Southern Vancouver Island Whitewater

Koksilah River

Run	Upper Koksilah	Class	II+ (III+)
Level	(BB = rough mapping to Burnt Bridge rock gauge) 13-20 cms (BB: 1 - 2) = low 30-40 cms (BB: 3 - 4) = medium 50-60 cms (BB: 5 - 6) = medium high 70 cms (BB: 7) = high 80 cms (BB: 8) = very high	Boats	kayaks, all canoes
Season	Nov - March, best after rain	Character	small volume pool-drop
Length	4 h
Put-in	(Distances from start of gravel on Renfrew Rd) Lower put-in at Burnt Bridge ( 3.1 km) Usual put-in at Km 6 sign ( 7.1 km) Higher put-in at bottom of Kapoor Hill/bridge over creek ( 8.2 km)
Takeout	Either at Burnt Bridge, or at the Clearwater RV and Tenting campsite on Glen Eagles Rd.
Features	The run starts fairly quietly, but there are 3 good-sized drops in the last half (one right above Burnt Bridge, but separated from it by enough calm water to allow taking out there, if desired). Burnt Bridge (III+) - windy stairstep narrows; can be portaged fairly easily on the right. Take out either above the entrance drop, or in the flatter section immediately above the drop. Below Burnt Bridge is some narrow drops, one with a fair-size hole to avoid. There are good surf waves sprinkled along the run.
Comments

Run Koksilah Canyon Class III (IV)

Level lower volumes
Best level is 0.9 - 1.4 m on the Bright Angel gauge. This river is small and flashy, so it can be hard to predict what level you're going to find. Boats kayaks, solo canoes

Season Nov - March Character remote canyon, small volume pool-drop

Length 5 h

Put-in Usually at Kinsol Trestle , but can be run from Campsite
Approach from Koksilah Rd off Hwy 1; stay left.

Takeout Bright Angel Park bridge
There are no other convenient takeouts along the run, but there are accesses that could be used in an emergency:

the monastery at Triple Drop
a river access on the R about halfway down (but this leaves you a looong way from your vehicle)
there is an access at Fishladder, but it may have hostile landowners

Features

Monastery Drop (aka Triple Drop) (IV) is three small waterfalls in a gorge. The upper two drops can be sticky, particularly the middle one. The lower drop is not sticky - but could jet you into a large boulder just downstream. Any or all of the drops can be portaged on the right via slippery ledges and down a concrete wall. Pull out on a small beach on the right, as the river bends L, and before you can see the drops. Wave to the monks!
Marble Falls (aka Fishladder) has been run, but most sane paddlers will opt for a portage on the right via an otter slide down a 10 m rock slope. Tons of fun!
The Falls is a (4-6 ft?) pour-over which has no easy portage. Watch for a log in the river on the L.
The Slot is likely IV+, due to a fang sitting right in the middle of a very tight chute. It can be easily portaged on the right. Put back in in the eddy with the old car chassis.
The major whitewater ends just before a mossy sandstone canyon that looks like hobbit country. After this the river winds through a series of gravel bars - watch for wood. Finally, a long flatwater section takes you to the bridge and the takeout.

Graph relating the Burnt Bridge rock gauge to river discharge

A rough rule-of-thumb is that the discharge in cms is 10 times the boulder level.

Run	Koksilah Canyon	Class	III (IV)
Level	lower volumes Best level is 0.9 - 1.4 m on the Bright Angel gauge. This river is small and flashy, so it can be hard to predict what level you're going to find.	Boats	kayaks, solo canoes
Season	Nov - March	Character	remote canyon, small volume pool-drop
Length	5 h
Put-in	Usually at Kinsol Trestle , but can be run from Campsite Approach from Koksilah Rd off Hwy 1; stay left.
Takeout	Bright Angel Park bridge There are no other convenient takeouts along the run, but there are accesses that could be used in an emergency: the monastery at Triple Drop a river access on the R about halfway down (but this leaves you a looong way from your vehicle) there is an access at Fishladder, but it may have hostile landowners
Features	Monastery Drop (aka Triple Drop) (IV) is three small waterfalls in a gorge. The upper two drops can be sticky, particularly the middle one. The lower drop is not sticky - but could jet you into a large boulder just downstream. Any or all of the drops can be portaged on the right via slippery ledges and down a concrete wall. Pull out on a small beach on the right, as the river bends L, and before you can see the drops. Wave to the monks! Marble Falls (aka Fishladder) has been run, but most sane paddlers will opt for a portage on the right via an otter slide down a 10 m rock slope. Tons of fun! The Falls is a (4-6 ft?) pour-over which has no easy portage. Watch for a log in the river on the L. The Slot is likely IV+, due to a fang sitting right in the middle of a very tight chute. It can be easily portaged on the right. Put back in in the eddy with the old car chassis. The major whitewater ends just before a mossy sandstone canyon that looks like hobbit country. After this the river winds through a series of gravel bars - watch for wood. Finally, a long flatwater section takes you to the bridge and the takeout.