My plan was to paddle Minnie Lake (and possibly Stoney Lake) on the Pennask Lake Road, then tour through the Douglas Plateau on the way back, but winds picked up and by the time I reached Minnie Lake, there were whitecaps on the larger open lake. I decided to drive through to the Douglas Lake area and evaluate the … Continue reading…
On a sunny day in spring I traveled down the Trans Canada Highway between Cache Creek and Spences’s Bridge and I hiked Epsom Provincial Park, I drove through Venables Valley, and then I hiked to the top of Red Hill. The drive past Venables Lake was a scouting trip for some possible future hikes, but this was a scenic route … Continue reading…
We hiked into Stein Valley from the trailhead near Lytton as a day hike covering about 17.5 km. We enjoyed the river and the trail but also wanted to see the pictographs in this UNESCO Heritage Site. The first pictographs were at Asking Rock, then we spotted some more on large boulders farther up the canyon. There are 13 spots … Continue reading…
We revisited the ghost town of Grafton, Utah. The previous time was in 2013 and much was the same as before, but restoration work had progressed on the buildings, fences, gates, and property. A full website is also in place which has all the detail on the history, buildings, and restoration story – Grafton Heritage Project. To get to Grafton, … Continue reading…
Campbell Creek runs through Barnhartvale, then down through the hills, right past the BC Wildlife Park, then out to the river. But where does the water come from, and what route does it take? Campbell Creek’s origins are in the hills near Lac le Jeune and in the hills along Highway 5A. The longest creek to feed the collection point … 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…
Boston Bar Creek does not come near the town of Boston Bar, but the headwaters of the Anderson River are only 10 km north and the river joins the Fraser River near the town. Boston Bar Creek’s source is the mountains on both sides of the Coquihalla Summit’s western slopes. On the north side, the snows melting from Zopkios Ridge, … Continue reading…
Some of the best hiking in the whole Kamloops area is found around Mount Mara. There are only 3 established routes. The Mara Canyon Trail goes up the south side through the hoodoo canyon and can be combined with the Ridge Trail to make a 7 km loop. The Mara Trail is a 4 km loop on the lower southwest … Continue reading…
From Sun Peaks Village to McGillivray Lake is a 6 km route on a gravel road. Along the way and nearby are snowmobile access points, backroads for mountain biking, lakes for paddling, and trails for hiking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The Google Map below has information, photos, and links on these recreational opportunities. The map has zoom controls, pan … Continue reading…
Horsefly Lake Provincial Park is situated on the north shore of Horsefly Lake in the Cariboo. From Highway 97 at 150 Mile House, drive east to the village of Horsefly. Cross the Horsefly River on a one-lane bridge, then follow the Upper Horsefly Road for 13 km. Watch for the signs and a right turn down into the provincial park … 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…
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 source of the Tranquille River are the meltwaters of the southern end of the Silwohiakun Plateau. A dozen streams flow down the slopes below Porcupine Ridge (6000 feet) and end up In Tranquille Lake. The river really starts at the lake, but the log starts at the longest stream that flows into the lake. Km 0.0 – Porcupine Meadows … Continue reading…
The Nicola River’s source is in the highlands west of Okanagan Lake on the west side of the divide, north of the Bear Creek Recreation area and south of the Shorts Creek watershed. The meltwaters of the mountains and high plateau at about 1700 m (5580 feet collect in many streams to become the Nicola River which runs for 3 … Continue reading…
The Cantilever Range is a part of the Lilloet Ranges on the western side of the Freser River. None of the peaks are easy access. Hikers go up the Stein River but the peaks are too far below the treed valley to be visible We do see them from the tops of hills and mountains in our area, though. From … Continue reading…
One of Kamloops finest parks is Peterson Creek Park, a gorge that runs right into the downtown area. The creek starts high on the rocky slopes of Chuwhels Mountain at 1746m (5730 feet). Meltwaters drain to the east for 4km into Connolly Lake, then east down through douglas fir forests continuing east. We have crossed Peterson Creek at various points … Continue reading…
