I have rafted in the US and in Australia, and I had IKed in the US, but never in another country. On this day, I finally got to change that when we went to Canada to IK the Granby River. We loaded up and headed out in the morning for the 60-mile drive over the border and to the river. This was the first time I had crossed the border since having to use a passport, and it took a few minutes to get through.
We had been warned not to run the Upper Granby. The reason for this is that the takeout is right next to a class III rapid, and not far below a class III- rapid. If someone swam, they might have a problem making the takeout, which could mean a hike out of the Granby Canyon below. However, when we got to the takeout, we realized that this was not going to be a problem. There was plenty of opportunity to get out, even if someone missed the main takeout.
A local hardsheller had come along with us, and he acted as our wood probe. This turned out to be unnecessary, but it made it easier for us. The river is very fast, and there were several places where the rapids went noticeably downhill. The river is continuous class II+ with a couple of easy class III rapids that can be made more difficult by choosing challenging lines.
The run was over very quickly. It was actually about 2 hours, but if felt like much less. At the takeout, the hardsheller decided to run the extra rapid. He had to roll at the bottom, and he missed the initial takeout eddy, but he had plenty of time to get out.
While the other guys ran the shuttle, I reorganized my straps and started loading the kayaks onto the top of the SUV. It took longer because I had to spend a bit of time fighting the mosquitos. Once Lee returned, we headed down to do the shuttle for the Lower Granby. When we got to the takeout, we discussed the problem that the lower run might end near dark. We decided to cut off the last 4 miles, reducing the run to 7 miles. In the end, this wasn't necessary, but the cold and rain made it worthwhile.
The Lower Granby is class II, though we added a harder rapid by putting in on Burrell Creek, a major tributary of the river. The general character of the river is fairly flat, but quickly moving. There are a lot of trees in and around the river, but none blocking. There were places where the river looked almost exactly like the Upper Sauk in NW Washington.
After the shuttle, we decided not to stay and camp near the Granby. By the time we got food and returned to camp, it would be late, and we could get back to Lee's house in the same amount of time. We took a side trip to see Kettle Falls, which is a huge and nasty looking waterfall on the Kettle River. After that, we headed back to Republic.
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