KOOTENAY RAFT CO.

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS AS A PROUD COMMUNITY PARTNER IN KIMBERLEY BC

Established in 1998, the Kootenay Raft Co. has been Kimberley, Cranbrook & Fort Steele’s summer adventure HQ for 23 years. Our team is comprised of certified rafting guides meeting all provincial and national safety standards to ensure the well being of your friends and family. Recent guests identified that our high safety standards were the #1 criteria when choosing their river rafting trip!

About Kootenay Raft Co.

What about Kootenay Raft Co. makes us the top adventure spot in Kimberley? We pride ourselves upon offering consistent, excellent customer service. The guides and staff are more than just high caliber river bums, they are great people with a shared passion for a healthy outdoor lifestyle.

OUR MISSION:
To be leading the Kootenays in providing authentic adventures in a unique natural environment.

OUR VALUES:
Guest Satisfaction, Safety, Sustainability, Fun!

QUALIFICATIONS:
Each guide meets industry standard training protocols, including Swift Water Rescue and First Aid.

Guides

JP

 This is Jessica’s 3rd year with the business and she can she can do it all.  An ace on the river, a maverick in the office and great with the kids…She knows what takes to have a good time!

Hannah

Hannah is originally from Hamilton Ontario and has called BC home for the last year now

attending the Adventure Guide Program at TRU. She is super stoked to be sharing her love of rivers this summer.

When she is not paddling she is rock climbing, hiking and enjoying anything outdoors.

Craig

Craig Loves Rafting.  Like, A lot. He started KRC 20 years ago looking to chart his own path in the adventure tourism industry. A keen kayaker and mountain biker, Craig enjoys getting out into green space regularly, for his mental health! His current interests include doing his part for truth & reconciliation with Canada’s First Nations, sustainable trail building and chilling with his son, River.

Chelsea

 Chelsea is formally a chef from Toronto, but came to BC to get her Bachelor of Tourism Management. She is an avid cross country skier and backpacker, and a general lover of all things food and adventure. When she isn’t in the office, you can find her checking out local spots with her dog, Maikoh.

Michael

Catch Michael driving the big blue rafting bus this summer, or helping you out with a rental boat. From Kamloops BC, Michael has his undergrad in Engineering Physics. He is a talented mountain biker and rock climber. He can be a bit quiet, but just ask him a science question and he can teach you anything !

Ben

Benjamin. What can you say about KRC’s longstanding river guide manager and veteran ski patroller, other than that he is that guy that makes everyone around him a better person. Mentor to new guides, super friendly with the clients, and an incredible river guide, Ben is a big part of KRC’s strong reputation. Originally, from France, Ben now has 2 beautiful children with his wife in Kimberley.

River J

Named after a powerful canoeing stroke that offers both propulsion and steering capacity, River is the latest addition to the KRC team. This one is all smiles. You may see him in the office cooing at paddlers or be joining you on the big wet butt express, aka the bus.

Matao

Matao has been a Canoe and Sea Kayak Guide in the past, growing up paddling competitively. This is his first year guiding rafting. Matao also has a culinary arts degree and is a killer chef, working as a private chef for a Heli Ski Lodge in the winter.

Zack

Hailing from Sun Valley, Idaho Zack is great for all the laughs on the river. He is studying at the College of the Rockies for Tourism Management and is set to graduate next year. When he isn’t on the river in a raft or a kayak, he is shredding around on his hard tail bike.

FAQs

We meet at KRC’s Bootleg Basecamp! This is approximately 15 minutes South West of Kimberley, just 4km past the Kimberley Riverside Campground. 1280 St Mary’s Lake Road. Look for the Yellow and Blue Paddle!

Please arrive 10 minutes prior to trip departure to check in and we can get the group organized. There is parking on property. Once everyone has arrived, we will begin our introductions! Please do not arrive before 12:45 PM, as guides are not available to direct your group.

At Kootenay Raft Co, safety is our first priority. While we strive to provide the safest trips possible, there are inherent risks involved with any river activity. To combat this we ensure that:

  • Each raft has a professional, certified river guide, who is trained in Wilderness First Aid (or as a Wilderness First Responder) and Swift Water Rescue. We invest in training for our guides, for the safety and security of your family.
  • We use the lightest and strongest rafts available: Sotar brand rafts.
  • Each trip is accompanied by a first aid kit. The kit will include standard first aid supplies, an epi-pen, and an emergency communication device.

It is the guests’ responsibility to assume the risks of participating in any Kootenay Raft Co. activity. Each guest is required to read and understand the ‘assumption of risk’ document and sign the waiver prior to trip departure. There will be ample time to read this document prior to departure, and your questions are encouraged.

To read the document, which outlines some of these potential hazards, click here: Assumption of risk and waiver document

It is also up to guests to inform guides of any medical conditions or injuries that could change their experience on the river, or of any medications that need to come on the trip.

There are no additional fees for equipment. For your maximum comfort and value, KRC provides the following complementary gear:

  • Clean, high quality wetsuits
  • Neoprene footwear to keep your feet warm!
  • Nylon splash jacket
  • Helmet
  • Lifejacket
    • Neporene gloves and sweaters upon request (for cold days!)

Only bring on the river what you are willing to get wet or potentially lose. We recommend all valuables such as keys, cell-phones, hearing aids, glasses, and wallets, etc. are left behind.

You can best prepare for the river with:

  • A bathing suit under your clothes for easy changing
  • A fleece sweater for cooler days
  • Sunscreen and a hat for sunny days
  • Sunglasses BUT only be worn if you have retention straps
  • Towel
  • A change of clothes for after the trip

Booking Policy

  • Full payment is required to book a reservation. We accept cash or major credit cards only.
  • We do not hold spots. KRC requires reservations to be paid in full by cash or credit card. A credit card is required for all online and phone bookings, cash is accepted in person at our Kimberley office.
  • To qualify for group discount pricing, payment must be collected from group leader and made in one payment
  • If guests do not show up for their trip, they will not receive a refund.
  • We reserve the right to alter or cancel trips due to extreme conditions or insufficient bookings. Thanks to our high quality wetsuits, jackets, and thermal footwear, trips go rain or shine.

Cancellation Policy:

  • No refunds within 48 hours of trip departure
  • All cancellations made prior to 48 hours of departure will be refunded, but are subject to a 5% administration fee

No, KRC does not have an age limit, however restriction for youth are based on the proper fit of our lifejackets.

Here are the basic guidelines per trip; please keep in mind Kootenay Raft Co. reserves the right to alter weight restrictions for safety or other reasons.

  • St Mary’s Express; Minimum 50 lbs
  • Wilderness Whitewater Express; Minimum 90 lbs
  • Inflatable River Kayaking; Minimum 90 lbs

Our trips go rain or shine. Thanks to our high quality wetsuits and other top notch gear, we maximize your comfort no matter what the weather!

Drinking alcohol or the use of other recreational substances is not permitted while on any Kootenay Raft Co. trips. For safety reasons, any persons suspected of being intoxicated will be denied participation with no refund.

If you have any pre-existing medical condition that will require prescribed medication while on a trip, please let us know. We can ensure that it will be stored safely, and available to you when you need it.

River rafting can involve unforseen hazards inherent to river travel. For your safety, we do not advise pregnant persons to join our trips. Please read our assumption of risk document which outlines some of these potential hazards, and be sure call us to discuss your situation if this may be an issue.

For all of our trips, we offer digital photography to help document your adventure. All our rivers offer a wilderness experience, which means that there is no access to have pictures taken from the road or the riverbank. On the return trip, you will be able to view a slideshow of images taken during your river experience. If you like what you see, you can purchase the photos and take them home on a USB! They are high resolution pictures, that are great for sharing with friends and family, on blogs, and on your favourite social networks. You can even make t-shirts!