Whistler/Pemberton/Birkenhead River report

[kemper]

Last summer, 3 friends and I decided that as a send off to highschool we would head out west and live the dream in Whistler for 2 weeks. We are all avid Downhill Mountainbikers, a sport that does not get the recognition that it derserves. No, we do not pedal down the bike path and across the yellow brick road, we take the lift up to 6500 vertical feet and send it down hitting ramps, stunts, rocks, drops, step ups, booters and such on the way down. For an example check out www.crankworx.com.

 

Here was the view of the rockies from 35 000 feet.

 

 

 

 

This trip was a long way in the making and halfway through I decided that I might as well live the second dream I have while I was out there, Flyfishing for rainbows on a deserted river. I hired a guide and off I went to flyfish the Birkenhead river in Pemberton. After a hike in I hit the river with a fly rod for the first time, and I am HOOKED. Flyfishing is something totally new, a challenge that has huge rewards when a trout takes a dry fly and comes clear of the water. The first fish was a 20" Dolly varden that I fought for a while (3 lb lead and strong current) until it came off right before landing. This was driver error, I had about 4 minutes experience with a fly rod. oops.

 

It continued like this for a while, FISH ON, fish off until I got the handle on keeping the pressure on and stripping the fish in with a wicked strong current that i am not used to. First decent fish that I landed was an 18" rainbow that was crazy strong for its size. This would be considered a "larger than average" fish for the system at this time of year.

 

 

Lost some more like that, landed a few more but was a long way from my pack and camera and took in the unbelieveable scenery. Wildlife included bears, eagles and turkey vultures.

 

PICTURES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

and I have about 200 pictures of the biggest mountainbike festival in the world as well, Kokanee Crankworx. Here is an example, probably 40 000 people jammed into every available space possible watching the pros do their thing. The winner pulled a double backflip off the first jump causing a reaction of about 20 000 kokanees being tossed into the air. The atmosphere was unbelieveable and the tricks were unreal. Awesome part was we got a wicked spot that we held for hours and whenever a pro was eliminated they came straight our spot and hung out and shared a kokanee or 2...or 10 but that is another story for another place.

 

 

 

All in all, probably the best vacation of my life. A wicked experience and anyone who has the chance to go to whistler and or flyfish in the mountains I HIGHLY reccommend it.

 

If anyone wants to know any more about the sport of DH bike racing or slopestyle just let me know, it is my other addiction.

[Leecher]

Great report and pics kemper

 

Never flyfished before but looks like the ultimate way of catching fish.....may be someday.

 

Congrats on realizing your second dream and catching a trout with a fly rod

 

Thanks for sharing

Leechman

[holdfast]

One of these days over a beer, Ill tell you a story when me and two other Soldiers were invited by the Mayor of Pemberton to Parade with them during their Towns Birthday. Good Beer, Good Women, Good Fights, Good explanation to the RCMP the next day, but not such a good turnout for their Parade from us. Nice Town and even participated in a few of their Logging events and did well actually. Nice Country, but so was Chilliwack then.

[mikeh]

awesome pictures of the river and mountains, Is that a shopping cart in the third picture? haha just kidding

[canadian_copper]

WHAT A TRIP.

NOW THATS WHAT I CALL A RIVER.

NO SHOPPIN CARTS EITHER LOL

[NAC]

Kemper, that's one thing I do regret about Whistler is not fly fishing the area!!

 

I definitely partook in the odd 1/2 day freeride down the spine of a few hills in the area and crankworx blew me away, especially meeting Wade Simmons.

 

nice trip!

[kemper]

Not only is their no shopping carts, but you can actually drink the water out of that river!

 

I would not do it often myself, but my guide had been doin it for 35 years and still walks to tell about it...

 

 

Crankworx is a really cool experience and would be interesting for anyone not just riders. I also met Wade Simmons, what a pioneer! Along with Richey Schley, Darren Berrecloth, Cam Mccaul, Brendan Seminuk and the list goes on