It’s not enough that Kumsheen owner Bernie Fandrich named just about every set of rapids on the Thompson River. It’s not enough that he’s been guiding people down those rapids for decades, or that he was the first man to understand the potential for river rafting in BC. Now he’s gone and added to his legacy as one of British Columbia’s true legends by writing the quintessential guide to one of B.C.’s great rivers.
From the Lillooet News:
It all started with one little raft, a few paddles, 13 kilometres of Thompson River whitewater and a VW van loaded with enthusiasm.
Four decades later, Kumsheen Rafting Resort owner Bernie Fandrich says his company and he “have both matured but I’m just as passionate about the Thompson now as I was that first summer in 1973.”
Some of that passion is on display in Fandrich’s new book, ‘British Columbia’s Majestic Thompson River.’
Bernie spent two years writing the book, digging through archives, interviewing locals, taking incredible photos and presenting his own amazing anecdotes from forty years of floating.
But what makes the book even more special is that Bernie has gone further back than his own life, presenting incredible facts from the worlds of botany, geography, geology and B.C.’s natural history.
Author Liz Bryan says of British Columbia’s Majestic Thompson River, “More than a book for people planning to run the Thompson and its rapids, British Columbia’s Majestic Thompson River explores the changing nature of the river and the country it has carved through, along with excellent photographs and information on geology, history, and botany. And with something else added—a glimpse into the river’s heart and soul.”
CBC icon Rick Mercer is also a fan, saying, “Rich in Canadian history and adventure, this is my kind of book. Having gotten me safely on and off the Thompson, Bernie’s my kind of guy.”
Leave a Reply