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.
Although there are lots of tracks and trails on Greenstone Mountain, few are good for hiking. there is an extensive network of ATV/motorcycle trails, which can be hiked, but few offer the kind of trail that hikers want. There are also lots of backroads and old double tracks, mostly used for logging access. On top of the mountain is Greenstone … Continue reading…
The best hike of our area is to the rim of Trophy Mountain. Starting in 1977, I have done the hike every year since and sometimes I have hiked to the meadows or to one of the peaks more than once (3x in 2019). The plan is to do the Trophy hike for as long as I can. … Continue reading…
Castle Butte is a rocky ridge with a steep bluff jutting out above the Dewdrop – Red Plateau Escarpment. There is no trail to the airy spot, but a faint route can be followed from the Dewdrop Trail. We can hike up the Dewdrop Trail from the Dewdrop Range far below for a demanding 5.8 km route (one way) with … Continue reading…
I took the water taxi from the campground area at the end of Clearwater Lake to the Rainbow Falls Marine Campsite on Azure Lake and paddled back to the start. In the first day, I paddled my kayak for 15.5 km to Four and a Half Mile Campground in stormy conditions. On the next morning I paddled for 5.7 km … Continue reading…
When the weather gets hot an option is to drive to the high country (4000 feet+) and paddle one of the lakes, then go for one of the hikes nearby. On this blue sky hot day, I paddled twice around Stake Lake, then hiked a snowshoe route nearby. It was an early morning start and winds are usually calm until … Continue reading…
I have paddled Azure and Clearwater Lakes a number of times and in the summer of 2020. I decided to do a solo paddle of the lakes. On a cloudy day in August, I took the water taxi from the Clearwater Lake Campground to the Rainbow Falls Campground near the end of Azure Lake. On Clearwater Lake near Diver’s Bluff … Continue reading…
On a hot summer day we got an early start to go for a short hike in the hills above Kamloops Lake. The access point to hike down to Balancing Rock is 1.5 km past the Six Mile Lookout. A sharp right turn to a dirt pullout goes to the gate in the fence. A single track goes down the … Continue reading…
Harper Mountain has fine trails for mountain biking, but some of the trails can be hiked in summer or snowshoed in winter too. Most of the trails are forested but there are some limited views at the top. On a warm day the shaded trails are a good choice for a summer hike. On this particular day I chose to … Continue reading…
The Buse Hill Trail is a moderate climb to a fine viewpoint. To get to Buse Hill, drive out Barnhartvale Road and turn up onto the Robbins Range Road. Follow the road for 6 km. The start of the trail is a double track on the left that climbs an open meadow. The lower end is private land owned by … Continue reading…
We hiked the Savona Caves Trail on a hot summer day. We drove on the Tunkwa Lake Road, then turned onto the 402 FSR (Savona Mountain Road) and parked at the trailhead on the right at 0.6 km. The trail follows an old double track for a short distance, then becomes a single track winding through the trees to the … Continue reading…
The Porcupine Creek Trail starts at the Porcupine Creek Rec Site off a narrow and rough forest service road in the Marble Range. the rainy days of 2020 had taken its toll on the backroad. It was narrow and rough and a small slide had partly covered the road. Nearby the road is crumbling away and may fall into the … Continue reading…
We did a summer basecamp at Big Bar Lake Provincial Park and hiked in the Marble Range and paddled the lake. One of the hikes we did was to the top of the Marble Range at the Jesmond Lookout. From the Jesmond Road near the junction of the Big Bar Ferry Road, we turned onto the Jesmond Forest Service Road … Continue reading…
A hike to the summit of Tod Mountain is like a pilgrimage each summer. the lifts open in late June and by mid-July the snow is clear and the meadows are green. Early wildflowers emerge as soon as the snows melt, then a second wave bloom in July. The height of the wildflower bloom is usually about the start of … Continue reading…
I camped at Big Bar Lake Provincial Park to hike trails in the Marble Range, but I also paddled Big Bar Lake. In sunny weather I paddled 3 times, doing the whole lake (12 km), with some sections twice. With creeks running off limestone mountains, Bit Bar Lake is a marl lake with clear water shoals. There were 4 pairs … Continue reading…
Rugged, steep, and interesting, an adventure every time we hike Estekwalan Mountain. In July we drove from Falkland up the Rob Roy FSR which turned out to be quite rough after a season of rain. We have done this hike quite a few times so we knew what to expect – steep terrain with some light scrambling. The hike up … Continue reading…
My plan was to paddle Minnie Lake (and possibly Stoney Lake) on the Pennask Lake Road, then tour through the Douglas Plateau on the way back, but winds picked up and by the time I reached Minnie Lake, there were whitecaps on the larger open lake. I decided to drive through to the Douglas Lake area and evaluate the … Continue reading…
