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.
Wallace Island Provincial Park is found in the Gulf Islands between the northern ends of Saltspring and Galiano Islands. It is a marine-only access park with anchorages for larger boats and landings for paddlers. Most paddlers come over from Saltsping where it is only about 2 km from launch to landing. It is possible to paddle from Vancouver Island, Galiano … Continue reading…
When the weather gets hot, we often go to the high country to find shade, to be next to a lake, and to enjoy moderate in the hills trails. In this last outing, we brought our kayaks and paddled 2 loops around the lake then hiked one loop around the lake. We find the water in Stake Lake to be … Continue reading…
The summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii is 4207 m (13 802 feet). A road goes all the way tot he top, but the road past the 9400 foot elevation is gravel and 4WD is recommended. The road is reasonable, but it is steep and rental vehicles may not have the clearance for the way up, … Continue reading…
Montague Harbour Provincial Park is on the western shores of Galiano Island. The park has a campground, a boat harbour, several beaches, and hiking trails. We camped there and hiked the Gray Peninsular Trails We started at the boar launch at Shell Beach and followed the trails along the beaches and through the forest. The route was 2.4 km. Shell … Continue reading…
Bonaparte Plateau is a high forested area north of Kamloops. Access is by backroads. Jamieson creek Forest Service Road is the best road to use from Kamloops. All hiking and paddling in this remote area requires a good sense of navigation and preparedness for the backcountry. The best hike is to Skoatl Point. The other hiking trails follow deactivated … Continue reading…
Any hike from the Dewdrop Range to the rim of the Dewdrop Escarpment will be long climb. The loop route which goes up the Dead Coyote Trail, along the Dewdrop Traverse Trail, and then down the Three Amigos Trail climbs 734 m (2408 ft) steeply to the rim. The whole route is 13 km and a hard hike at any … Continue reading…
Pioneers who homesteaded near Lac du Bois named the pond on the north side of the hill “Stony Lake.” A homestead cabin (M. Scott) stood on the western side of Stony Lake until about 10 years ago. A few remnant timber can still be seen there today. Today the lands nearby are part of the Nature Conservancy of Canada Lac … Continue reading…
When freshet brings the North Thompson and South Thompson Rivers to a high water point , the area at the head of Kamloops Lake floods. The flat floodplains near Tranquille get covered in several feet of floodwaters. In addition, Cooney Bay floods, the beach disappears, and the shoreline recedes. We paddled out of Tranquille Bay then followed the river downstream … Continue reading…
There are a number of established hiking trails in the Barnhartvale area and a larger number of informal trails, mostly known to locals. A few of the trails are displayed here in the Google Map. Click the full screen icon for a larger view and use the pan and zoom controls to tour the area. Click an waypoint to see … Continue reading…
The Batchelor Range spans the distance from McQueen Creek on the north and the lower Batchelor Hills on the south. There are a series in the range with the highest ones at the north end. The North Batchelor Range is not accessed by hikers very much since the routes are all longer and involve longer climbs with only a few … Continue reading…
Freshet brings meltwaters from the north and the east to Kamloops and the South Thompson River and the North Thompson Rivers join to bring floodwaters to the area near the head of Kamloops Lake. On the north side the 2km x 1km flatlands become covered in 2-3.5 meters of water to become Tranquille Bay. On the south side of the … Continue reading…
When we hike it is easy to look ahead and get lost in talk, but when we hike along quietly, we can take the time to watch for what is all around us in June – blooming wildflowers and the insects that pollinate them. Other insects feed on the leaves and lay their eggs or are predators. We have to … Continue reading…
The Ragged Red Ridge Route is not a designated trail in Lac du Bois Protected Area. The official trail from the Dewdrop Range to the rim of the Red Plateau Escarpment is the 3.75 km (one way) climb to Red Plateau. The Ragged Red Ridge is a parallel route that goes straight up the 410 m (1345 ft.) climb in … Continue reading…
The Park Hill Trails are in the forested area on a hill overlooking Shuswap Lake, west of Canoe. The approach is either from the Park Hill Road in Salmon Arm or Canoe Beach Road There are trailheads are at various points, but many hikers start at the Canoe Beach parking lot and hike up the hill. There are about 10km … Continue reading…
We visited South Pender Island and stayed on Drummond Bay at the south end of the island, only 1.5 km from the U.S. border in Boundary Pass. A crescent gravel beach fronted a rocky bay. Several rocky islets were popular with birds and seals. Rocky headlands book-ended the bay. Observing wildlife was an all-day experience.Bald eagles fished on the waters … Continue reading…
There are several routes to get to the top of Mount Mara but each year we go up from Pruden Pass and ascend the northeast slope to the top. This year we went out to the west summit then went back through the gully and back up to the east summit before returning by the same northeast slope. Because we … Continue reading…
