Chilliwack River Rafting guides brave blizzard for Christmas Day delivery

A group of young guides from Chilliwack River Rafting Adventures played Santa on Christmas Day, delivering supplies along the river during a blizzard.

Suzy Coulter said it was a “welcome sight” to see the guides arriving by raft and kayak with much-needed supplies.

She and her household had been cut off from the main Chilliwack Lake Road since the swollen Chilliwack River “ate” their access road during the record-setting atmospheric river of rain on Nov. 15/16.

The snow-dusted guides even looked a little angelic as they carried heavy items like propane tanks, pet food, diesel and treats through the deep snow with big smiles on their faces.

Coulter said they’d cleared a pathway by the river, and she had prepared gifts of home-grown butternut squash, braided garlic and shortbread cookies, to thank the guides who agreed to the delivery caper.

“We are really touched and humbled by how willing people were to jump in and help us,” Coulter said. “We had no idea that they would actually come down the river on Christmas Day in a blizzard.”

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They got an e-mail on Dec. 25 from Chilliwack River Rafting when they were ready to go: “The mission is launched.”

Living on a remote property growing garlic and vegetables about a kilometre up from Slesse Park, it’s been tough being cut off from family during the holidays, Coulter said.

“The sight of the raft and kayaks coming down the river totally brightened the whole day for us,” Coulter said.

Other merciful river deliveries had been executed by Purple Hayes School of Kayaking, Coulter said.

For Russ Brown, owner of Chilliwack River Rafting Adventures, it was a no-brainer to ask his young staff to help out Coulter and her family on Christmas Day.

“The guides thought they were coming up here for turkey dinner and brandy,” Brown joked. “No, but how often do you get a chance to raft down the Chilliwack River at -10 C in a blizzard? We had to give it a shot.”

All jokes aside, he said, they’re neighbours, so they wanted to help out when they got the call. Brown told Coulter to get a big list ready of the heavy items they needed, and they would deliver them by river. Simple as that.

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