Kicking Horse River

Waterfalls

The river has three waterfalls along its stretch. The first is the Kicking Horse Cascade, a long talus cascade which occurs just below the first highway crossing of the river below Wapta Lake. The second is the Natural Bridge Falls near Field. The final and largest is 100-foot (30 m) Wapta Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in Canada in both volume and width. They are over 500 feet (150 m) wide.

Natural history

History

The River’s unusual name stems from an incident near Wapta Falls in August 1858, Sir James Hector writes:

"A little way above this fall one of our pack horses, to escape the fallen timber, plunged into the river, luckily where it formed an eddy, but the banks were so steep that we had great difficulty in getting him out. In attempting to recatch my own horse, which had strayed off while we were engaged with the one in the water, he kicked me in the chest, but I had luckily got close to him before he struck out, so that I did not get the full force of the blow. However, it knocked me down and rendered me senseless for some time. This was unfortunate, as we had seen no tracks of game in the neighbourhood, and were now without food; but I was so hurt that we could not proceed further that day at least." - James Hector chronicles, 1858

James Hector

As surgeon and geologist to the Palliser Expedition from 1857 to 1860, Hector explored the country from the Red River Colony (Winnipeg) to Vancouver Island. He made many important observations regarding the geology and ethnology of the Canadian West and the Rocky Mountains, discovering the Kicking Horse Pass and giving the Kicking Horse River its name.

2019 Derailment

On 4 February 2019, a Canadian Pacific Railway freight train with 112 cars and 3 locomotives derailed near the Big Hill of Kicking Horse Pass. The train landed in the river, and three crew members were killed.

Recreation

Several whitewater rafting companies, as well as kayakers and canoeists, use the river. The first company to raft the Kicking Horse river is named Kootenay River Runners. They continue to raft trips on the Kicking Horse daily, as well as two other nearby rivers. There are three main sections of the Kicking Horse River used for such recreation. The upper canyon (accessed via Beaverfoot Road off Highway 1 West) is a class 3-4 whitewater run suitable for canoes, kayaks and rafts. Prior to a landslide in the upper canyon, boats had to portage a one kilometre stretch of rapids in order to avoid getting caught on rocks. After the landslide, the river was narrowed, allowing boats to pass freely through the rapids. Nowadays, this stretch is named Portage/Shotgun, hence the previous need to portage the area. The middle canyon (accessed via Kicking Horse rest area) is a class 4-5, depending on water levels. This run is suitable only for experienced kayakers and rafters. Commercial rafting companies avoid this section, due to the risk involved. The lower canyon is another class 3-4 whitewater run that is run by commercial rafting companies at suitable water levels. Prior to the start of the 2016 rafting season, Canadian Pacific railway installed a gate, prohibiting road access to the lower-canyon. Because of this, many rafting companies have been forced to stop rafting this portion of the river, resulting in revenue and job loss. The Kicking Horse is home to many varieties of freshwater fish, making fishing a viable activity.

Major tributaries

• Sherbrooke Creek
• Yoho River
• Emerald River
• Amiskwi River
• Otterhead River
• Ottertail River
• Porcupine Creek
• Beaverfoot River
• Glenogle Creek