View topic - N Thompson from Valemount to Blue river to Clearwater?

I am in the process of planning a N Thompson canoe trip
Can anybody tell me what kinda water I should expect
between Valemount/Blue River/and Clearwater

What would be your preference?
Clearwater to Kamloops or Valemount down to wherever

FYI I am comfortable in Class III water and have the time
to do any section

Thanx in advance
Richard

Clearwater to Kamloops is the section that gets run a fair bit by the canoeists in that area. Fantastic river, nice scenery. that entire area is amazing. I lived several years in Kamloops not so long ago.
There is a small canoe/ kayak club in Kamloops, "TRIPS" if they are still using the same name as when I was there. They can likely help you out. What time of year are you doing it?

Cheers... Joe O'

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I am back! I use to be on this site years ago and am now glad to have found it again.

Hopefully this reply to your topic won't be too late as most like to do the North Thom. in the fall for the colour of the leaves.

You know that the North T. doesn't go all the way to Valemount? Assuming you are putting in where the Albreda river joins the NT, there is no whitewater til after Blue River to speak of. If you take the logging road upstream from that point there are lots of log jams, moose pasture, and a few rapids, with some sections which I haven't looked at (too far from the road - too much bush).
South of Blue River there is Little Hell's gate which is not really like the other Hell's gate, but I guess there are lots of ways to get in to the place? It looks like a good grade 3 at low water, where the river constricts and goes through a slot with two cliffs on either side causing a pretty good hole there. Google earthlings that we are can see more rough stuff just upstream of the Gate, which might be more of a problem than the Gate itself. Good viewing platform/access rd. to the Gate, but a little bushwacking required to see the lead in.

Then after Avola there is the Mad River rapids. This is in two parts. The second is the one you can see right beside the highway (Gr. 3) which is where the Mad River joins the NT. Actually a tiny creek really but I guess they named it such as the NT is mad there. Make sure you find the other rapid just upstream not visible from the highway. There is a gravel pit there and if you park there and hike to the upstream end of the pit you will find a trail to the river - more Gr. 4 ish, and not easy to line around due to cliffs etc.

Once past that it is smooth sailing to Loops pretty much. Below Barriere there are a few waves in Fishtrap canyon; not much of a canyon really, Gr 2, if that. Then there is Heffley rapids where the turnoff to Sun Peaks is just north of Loops. More a riffle really but has the name rapid.

Hope this makes sense and sorry about the upstream/downstream talk, here and there ha ha. I suppose it doesn't get much traffic as you have the trains on one side and the highway on the other, especially north of Blue River. Below Clearwater the valley can widen a bit more to keep the noise at bay. etc.