It’s August! August rush! It’s my birth month!
During our trip to Okanagan Valley (see Okanagan Valley Adventure), I didn’t expect I will be meeting my travel buddy. I met my travel buddy! She loves travelling and photography (thanks for some photos and videos input!). She is extremely adventurous! Lol! We jive together regarding travel, photography, fun, and adventure! But in food, I am voracious than her, and she’s grumpy when hungry! We bond come along together in our Okanagan Valley trip. That is why we became friends and travel buddy! Say hello to Kathrina or Kat @jimenezmk!
She’s shy, so I am showing her back. Hahaha! You will be seeing her in my videos for sure!
As we drove back home to Edmonton, AB we are planning already on our next destination. We’ve been messaging each other since we came back from our trip.
“Are you free on this date? Are you okay to go there? I want to do this! I am okay with this date, for sure! Where are we going? Did you find a hotel? Did you book those activities? Do you think it would be safe? I am scared! “
A lot of messaging thru Facebook and SMS. A lot of discussions until we came up to our “White Water Rafting Adventure in Jasper.” We invited some friends, but unfortunately, we are the only one who went on this trip.
August 4, 2018, as early as 3 o’clock in the morning we drove to Jasper National Park in Jasper, Alberta here in Canada. Approximately 362 kilometres (225 miles) west of Edmonton and about four to five hours drive, but it depends how many stopovers and which route you choose. We stop over once at Hinton, AB for breakfast and we arrived around 8 o’clock in the morning in Jasper downtown.
Our primary activity in Jasper that we booked was our white water rafting with Maligne Rafting Adventures Ltd. the “Best Jasper Rafting Company.” The only company who offers Class 3+ water rafting at Fraser River.
For more information check their website at www.raftjasper.com.
We arrived at the meeting place 2 hours early and our booked time for our rafting was 10 o’clock in the morning. While waiting, we walked around downtown and checked some souvenirs and personal things needed.
All packed! Ready to go! We went back 15 minutes before 10 o’clock. We signed a waiver for the trip.
We hop into a school bus. Our ride was going to Fraser River, an hour ride from Jasper downtown. In the bus, we are less than 20 people. Shane, our driver that day who drove us to Fraser river and brought us back to Jasper downtown. He was also our fantastic photographer.
It was my first time to ride in a ”School Bus” hahaha! It was cool though. We don’t have a school bus in my home country. We have carabao’s to ride only hahaha!
In the bus, we met Jason also, our rafting and tour guide. He was fun to be with and fantastic rafting tour guide. He’s awesome! He gave us information and facts about the mountains and rivers that we passed by.
After an hour, we arrived at the Fraser River. Jason gave us information about what we were going to wear provided by the company from top to bottom (helmet, inner wetsuit, outer wetsuit, life vest, and shoes). Just prepare the bathing suit that you need to wear inside your wetsuits provided.
Lined up while they were distributing our rafting gear. All in proper attire for rafting! All set! All ready!
We met Alex too, one of the rafting guides. He gave us the proper rules and guidelines for white water rafting. Like how to paddle, how to be safe when you fell out of the boat. Safety first of course! He was informative! Good job mate!
Our boat ready to ride on and paddles to row. We are in two groups. Eight members + one tour guide in each group. Alex was in the other group and Jason in our team. Team Awesome!
We carried our boat into the freezing, clear running water of Fraser River. Grrr! I was so nervous and shaking, and I need to pee! Lol! But take note you cannot pee on your wetsuit hahaha! All in the boat and ready to row 🙂
Row forward! We row to forward our boat. Stop! We stop to row and go with the flow of the running water. Get down! You need to seat inside the and hold on the rope attached around it. Back paddle! You will paddle backwards. Our rafting guide in commands.
In the beginning, the water was calm and smooth, in five minutes, or so the water flow was getting rough, wavy and splashy. We got water splashes! Most especially on the front of the boat. Yahoo! It was a Class II rafting.
Who is interested in moving to the front of the boat? Our rafting guide asked. We hesitate to move to the front, but we decided to proceed anyway. Watch our video below 🙂
Row forward! Hard! Stop! The current of the river was so fast, creating more big waves! Splashes on our face! Row forward! Hard! Hard! Stop! Our boat up and down under the streams of the water. You cannot seat well because it was bumpy and you need to balance yourself or else you will be off on the ship! All shouting!
Our team was laughing! All wet! Back paddle! Back paddle! Keep going! Keep going! Stop! Whoa! Yahoo! Wow! Water splashes and rapid of the water was so fast! Getting faster and faster and Get down! Get down! Big waves and splashes on us! Kat drink some water from the river! Yikes! It was a Class III+ rafting. I love it!
After Class III+ rafting we went off the boat and off the river for a bit to rest. Few meters away from where we stop it was a waterfall. It was not allowed to go rafting on the waterfall because it’s dangerous.
We need to carry our rafting boat up to the side of the mountain and bring to the other side of the waterfall. Bit heavy but all helping hand together. From the upper side of the hill, you will see the view of the waterfall. It was a fantastic view.
We went back to the river again to continue our rafting. Another Class II rafting, we stayed in the back for the rest of the sailing. We did rounding and rounding around the small waves of the water to enjoy the last moment.
But before it ends our sailing, our guide asked. Who wants to go into the water? Five of us went into the cold freezing water! Grrrr! Just five minutes into the water. Then we went off the boat and the river. Back to the land and we changed.
It was awesome! It was thrilling! It was exciting! It was amazing to experience! Another first time! For sure I will do it again in Summer 2019! I will bring more friends to join us!
All on the bus going back to Jasper downtown. When on our way again we saw a young black bear along beside the road. Unfortunately, so sad that I was not able to take picture/s😢. It happened so quickly! Our bus went so fast too, and the bear ran back to the woods. A real bear! Not a Teddy bear! Hahaha!
Tired. Sleepy. Hungry. Grumpy. After that five hours of adventure. We went to a restaurant called Jasper Brewpub recommended by our tour guide. We ordered Bison Brisket and Rustic Elk Meatloaf. It was delicious!
First time to taste the meat of Bison and Elf! It was good! Yum! Burppp! Stomach was full! Bit rested, more sleepy after eating, not hungry anymore and not grumpy. Ready for another activity!
On the same day around 5 o’clock in the late afternoon, we drove to Canmore, Alberta where we going to stay overnight.
See you on my next blog “Johnston Canyon Hiking” coming soon!.
I hope you enjoy it!
-Fin-
Siegh_OnTheRoad 