Lower Blindman River

Submitted by admin on Mon, 06/30/2008 - 01:33
Canada›Alberta›South
Submitter & Author Information
Route submitted by: 
Guillermo Barron
Trip Date : 
Additional Route Information
Distance: 
6 km
Duration: 
0 days
Loop Trip: 
No
Portage Information
No. of portages: 
0
Total Portage Distance: 
0 m
Longest Portage: 
0 m
Difficulty Ratings
River Travel: 
Novice
Lake Travel: 
Not applicable
Portaging: 
Not applicable
Remoteness: 
Novice
Background Trip Info
Water Levels: 
Route Description
Access to Put-In Information: 

No wheelchair access. Short and easy access and egress for those with minor mobility problems.

Technical Guide: 

Put in from Highway 2A just south of Blackfalds where the highway crosses the river. The river is mostly easy paddling, numerous riffles and rock gardens, and one or two very small rapids to 1+. Main channel is sometimes only 4 or 5 metres wide. A few sweepers. Follow river 6 km to the Burbank Campground at the confluence of the Blindman River and the Red Deer River. Take out here (parking and bathrooms) or continue down the RD to Joffre Bridge 20 km away.

Trip Journal/Log/Report/Diary: 

We paddled this gentle river (little more than a creek) on a calm June evening in about 1 1/2 hours. Watch for muskrats, beaver, mergansers, mallards, cliff swallows, and the occasional hillbilly on an ATV.

Maps Required
Topo Maps (1:50,000): 
not required.
Other
Special Comments: 

Average river flows drop from 6 cu. m/s to less than 1 during an average season; occasionally reaching 15-20 in flood. But high flow rates typically drop off very quickly. The river was running at 3.3 when we paddled it. At this flow, the biggest difficulty was running aground in the numerous rock gardens. Lower flows may require you to haul your boat. It would be a very different paddle in higher flows.

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