05/05/2026
The recent gear restrictions within Mount Robson Provincial Park hits close to home.
While this doesn’t affect our day-to-day commercial rafting operations, it does impact us, our guides, friends,and local paddling community. The Upper Fraser is a world-class Class IV run, and for many of us, it’s where we decompress after long days, challenge ourselves, and build strong friendships on the water. It’s a huge part of our mental health and our community.
That said we support Parks Canada's decision.
Whirling disease is devastating to fish populations—especially young trout and salmon. In infected rivers, mortality rates for juvenile fish can be up to 90%. Even more concerning—it doesn’t just “go away.” The parasite can persist in sediments for decades.
We’ve already seen how serious this is at Lake Louise, where they are effectively restarting the fish population because of the disease. If our headwaters are affected, it would mean massive declines in salmon and trout populations and a disruption of our rivers ecosystem that would be felt in other wildlife populations, fisheries, and communities. With some salmon spawning upstream of Rearguard Falls, and everywhere downstream, the stakes are incredibly high.
The reality is, while many river folk understand and follow Clean, Drain, Dry, not everyone does, especially with interprovincial travel between BC & Alberta and international travel with USA. Without systems in place to monitor and enforce this, the risk of spread is real. So, while this closure affects us deeply, we recognize it’s about protecting something bigger.
We do hope to see a better system in the future that ensures people are following Clean Drain and Dry procedures while allowing us to continue using the water systems we love. If you want the same, please make sure you are Clean Drain and Drying your gear (especially SUP boards, which are often rolled up wet), and supporting organizations that are working with the government to offer solutions like the Alberta & BC Whitewater Associations. When you write letters and advocate, make sure you are thinking about how to make better systems, not just asking for access. We are stewards of this land and have responsibilities to the ecosystems we influence.
