Battle Bluff (in the Haze)
With nature parks closed and smoky conditions in the area, the best bet for hiking was to go to travel to an area that was clearer, or alternately, to watch for a break in the local conditions. On a less-smoky day I hiked the Battle Bluff Trail in the Dewdrop Range. It had rained the day before so conditions were better on the trails, but the long-term drought was evident along the route.
The route climbs between two hills, then drops down to a bench overlooking Kamloops Lake, but below Battle Bluff.
The trail up the bluff has been improved (our thanks to BC Parks). Along the way are fine views northeast to Dewdrop Ridge and beyond to Mara Mountain.
From the top of the bluff we had clear views down to Cooney Bat and up the river. Visibility was about 6 km to the east.
We could see down Kamloops Lake to Six Mile Point (13 km).
With smoke in the air, limiting the amount of time hiking and choosing a less difficult hike is a good practice. The Battle Bluff Trail is a good choice when air conditions are marginal.
A few moments from the hike are shared in this YouTube video:
We are looking forward to the post-fire-smoke time of year to resume more challenging hikes.