Bow Waters Canoe Club upcoming events

Wednesday Evening Bow River West Baker Park Boat Ramp to Shouldice (2 Sep 2026)

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Fun Facts: Bowness Park was built before the First World War by John Hextall, a local land developer. It was built in the town of Bowness as a weekend retreat for nearby Calgarians. The park once had a swimming pool, carousel and orthophonic device on the lagoon.

Level/Class: Novice

Description: Scenic paddle in the NW of Calgary

Difficulties of Rapids: Nice eddies at beginning on river right , some fast water, obstructions are limited to bridge abutments, and as with all rivers watch for sweepers and strainers along the shore.

Expected Flow: Medium

Duration: 2-3 hours (evening)

Equipment: Required equipment by law (click here for Link)

Shuttle: Short shuttle through Bowness

Trip Coordinator:Rose <Rkoziel@telus.ent>

(copy) Bow River Harvie Passage White Water practice (3 Sep 2026)

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 23:30:00 GMT

This will be a fun night of practicing skills. Come down after work, bring your dinner and join us to practice your whitewater skills. We will be there from about 5:30 onward

Fun Facts: Harvie passage re-opened in 2018

Level/Class: Intermediate, Class II+ rapids. MIddle section is easier and great to practice your Eddy and S turns

Description: Harvey Passage is a great place to play and develop whitewater skills.

Difficulties of Rapids: Various from Class 1+ (middle) to class II+. The difficulty will increase with increased bow water flow and river level.

Expected Flow: Medium low

Duration: 3-4 hours on the water

Equipment: Required equipment by law, (click here for Link)

BowWaters requires NO ANKLE LEASH ON SUPS in river paddling.

Safety page on Ankle Leashes: SUP Safety | Alberta Whitewater Association

Shuttle: None

Other Information: We will meet by the second wave from the top. Most practice will take place in the middle section for those with less experience.

Trip Coordinator: Carol Sulis, sulis.clan@gmail.com or Rick Volpel - rickvolpel@hotmail.com

[ Created by Jack K. via TripCreationWidget on Mon Aug 17 2026 13:32:46 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time).]

North Saskatchewan River at Rocky Mt Historic Park (4 Sep 2026)

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

looking for a labour day weekend trip that is not too far away. come to Rocky Mt House

Description: paddling on the NSR and Clearwater rivers

Level/Class: Novice+

Difficulties of Rapids: Class 1-2

Expected Flow: Low / Medium

Duration: Half day / day

Equipment: Required equipment by law (click here for Link) , Required by BWCC Helmet and Floatation

Shuttle: will work on shuttle at campsite

Other Information: bring your park pass

Fun Facts: visit the rocky mt historic park. see the 1967 centential canoe

Trip Coordinator: tom jacklin crowfoot47@yahoo.ca

Kootenay - Nipika bridge to Canal Flats (4 Sep 2026)

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Fun Fact:While Nordegg to Rocky is claimed to be the best canoe camping stretch in Alberta, this is not in Alberta, and with appropriate skills is a superior run. The second night is planned to be at Gibraltar Rock where many years ago they had hoped to build a power dam.

Level/Class:Advanced paddling with camping. River class is up to III, with many features that can not be avoided.

Description: This stretch of the Kootenay is a scenic paddle through the Rocky Mountains. The hoodoos below the White river bridge are spectacular. We will be random camping (no services) along the banks of the river. As we will be in the mountains, plan on cool evenings and potential for wet weather.

Difficulties of Rapids: There are multiple rapids up to Class III on the first and second days; river reading skills are required. Once we are past Gibraltar Rock the significant named features are behind us. Note that there are numerous mid river erratics with the potential to wrap a canoe.

Expected Flow: The river last year was flowing slightly above the lower quartile. However, the expected flows will be unknown until later in the summer. The following while Fort Steele flows are useful to compare past years with the present (https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/report/real_time_e.html?stn=08NG065).

Duration: This is a 3day trip from Saturday to Monday. Note that we will meet at the bridge Friday evening and shuttle either first thing Saturday morning or Friday evening.

Equipment: Required equipment by law (click here for Link), Required by BWCC, Helmet and Flotation

Shuttle: To be organized Friday evening

Other Information: Bring clothing for all weather and river conditions

We will plan to paddle to the Kootenay River’s lunch spot on the Saturday, Gibratar Rock on the Sunday and then to Canal Flats on the Monday.

Friday:

Meet at the Nipika bridge (50.61401185443934, -115.80081445088948)

Saturday:

Start as early as possible
Shuttle vehicles to Canal Flats (1 Hr 15 min)
- We will once again plan on leaving vehicles at the campground near the takeout.
- We will backtrack to highway 93 as it is faster
- 1:15 VS 1:34 and mostly paved

Paddle to the Kootenay River’s lunch spot
(50.47828653672161, -115.68403604858868)
23 Km (about 3 Hr)

Sunday:

Paddle to Gibraltar Rock (50.32845327580309, -115.64585603722095)
27 Km

Monday:

Paddle to Canal Flats (50.14798618729038, -115.80149237617674)
28 Km

Trip Coordinator: Don Mitchell (don.keith.mitchell@gmail.com

(copy) Bow River Harvie Passage White Water practice (10 Sep 2026)

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 23:30:00 GMT

This will be a fun night of practicing skills. Come down after work, bring your dinner and join us to practice your whitewater skills. We will be there from about 5:30 onward

Fun Facts: Harvie passage re-opened in 2018

Level/Class: Intermediate, Class II+ rapids. MIddle section is easier and great to practice your Eddy and S turns

Description: Harvey Passage is a great place to play and develop whitewater skills.

Difficulties of Rapids: Various from Class 1+ (middle) to class II+. The difficulty will increase with increased bow water flow and river level.

Expected Flow: Medium low

Duration: 3-4 hours on the water

Equipment: Required equipment by law, (click here for Link)

BowWaters requires NO ANKLE LEASH ON SUPS in river paddling.

Safety page on Ankle Leashes: SUP Safety | Alberta Whitewater Association

Shuttle: None

Other Information: We will meet by the second wave from the top. Most practice will take place in the middle section for those with less experience.

Trip Coordinator: Carol Sulis, sulis.clan@gmail.com or Rick Volpel - rickvolpel@hotmail.com

[ Created by Jack K. via TripCreationWidget on Mon Aug 17 2026 13:32:46 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time).]

Fall Red Deer River Campout (11 Sep 2026)

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Do you enjoy great, I mean great cooking using Dutch ovens (turkey, chocolate cake, stew as a few mouth watering treats). Some of the attendees have joined BWCC this year. Mike has camped with them for years and my first time was in 2024. A fun bunch of campers and paddlers, they call themselves Huckleberry Fin Paddlers. Come join this community. It brings back the old days of Bow Waters Canoe Club for me from 1975 to 1980.

Description: Paddling the Red Deer River in the Fall, Tollman to Trenville plus lower section to Bleriot Ferry

Level/Class: Novice

Difficulties of Rapids: There is a corner during high water which challenges paddlers with steering, but the low water will be fine. Steering past the sandbars will be needed.

Expected Flow: Low here

Duration: Half day paddling on the river. This group usually launches around 11. We camp for 3 nights, Friday to Monday. You are welcome to come by or leave on any day you prefer.

Equipment: SUP, Kayak, Canoe, Voyageur. Required equipment by law (click here for Link) , Required by BWCC Helmet and Floatation

Shuttle: Will vary on each day. We do have a canoe trailer and drivers who do not paddle available.

Other Information:

Rain gear - it usually happens
Metal detector, for beachcombing or lost keys :)
Gold panning equipment
Community meals, we will inform you what is needed - potluck every meal
Personal paddling gear.
We have reserved all the river camp spots, so first come first serve thru Clint. I can provide you more details. Check out the costs per night if tenting or RV on the Trenville website.

Fun Facts: Bring your cameras and binoculars, share stories of the area we in.

Trip Coordinator: Laura Hart, lkrevents1@gmail.com or text/call 403-277-1599

Board Meeting (16 Sep 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Your board works hard at these board meetings :)

Of Note: we have changed these meetings to the third Wednesday of the month.

Board club meetings are open to guests attending, please email the president at info@bowwaters.org to request to join and/or to put forward a request for an agenda item, (e.g. member concern or request etc).

The board does not meet in July or August but if necessary the Executive will meet and make decisions.

If you are interested in joining the board as a member rep, please contact Tina! (Annual General Meeting takes place in November at Club Night).

Minutes of board meetings are posted on the website once they are approved. Look under Members tab, Club Official Docs (you must be logged in).

Paddle Alberta Fall Rendezvous (25 Sep 2026)

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Support, celebrate and experience 50 years of Paddle Alberta!!!

Find out more and register here: Paddle Alberta Fall Rendezvous 2026 | Paddle Alberta

Board Meeting (21 Oct 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Your board works hard at these board meetings :)

Of Note: we have changed these meetings to the third Wednesday of the month.

The board does not meet in July or August but if necessary the Executive will meet and make decisions.

If you are interested in joining the board as a member rep, please contact Tina! (Annual General Meeting takes place in November at Club Night).

Minutes of board meetings are posted on the website once they are approved. Look under Members tab, Club Official Docs (you must be logged in).

Board Meeting (18 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Your board works hard at these board meetings :)

Of Note: we have changed these meetings to the third Wednesday of the month.

The board does not meet in July or August but if necessary the Executive will meet and make decisions.

If you are interested in joining the board as a member rep, please contact Tina! (Annual General Meeting takes place in November at Club Night).

Minutes of board meetings are posted on the website once they are approved. Look under Members tab, Club Official Docs (you must be logged in).

Board Meeting (16 Dec 2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Your board works hard at these board meetings :)

Of Note: we have changed these meetings to the third Wednesday of the month.

The board does not meet in July or August but if necessary the Executive will meet and make decisions.

If you are interested in joining the board as a member rep, please contact Tina! (Annual General Meeting takes place in November at Club Night).

Minutes of board meetings are posted on the website once they are approved. Look under Members tab, Club Official Docs (you must be logged in).