I've driven over top of this creek thousands of times. On every single one of the bridges in this video. I've never even considered the idea of anyone canoeing down it. Interesting choice. I usually drive hours away from Edmonton to enjoy these sorts of things. A great video showing my home town from a perspective that is entirely new to me.
Yeah I wanted to try it one time, and the levels were pretty good. Early spring is the only time to go, after the water drops it would not be worth the effort in a canoe. It can get quite shallow, with a fair bit of debris. It was interesting to see the "wild" part of Edmonton. Lots of waterfowl and deer. Nice and quiet in there, definitely a good escape that is close to home. Thanks again, take care.
Yeah this was definitely a bit different from other trips. For the most part, it was pretty natural looking. But there was definitely some trash, lots of plastic bags and such. And tons of golf balls in the upper section.
Oooh .......thank you for this wonderful trip. I learned to “J stroke and portage as a wee girl in NW Ontario. We used to canoe all the rivers and creeks in the Frazer valley when we lived in Vancouver. My “English husband loved the sport It was an awesome time. I am an old woman now...and I can’t thank you enough for this video. I put on headphones and rode every mile with you, Dear man ! 👍👍❤️❤️❤️
It's my pleasure Grace. I'm glad you enjoyed. That sounds like a great time paddling in the Frazer Valley... a beautiful area for sure. Thanks for taking the time, take care.
@@nickharland3795 Milk River in the spring is a highlight, very similar to this but more farmland and prairie. It is popular enough that Mountain Coop sold a custom planing map for canoeing Milk River.
I used to live in Alberta and lived a year in Edmonton and loved the trip you took down the Whitemud... It is amazing what is there if you are adventurous enough. I took a couple of trip down the Bow River from the Zoo to Carsland Dam and the Atathabas River a few times and you brought back some good memories. Thanks
That's great to hear, I'm happy to bring back some good memories. The Bow River sounds like a nice trip, I hope to canoe it someday. Thanks for taking the time.
Boy that was fascinating and intriguing winding rivers are like that you never know what is around the corner and it changes all the time. Had NO idea that people canoed down that " Creek". Looked like fun and close to home for you. Thank you very much
I loved it. Have never been in a canoe due to physical limitations but it was a great trip. I really really miss Edmonton, especially at this time of the year.
If you live near a large body of water see if there is a disabled sailing program nearby. I am confined to a wheelchair, but I don't let it keep me off the water.
It is probably the only time I will paddle this creek, but it was fun in the higher water. Lots of strainers and potential for log jams, but makes for an exciting and possibly challenging paddle. Thank you for watching Jay.
Mornin' Nick. all-in-all i think it was a great paddle to watch. The Mad River is a great canoe for that float. i did enjoy and thanks for sharing. watching your videos is a great way to start may day..take care..
Thanks for the kind words Martin. Yes I'm very happy with this canoe. If there is one thing old royalex canoes are good for, it is absorbing punishment in the shallows. Safe to say I will be paddling the bigger rivers from now on. Some are in flood right now, so I may have to wait a bit. But have lots of trips in mind. Thanks again, take care.
Mine are still there. They can never take the wild from us. So go out run a river the fun police hate water they might wash off the there stink of dictatorship they help enforce...I have so much land that I live close to move around on. Crown land thousands of miles of forest that it just walking distance from me. You could walk into the bush and never be seen again....
I love this run! I did it with a friend in spring of 2019. There were some legitimate class 1 to 1.5 rapids under the pedestrian bridge on the 34th ave trail. We had a great run--but my friend, who is less experienced than I am, tried it a week or so later with another friend and lost the boat on a sweeper. They were fine/got the canoe back--but, it sure reminded me how deceptively tricky this little run is. Thanks for sharing the video--I wanted to do it this spring, but there isn't enough water, so this is a great way to remind myself what the run looks like.
Yeah there are some tight turns and definite obstacles to avoid, but makes for an exciting run. Too bad about your friend's canoe! But glad everyone was ok in the end. Yes the water is very low this spring... pretty disappointing. Thanks for taking the time to watch, take care.
Remember going down the Red Deer river from 952 grid west of Penhold into city. Very nice and fun a thing I have remembered for years. Thanks from the nice trip with you..
Literally right down the street from where I live. I can't believe it. Awesome vids man. I'm on a Nickathon right now and can't stop! Keep up the awesome vids man.
It was my first time canoeing one of the Edmonton creeks. It was pretty fun and interesting, a good spring paddle for sure. Glad you are enjoying, thanks very much. Take care.
Reckon that gave you a good workout my friend...lol...iv'e painted some rocky river bottoms myself, my old town discovery has seen better days! I always enjoy your wanderings Nick...be well...woods
Thank you Woods, means a lot coming from a Montana woodsman. Yeah I was expecting a bit more water, especially at the start. I missed the major run-off by 3 or 4 days, as it happened mid-week. But it was fun, and good practice for maneuvering in tight corners. The canoe is a bit dinged up, but not too bad. Yeah... definitely a good workout! Take care Dave, Nick.
Nick, long ago I paddled 15 miles across Atlanta from a park near our house to the Chattahoochee River in a 13' Mad River Compatriot. I had to portage two old mill dams, dodge over or under several sewer lines, but was lucky there were so few trees across the stream. Since then, some deadly chest-high blockers are always to be seen. Your Clipper appears to be an ~15 foot rockered tandem. I always lusted after a Sea Clipper after going tandem in our 85# Moore Voyager, but eventually we settled for a 17' Bluewater Chippewa, 16" deep, with a just-flexy-enough foam core bottom, 48#, glass/Nylon/Kevlar layup by Gary Barton, who made slalom boats for the Olympics. You go without added flotation more than me, but I don't live in The Great White North.
Yeah I thought I would try a small creek in the city here, with the snow melting and water levels up. It was certainly fun, and technical at times... so good practice for me. The ME turns very easily, so it worked well in some of the tighter spots. I can only imagine what it would be like to paddle a creek through Atlanta. Tons of history, and also lots of old infrastructure to navigate around. An interesting and enjoyable paddle I'm sure. You definitely know your canoes, and it sounds like you made a very good choice. Your 17' sounds like a great canoe. My Clipper is a 16' Prospector, it is set-up for tandem and solo. The vast majority of my trips are solo. There is only a few inches of rocker, but it is a good all-round canoe, and I am very happy with it. Thanks again Gary, take care.
There were definitely a few spots where it was congested with trees. Lots of beaver activity in there, made for some interesting paddling, and a few quick portages as well. Yeah, when it joined the other creek, it pretty much doubled in sized. It was a lot easier to paddle, and miss rocks after that. Thanks for taking the time once again, take care.
DARRYL NO WAY ITS YOU I actually know you now because I always go on google earth and show my American friends west Edmonton mall and you took most of the photos so thanks so much
Very nice!! I went canoeing once, and that one time it was like 8 hours😂 We canoed the North Saskatchewan River, but never thought of going through the narrower ones. This was awesome thanks for sharing!!
Thanks very much. Yeah canoeing on the North Saskatchewan River is fun too. I think it is my favorite river to canoe. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I remember when I lived back around 111St. & Ellerslie and there was this creek that flowed north under Ellerslie close to HWY 2 with this Timmies, Chinese eatery close by that flowed underneath the Henday a 5-6 miles away. On this creek there was a lot of beaver dam activity. I was surprised I didn't see any in your travels ?
Yes there is a lot of beaver activity on the creeks. I saw plenty of it, but edited out much to keep the length of video down. I had to portage around several down trees and log jams. Thanks for watching. Take care.
Hay, Nick; Great paddelin' along with ya Aside from scrapin' our bottom a few times, Glad I was payin' attention of woulda got me noggin whacked with them low-hangin' trees Hah !
Hey thank you Terry. Always great to have you along!! Yeah the canoe took a few hits on that trip, but just minor scrapes and dings. There was one tree that I wasn't very sure I was going to clear under, stretched as far as I could and just made it. Got a bit lucky. This was a bit of a different trip, and only 25 minutes from home. Thanks again Terry, take care. Nick
Thanks for that. My only memory of the White Mud is the junction with the N. Sask, where my father taught me how to pan for gold, some 70 years ago. Love the, no music, just the gurgle of the water.
@@HuyFishin Gold is everywhere, the trick is to find it in quantities large enough to make it worthwhile. My sister and I each found a flake. We have never been back there. That was 70 years ago.
It's a pleasure to watch a canoeist with good paddle skills, thanks. I have always wondered who it was I was following down these shallow rivers. I usually see red marks all over the shallow rocks in some of these small rivers. Must be you I'm following lol.
Thanks. This was my first time paddling the creeks in Edmonton. I definitely left lots of red paint on the rocks, but I think more than a few people paddle Whitemud Creek in the spring. The paddling really improved after Blackmud flows into Whitemud Creek, it was like a small river after that. It would have to be at the highest flow for me to venture up Blackmud. If I did, it would probably be from Ellerslie Rd. also.
I did this about 4 or 5 years ago with a buddy on kayaks but the water was quite a bit higher (more runoff). Hell of a fun time! Flipped 3 times though. Ha! It truly does seem like a totally different place altogether when you’re on the creeks and or North Sask.
That's awesome. Yeah it is a fun trip when the water is high. Yes, it is a different perspective of the city, and a great way to spend the day. Thanks for watching, take care.
Great video. The canoe did well navigating the shallow waters before the confluence. I know a fellow who took a mini jet boat upstream. I think the canoe would have been a better ride.
Thanks very much Kenneth. It was a bit tricky in the small creek, but made for some exciting paddling. Yes I would choose the canoe over a jet-boat in that creek.
Please be very careful to follow river warnings. Several years ago there was a high water warning on the sask river. My friends and I had canoed from 23ave to the river the previous year and the water was so low that we needed to drag the canoe about half way. So naturally the High water warning in the river should mean more water in the stream and we could just paddle all the way down. About ten minutes in we rounded a corner and a tree had fallen across the stream and the water was WAY faster and deeper in than we anticipated. The canoes we where in went sideways against the tree and mine tipped towards upstream. The moment the water crested the side of the canoe it turned over with me still in it. The water was the consistency of chocolate milk due to so much run off and I was sure I was stuck under the water and me and the canoe were caught up in the tree branches. Time literally stopped. I thought well my life insurance is in place. I picture the newspaper headline about local idiot dies a stupid death and then I tried one more time to push out from the canoe. I popped up about 20feet past the tree. Be safe.
Glad you made it out of there. That's a very dangerous situation for sure. Yes, I always look at the flow charts before heading out on the water. Thanks for watching Wayne. Take care.
Interesting and rarely seen perspective on one of the streams of Edmonton. There is also a Blckmud Creek, wonder what that looks like or even if it is navigable by canoe.
Yeah it definitely was interesting. I've thought about Blackmud Creek, but don't any immediate plans for it. It would have to be very high water to be paddled. Tight turns, and wood/debris in the creek would likely be an issue... but we'll see. Thanks for taking the time.
Oh, very nice "urban" stream. In my area I must deal with the Mille Isles, Des Praries, or St Laurence rivers. As it is in your case going upstream can be problematic and more so on windy days. Cheers.
@@nickharland3795 Bought one when they first came out. Paddled it for years on the creeks and rivers in the south east. Split the stern out twice on it and went to an Ocoee. It just sat in the back yard and the wood rotted off. Tried to give it away but nobody came to get it. Had two other canoes that needed gunnels and had some wood ripped and had a spare set . Put them on the ME and first time I took it out in many years just realized what a great boat it is. Perfect white water camper. Found one of the last ones made a few years ago that is purple and like new. Use the old red ME for a low water beater on local stuff now
I have a 1980 Mad River Royalex Explorer that has banged down little cricks like this (and big rivers like Labrador's Churchill as well). I love seeing other folks adventures in unexpected places.
That's great to hear, glad you got it back into the water. It's the only WW boat I've ever owned/paddled, but I absolutely love it!! I definitely have some multi-day trips planned with this canoe. Thanks again Gary.
@@davidelliott5520 Still have my old Explorer. At the time I got mine it was state of the art white water boat. Paddled it solo down all kinds of crazy stuff. Solo white water canoes came out a few years later and I got one early on. That the reason that old boat still exsits
Wow I was at the mouth of whitemud creek this year around september to fish, It was so low I can't believe this is the same creek. All that spring run off I guess.
Yeah early spring is the best time to paddle it, the snow run off makes for a fun trip...Or after non-stop rain like we had this summer. Thanks for taking the time. Take care.
Your pretty gnarly : ) out in Saskatchewan if your ever out this way is go kayaking with you, Manitou lake, so salty, if one of those sweepers gets you...you'll never drown : )
It has been done at least once before, I found an on-line trip report. That is where I got the 18km distance info from. I've camped at Elk Island a few times, but never canoed there. Will probably do it this summer or fall.
Nick Harland I went out there a couple of times with my kayak. About 10 years ago I was supervising the low pressure water line installation to the campground. Last summer was the first time I have been back since then LOL.
It was a different experience for sure. I was expecting a bit more water than was there, but it was still fun. Yes, after the two creeks joined, it felt more like a river. I could finally get a full paddle stroke in the water:)
Hey Nick, Fellow Edmontonian here. Just found you. Great vids. Keep them coming. This seems like a fun one. And close to home. Would you say it can be done in a heavy 14 ft alum canoe?
Hey thanks Nate. Yeah it is a fun one, with the water up in the early spring. I used a 15.5 ft canoe, but light (about 50 lbs) and very maneuverable. I would think 14 ft should be fine, just have to plan your turns well ahead. It can be very shallow and rocky above Blackmud Creek.
I'm sure I would really like it. There are many great rivers in Saskatchewan. Churchill River is the only one I have been on, but I hope to get more paddling done in Saskatchewan in the future. Clearwater River looks like a serious trip, big whitewater and true wilderness camping. Hopefully someday. Thanks very much for watching, take care.
Yeah first weekend of open water around here. It was a long winter, got to take advantage of a possible short summer. If I run out of reaches, then I will have had a very good summer:) Thanks, take care.
Thanks very much Phil, very kind of you. I know people have caught pike in there, probably suckers and a few other species. I imagine fish from the river might spawn in there too.
Great video. What kind of canoe do you have? Some of our canoe club members are thinking of paddling Nose Creek in Calgary this week. Sad to see all of the construction debris along the banks :( this should be reported to Alberta Environment and Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
Thanks very much Cindy. This canoe is a Mad River M.E. built in 1988. Yes the construction debris is disappointing, and an eye soar. Appreciate you taking the time.
Another great paddle vid bro!! Im thoroughly enjoying watching all your vids, wish there were more waterways for me to paddle down here in southwestern ontario, looks like youve got lots of waterways to paddle and explore!!
Thanks man. Yeah some good rivers coming out of the Rockies. It's usually at least 4 or 5 hours drive to get to the good spots. Around Edmonton everything is pretty tame, and not as pristine. Ontario has lots of good rivers, but it might involve some seriously long road trips. Thanks for subbing and taking the time to watch. Much appreciated, take care.
Thanks John. Yeah it was a lot of work trying not to bang the canoe up too much. I hope to go camping soon, we'll see how things go. Take care my friend. Nick
Hey Cliff. I'm not exactly sure, I think it is smaller than Whitemud Creek. It would probably be tight, with lots of debris, and have to be run at high water. Maybe someday... Thanks, take care.
I've always wondered if it was possible to go down whitemud creek, my guess is probably only in the spring when the water is highest, I might consider trying in in my kayak next spring, did you only show some of the more difficult spots? How long did it take? How damaged was your canoe?
Yeah you'd want to go as early as possible in the spring, it has a very short window. The paddling was much better after 23rd ave, and the joining with Blackmud Creek. I tried to show some of the more interesting or exciting spots. Edited out lots, including a few more portages around trees and log jams. I think it was around 4 hours altogether. All minor damage, some small dents and gouges, and general scraping.
Thanks very much. Blackmud Creek could probably be done in higher water... not much different than Whitemud Creek near Ellerslie. There would likely be many shallows, trees and rocks to avoid, with little room to maneuver.
You could be the world's first subterranean sub-marine canoeist lol! Seriously, though, thanks for posting all these trips, yours are by far my favorite videos on youtube. Hope to see lots more!
Yes it is a nice place to walk dogs. It is in the southwest corner of Edmonton. There is a park where the creek flows into the North Saskatchewan River. On the south side of the river, just off Whitemud Drive.
Well it was cold for this trip, with the snow melt. By summer it is not very cold. No trout in here... it has pike and other warmer water fish. The canoe is made of royalex, a very strong plastic. Thanks for watching.
Hi Winston. I've thought about it, but I am not sure yet. It would have to be high water to make it navigable. Likely lots of debris and logjams to negotiate. But maybe someday, it would be fun to try. Thanks for watching.
dirty river but looks fun i guess...safe too being a small river just the dirty water you probably wouldnt want to eat the fish but i like how this creek or whatever is in soem peoples backyards pretty much
The water is definitely not clean, but it is a fun day trip in high water. Haha, no chance I would eat fish from the creek. It's a different view of the city, and there are some nice properties overlooking the valley. Thanks for watching.
very cool i guess spring run off is the best time. im going to get a kayak do you think this would be good for a beginner ?? other than falling in and have to go to hospital lol nice videos
Thanks again Dana. Yeah spring run-off is the best time to go, or multiple days of heavy rain like we had this summer. I would recommend having experience on moving water, or at least paddle with someone who has experience. There are numerous log jams and beaver dams to be avoided. It would be very dangerous to get pinned under a log jam. Otherwise it is a very fun run. North Sask River is ideal for learning the basics.
@@nickharland3795 well 🤔🤔🤔🤔 maybe you could show me a few things lol. I watched most of your videos yesterday lol. I just have to figure out which kayak to get as I'm also on a budget but like most things I have to turn it into something multi purpose .
I'd love to help, but unfortunately I have no kayaking experience. Don't know much about kayaks in general, just that there are many different kinds. I'm sure there are local courses and clinics for beginner paddlers right in Edmonton. Good luck in your search for a kayak!!
It can certainly scrape up the canoe pretty good. Depends on the material... fiberglass, kevlar, royalex, wood, etc. Some damage easier than others. This was a royalex canoe, and handles the rocks quite well.
Wow! Who knew, Had no idea we had something like that in Edmonton. Thanks for sharing!
It's a nice spot in the southwest of the city. Thank you for watching.
Sorry, but you had no idea we had flowing water in Edmonton??
@@zachpentyliuk6114 No little creeks and rivers like that one. Nice little discoveries
I've driven over top of this creek thousands of times. On every single one of the bridges in this video. I've never even considered the idea of anyone canoeing down it. Interesting choice. I usually drive hours away from Edmonton to enjoy these sorts of things. A great video showing my home town from a perspective that is entirely new to me.
Yeah I wanted to try it one time, and the levels were pretty good. Early spring is the only time to go, after the water drops it would not be worth the effort in a canoe. It can get quite shallow, with a fair bit of debris. It was interesting to see the "wild" part of Edmonton. Lots of waterfowl and deer. Nice and quiet in there, definitely a good escape that is close to home. Thanks again, take care.
Amazing that this is in the middle of a major city...would hardly know without the bridges. I love hiking around the ravine near Ellerslie and Henday.
Yeah it's a very nice little getaway within the city. It was very quiet, lots of birds around every bend. The river valley and it's creeks are great.
Thought the title was wrong?? Never thought of going down those waters. No tv's, stolen bikes or shopping carts!! Amazing!!
Who else ducked at 3:41??
Yeah this was definitely a bit different from other trips. For the most part, it was pretty natural looking. But there was definitely some trash, lots of plastic bags and such. And tons of golf balls in the upper section.
I thought the same thing. Surprisingly nice.
ya I would never have thought about going down that!
I ducked at 11:36 lol
Oooh .......thank you for this wonderful trip.
I learned to “J stroke and portage as a wee girl in NW Ontario.
We used to canoe all the rivers and creeks in the Frazer valley when we lived in Vancouver.
My “English husband loved the sport
It was an awesome time. I am an old woman now...and I can’t thank you enough for this video.
I put on headphones and rode every mile with you, Dear man ! 👍👍❤️❤️❤️
It's my pleasure Grace. I'm glad you enjoyed. That sounds like a great time paddling in the Frazer Valley... a beautiful area for sure. Thanks for taking the time, take care.
I have lifetime memories of similar paddles in Southern Alberta. What a great way to appreciate where you live.
It sure is!! There are some rivers in southern Alberta I definitely would like to paddle. Thanks for taking the time.
@@nickharland3795 Milk River in the spring is a highlight, very similar to this but more farmland and prairie. It is popular enough that Mountain Coop sold a custom planing map for canoeing Milk River.
Thanks, I will definitely look into the Milk River.
@@spelunkerd Watch out for the rattlers, I hear. :)
I used to live in Alberta and lived a year in Edmonton and loved the trip you took down the Whitemud... It is amazing what is there if you are adventurous enough. I took a couple of trip down the Bow River from the Zoo to Carsland Dam and the Atathabas River a few times and you brought back some good memories. Thanks
That's great to hear, I'm happy to bring back some good memories. The Bow River sounds like a nice trip, I hope to canoe it someday. Thanks for taking the time.
Boy that was fascinating and intriguing winding rivers are like that you never know what is around the corner and it changes all the time. Had NO idea that people canoed down that
" Creek". Looked like fun and close to home for you. Thank you very much
It was a fun trip right in the city limits. Tricky at times with debris and log jams, but still a lot of fun. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Right on Man.!!! I love this shit.!! Glad your showing people all the lil hidden gems of Edmonton.!!
Hidden gems? Yikes!!!!
My pleasure, thanks for taking the time.
@@LeroyPipe LOL
I moved from Edmonton because it lack outdoor adventure.
I loved it. Have never been in a canoe due to physical limitations but it was a great trip. I really really miss Edmonton, especially at this time of the year.
If you live near a large body of water see if there is a disabled sailing program nearby. I am confined to a wheelchair, but I don't let it keep me off the water.
Thanks very much Audrey. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes Edmonton is very nice in the spring. Take care.
Fantastic little tour. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks very much Ron. I'm glad you enjoyed.
Thank you for taking us along on your canoe trip on the WM Creek, to the NSR.
My pleasure. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks, take care.
Nick, I’ve thought about paddling these creeks. Thanks for posting. Couple sporty little spots and few strainers
It is probably the only time I will paddle this creek, but it was fun in the higher water. Lots of strainers and potential for log jams, but makes for an exciting and possibly challenging paddle. Thank you for watching Jay.
Mornin' Nick. all-in-all i think it was a great paddle to watch. The Mad River is a great canoe for that float. i did enjoy and thanks for sharing. watching your videos is a great way to start may day..take care..
Thanks for the kind words Martin. Yes I'm very happy with this canoe. If there is one thing old royalex canoes are good for, it is absorbing punishment in the shallows. Safe to say I will be paddling the bigger rivers from now on. Some are in flood right now, so I may have to wait a bit. But have lots of trips in mind. Thanks again, take care.
Nice! I’ve walked along it and over it over the years. Thanks for the vid! 😎👍🏼
It's a great area for walking too. A nice part of Edmonton. Thanks for watching.
oh yeah... 2018... remember the good ol days, oh the memories before viruses
Yes it was a good year. Thanks for watching, take care.
Everything before the virus was an illusion. It never even existed.
Can still Canoe!
Mine are still there. They can never take the wild from us. So go out run a river the fun police hate water they might wash off the there stink of dictatorship they help enforce...I have so much land that I live close to move around on. Crown land thousands of miles of forest that it just walking distance from me. You could walk into the bush and never be seen again....
Thanks for the tour bud, always kinda wanted a canoe to explore those spots too. But had to leave 2014. Thanks for the tour.
My pleasure Greg. Thank you for watching. Take care.
Who knew? That is awesome. Great video.
Thanks very much Maurice, appreciate you taking the time.
I love this run! I did it with a friend in spring of 2019. There were some legitimate class 1 to 1.5 rapids under the pedestrian bridge on the 34th ave trail. We had a great run--but my friend, who is less experienced than I am, tried it a week or so later with another friend and lost the boat on a sweeper. They were fine/got the canoe back--but, it sure reminded me how deceptively tricky this little run is.
Thanks for sharing the video--I wanted to do it this spring, but there isn't enough water, so this is a great way to remind myself what the run looks like.
Yeah there are some tight turns and definite obstacles to avoid, but makes for an exciting run. Too bad about your friend's canoe! But glad everyone was ok in the end. Yes the water is very low this spring... pretty disappointing. Thanks for taking the time to watch, take care.
Remember going down the Red Deer river from 952 grid west of Penhold into city. Very nice and fun a thing I have remembered for years. Thanks from the nice trip with you..
My pleasure Calvin. Thanks for taking the time.
Literally right down the street from where I live. I can't believe it. Awesome vids man. I'm on a Nickathon right now and can't stop! Keep up the awesome vids man.
It was my first time canoeing one of the Edmonton creeks. It was pretty fun and interesting, a good spring paddle for sure. Glad you are enjoying, thanks very much. Take care.
Looks like good day out on the water, remins me of the places I've paddled here in the spring, a lovly day.
Thanks Rita. Yeah it was a nice spring paddle for sure. Take care.
I remember Edmonton in the spring , brown and muddy after the thaw , but cherry trees might be blossoming ?
Yes definitely muddy after the thaw, but always nice to see the trees blossoming. Thanks, take care.
Reckon that gave you a good workout my friend...lol...iv'e painted some rocky river bottoms myself, my old town discovery has seen better days!
I always enjoy your wanderings Nick...be well...woods
Thank you Woods, means a lot coming from a Montana woodsman. Yeah I was expecting a bit more water, especially at the start. I missed the major run-off by 3 or 4 days, as it happened mid-week. But it was fun, and good practice for maneuvering in tight corners. The canoe is a bit dinged up, but not too bad. Yeah... definitely a good workout! Take care Dave, Nick.
Loved the video. Had never thought about paddling there. Thanks for putting Edmonton on the map. 😊
Thanks very much. Most of the year it is not worth paddling, but high water makes it navigable. A fun way to spend a day in the city.
Nick, long ago I paddled 15 miles across Atlanta from a park near our house to the Chattahoochee River in a 13' Mad River Compatriot. I had to portage two old mill dams, dodge over or under several sewer lines, but was lucky there were so few trees across the stream. Since then, some deadly chest-high blockers are always to be seen.
Your Clipper appears to be an ~15 foot rockered tandem. I always lusted after a Sea Clipper after going tandem in our 85# Moore Voyager, but eventually we settled for a 17' Bluewater Chippewa, 16" deep, with a just-flexy-enough foam core bottom, 48#, glass/Nylon/Kevlar layup by Gary Barton, who made slalom boats for the Olympics.
You go without added flotation more than me, but I don't live in The Great White North.
Yeah I thought I would try a small creek in the city here, with the snow melting and water levels up. It was certainly fun, and technical at times... so good practice for me. The ME turns very easily, so it worked well in some of the tighter spots. I can only imagine what it would be like to paddle a creek through Atlanta. Tons of history, and also lots of old infrastructure to navigate around. An interesting and enjoyable paddle I'm sure.
You definitely know your canoes, and it sounds like you made a very good choice. Your 17' sounds like a great canoe. My Clipper is a 16' Prospector, it is set-up for tandem and solo. The vast majority of my trips are solo. There is only a few inches of rocker, but it is a good all-round canoe, and I am very happy with it.
Thanks again Gary, take care.
Great video Nick and thanks so much!!👍🐶
Thanks very much Glenn. I appreciate the kind words. Take care.
That was really great thank you for sharing really enjoyed it!!!💙
Thank you very much Gail. I am glad you enjoyed. Take care.
Thanks for the video! It’s beautiful to see nature.
My pleasure, thanks for watching. Take care.
That's what I call canoe bushwacking ! Surprising to see how that small creek got bigger at one point , thank's for the video
There were definitely a few spots where it was congested with trees. Lots of beaver activity in there, made for some interesting paddling, and a few quick portages as well. Yeah, when it joined the other creek, it pretty much doubled in sized. It was a lot easier to paddle, and miss rocks after that. Thanks for taking the time once again, take care.
That was amazing - coolest idea ever!
Thanks very much Darryl. I'm glad you enjoyed.
DARRYL NO WAY ITS YOU I actually know you now because I always go on google earth and show my American friends west Edmonton mall and you took most of the photos so thanks so much
Very nice!! I went canoeing once, and that one time it was like 8 hours😂 We canoed the North Saskatchewan River, but never thought of going through the narrower ones. This was awesome thanks for sharing!!
Thanks very much. Yeah canoeing on the North Saskatchewan River is fun too. I think it is my favorite river to canoe. Thanks for watching and commenting.
That was very interesting. Thanks for doing that!
You're very welcome. Thanks for taking the time.
I remember when I lived back around 111St. & Ellerslie and there was this creek that flowed north under Ellerslie close to HWY 2 with this Timmies, Chinese eatery close by that flowed underneath the Henday a 5-6 miles away. On this creek there was a lot of beaver dam activity. I was surprised I didn't see any in your travels ?
Yes there is a lot of beaver activity on the creeks. I saw plenty of it, but edited out much to keep the length of video down. I had to portage around several down trees and log jams. Thanks for watching. Take care.
@@nickharland3795 Ahh, that explains it !
Actually a skill tester of a paddle!
Haha, yep name the bridges. Thanks for watching.
Hay, Nick; Great paddelin' along with ya Aside from scrapin' our bottom a few times, Glad I was payin' attention of woulda got me noggin whacked with them low-hangin' trees Hah !
Hey thank you Terry. Always great to have you along!! Yeah the canoe took a few hits on that trip, but just minor scrapes and dings. There was one tree that I wasn't very sure I was going to clear under, stretched as far as I could and just made it. Got a bit lucky. This was a bit of a different trip, and only 25 minutes from home. Thanks again Terry, take care. Nick
You go over more rapids in the first 100 feet than we have in the entire state of Florida.
Haha yeah it's a fun run with the spring run-off. I guess Florida is pretty low and flat, being mostly surrounded by ocean water?
@@nickharland3795 They once found a small hill in Florida, but smoothed it over with another retirement community.
Thanks for sharing your adventure with us. Liked&Subscribed 🤩
It's my pleasure. Thanks very much.
Thanks for that. My only memory of the White Mud is the junction with the N. Sask, where my father taught me how to pan for gold, some 70 years ago. Love the, no music, just the gurgle of the water.
Thanks for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed. Yes it is a nice spot where the creek meets the river. I hope the gold panning was successful. Take care.
Are you able still find gold around here?
@@HuyFishin Gold is everywhere, the trick is to find it in quantities large enough to make it worthwhile. My sister and I each found a flake. We have never been back there. That was 70 years ago.
It's a pleasure to watch a canoeist with good paddle skills, thanks. I have always wondered who it was I was following down these shallow rivers. I usually see red marks all over the shallow rocks in some of these small rivers. Must be you I'm following lol.
PS do you have any plans for the Blackmud R.? It looks interesting also.
Thanks. This was my first time paddling the creeks in Edmonton. I definitely left lots of red paint on the rocks, but I think more than a few people paddle Whitemud Creek in the spring. The paddling really improved after Blackmud flows into Whitemud Creek, it was like a small river after that. It would have to be at the highest flow for me to venture up Blackmud. If I did, it would probably be from Ellerslie Rd. also.
Enjoyed the virtual trip, nice one.
Thanks very much Jim. Glad you enjoyed.
I did this about 4 or 5 years ago with a buddy on kayaks but the water was quite a bit higher (more runoff). Hell of a fun time! Flipped 3 times though. Ha!
It truly does seem like a totally different place altogether when you’re on the creeks and or North Sask.
That's awesome. Yeah it is a fun trip when the water is high. Yes, it is a different perspective of the city, and a great way to spend the day. Thanks for watching, take care.
Nicely done. good on you. we canoe from. Devon to Edmonton twice a year on the North Saskatchewan
Thanks very much Darrell. Yes I have done that stretch a few times, it's a very nice trip from Devon.
Great video. The canoe did well navigating the shallow waters before the confluence. I know a fellow who took a mini jet boat upstream. I think the canoe would have been a better ride.
Thanks very much Kenneth. It was a bit tricky in the small creek, but made for some exciting paddling. Yes I would choose the canoe over a jet-boat in that creek.
I had no idea White mud creek was 18 km long. Thanks for sharing.
I paddled about 18 km of the creek, but it actually starts further south of this. I would guess that the whole creek is 50 or 60 km, maybe more.
Nice job making this video, your brave , I grew up in this area ....thank's
Thanks very much. Yes it is a nice area, and fun to canoe in.
awesome vid!!! im going from the ski hill to goldbar on sat with my kayak
Thanks very much. Yeah it is a good paddle when the levels are up. Hope you had a great trip!!
Amazing video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks very much, I'm glad you enjoyed. Take care.
I didn't even know that was deep enough to canoe lmao
Only when the water is high in spring, or after heavy rainfall.
No doubt! I had no idea Mill Creek was so long either. Another hidden gem in the City. Thanks for sharing your trip with us.
My pleasure, thanks for watching.
Please be very careful to follow river warnings.
Several years ago there was a high water warning on the sask river. My friends and I had canoed from 23ave to the river the previous year and the water was so low that we needed to drag the canoe about half way. So naturally the High water warning in the river should mean more water in the stream and we could just paddle all the way down. About ten minutes in we rounded a corner and a tree had fallen across the stream and the water was WAY faster and deeper in than we anticipated. The canoes we where in went sideways against the tree and mine tipped towards upstream. The moment the water crested the side of the canoe it turned over with me still in it.
The water was the consistency of chocolate milk due to so much run off and I was sure I was stuck under the water and me and the canoe were caught up in the tree branches. Time literally stopped. I thought well my life insurance is in place. I picture the newspaper headline about local idiot dies a stupid death and then I tried one more time to push out from the canoe. I popped up about 20feet past the tree.
Be safe.
Glad you made it out of there. That's a very dangerous situation for sure. Yes, I always look at the flow charts before heading out on the water. Thanks for watching Wayne. Take care.
Nice trip. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure, thanks very much.
That had to be fun.... Well done again..
Thanks again Jim. It was fun for sure. A bit of work, but I'm happy to say I've done it once. On to bigger rivers now.
I saw a vid of some kayakers doing this. Thought it could be fun and doable but not with the canoe! Well done indeed.
Interesting and rarely seen perspective on one of the streams of Edmonton. There is also a Blckmud Creek, wonder what that looks like or even if it is navigable by canoe.
Yeah it definitely was interesting. I've thought about Blackmud Creek, but don't any immediate plans for it. It would have to be very high water to be paddled. Tight turns, and wood/debris in the creek would likely be an issue... but we'll see. Thanks for taking the time.
Oh, very nice "urban" stream. In my area I must deal with the Mille Isles, Des Praries, or St Laurence rivers. As it is in your case going upstream can be problematic and more so on windy days. Cheers.
Thanks very much. Yes, this is a very small waterway compared to the rivers you mention. Appreciate you taking the time. Cheers.
That old Mad River ME sure looks mint!
I've owned it since 2014, and I am the third owner. Built in 1988.
@@nickharland3795 Bought one when they first came out. Paddled it for years on the creeks and rivers in the south east. Split the stern out twice on it and went to an Ocoee. It just sat in the back yard and the wood rotted off. Tried to give it away but nobody came to get it. Had two other canoes that needed gunnels and had some wood ripped and had a spare set . Put them on the ME and first time I took it out in many years just realized what a great boat it is. Perfect white water camper. Found one of the last ones made a few years ago that is purple and like new. Use the old red ME for a low water beater on local stuff now
I have a 1980 Mad River Royalex Explorer that has banged down little cricks like this (and big rivers like Labrador's Churchill as well). I love seeing other folks adventures in unexpected places.
That's great to hear, glad you got it back into the water. It's the only WW boat I've ever owned/paddled, but I absolutely love it!! I definitely have some multi-day trips planned with this canoe. Thanks again Gary.
@@davidelliott5520 Still have my old Explorer. At the time I got mine it was state of the art white water boat. Paddled it solo down all kinds of crazy stuff. Solo white water canoes came out a few years later and I got one early on. That the reason that old boat still exsits
Wow I was at the mouth of whitemud creek this year around september to fish, It was so low I can't believe this is the same creek. All that spring run off I guess.
Yeah early spring is the best time to paddle it, the snow run off makes for a fun trip...Or after non-stop rain like we had this summer. Thanks for taking the time. Take care.
Your pretty gnarly : ) out in Saskatchewan if your ever out this way is go kayaking with you, Manitou lake, so salty, if one of those sweepers gets you...you'll never drown : )
Thanks very much. I definitely hope to canoe in Saskatchewan someday. Lots of great water out there. Take care.
Awesome adventure..good on you ...
Thanks very much Garry.
Creek run! I love watching others have fun
Thanks very much. It definitely was fun.
Supposed to be a fun kayak during spring run off
Yep, it is a fun run in the early spring. Low water would not be worth the effort. Thanks for watching.
Just watch out for those strainers and sweepers. Someone needs to paddle it with a chainsaw😉
You are probably the first one to canoe that.
Have you ever been out to Elk Island park and canoed there?
It has been done at least once before, I found an on-line trip report. That is where I got the 18km distance info from. I've camped at Elk Island a few times, but never canoed there. Will probably do it this summer or fall.
Nick Harland I went out there a couple of times with my kayak.
About 10 years ago I was supervising the low pressure water line installation to the campground. Last summer was the first time I have been back since then LOL.
Narrow River!! i like it, this is closer to the kind of canoeing i used to do in Nova Scotia
Hey thanks Thorn. Yeah I thought about trying something a bit different, and much closer to home... About 20 minutes drive from home.
wow between this one and the hike you said was 3 hrs away... // you sure live in a fantastic area wow
potatothorn can do a
Real low water canoeing! :D There was lot of beautiful forest on the shore and interesting river for canoeing. I liked river specially after 6:00.
It was a different experience for sure. I was expecting a bit more water than was there, but it was still fun. Yes, after the two creeks joined, it felt more like a river. I could finally get a full paddle stroke in the water:)
Hey Nick, Fellow Edmontonian here. Just found you. Great vids. Keep them coming. This seems like a fun one. And close to home. Would you say it can be done in a heavy 14 ft alum canoe?
Hey thanks Nate. Yeah it is a fun one, with the water up in the early spring. I used a 15.5 ft canoe, but light (about 50 lbs) and very maneuverable. I would think 14 ft should be fine, just have to plan your turns well ahead. It can be very shallow and rocky above Blackmud Creek.
you would like the clear water river in northern saskatchewan, Great canoe trip
I'm sure I would really like it. There are many great rivers in Saskatchewan. Churchill River is the only one I have been on, but I hope to get more paddling done in Saskatchewan in the future. Clearwater River looks like a serious trip, big whitewater and true wilderness camping. Hopefully someday. Thanks very much for watching, take care.
Wow you are going hard this spring. You are going to run out of reaches lol.
Yeah first weekend of open water around here. It was a long winter, got to take advantage of a possible short summer. If I run out of reaches, then I will have had a very good summer:) Thanks, take care.
Great video!
Thanks very much Mausa.
Sweet I use to live in Arlington & Marysville & worked for Tulalip.
Awesome. Thanks for watching John.
Enjoy Your Video's. Well Done!
Hey thanks very much Kelly. Glad to hear you are enjoying. Thanks again, take care.
Thanks Nick! I enjoyed that!!
You're very welcome. Glad you enjoyed. Thank you for watching.
Never thought it was possible!!
Only in early spring with the snow run-off, otherwise it wouldn't be worth the effort. It would be more portaging than paddling.
Great video
Thanks very much Reuben.
Nice... shared to "Edmonton Boats" on FB... Any fish in there??
Thanks very much Phil, very kind of you. I know people have caught pike in there, probably suckers and a few other species. I imagine fish from the river might spawn in there too.
Nice work, buddy.
Thanks very much Mike.
Great video. What kind of canoe do you have? Some of our canoe club members are thinking of paddling Nose Creek in Calgary this week. Sad to see all of the construction debris along the banks :( this should be reported to Alberta Environment and Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
Thanks very much Cindy. This canoe is a Mad River M.E. built in 1988. Yes the construction debris is disappointing, and an eye soar. Appreciate you taking the time.
Nice love it have canoed the river but never the creek
Thanks very much Paul. Yes it is a much different feeling than being on the big river.
Omg, i used to nature walk that area so often. Me and a girl got so baked one time sitting by that creek somewhere around 12:00 there
Haha, yeah it's a nice place to walk and chill out.
Another great paddle vid bro!! Im thoroughly enjoying watching all your vids, wish there were more waterways for me to paddle down here in southwestern ontario, looks like youve got lots of waterways to paddle and explore!!
Thanks man. Yeah some good rivers coming out of the Rockies. It's usually at least 4 or 5 hours drive to get to the good spots. Around Edmonton everything is pretty tame, and not as pristine. Ontario has lots of good rivers, but it might involve some seriously long road trips. Thanks for subbing and taking the time to watch. Much appreciated, take care.
Interesting video Nick, do you live in the Edmonton area? I look forward to seeing more of your future videos.
Hey thanks again. Yeah I live in Edmonton. It was a short 20 minute drive home from this one.
looks like that was more work than the bigger river paddle ! nice one ! when you going to the mountains for camp ?
atb john
Thanks John. Yeah it was a lot of work trying not to bang the canoe up too much. I hope to go camping soon, we'll see how things go. Take care my friend. Nick
Cool!
I would of joined u on that trip....for sure!
Thanks Jim. Yeah it was an interesting paddle right in the city. Take care.
Nick. How is the Blackfoot creek for navigation?
Hey Cliff. I'm not exactly sure, I think it is smaller than Whitemud Creek. It would probably be tight, with lots of debris, and have to be run at high water. Maybe someday... Thanks, take care.
I've always wondered if it was possible to go down whitemud creek, my guess is probably only in the spring when the water is highest, I might consider trying in in my kayak next spring, did you only show some of the more difficult spots? How long did it take? How damaged was your canoe?
Yeah you'd want to go as early as possible in the spring, it has a very short window. The paddling was much better after 23rd ave, and the joining with Blackmud Creek. I tried to show some of the more interesting or exciting spots. Edited out lots, including a few more portages around trees and log jams. I think it was around 4 hours altogether. All minor damage, some small dents and gouges, and general scraping.
nice work, Thanks
My pleasure, thanks very much Les.
Hey there, love your videos! Thanks for sharing. I was thinking of doing this rip on Friday. Do you think the water will be high enough yet?
The water is very low this spring. Whitemud Creek might have to wait until next year... unless we will get some big rains.
Nick Harland Thanks, yeah I’m scoping it out right now. Does look low. You’d be getting out a lot. Still itching to try though.
Great video!
Can the same thing be done going down blacked creek? Say starting by the QE2 in Allard, 41 ave SW?
Thanks very much. Blackmud Creek could probably be done in higher water... not much different than Whitemud Creek near Ellerslie. There would likely be many shallows, trees and rocks to avoid, with little room to maneuver.
Maybe Mill Creek next?
Haha, isn't part of Mill Creek under ground? This was likely my last creek excursion in Edmonton. The canoe got a little dinged up.
You could be the world's first subterranean sub-marine canoeist lol! Seriously, though, thanks for posting all these trips, yours are by far my favorite videos on youtube. Hope to see lots more!
Thanks very much, I appreciate that. I have a few trips that I hope to post, subterranean or otherwise:)
Nice video, and nice to see you do not have CANADA plastered on the title.
Thanks very much. Appreciate you taking the time.
Used needles keeping the canoe afloat and empty aqua Bella bottles maybe
There definitely was some garbage in there, and many plastic bottles.
Very nice to walk my Dogs. How do l get there ?
Yes it is a nice place to walk dogs. It is in the southwest corner of Edmonton. There is a park where the creek flows into the North Saskatchewan River. On the south side of the river, just off Whitemud Drive.
What is the minimum water level and flow that this creek can be in order to canoe? Trying to see if it's still possible in the next week or so
Right now it is flowing at 0.25 cms, I would think it should be over 5 cms at least for good paddling. We need some big rains soon!!
Cold water, or warm? Wondering if there’s any trout in there. What kind of canoe holds up to that much rock???
Well it was cold for this trip, with the snow melt. By summer it is not very cold. No trout in here... it has pike and other warmer water fish. The canoe is made of royalex, a very strong plastic. Thanks for watching.
I think this is a nice video to watch while laying in bed high
Lol 😳
Omg same
Right on man!! Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for taking the time.
damn thats what im doin right now
Hey Nick what about Blackmud Creek? Starting before Ellerslie?
Hi Winston. I've thought about it, but I am not sure yet. It would have to be high water to make it navigable. Likely lots of debris and logjams to negotiate. But maybe someday, it would be fun to try. Thanks for watching.
Good going. Nice one .
Thanks very much. Cheers.
dirty river but looks fun i guess...safe too being a small river just the dirty water you probably wouldnt want to eat the fish but i like how this creek or whatever is in soem peoples backyards pretty much
The water is definitely not clean, but it is a fun day trip in high water. Haha, no chance I would eat fish from the creek. It's a different view of the city, and there are some nice properties overlooking the valley. Thanks for watching.
very cool i guess spring run off is the best time. im going to get a kayak do you think this would be good for a beginner ?? other than falling in and have to go to hospital lol nice videos
Thanks again Dana. Yeah spring run-off is the best time to go, or multiple days of heavy rain like we had this summer. I would recommend having experience on moving water, or at least paddle with someone who has experience. There are numerous log jams and beaver dams to be avoided. It would be very dangerous to get pinned under a log jam. Otherwise it is a very fun run. North Sask River is ideal for learning the basics.
@@nickharland3795 well 🤔🤔🤔🤔 maybe you could show me a few things lol. I watched most of your videos yesterday lol. I just have to figure out which kayak to get as I'm also on a budget but like most things I have to turn it into something multi purpose .
I'd love to help, but unfortunately I have no kayaking experience. Don't know much about kayaks in general, just that there are many different kinds. I'm sure there are local courses and clinics for beginner paddlers right in Edmonton. Good luck in your search for a kayak!!
Are there mud bugs in that creek u know crawdads
I can't say I've seen any in this creek, but there are some crayfish in other local streams. Thanks, take care.
scraping the bottom the whole way nearly? Does this damage the canoe? I'd love to do something like this
It can certainly scrape up the canoe pretty good. Depends on the material... fiberglass, kevlar, royalex, wood, etc. Some damage easier than others. This was a royalex canoe, and handles the rocks quite well.
Would the cureent be decent right now?and would it be easier rto canoe or kayak?
The water is very low right now. It would be very shallow and rocky, quite a challenge. It would likely be easier in a kayak.
@@nickharland3795 ok thank you