When milder weather comes to Kamloops during the winter, the lowest areas of the valley will dry out fastest and we can hike on routes in open areas like the Rivers Trail beaches and Cooney Bay.    The road into Cooney Bay was icy and the first part of the trail was muddy, but the beaches were dry enough to hike.  

When Tranquille River approaches Kamloops Lake, it fans out into separate channels and freezes over.

Similarly the Thompson River fans out and ice forms between the channels as it slows down before entering the lake.  

After hiking along the bay and back, I hiked upriver along the gravel and sandy shores. 

Between Tranquille and the Thompson River are stands of cottonwood trees, leafless in winter. 

A short video of the hikes is shared here (click the widescreen button [ ] for a wider view):