From 1978 through 1984 we cross country skied on the Bush Lake Trails, but when the Coquihalla Highway was under construction the trails were cut in half by the road and fences were built restricting access to the backroads and trails to a narrow corridor.   The Stake Lake Trails were built and only a few nordic skiers frequented what was left of the older trails.   Windfall accumulated on the single tracks, but we could still use some of the older double tracks.   A few snowshoers came into the area and we marked some routes, but logging frequently obliterated routes some of the routes.    Replanting has resulted in some areas of heavy juvenile growth, blocking access too.   Logging continues in the area and each year we come back to see what routes can be used.   For the most part, the Bush Lake North Loop is still intact, but one long cutblock has removed trail markers and added larger open areas.   We followed tracks from someone who more or less knew the loop and had clearly stomped in a track so we followed it on a cold December day.

The way was clear so snowshoers can just use the stomped-in track to do the Bush Lake North Loop.

A number of larger Douglas fir tree were removed with the last round of logging, but a few taller ones remain, mantled in snow and hoar frost.

A few standing trees were left in cutblocks too, mostly smaller timber also coated in frost.

Our group enjoyed an early 4 km stomp in the forests of Bush Lake.   We will return to explore in two more areas nearby and we will set new tr5acks for snowshoers to follow.