Bush Lake 2016
Each winter we return to snowshoe in the Bush Lake area. The north end sees more cross country skiers and snowshoers partly because a loop is marked and usually tracked. We recently added our track on that loop, adding some paths around windfall and across new cutblocks. We have been on the south end of the area twice and set tracks, again evaluating newly logged areas, linking known routes with new openings. There are no trail markings on this end so snowshoers can either follow established snowshoe tracks or strike off to make their own routes. On a recent day of snowshoeing, we did an 8.64 km, three hour route through the forest and across frozen ponds and swamps.
New logging has occurred through the whole area so there are new open areas, and some new access roads and skid tracks. Aspens and a few of the larger Douglas firs were left standing in the cutblocks. A number of large slash piles are still there indicating that further logging is planned. Snow covers the debris and open spaces are like sunny glades in the dark winter forest.
On open ridges and south-facing slopes are a few larger Douglas firs standing above the rest of the lodgepole pine, spruce and fir forest.
On our way south we crossed three open marshy areas and ponds, a purposeful choice to enjoy the views and the sunshine.
The southernmost large pond spans the space between the Coquihalla Highway and the Lac le Jeune Road. The u-shaped wetland can be clearly seen from both roads near Stake Lake. This was our lunch spot, on the shores next to an old trapper’s cabin.
The roof of this cabin had been collapsed by a fallen tree. There were two good-sized cabins on the shores of the large pond. When we find these old structures, the walls are often intact, but the roof, floor, doors, and windows have collapsed. Packrat and deer mouse nests can usually be spotted in the corners.
We did a lollipop-shaped route exploring new open spaces, combining them with known double and single tracks. We identified one area requiring a better route down from a ridge which will be a later exploration of the Bush Lake “trails.”
The Bush Lake area is more of an intermediate off-trail area. Novice snowshoers can start at the Dogwood Marshes and when they are ready can then try the Bush Lake North loop. The southern routes require a bit more experience in through-the-woods ‘shoeing and navigating in the forest.
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