Forced into a stalemate with the CPR, which continues to refuse them access to a key part of the Kicking Horse River’s Lower Canyon, Golden rafting companies have come up with a bright idea: heli-rafting expeditions.
In a partnership with Alpine Helicopters, Glacier Raft Company and Wet N’ Wild Adventures are now offering a thrilling helicopter tour over the Kicking Horse River and surrounding areas of Golden as part of their whitewater rafting tour packages. Whitewater adventurers will now have the opportunity to take in an aerial perspective of the rapids they will soon brave during their rafting excursions, Tourism Golden said in a statement.
“This is the perfect day for someone looking to experience the Rocky Mountains to the fullest. You get an overview of the stunning landscape, followed by an exhilarating trip down the Kicking Horse River,” Andrew Brown of Tourism Golden said in a statement. “Finish the day with dinner in Golden, and Canada Day fireworks and it is a really unique and exciting way to spend a long weekend with the family”.
The heli-rafting experience is an innovative way to provide access to the otherwise inaccessible Lower Canyon of the Kicking Horse River, while providing a whole new way to experience Golden from a bird’s-eye view, he said.
Meanwhile, the provincial government is continuing to seek a solution to the impasse between Golden’s rafting companies and the CPR.
Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone said last week that the province is providing $48,000 so they can hire a consultant to try and find a way through the impasse. Despite what many thought was an agreement everyone was happy with, the CPR went ahead and barred access to the Lower Canyon in late May.
