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.
Titus Canyon is the longest canyon in the Grapevine Range, north of Furnace Creek in Death Valley. A signed gravel road 15 miles north of Highway 190 goes north from the Scotty’s Castle Road to a parking area at the mouth of the canyon. The canyon narrows off right away with bulging colorful rock slopes on both sides. Right away, … Continue reading…
Every spring we paddle down the South Thompson River in 21 km outings. From the Lafarge Bridge (NE side) we launched our kayaks and enjoyed a 3 hour flatwater paddle from Lafarge to Pioneer Park. Using a two vehicle system, we started paddling about 9:30 am and landed at the boat launch at Pioneer by 12:30. One of the keys … Continue reading…
There are old double tracks going up Mount Wheeler on the northeast and southwest corners but no tracks on the southeast side so any exploration of this area means hiking up, crossing a grazing fence, then winding up open forest slopes up to the top. We started on the Pruden Pass Road and followed a double track in the Lac … Continue reading…
We explored the hills down to Black Canyon near Ashcroft, carefully sticking to Crown Land, avoiding private property and CN/CP rights of way. A story to follow in June.
Continue reading...The Corona Arch Trail starts on the Potash Road on the Colorado River west of Moab, Utah. The route to Corona Arch and back is about 5km, but there is some additional exploration past the arch and up to Pinto Arch. The signed trail crosses the train tracks then follows a short canyon route up to the Navajo sandstone … Continue reading…
Once the ice clears off our area lakes we head out to do a circuit of local lakes. The first three to paddle once or twice each are Paul Lake, Heffley Lake, and Lac le Jeune. With cool spring weather we are warm in our kayaks with spray skirts on and we wear paddling jackets to block the wind. When … Continue reading…
This source of Watching Creek begins high on the plateau of Porcupine Meadows Provincial Park at 1815 m (5950 feet). The area around Carlo Lake receives early snowfall and the snow pack remains for a long season. When it finally does melt, the area is a wide, wet meadow. A number of years ago, I hiked over from … Continue reading…
Overlooking the west side of the Tranquille River is a series of open ridges that climb toward the prominent hilltop that is sometimes called The Pimple, The route up Tranquille Ridge climbs 1150 feet in about 3.5 km. It starts on an old double track that climbs steeply through the sagebrush and grass, then we have to cross the first … Continue reading…
Marble Range Provincial Park was established in 1995 and then in 2013 additional lands were added. Before it was a park the mountains were used for hunting, hiking, snowmobiling, mining, guiding, and ranching.The northern end of the Mable Range is at the Big Bar Lake Road on the edge of the Cariboo Plateau. the southern end of the range is … Continue reading…
The hike up Mara Canyon is one of the best in the region, but we hiked up the loop trail to the summit, then we came down the canyon for this outing. We drove the side road from the CNR level crossing to the end of Ord Road, then followed the trail through the sagebrush toward the mouth of the … Continue reading…
Backroads climb up into the bottom of the east crater of Wai’ale’ ale, below the wettest spot on the planet. From the end of the paved road at the Keaha Arboretum we have to drive through two streams and navigate unsigned, muddy and rough backroads deep into the rainforest. For those wishing to explore the Kaapoko Tunnels or the Blue … Continue reading…
tIn spring we start our paddling season on the South Thompson and North Thompson Rivers. The best launch is from Pioneer Park, but we also go to other launch sites to paddle different parts of the rivers. With Valleyview Boat Launch closed for bank repairs, we went out to the Lafarge Bridge beach and paddled upstream in early April. There … Continue reading…
Just south of Kilauea on the island of Kauai a backroad bears east down the hills to a parking area about Kahili (Rock Quarry) Beach. This fine beach is a short hike down to a crescent breach on the northeast corner of the island. On calm days this is a good place to swim and snorkel. On our last visit, … Continue reading…
The Dewdrop Escarpment are the line of cliffs that rise above the Dewdrop Range on the north side of Kamloops. The 500 – 690 m (2263 feet) high cliffs are the eroded remnants of successive volcanic flows forming Red Platerau which runs for 18 km from the Tranquille River to Copper Creek. We can drive up the high clearance Red … Continue reading…
Princeville sits on rocky bluffs overlooking the ocean on the north shore of Kauai. there are long beaches at either end – Anini Beach is a fine beach for families on the east side and the wide crescent of Hanalei Beach is on the west side. For most beach-goers these are the best choices, but there are more options for … Continue reading…
