2026 SEASON - NOW BOOKING
Answer the Call
Select your departure, secure your spot with a deposit, and we'll handle the rest. Limited spaces - 12 guests maximum per trip.
FIXED DEPARTURES
FIXED DEPARTURES · SACRED HEADWATERS, BC
Babine-Skeena Expedition
Duration
6-Days, 5 Nights
DIFFICULTY
Class III-IV
PRICE
C$3,600 / person
C$540 / person
DEPOSIT
WHAT MAKES THIS TRIP
Undeniably Wild
01
The Grizzly Drop - a Class IV rapid where up to 12 bears have been seen fishing for salmon at one time. There is nowhere else on earth quite like it.
02
Two rivers, two completely different characters. The intimate Babine gives way to the wide, powerful Skeena - an expedition that keeps evolving beneath you.
03
Float past Kisgegas, an abandoned indigenous village now reclaimed by wildflowers, and drift by totem poles towering over the river at Kispiox.
04
One of the highest concentrations of grizzly bears in the world. Wolves, caribou, stone sheep, eagles. Wildlife viewing that redefines what you thought possible.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Everything on the Water
All rafting equipment, five nights of riverside camping, and all meals from launch to takeout - cooked by your guides at the end of every day on the river. Wetsuits, drysuits, helmets, and personal flotation devices are all provided.
DIVE DEEPER
What the River Holds
The Babine River sits within the Sacred Headwaters - a vast alpine basin where three of Northwest BC's great salmon rivers are born. The trip begins at the head of the Babine River Corridor Provincial Park, one of British Columbia's most remote and protected wilderness corridors.
The first days are deceptively gentle. Class II–III rapids let the group find its footing while the river reveals what it's working with: salmon stacked in every pool, grizzlies on the banks, eagles overhead. The whitewater picks up rhythm through Day 3 before the river delivers its defining moment - Grizzly Drop, a Class IV rapid where the canyon walls close in and the bears fish the same water you're running.
From there the Babine drifts through Kisgegas - an abandoned indigenous village slowly being reclaimed by wildflowers - before joining the Skeena. The transition is dramatic. The Skeena is a different beast entirely: wider, more powerful, rolling Class III wave trains for kilometre after kilometre. Massive beaches, open vistas, and the totem poles of Kispiox watching from the riverbank as you pass.
Six days. Two rivers. Country that gets under your skin.
DAY 1
The Headwaters
Meet your guides in Terrace, BC. Drive together to the Fish Counting Fence at the head of the Babine River Corridor Provincial Park - the start of one of BC's most storied rivers. Rig up, push off, and let the Babine introduce itself.
DAY 2
Find Your Rhythm
A leisurely float with Class II-III rapids dispersed throughout. The relaxed pace makes room for wildlife viewing, conversation, and the crew getting comfortable on moving water. Camp at a scenic rocky beach at the confluence of the Babine and Shelagyote Rivers.
DAY 3
The Whitewater Begins
Long sections of continuous Class III that build in intensity. Grizzly bears, eagles, and salmon are typically seen in greater numbers today - an incomparable backdrop to increasingly serious whitewater. Camp at Big Bar, a wide sandy beach that feels earned.
DAY 4
The Grizzly Drop
The day the trip is named for. After continuous Class III through the morning, the river funnels into Grizzly Drop - a Class IV rapid where up to 12 bears have been seen fishing at once. Scout carefully, run clean, and float through Kisgegas Canyon before drifting past the abandoned village of Kisgegas into the confluence of the Babine and the Skeena.
DAY 5
The Skeena
A new river, a new challenge. The Skeena's character is nothing like the Babine - massive, rolling Class III wave trains, 46 kilometres of powerful water. Float past Kispiox and watch totem poles rise above the treeline. Camp on a large beach island in the middle of the river.
DAY 6
The Runout
Twenty kilometres of Skeena runout, the river easing you back toward the world. Arrive in Old Hazelton, unpack, and say farewell - though the river has a way of pulling people back.
FLY INTO TERRACE
Northwest Regional Airport (YXT) is served by Air Canada and Pacific Coastal from Vancouver. Most guests fly in the evening before Day 1 - arriving a day early is strongly recommended over the morning of departure.
FROM TERRACE
The group meets in Terrace on Day 1 morning. We handle transport to the Babine River Corridor put-in and from Old Hazelton back to Terrace at trip end. No vehicle needed beyond getting to Terrace.
DRIVING
Terrace is approximately 1,450 km north of Vancouver via Highway 16 - around 14–15 hours. We can advise on vehicle storage and logistics when you book.
ACCOMMODATION
We're happy to recommend where to stay in Terrace the night before departure. Just ask when you book and we'll point you in the right direction.
2026 SEASON - NOW BOOKING
Select Your Departure
Secure your spot with a 15% deposit per person. The balance is due 60 days before departure.
FLEXIBLE TRIPS
Can't find what you're after?
Our education and custom trips are built around you. Tell us what you need and we'll make it happen.
EDUCATION
Outdoor Education Experience
Built for schools, colleges, and youth groups. Multi-day expeditions designed around learning outcomes, group development, and genuine wilderness immersion.
DURATION
Multi-Day
DIFFICULTY
Class III-IV
SEASON
May-Sept
→ Biology, geology & hydrology in the field
→ Old growth forest access by raft
→ All experience levels welcome
→ Ideal for schools and youth groups
HIGHLIGHTS
Outdoor Education
CUSTOM
Custom Adventure
Corporate groups, private expeditions, or something entirely your own. Tell us what you're after - dates, river, group size, goals - and we'll build it around you.
DURATION
Flexible
DIFFICULTY
Any Level
SEASON
May-Sept
→ Fully tailored itinerary
→ Private group bookings
→ Corporate & team experiences
→ Family and multi-generational trips
HIGHLIGHTS
Custom Trip
First Nations Land Acknowledgement
West Coast Whitewater acknowledges that our operations on the Nass River take place on the traditional, unceded territory of the Nisga'a Nation and adjacent to the Lake Babine, Gitanyow, and Gitanmaax Nations. We recognize the deep cultural, spiritual, and historical connection the local indigenous people have to these lands and waters, and we are committed to operating in a way that respects their sovereignty, values, and stewardship. We are grateful for the opportunity to travel through these territories and strive to uphold practices that honour their ongoing guardianship of the Nass and Skeena Valleys.
© 2026 By Site Zed