The Elaho River is a c.70 km long river beginning in the Coast Mountains

Coast Mountains

The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...

 northwest of the towns of Whistler

Whistler, British Columbia

Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...

 and Pemberton, British Columbia

Pemberton, British Columbia

Pemberton is a village north of Whistler in the Pemberton Valley of British Columbia in Canada, with a population of 2,192. Until the 1960s the village could be accessed only by train but that changed when Highway 99 was built through Whistler and Pemberton.-Climate:The climate of Pemberton is...

. It is a tributary of the Squamish River

Squamish River

The Squamish River is a short but very large river in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Its drainage basin is in size. The total length of the Squamish River is approximately .-Course:...

 and is known for its whitewater rafting and kayaking

Kayaking

Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...

 as well as for the intense alpine scenery lining its route.

The Elaho is much larger than the Squamish River when it meets with it. The Elaho is often subject to flash flooding.

Course

The Elaho River originates at the outlet of an unnamed lake fed directly by the Elaho Glacier. The river starts off by flowing southeast for about 10.2 miles until its confluence with Marlow Creek, which flows from the Pemberton Icefield

Pemberton Icefield

The Pemberton Icefield, also known unofficially as the Pemberton Icecap, is the southernmost of the series of very large icefields studding the Pacific Ranges of the southern Coast Mountains in British Columbia, Canada...

. The river turns south here and flows south here about 12.6 to its confluence with its largest tributary, Clendinning Creek

Clendinning Creek

Clendinning Creek is a river in British Columbia. It is the largest tributary of the Elaho River. It is located entirely within Clendinning Provincial Park.- Course :Clendinning Creek originates at the outlet of remote Clendinning Lake...

. Between Marlow Creek and Clendinning Creek, the river flows through spectacular Elaho Canyon, a popular whitewater rafting section. From the Clendinning Creek confluence, the river continues south for another 8.9 km to its confluence with Sims Creek, its second largest tributary. After Sims Creek, the river turns southeast for about 21.4 km until its confluence with the Squamish.

Tributaries

While Clendinning & Sims Creeks are the Elaho’s largest tributaries, the Elaho has many other smaller tributaries as well:

• Moose Pasture Creek
• Marlow Creek
• Jauques Pierre Creek
• Cesna Creek
• Lava Creek
• Sundown Creek
• Jarvis Creek
• Blakeney Creek
• Bierman Creek
• Ponor Creek
• Limelite Creek
• Maude Fricket Creek
• Shadow Creek
• Carol Creek