The Stein River is our most challenging white water rafting adventure,
ideal for advanced whitewater paddlers and adventurists. Plunging through
an amazingly beautiful wilderness canyon, the Stein is the steepest river
that is commercially rafted in Canada (145 feet per mile drop). R
EO conducted the first-ever raft descent on the Stein in 1992 and continues
as the only rafting company in Canada with operating and Park permits to raft this incredible river.
Stein River - below Devil's Staircase
The Stein kicks off with a series of extreme class four and five drops.
The river bed is chock-a-block with boulders and crews will quickly learn
to high-side and use the boulders effectively in navigating the river.
The upper portion from below the Devil's Staircase to Touching the Void
rapid is about 2 km long and is the steepest section of the trip. As this
section is right after the put-in, crews must be paddling hard, working well
together and mentally prepared. At the Class 5 rapid named Touching the Void,
the crews will portage the rafts at most water levels.
Stein River - below Touching the Void
Below the Void, the Stein is mostly Class 4+ whitewater, but because the river
is so steep it has to be considered grade 5. Flipping or wrapping a boat could
result in a long swim. The amazing thing about the Stein: no calm sections!
After at least 30 Class 4 and 5 rapids, the Stein drops right into the Fraser
River which we float back to the cable ferry just north of Lytton BC.
Details
Our 2-day Stein trips start with a solid day of training on the Nahatlatch Classic & Canyon.
Our Stein practice drills may include raft flipping and swimming rapids. Day two begins with
a shuttle to the Stein Valley trail head at the entrance to the Nlaka' Pamux Park. The rafts
are rolled sausage style for the 6 km hike to the put-in below the Devils Staircase, an
un-runnable Class 6 rapid or the 4 km hike in to the put-in below Touching the Void, a class
5 rapid that we portage at most water levels. The guides carry the rafts and each participant
is responsible for carrying some rafting and safety equipment such as paddles, life jackets,
pumps and dry bags. The hike to the Devil's Staircase takes 1.5 to 2 hours and about half that
to below Touching the Void.
The Stein is the most unique rafting trip in British Columbia, Canada and the Pacific
Northwest. The Stein is only available with REO.
Best rapids: Touching the Void, Down the Drain, Notch Waterfall, Rooster Tail, and
dozens more!
reorafting.com.