| Capilano — Downtown Paddling™ © |
Class III+
3.3Miles
Play Rating (1-10): 4
River Mapplet
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There is currently no Gauge Data on this stretch. Please Email us if you have details about a realtime gauge for this river.
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Minimum Recomended Level: 2 Maximum Recomended Level: 7
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AccessEasy. This run is a bit of a oddity. It is extremely scenic run through a steep walled gorge that feels like you are in the middle of nowhere; until you get to the take out and realize you are in the middle of downtown North Vancouver! |
Putin DetailsTo get to the putin get back on Taylor Way and head north. Turn east on Marine Dr and go over the Capilano then turn north on Capilano Rd. Continue on Capilano Rd past the suspension bridge tourist trap and take a left onto Capilano Park Rd. Follow it down until it loops around at the weir. Park in the large parking lot above the turn around and then carry your boats down to the base of the weir.
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Takeout DetailsTo get to the takeout take the Taylor Way exit on HWY 1 in North Vancouver. Head south on Taylor Way until it comes to the Park Royal Mall. At the south east corner of the parking lot there is a small parking lot with a lawn. Behind it there is a trail leading down to the river. This is the takeout. It is fairly subtle from river level so it might be a good idea to go down the trail and take a look before you continue on to the put in. If you make it to the salt water you have paddled too far. Park anywhere you can find space in the mall. |
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Other IssuesFishermen have been known to throw stuff at boaters on this run. Watch out for kids spitting off the Capilano Suspension Bridge! |
Fun FactsThe gauge is the CapCam! A webcam set up by the Vancouver Kayak Club to watch the stick gauge on the weir for your viewing pleasure. According to the Schwab book less than 2.5 is low water, 3-4 is medium flow, and 5 and higher is high water. The CapCam link is: http://www.vankayak.org/capcam/ |
Run Description [Season: Rainfall and snowmelt]The Capilano River is the perfect class III river for those just getting there class III chops, or a good training ground for those looking to start creeking. It is a series of pool drop rapids with excellent recovery stretches between the drops. The rapids are just steep enough to create abrupt horizon lines but once you get to where you can see the lines they are plentiful and obvious. The steepest drops are early in the run starting with House Rock (the second drop after the weir).
House Rock has a large rock at the top that splits the river into two channels. The left channel is boney and more technical, and the right is a little more straight forward .
After House Rock you will come to Dogleg. Dogleg is a left to center right move to avoid a rock flake midway down the drop on the right wall. There is a large pool with eddies on the left or right side of the pool.
Once you pass under the Capilano Suspension Bridge the drops flatten out and are more class II than III, and the city starts to be visible from river level. The drop under the Hwy 1 bridge is best run right at the top to center. After the next bridge (Fullerton Ave Bridge) there will be a long class III rapid. When you come to the Marine View Dr there will be a steep but fairly easy class III drop. We ran the center channel left to center, but there are numerous ways to run this drop.
The take out will be after the next bridge (Wardance St Bridge) on river right.
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