I started exploring this area in 1976 and I continue to follow tracks and routes wherever they lead, with the aid of map, compass, GPSr and camera. After many dead-ends, but also many discoveries, I chose to share this information. Getting out 12 months each year, I continue to explore trails, tracks, routes, and waterways of the Kamloops area and beyond.
On a mid-November day we planned a hike on the Outer Inks Trails. All of the trails, tracks, and routes were buried in snow, but we had a moderate loop route planned, going past Dam Lake in the Outer Inks area. We made steady progress toward the lake, breaking trail along the way. Near Dam Lake, the first signs of … Continue reading…
When winter roads become difficult to drive and trails are covered in snow, an alternative outing is to hike/walk plowed backroads. One of the best is the Goose Lake Road. From a parking area at the east end of the road to the Peterson Creek crossing and back is about 6.7 km. I sometimes run the road, using a … Continue reading…
On a cool November morning we drove to the Watching Creek area and hiked down to shore of Tranquille River near the canyon as part of a loop route which included hiking the rim on both sides, but also crossing the river twice. It was a sunny morning, but the sun was low in the sky as hiked through … Continue reading…
We hike through the middle grasslands area two or three times every year, starting from a parking area just off the Lac du Bois Road. On this cool fall day we hiked past Island Lake over to the Grasslands Esker. The esker runs from just below the Lac du Bois Road to Long Lake, winding down through the pothole ponds, … Continue reading…
We spent some hours in the lower Tranquille River area on a video shoot with CFJC TV for a video to be published sometime soon. While walking and participating in the clips, I also took some photos and explored some short side trails. Right from the start there was lots of fall color along the trail. A spring has created … Continue reading…
The East Rim Trail Loop is a favorite and it is one that I do two or three times each year. There are variations on the route chosen each time, but usually the trailhead off Whiteshield Crescent is the starting point and the loop includes crossing Peterson Creek and taking single tracks on the east side of the canyon rim … Continue reading…
On a cool fall day I got an early start to hike the Lower Flumes Trails to Adams River. I hiked southeast and explored old trails and scrambled to some viewpoints and riverside spots. At one point I worked my way down to the mouth of Bear Creek where there were some sockeye salmon spawning. I also hiked northwest on … Continue reading…
In 2022 I have been exploring various trails on Greenstone Mountain. I returned to do some of the known mountain biking trails on the northeast flank. We hiked the Take it Easy Trail to the Boneyard, then went over the ridge and down to Pyle Driver (thanks to Taylor Pyle) back to the start. The area has open douglas fir … Continue reading…
We have been hiking the Roche Lakes Provincial Park backcountry routes for decades now. Each year we do one of several loop routes. This fall we hiked past Roche Lake, John Frank Lake, Ernest Lake, Bog Lake, and Black Lake in a 3.5 hour 12.3 km moderate loop. There are a number of old roads, tracks, and trails in the … Continue reading…
There are many new mountain bike trails on the northeast side of Greenstone Mountain, some of which are good hiking routes. Most start on he lower slopes but there are also some trails halfway up the mountain. An old double track called the Bench Trail has been used by ORV vehicles for many years. It winds along on a fairly … Continue reading…
A favorite hike is to the top of Jag Hill from the Pimple parking area. Jag Hill is the easternmost end of the Red Plateau Escarpment. The ridge/hill juts out over the hills below and it is an open hilltop with wide views. There is more than one way to get to the top. On this fall day, we followed … Continue reading…
We hiked to Balancing Rock and the line of hoodoos below on the slopes above Kamloops Lake. As part of a filming outing with CFJC, we explored the area, taking video footage as part of the day’s outing. The “main feature” was Balancing Rock, a conglomerate pillar with a capstone in a gully leading down to the lake. We hiked … Continue reading…
A trail winds down the western slopes above Tranquille River and along the rim to the West Guardsman, a tall hoodoo overlooking the river. Directly across the canyon is the East Guardsmen. We have hiked to the Guardsmen from the Pruden Pass Road, starting at the gate on Tranquille Road, but this was our first time down to the western … Continue reading…
Chuwhels Mountain is the highest point in the hills to the south of Kamloops. The summit is at 1891m (6204 ft). It is a sprawling, forested mountain with lots of cutblocks, and a number of forest service branch roads. There is a good forest service road that turns off the Lac le Jeune Road and goes to Lodgepole Lake. The … Continue reading…
There are some informal user-made single track trails through the forest off the Lake Bay Road and the Armour Creek FSR on the East Side of Heffley Lake. We linked up several to hike a 5.5 km figure-eight route, but we spotted more trails that will require further exploration. There were no viewpoints and most of the routes wound through … Continue reading…
Zoa Peak is located in the Coquihalla Summit Provincial Park. The trailhead is at the end of the Falls Lake Road. The trail starts on a double track and climbs up to a ridge, then turns onto a steep winding single track up the mountain. The first half of the hike is harder than the second half, which winds uphill … Continue reading…
