Two scientists have conducted a new assessment of a secluded waterfall, providing further evidence that the rarely seen falls in the rugged boreal shield of northern Manitoba may be the tallest in the province.
Employing a technique called digital photogrammetry, Alexander Martin and Lukas Olson evaluated Kapakaytay Falls located on the Odei River.
Their initial results indicate that the waterfall has a height of 16 meters, which is slightly greater than the widely accepted height of 14 meters for Kwasitchewan Falls, situated southwest of Thompson and regarded as Manitoba’s tallest waterfall.
“We are quite confident about this measurement, with a margin of error of plus or minus one meter,” stated Olson, a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia who specializes in photogrammetry, a method that reconstructs three-dimensional objects from photographs and videos.
Kapakaytay Falls was previously measured several decades ago by the federal government.
The height recorded on topographical maps is 58 feet, or roughly 17 meters, although this information has not been widely disseminated, noted Martin, a Winnipeg native and PhD student in ecology at the University of Oxford in England.
Alexander Martin, a PhD student in ecology at the University of Oxford and one of the researchers who visited Kapakaytay Falls, holds a fiducial cube utilized during the measurement process. (Submitted by Alexander Martin)
He mentioned that since the height has not been definitively established, they were eager to determine whether it is indeed Manitoba’s tallest waterfall.
The falls are situated on the Odei River, approximately 40 kilometers northwest of Thompson, Manitoba, and 690 kilometers north of Winnipeg.
“This is a very difficult waterfall to access,” Martin remarked.
In July, Martin and Olson embarked on their paddling journey.
Their trip necessitated meticulous planning, whitewater expertise, and backcountry experience.
The waterfall is nestled deep within forests ravaged by wildfires, alongside a river characterized by challenging terrain. They needed to maneuver through rapids and navigate around fallen trees.
Two researchers undertook a challenging journey up the Odei River in July 2026 to photograph and measure Kapakaytay Falls. (Submitted by Alexander Martin)
The expedition covered a total of 105 kilometers for Olson and Martin, who received assistance from local guides in the Thompson region to facilitate their adventure.
After several days of paddling, the duo was left in awe when they turned a corner on the river and caught their first glimpse of the waterfall.
“The sheer magnitude and the volume of water cascading over the rocks were astonishing,” Martin expressed.
Olson conveyed that simply reaching the site was a relief.
“Especially since we had been paddling for about two or three days by that point,” Olson recalled. “We were both weary and had sustained some bruises and cuts. This was a rather demanding expedition.”
The inspiration for Martin and Olson’s expedition stemmed from a trip taken by Winnipegger Garrett Fache in June 2019.
Paddlers navigate the Odei River beneath Kapakaytay Falls in June 2019. (Garrett Fache/Wild House Media)
“We were keen to check out this impressive tall waterfall,” Fache stated on Thursday.
“I thought it would be fascinating to see if this waterfall surpassed Kwasitchewan in height and what it looked like in real life.”
After examining topographic maps and visiting the falls with two fellow paddlers, Fache, who is now the owner and operator of Wild Loon Adventure Company, believed it was Manitoba’s tallest waterfall.
“Once we finally saw it, the scale of this drop, or series of drops, was truly remarkable,” said Fache, who has also visited Kwasitchewan Falls.
“Such sights are quite rare in our area.”
Garrett Fache, owner and operator of Wild Loon Adventure Company based in Winnipeg, paddled with two others to Kapakaytay Falls in June 2019. (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)
Using over 1,000 two-dimensional images taken with a drone, Olson and Martin reconstructed and measured the waterfall through digital photogrammetry.
They also took laser measurements of the surrounding trees and natural features to incorporate into their model.
“The original federal measurement was 58 feet,” Martin noted. “Our modeling indicates that it may be closer to 52 feet, compared to the 46-foot height of what is generally acknowledged as Manitoba’s tallest waterfall.”
Pisew Falls, located southwest of Thompson, stands at 13 meters, while Kwasitchewan Falls, widely thought to be the tallest, measures 14 meters.
The researchers’ preliminary results estimate Kapakaytay Falls to be approximately 16 meters tall.
“It’s quite gratifying,” exclaimed Olson.
“Even though we are not the first to visit this site — there’s a long history of this area being utilized for trapping and hunting by both First Nations and later communities — being able to document this remote location, which few have witnessed, brings me a sense of joy.”
Lukas Olson, a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia focusing on photogrammetry, is seen at Kapakaytay Falls in July 2026. (Submitted by Alexander Martin)
In a statement sent via email late Friday, the province indicated that its data still identifies Kwasitchewan Falls as the tallest.
It remains unclear whether Kapakaytay’s height has ever been documented in the province’s records.
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Olson and Martin are currently working on publishing their findings.
They aim for their documentation of the falls to contribute to future research of the area in the coming years.
“It may seem as though the entire world is mapped,” Martin commented. “However, there are still many opportunities for exploration and documentation.”
