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.
Heffley Lake is one of the best lakes for paddling in the Kamloops area from ice-off to the end of the season, but it is even better to pick a day when it is not full of power boats. In shoulder season and on weekdays, the lake is fairly quiet and it is long enough to accommodate a lot of … Continue reading…
While hiking in central Washington State we ventured out to mountain bike a section of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. This route is a rails-to-trails recreationalal corridor that follows the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railway bed for 430 km across Washington State from the western slopes of the Cascades to the Idaho border. We rode was the eastern … Continue reading…
A relatively easy shorter mountain bike route goes past 3 lakes in an 11km route. Start at the large parking area south of the edge of the McQueen Lake fenceline. Ride north around the west side of McQueen Lake, then turn onto the McQueen – Isobel Lake Forest Service Road. Not far past McQueen Lake is Griffin Lake, a short … Continue reading…
In November we “tramped” in Tongariro National Park, completing the Northern Circuit in 3 days. From Whakapapa, we left the lower slopes of Mt. Ruapehu and backpacked for 8.5 km over to the Mangetopo Hut. The trail wound through the tussock slopes on a wet route, but we climbed to drier slopes in the saddle between the two volcanoes and … Continue reading…
The Clearwater River Trail follows the river and lava flows all the way from the town of Clearwater up to the Canyon Creeks. Along the length of the trail area a number of access points that provide day hiking opportunities. We started at the trail to the Natural Bridge on the Wells Gray Corridor Road. There is no designated parking … Continue reading…
Able Tasman National Park extends along the coastline of the South Island of New Zealand from Marahau to Golden Bay. Most people hike, paddle, or boat from the south end and the north end gets far fewer people for two main reasons. For those driving to the trailheads, the road to the north goes over Takaka Hill, a climb of … Continue reading…
The South Thompson River flows past the City of Kamloops on its way to join the ocean at the Coast and we know that the river’s waters come from Shuswap Lake (through Little River and Little Shuswap Lake), but the entire watershed area of Shuswap Lake covers 1,552,558 hectares (5993 square miles) of the province. Generally speaking the river is … Continue reading…
Some places transcend their reviews. Kaikoura exceeded all of our expectations. Kaikoura is a small seaside community on the eastern coast of the South Island, two and a half hours north of Christchurch. The town is situated on a narrow, rugged coastal area between the Kaikouara Mountain Ranges and the Pacific Ocean. To the north of the town a long … Continue reading…
One of the most rewarding “backroads rides” is a 25 km route from McQueen Lake to the paved area near the cattle guard in Batchelor Hills The whole route is on double tracks, some active backroads and some old, seldom-used tracks. Making all the right turns isn’t easy, but a GPS track can be downloaded (at the bottom of … Continue reading…
On our way to Paul Lake Provincial Park or Pinantan Lake, we drive past the shores of Louis Lake. The lake is too shallow for swimming or fishing and it is too small and shallow for a bigger boat, but it is just right for a stand-up paddleboard outing. There is a small pullout to drive down to the reedy … Continue reading…
The trail into Mara Canyon changes every year. The narrow canyon is an erosion channel and the snowmelt and summer thundershowers change the route each season. The trail starts in the sagebrush, then climbs over some rocky hills before the sharp turn which takes us down to the streambed at the bottom of the canyon. Hikers should take the time … Continue reading…
There is a big difference between paddling Paul Lake on a quiet day as compared to a busy weekend in the summer. On this sunny day in April, loons were calling across the lake. Kingfishers flew from tree to tree, chittering as they followed the shoreline. A great blue heron slowly worked its way along the lake to a new … Continue reading…
Ben Lomond is a peak that stands above Queenstown, New Zealand. It is a popular hike and we saw a number of “trampers” on our day up to the summit and back. The trail can be started from the bottom, right in Queenstown, or hikers can take the Skyline Gondola up and avoid an hour of hiking in the forest. … Continue reading…
The first day in the kayak in 2016 was in February and the next 5 weeks was paddling in the rivers. Once the ice is off the lower lakes, we look to paddle them, but the first ones to thaw are smaller lakes like Jocko and Six Mile and they are full of fishermen too, so we wait for Paul … Continue reading…
Most hikers go up Mara Canyon on a trail knows as “The Hoodoos” or “Cinnamon Ridge.” This unique trail goes up the south-facing slopes then drops into the bottom of the canyon following the dry streambed for a fun route before it opens up below the summit. There is a loop route possible, coming down along the ridge on the … Continue reading…
Every spring, we drive through Chase, stopping in at the Band Office on Shuswap Road for a permit, then we drive up the Bear-Loakin Road to the Neskonlith Meadows trailhead. The hike up to Star Lake and back is about 10km, but it is the spring wildflower display that brings us to the area. We just follow the double track … Continue reading…
