Day 17: Whitewater in Clearwater

Motivated by the promise of even more Tim Hortons donuts from Rob, everyone was incredibly focused and helped get us back on the road in record time this morning.

The drive to Clearwater was a smooth and easy two and a half hours from Valemount. We arrived an hour before check-in, but luck was on our side, and they let us into our spot early—major score! While on the road, we also spontaneously booked a whitewater rafting trip for this stop, which would be a first for the boys.

Our rafting excursion was scheduled for 1:30 p.m., giving us just enough time to get settled before heading out for the afternoon’s big adventure. The very first rapid was a Class 4, which definitely had us all a little nervous, but our guide did a fantastic job navigating us through—and most importantly, everyone managed to stay in the boat!

Midway through the trip, we pulled over and took a short hike up to a beautiful waterfall. Both Cooper and Rob bravely opted to take the plunge into the freezing pool at the base! Once we were back in the raft, the guides offered everyone the chance to jump into the river and swim alongside the boat. Nicholas, Kelly, and Cooper all jumped at the opportunity and had a blast floating along, while Rob took on the critical job of hauling everyone back in.

We spent a relaxing evening exploring our new campground, taking a stroll down to Hazel Lake, playing some pinochle, and catching up on laundry. The best part? This is our final round of laundry for the entire trip, and we couldn’t be more stoked about it.