The Pipestone River in Alberta runs from the Lake Louise Ski Area to Lake Louise Village, offering a continuous and demanding whitewater experience rated predominantly Grade 3 with a couple of Class 4 rapids. The character of the run is described as "in your face" Class III from the outset — a mix of ledgey whitewater and boulder drops over a bedrock riverbed that, notably, is not slidey in nature.

The put-in is at the Lake Louise Ski Area, and paddlers can take out either at a gravel road on river right near the lower section, or continue directly into the town of Lake Louise, finishing at the parking lot there.

Two significant horizon lines demand attention on this run. The first is a drop called Two Step, which features a distinct green tongue and ramps approximately 6 feet. There are eddies on river right above it for scouting, and safety should be set before running. At lower water levels, a secondary ledge of 1–2 feet becomes visible behind the main drop. The second major rapid is Sidewinder, a Class 4 drop with eddies on river left for scouting and safety setup. It exits at an angle into a large, very deep pool and contains a significant hydraulic. Immediately below, the river pools before entering Mr. Splat, a Class 3+ boulder garden with a large midstream boulder. The crux of Mr. Splat is not the central rock itself but the features on river right, which can catch paddlers off guard. After this section, the gradient eases and the river passes through canyon scenery before reaching the take-out.

Given the continuous nature of the whitewater and the hydraulics present at Sidewinder, this run is best suited to paddlers with solid intermediate to advanced skills. Scouting the two major drops and having safety in place are strongly recommended practices on this river.