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.
Hiking up on the Bonaparte Plateau is a quiet ramble amongst the lakes, forest, and low-rolling hills. Views are limited. In the middle of the plateau, though, Skoatl Point rises 100m above the forest, bald and volcanic. The hike in and back out takes about 3 hours on a well-established trail. When we first hiked to Skoatl, the roads … Continue reading…
The hike from Tranquille Lake up to Porcupine Ridge is a hike that is listed in many sources – in hiking books, on websites, on recreational maps, and in regional literature. It is the first leg of the Masters Sub-Alpine Trek, a route all the way across the Bonaparte Plateau to Bonaparte Lake. But this hike is not a recommended … Continue reading…
The North Thompson River rises in the glaciers of the Premiers Range west of Valemount, flows east to the Monashees, then is steered south and down the North Thompson Valley. Many rivers flow into it – the Albreda, Mad River, Thunder River ,Blue River, Mud Creek, Raft River, the Clearwater River, the Barriere River, Jamieson Creek – and many other … Continue reading…
The Skull Mountain Trail system is really a horseback trail network, but the trails can be hiked or biked also. It is accessed off the Westsyde Road, which connects Barriere to the Kamloops on the west side of the North Thompson River. More detail is found in this brochure: FishTrapCreektrails.
Continue reading...The Orchard Lake Trail system is primarily used for horseback riding, but it is well suited to hiking and mountain biking too. Trails are in an area of open forests and meadows. To access the trail system turn off Highway 5 in the McLure area onto the Orchard Lake Road (N51 02.248, W120 13.379). This is about 3 km south … Continue reading…
Scott Road runs from Rose Hill Road to a junction of fences to the southeast of Juniper (3km one way). This is a very enjoyable walk or mountain bike as an out and back route. For a better workout, hikers or bikers can start down in Juniper and do a loop. One end of the loop is at the end … Continue reading…
The best (paved) road into the north end of Mabel Lake heads east from Enderby, following the Shuswap River upstream. Be sure to stop to at various points (Cooke Creek, Skookumchuk, etc.) to look at the river along the way. As you approach the lake, the road really ends at the RV Park/Golf Course/Airstrip/Resort and there is some limited access … Continue reading…
Bearcat Caves are a fairly recent discovery in our area and the details cannot be found in any book nor on any website. We heard about it about a year ago when a geocache was placed inside the caves. We finally got to it this fall. Thanks to Glenn Dreger for some of this information. A local hunting outfitter named … Continue reading…
This loop is well-suited to a shoulder season hike. We often use this route in early March since most of the area is south-facing and has no trees. Snow may linger under the north slope, but hikers can veer north around snow pockets. There are many miles of double tracks in this area and so more posts on routes will … Continue reading…
The Bastion area fills the whole space between two arms of the Shuswap. White Lake sits in a bowl at the western end. All of the area to the east is heavily wooded with cedar at lower elevations and spruce/fir at higher elevations. Bastion Mountain rises above the shores of Sunnybrae, but it is really just the west end of … Continue reading…
You are out for a hike and hear a bird song or call and you say to yourself, which bird is that? Here are some well-known ones: Common loon: Common Loon (mp3) Red-Tailed Hawk: Red-tailed Hawk (mp3) Ruffed Grouse: Ruffed Grouse (mp3) Northern Flicker: 42-Northern Flicker (mp3)
Continue reading...If you are overly concerned about bears, ticks, and poison ivy, then you may never get out. You will probably encounter them if you choose to hike the trails. Poison ivy is in our area and the best way to deal with it is to avoid it, and to do this you have to recognize it. Although we have seen … Continue reading…
The Enderby Cliffs are now part of a provincial park (website). The trailhead has a good parking lot and is well-signed. The hike follows a fenceline for 250m, then starts a climb though mixed forest. The first third of the hike climbs steadily on a good trail. The next third of the trail is steep and we found the trail … Continue reading…
The Shuswap River rises high in the Monashee Range on the west side of the Monashee Divide behind Mt. Begbie, Blanket Mountain, and the Greenbush Basin. It flows south into Sugar Lake, and south then west towards Lumby. At Shuswap Falls, it turns north and continues until it flows into Mabel Lake. Twenty five kilometres north, the river flows out … Continue reading…
Aside from being a UNESCO World Heritage (Fossil) Site, Burgess Pass is also one of the finest hikes in the Rockies. Much of the hike is at altitude at or above the tree line with wide views and well-established trails. There are a number of route options. One option is a two-vehicle system, starting at Takkakaw Falls. Climb up the … Continue reading…
Please note – this post has been modified. The upper part of the creek to the upper waterfall is on private lands and route information has been removed at the request of the landowner. The trail has been used by hikers, runners, and mountain bikers, but permission should be sought before proceeding.
Continue reading...