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July 26, 2013
Deep water and taller tales
History, nature and danger combine for story of the Thompson.
BAILA LAZARUS
As the first swell of water covers the raft, drenching its occupants, there is a feeling of absolute glee. People shriek, bouncing off their precarious perches as the raft crashes into one wave after another, mounts a crest and falls into an eddy. A quick shift in direction by the guide and we are headed back up river to do it all again, much to our chagrin … and delight.
This is the Thompson River, its volume and force eliciting awe and respect. And with names like Garburator, Devil’s Kitchen, the Cutting Board, Witches’ Cauldren, Jaws of Death and Washing Machine, its rapids are nothing to fool around with. But aboard the rafts of Kumsheen Rafting Resort, the experience is safe, if not dry.
Kumsheen is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Its founder, Bernie Fandrich, started with a van, a small rubber raft and the moniker Bernie’s Raft Rides, and became the first to offer guided tours through the Thompson’s treacherous whitewater.
Enthralled with the area, Fandrich, who was a teacher at Langara College at the time, bought some Crown land near Lytton in 1973, started a family and built his rafting and resort business. He, his wife Lorna and two sons run what has become a destination for rafting enthusiasts, campers, dry grads, wedding and corporate groups and those just wanting a respite from city life.
It’s a great getaway for families, offering a variety of board games in the main lodge, outdoor activities such as volleyball, disc golf and basketball, a full restaurant and a large pool, hot tub and spa. Patrons can rent canvas cabins or teepees or stay in their own tents or RVs.
A naturalist buff, Fandrich has even created a nature walk on the grounds where various plants are identified in a stunning natural setting near the canyon.
Now Fandrich has just completed a book – British Columbia’s Majestic Thompson River – that combines a description of the river and its rapids with a narrative about the history, natural surroundings and built environment, from Savona to Lytton, in a unique and highly readable publication.
Using his personal experience and extensive knowledge of the river (he is considered to be the authority when it comes to rafting the Thompson) he talks about all the little twists and turns the river takes and explains mile by mile, with specific longitude and latitude references, who the first settlers, builders and explorers were, the history of the CN and CP railways and the towns that were built along the way, the influx of Chinese laborers, the exciting influence of the gold rush and even how the rapids got their names.
The Jaws of Death, for example, which is about 12 kilometres north of Lytton, Fandrich traces back to the late 1800s. The sheer rock cliffs on either side of the river created extreme challenges for railway construction crews. Often, blasting a tunnel through the mountainside was the only way to create a path for the tracks. In 1884, Fandrich writes, one such project resulted in an unstable tunnel that collapsed with Chinese workers still inside – resulting in the name Jaws of Death given to that section of river.
Another tunnel had to be built, filled with explosives and set off to open up space to stabilize the rail bed. Fifteen years later, a distinctive stone arch was inserted to replace a wooden trestle on that stretch of rail. The arch still supports the rail line and can easily be seen on a rafting tour.
“This arched bridge at the Jaws of Death is a reminder of the Chinese who lost their lives when the tunnel collapsed and of the largest dynamite blast in B.C. history,” Fandrich writes.
“The Jaws of Death is the only rapid that has ever flipped a motorized boat,” Fandrich told me over dinner at Kumsheen, the night before our rafting trip.
These types of tidbits as well as more narratives about the history of the river are related by rafting guides all along the river ride.
“Part of the fun is figuring out which stories are real and which are BS,” said Fandrich.
Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, painter and photographer. Her work can be seen at orchiddesigns.net.
If you go
• Kumsheen Resort is just north of Lytton, approximately 3.5 hours’ drive from Vancouver; just under three hours from Kelowna.
• Rafters have the option of going in smaller, all-rubber paddle rafts or motorized wood-bottom boats.
• Trips are available in half- or full-day options.
• Have a light nylon or other fast-drying T-shirt or long-sleeve shirt to wear under a life vest to protect from the sun and in case you get chilled.
• Bring your own towels and toiletries.
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