write down all the names of the boat operators in Wrangell before you go and have a working cell phone so you can arrange a pick-up if needed. A party we were with had kayaks and were getting waves over their bows on the final bit of the crossing. You'll end the crossing near the airport and then need to paddle around to the harbor. That can be tough and wavy. You can get out early at the Petroglyphs park just past the airport. It looks like you could also get out south of the airport as a road goes near shore. You'd then need to call a taxi or walk a couple miles on a road.
However getting a ride on a boat is easy. A party at the cabin with us set one up by cell phone by calling all the operators and leaving messages. They got a ride in 2 hours. $50 a head but they had to come back the next day with a different boat for their canoes. We had set up a ride beforehand and packed up our boats the night before.
Skill level needed on the Lower Stikine River:
* Strong moving water skills. The current is stronger than you are. You must be able to spin your boat 180 degrees and do a front ferry on both sides. You need to know how to cross eddy lines, though if you stay alert and can avoid the eddies and eddy lines. You need to know how boats behave in strong current. If your boat is at an angle to the current, the current will push it across the river---faster than you can paddle in the opposite direction. If you are trying to avoid getting drawn into something on the right, turning to the left and paddling does not work in strong current; that would just push you more to the right. You'll either have to spin and front ferry (or back ferry) or try to slip/hop past the danger without putting your boat at an angle to the current. Better yet be aware what the current lines are doing ahead and get on your line early (and don't make the mistake of letting your boat get at an angle to the current which will take you off that line). If the current lines look too unpredictable because of channels coming together and reflecting off rock walls or eddy lines, get out of the fast current (on inside of turn) and work your way down in the slow water.
* Wilderness wet weather camping skills. It's probably going to rain a bit and be cold. Advanced wet weather camping and tarp skills are needed. We were in dry suits and had rain coats on top and still were wet. The rain was so relentless that it was like swimming for 10 hrs.
* Map reading on the river. You need to know where you are at all times to find the camps and know the hazards coming up.
Misc:
Finding the (incredible) hot springs: There are no signs anywhere marking how to get there or any of the turns. Watch on the map for the Ketli River/slough on RR. If you have a topo, it's pretty easy to find if you are hugging RR in that section. Make sure to stay RR in the slough as motor boats use it a lot. The slough water is brown/mud colored. You'll turn right into another slough that is clear/brackish colored. Nothing else like it coming in. There is an island just downstream of it. If you are following where you are with your topo, you'll find it the brackish slough coming in. Follow that slough to the end. You stay in the main channel; not detouring into any sides. At the end of the slough (in about 800m), there is a wooden dock. Tie to it and walk the wooden path to the bathhouses. Enjoy nirvana. Note, it's a popular place with tourists from Wrangel so don't expect to go in naked.
Getting to Garnet Ledge cabin: Consider taking Cottonwood Slough. When we were there, it looked to have more water and would have been easier than dealing with the tide, mud flats and wind coming from the outside of the Cottonwood Islands.
Getting to Glacier Lake camp: The guidebook describes a high water situation. At 100K cfm in the Stikine and the river from the lake fairly low, it was an easy ferry and landing. Obviously in high water it is harder.
Getting to Whitesands camp: The camp is above the river coming in from RR. We passed it and almost couldn't make it back up river. At higher water, you definitely could not make it back up river if you missed the camp. So eddy out before the river coming in from RR. Note, we tried to wade across the river but it was 'quicksand' and one of us almost got stuck and sucked down---that was kind of scary.
The forest service cabins: We made reservations at Shake's Slough cabin by calling a friend back home with a sat phone. However, clearly people use them without reservations. I guess there is a fine but if it is raining, it's hard to imagine a ranger fining you. However, expect company in bad weather. There are not many tent spots in this heavily wooded area, so if the weather turns bad, people will show up at the cabins. The Shake's Slough cabins use heating oil in the stove. You'll need to bring some to have heat. Garnet Ledge cabin uses wood.
Our river notes are on the map in the files section on the full blog.
This trip had probably the most scenic 3 days we have ever had on a river. The first 100 miles below Telegraph Creek you are surrounded by towering granite mountains capped with glaciers. We lucked out with perfect weather for the first 3 1/2 days. After that we had non-stop rain and didn't see too much (typical weather here), but the scenery is less spectacular in the bottom section so we are told (we saw nothing).
We started the river at normal August levels of about 100K cfm. We did the braided/wood-hazard section (Scatter Ass Flats) at that level and it was fine though attention getting. You need to be fully competent in turning 180 degrees in a strong current and doing a ferry when needed in this section. Then the river rose 6 feet in a few hours to 150K cfm. But then we were in the less wood-hazard area and paddling the high water was fine. We stayed at the forest service cabins (Shake's Slough and Garnet Ledge) for 3 nights during the worst of the weather. We spent 3 hours at the hot springs and got them to ourselves. They are to die for. Really special.
Full blog with pictures, maps, packing lists: https://northernwaters.shutterfly.com/lowerstikineriver
There is a good guide book that covers the trip: Canoe Trips in Northern British Columbia, Vol 1.
Logistics
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Getting there: We flew to Wrangall on Alaska Air from Seattle and then took a flight with Sunrise Aviation from Wrangall to Telegraph Creek. Sunrise Aviation is at the same (tiny) airport that you arrive at with Alaska Air. Flight from Wrangall to Telegraph Creek was 45min and $850. Unfortunately the plane they had is a bit on the small side (their Beaver was in Petersburg). Weight limit was 900lbs and we were 965lbs but more importantly, we physically could not fit 4 people and 5 duffle bags (gear plus 2 boats) into one plane. We had to take 2 flights (ca-ching). The flight was spectacular. We got to see a lot and the pilot did a little sight-seeing for us on the way in. The airport is 2 miles from Telegraph Creek. There was a bit of traffic on the road and we were able to hitch-hike. Then we paid a local $20 to come back in an hour and 1/2 to meet the 2nd plane trip. Other people we met had driven to Telegraph Creek and then took a boat back up the river. Cost is similar to 2 plane flights but you can take rigid canoes on the boat. We have skin-on-frame canoes so we can go in airplanes. We saw a boat going to Telegraph Creek daily with canoes strapped on top.
There used to be the Riversong Lodge in Telegraph Creek but it closed (for good?), two weeks before we arrived. You can camp right near the lodge if needed, but we paddled out of town. There is a grocery store up above the river about a mile walk up. Ask people because you won't know where the grocery is otherwise; you cannot see it from the river and it is not in the cluster of buildings by the river. It is small but has the basics, including some vegetables, cheese, etc. You probably wouldn't want to get all your food there but you can get some. I didn't look to see if they had camping fuel.
Camping fuel, bear spray etc: When we arrived in Wrangall, we got a taxi and went to the local hardware store ($20 round-trip). They have white gas. We also got a tarp because airport security took a knife to the duffel with our canoes inside wrapped in a tarp (seriously!). Fortunately, they only destroyed the tarp. The airport is 2 miles outside of town. Easy walk if you don't want to take a taxi.
Maps and river info:
Flow: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=15024800
Maps: Search online. You can download free topos. YOU NEED TO BRING TOPOS! The river is very braided in spots and you'll want topos. That said, the one time we got into a unpleasant spot with lots of wood-hazard was when I took what the topo said was the main channel rather than read the river. After that we read the river and followed the main/widest flow.
GPS: Helpful for knowing where you are generally and knowing which side streams are coming in. Not so helpful for choosing where to be on the river. You start in Canada so make sure your GPS maps include Canada. Always check how your location looks in your GPS before you leave, otherwise you could be in for an unpleasant surprise when you get to the river.
Guide book: Canoe Trips in Northern British Columbia, Vol 1.
Big map: bring some kind of map that covers the larger area. Lot's of peaks that you'll want to id and helps with navigation to know what the peaks are.
When to go and # of days: Most of the parties who signed into the cabin log went late July to end of August. Most took 7-8 days. We took 7 days. We could have gone faster if we had wanted. 90-150k cfm is probably ideal with 100k cfm providing relatively easy water. 200k cfm is for very strong, experienced paddlers due to wood hazards.
Weather:
Most people who wrote in the cabin logs had about 50% rain.
Wood hazards:
During our trip and the 2 weeks before, the river had 3 'flood' events. During those times, the river would rise about 4-6 feet in 1/2 a day and stay up for 1-3 days and drop just as rapidly. There are sections that are very braided (obvious on the topos). Those have significant wood hazard. Wood everywhere. Stay in the main channel and stay alert. Choose the cautious path and get in the path you want very early. The river is strong and you don't want to be spinning around to front ferry right about wood if you don't need to. We went through the worst of the wood area (Scatter Ass Flats) at 100K cfm and good weather. It was fine, but we had to be alert and 'on'. We picked a poor line once and had do a full-on front ferry (well above the wood, but current was taking us towards it fast). Otherwise we were able to see good lines and stay in them. There was one section where a tree came down ahead of us. We eddied out below another tree and inched our way forward to make sure it had not blocked the channel (it had not).
Rapids and eddies:
The rapids were straight forward class II. Big waves in places but straight runs---except Bad Rapids. What required more care was where the river took a sharp bend into a rock wall. There were a number of these places. The result was choppy water (fine) and a big eddy line with BIG whirlpools (yipes). Just know that that happens and take an inside line on the turn so you stay well away from the eddy line and the rock walls. If you get too far outside as you come into the turn, you can't ferry out (the current is perpendicular to the eddy line), so you have to ride the eddy line and avoid the whirlpools. If that happens, stay alert and paddle hard past the whirlpools. But for us, the inside line was always easy. Also the current is strong enough that anytime there is a 'point' jutting into the current, you'll have an eddy with whirlpools. Be alert for these give them room. Don't space out on this river. Stay alert and keep away from wood, rock points, and take the inside line on sharp turns.
Bad Rapids: mark this on your map so you know it is coming up. It is in the RL (left as you paddle downstream) channel. Massive rock in the channel. Scout it at high water and take RR if needed. We ran it RL at 100k cfm and slid through hugging the right shore of RR starting well above the rapid. It was easy but we were cautious. We did not want to get anywhere near the rock, waves and big eddy + whirlpools.
Other hazards:
Bears are around. We saw 3 bears and there were prints all over. Didn't hear of anyone having trouble with them. Keep a clean camp, make lots of noise when hiking, and steer clear of those you see. We carried bear spray with us at all times.
Cold water! This is glacier water. It is very cold, the river is wide and the current is strong. Capsizing would be bad; you wouldn't be able to swim very far. We wore dry suits (and our pfds, obviously) at all times.
Camping:
At 100K cfm, there was easy camping on gravel bars and islands. If it is raining, do not camp within 4-5 vertical feet of the river. The water comes up fast on this river. When the river is higher, you'll want to know where the high camps are. Read the guidebook and mark them on your map. You can't camp just anywhere in the forest. It is very dense forest.
* Glenora. There is a forest recreation camp. Not much there.
* Whitesands. Very nice camp. Room for lots of tents. UPRIVER of the river coming in. Big easy eddy to get in. Don't miss it or you might not be able to get back up river.
* Great Glacier. Nice forest recreation camp. Picnic tables, outhouse, trail to lake. Can get busy. The guidebook says it can be hard to land at but that is at higher water. At 100K cfm, it was easy and there was a rocky beach for 2 boats.
* Hot Springs. Maybe ok in dry weather but very buggy and would be soggy in rain.
* Shakes Slough cabins. #1 sleeps 6. #2 has a loft and you could sleep 10 easy and 12 fine. There is a tent spot next to #2. You need to bring heating oil if you want to run the heater.
* Garnet Ledge cabin. Has a loft. You could sleep 10 easy and 12 in a pinch. I can't imagine tenting near the cabin in rain. It's a bog. Try the woodshed or the porch. Nothing in the trees either. Regarding that nice flat spot in front of the cabin... that flooded at a 3+ foot tide when river was at 150K cfm. Worse comes to worse, paddle a little south to the creek coming in. There is a spot in the woods next to the creek. Not much but better than by the cabin. You can get cell phone service (including 3G) from the cabin so you can call a boat to pick you up from Wrangell.
* More tent spots are marked on the US and BC forest service recreation maps. You'll want to get those so you know where camps can be found at high water.
* Cabins can be reserved and paid for online. Google the name of the cabin and you'll find the link. We had a sat phone and called a friend to make us reservations at Shakes Slough cabin when the weather turned bad. That was good since the cabin filled up with others escaping the rain and rising river.
Crossing to Wrangell from Garnet Ledge cabin:
The boat operator said there was no problem for the boat to get in and out of Garnet Ledge at all but the lowest tide (contrary to what the guidebook said). There was plenty of water near the shore for canoes at all tides. The conditions on the crossing change dramatically in hours so you might have to wait. You can get weather for Fredrick's Sound just north of Wrangell but the weather there is worse than to the south/inland of Wrangell where you will cross. You'll need quite calm and probably slack tide if you have open canoes. Write down all the names of the boat operators in Wrangell before you go and have a working cell phone so you can arrange a pick-up if needed. A party we were with had kayaks and were getting waves over their bows on the final bit of the crossing. You'll end the crossing near the airport and then need to paddle around to the harbor. That can be tough and wavy. You can get out early at the Petroglyphs park just past the airport. It looks like you could also get out south of the airport as a road goes near shore. You'd then need to call a taxi or walk a couple miles on a road.
However getting a ride on a boat is easy. A party at the cabin with us set one up by cell phone by calling all the operators and leaving messages. They got a ride in 2 hours. $50 a head but they had to come back the next day with a different boat for their canoes. We had set up a ride beforehand and packed up our boats the night before.
Skill level needed on the Lower Stikine River:
* Strong moving water skills. The current is stronger than you are. You must be able to spin your boat 180 degrees and do a front ferry on both sides. You need to know how to cross eddy lines, though if you stay alert and can avoid the eddies and eddy lines. You need to know how boats behave in strong current. If your boat is at an angle to the current, the current will push it across the river---faster than you can paddle in the opposite direction. If you are trying to avoid getting drawn into something on the right, turning to the left and paddling does not work in strong current; that would just push you more to the right. You'll either have to spin and front ferry (or back ferry) or try to slip/hop past the danger without putting your boat at an angle to the current. Better yet be aware what the current lines are doing ahead and get on your line early (and don't make the mistake of letting your boat get at an angle to the current which will take you off that line). If the current lines look too unpredictable because of channels coming together and reflecting off rock walls or eddy lines, get out of the fast current (on inside of turn) and work your way down in the slow water.
* Wilderness wet weather camping skills. It's probably going to rain a bit and be cold. Advanced wet weather camping and tarp skills are needed. We were in dry suits and had rain coats on top and still were wet. The rain was so relentless that it was like swimming for 10 hrs.
* Map reading on the river. You need to know where you are at all times to find the camps and know the hazards coming up.
Misc:
Finding the (incredible) hot springs: There are no signs anywhere marking how to get there or any of the turns. Watch on the map for the Ketli River/slough on RR. If you have a topo, it's pretty easy to find if you are hugging RR in that section. Make sure to stay RR in the slough as motor boats use it a lot. The slough water is brown/mud colored. You'll turn right into another slough that is clear/brackish colored. Nothing else like it coming in. There is an island just downstream of it. If you are following where you are with your topo, you'll find it the brackish slough coming in. Follow that slough to the end. You stay in the main channel; not detouring into any sides. At the end of the slough (in about 800m), there is a wooden dock. Tie to it and walk the wooden path to the bathhouses. Enjoy nirvana. Note, it's a popular place with tourists from Wrangel so don't expect to go in naked.
Getting to Garnet Ledge cabin: Consider taking Cottonwood Slough. When we were there, it looked to have more water and would have been easier than dealing with the tide, mud flats and wind coming from the outside of the Cottonwood Islands.
Getting to Glacier Lake camp: The guidebook describes a high water situation. At 100K cfm in the Stikine and the river from the lake fairly low, it was an easy ferry and landing. Obviously in high water it is harder.
Getting to Whitesands camp: The camp is above the river coming in from RR. We passed it and almost couldn't make it back up river. At higher water, you definitely could not make it back up river if you missed the camp. So eddy out before the river coming in from RR. Note, we tried to wade across the river but it was 'quicksand' and one of us almost got stuck and sucked down---that was kind of scary.
The forest service cabins: We made reservations at Shake's Slough cabin by calling a friend back home with a sat phone. However, clearly people use them without reservations. I guess there is a fine but if it is raining, it's hard to imagine a ranger fining you. However, expect company in bad weather. There are not many tent spots in this heavily wooded area, so if the weather turns bad, people will show up at the cabins. The Shake's Slough cabins use heating oil in the stove. You'll need to bring some to have heat. Garnet Ledge cabin uses wood.
Our river notes are on the map in the files section on the full blog.
This
trip is in Wells Gray Prov. Park which is in British Columbia just west
of Jasper Provincial Park. The trip to the Azure Lake and Rainbow Falls
takes you 20km up Clearwater Lake, up the Clearwater River and into the
less visited and beautiful Azure Lake. Azure Lake is in the Cariboo
Mountains while Clearwater is more in the foothills. The mountains rise
dramatically out of Azure and many waterfalls drop right into the lake.
It reminded us of Isaac Lake on the Bowron Loop. The Rainbow Falls are
at the far east end of Azure Lake and the camp has a wonderful white
sand beach. This would be a nice place to spend an extra day if you have
time. 
We
made this trip in late August, 23-30. It is a 116km circuit to the west
of Jasper National Park in British Columbia. The circuit is
world-famous among canoers. The circuit is generally done in 5-8 days,
and we took 8. It features mostly lake paddling with a few easy portages
between lakes; however, it does have one river section on the Cariboo
River. It has one class II rapid, but that can be portaged around (in
fact you have to go out of your way to run the rapid). This is
classified as a wilderness route, but I would put wilderness in quotes.
Unless you go in late-fall or early-spring, you will see people every
day. All the campsites are designated and are developed with fire rings,
tent platforms and pit toilets. Some sites have cooking structures and
on each big lake there is at least one public cabin for drying out and
such.