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.
In mid-November we hiked from the McQueen Lake area to Isobel Lake, then around the lake, and back on the same trail, a 5.5 km hike on the snow. My usual route for this hike was along the former Forestry Capital Trail (now called Beers-a-Waiting by mountain bikers) but with recent snowfall there was not much parking for a group … Continue reading…
As temperatures dropped and days became shorter, I hiked up the access road to the Napier Ranch Conservancy. It was the day before the snows fell so the route was dry/frozen. At the entrance to the Conservation Area is a sign and a gate. It was quiet and there were no livestock on the slopes. A double track can be … Continue reading…
Kane Valley is southeast of Merritt, with a short drive off Highway 5A at Aspen Grove. There are 51 km of cross country ski trails there, but they are also used by mountain bikers, hikers, and snowshoers. Trails are maintained by the Nicola Nordic Ski Club (website link). Although I had hiked some of the trails before, the goal is … Continue reading…
We hiked the trails that start at the end of Uplands and McLeod Road in Barnhartvale. The main access is along a gas line track, but many single tracks run up into the hills or down onto the grasslands bench. There are no signs, but the area is open and easy to explore. We did a 5.2 km … Continue reading…
I have been hiking in the Watching Creek area for more than 40 years. There are a number of routes that can be done and I recently did two of them. On this early November day, a group of us followed established trails starting at Tranquille Crossing. Just across the bridge, the trailhead is on the east side of the … Continue reading…
I hiked up the hillside to the south of Frederick Road and explored the cliffs, basalt columns, gullies, and viewpoints overlooking Battle Bluff and Kamloops Lake. I parked at the first pullout on the right (before the Dewdrop Trail parking area) and crossed the flats, then angled up the hill. There is no trail, but the slopes are open grasslands … Continue reading…
When upper areas become snowy and muddy in the fall, we look for double tracks or south-facing open ridges to get to higher terrain. A good option at this time of year is to hike to the top of Jag Hill. We have hiked to Jag Hill from the Red Plateau Forest Service Road on various routes, but we also … Continue reading…
I drove backroads all the way to Ross Moore Lake, something I do every year. The date has to be after the roads dry out so we make the trip sometime between June and September. It takes about an hour to get to the lakeshore, making all the right turns on the many forested backroads in a remote area. The … Continue reading…
By researching we can narrow down the probable location of homesteads established under the Homestead Act (1872). Settlers arrived later, especially up in the hills where farming and ranching is a marginal opportunity. Under the terms of the Act, a quarter section was available for $10 and rights to the property were conditional on developing the land with a home … Continue reading…
As winter approaches cold and windy conditions limit the number of times we can paddle on the lakes and rivers, so if an opportunity arises, I load up the kayak and head out. In late October, the day was still quite cool and my time was limited so I chose to paddle on Inks Lake. A paddle of the shoreline, … Continue reading…
At the end of the paddling season it becomes more difficult to paddle on the lakes at higher locations so I turn to a small selection of lower elevation lakes and the south Thompson River, mostly launching from Pioneer Park. By mid-October there are rarely any boats on the water, but the boat launch provides easy access to the river. … Continue reading…
There are a few trails that climb from the Dewdrop Range up to the rim of red Plateau. The Dewdrop Trail is the best known, but there are more routes that climb the steep slopes of the Red Plateau Escarpment to the trails that follow the rim. We drove out the Frederick Road and then turned onto the rough upper … Continue reading…
Edith Lake is close to town, providing quick access, but it can be a busy place for fishermen and campers. For this reason we usually paddle the lake in the off-season. On a cool and windy October day, I launched my kayak into the headwinds for two loops around the lake. There is a long arm of the lake that … Continue reading…
The Tranquille River flow from the Bonaparte Plateau and winds down to Kamloops Lake. Over the last km, the river flows through a volcanic area, cutting a narrow gorge through steep colorful cliffs. There are several sections of slot canyons and narrows, not very accessible from above. In spring the runoff roars through these channels, but in fall we can … Continue reading…
Zoa Peak is an accessible hike in the Coquihalla Summit area. A short side road turns off the highway and climbs up to the Falls Lake parking lot. When we arrived there on an October morning, Trans Mountain Pipeline crews were excavating a corridor for the twinning of the line, but they kept the road open for hikers. We followed … Continue reading…
On a mild early October day I paddled Tunkwa Lake, one of the best paddling day of 2020. Partly-sunny skies and light winds are always a blessing when kayaking in the high country. There are campgrounds and some private homes on the east and south sides of the lake, but the west side of the lake has pasture land, Parks … Continue reading…
