Rugged, steep, and interesting, an adventure every time we hike Estekwalan Mountain. In July we drove from Falkland up the Rob Roy FSR which turned out to be quite rough after a season of rain. We have done this hike quite a few times so we knew what to expect – steep terrain with some light scrambling. The hike up … Continue reading…
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…
We hiked up McConnell Hill in the Stake Lake Trail system, then we braved the Bushwhacker Trail loop, stopping for lunch at a viewpoint, then returned to the Sidewinder Trail to complete an 11.5 km loop. With such a wet spring we encountered a number of wet areas to get past and all the forest ponds were full, reflecting the … Continue reading…
In early July we returned to hike a loop route on Mt. Embleton. In a wet spring the road to the parking areas was eroded to the point where one section is now 4WD, but we went slowly and parked at the upper parking area near the Fence Trail. We worked our way over to the Pine Loop Trail and … Continue reading…
Mt. Thynne is a rounded, open mountain just 145 km from the Coquihalla Summit area. Because of its elevation (2256 m), location, and shape, snows clear off the access road and the summit ridge relatively early so we can do a summit hike in June. In 2020, the snows were slow to melt so we rescheduled our hike until the … Continue reading…
The Lundbom Commonage Reserve area is one of our favorite places to hike in the spring. The grasslands hills are some of the finest in the province and the multi-use trails are pleasant to hike, although some navigation is almost always required. One of the easiest-to-follow trails is the double track from Lundbom Lake to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain. … Continue reading…
In June we traveled to Wells Gray Park to hike one of the lesser-known trails in the Hemp Creek Canyonlands. The trailhead for the Birch Bluffs Rim is the Moul Falls Trail parking area. We followed the main trail for 1.6 km, then turned onto a side trail which crosses Grouse Creek on a bridge. Grouse (Moul) Creek was rushing … Continue reading…
There is a commonage (publicly owned lands) at the height of the road that climbs from Quilchena to the Minnie Lake area (Pennask Lake Road). The area is over 4000 feet and there are a number of fences for seasonal grazing licenses, but hikers can access the area at the right time, respecting grazing cattle, closing gates, and leaving nothing … Continue reading…
I led a small group on a complicated route above Pruden Pass. We parked at the end of the Pruden Pass Road and went up the northeast flank of Mara Mountain, working our way to the southwest summit where we had our first break. We followed an old double track down the northwest side of Mara to Massey Lake, then … Continue reading…
We explored the hills above McQueen Lake and Pass Lake on a grey and stormy day. Using high clearance vehicles we climbed on the Dairy Creek Branch Roads to a spot at 1223m and parked. We followed skid tracks, motorcycle trails and also did some bushwhacking. We found an easier route on the way out. The douglas fir forest had … Continue reading…
When Red Plateau dries out (in May) and before the heat of late spring we climb from the Dewdrop Range up the Red Plateau Escarpment to the rim. The best trail is the Dewdrop Trail which winds up a gully, then a ridge, climbing 611 m of elevation (2000+ feet) in 3 km. An alternate route with no established trail … Continue reading…
We hike through the Frederick Bluffs twice every year. There are no trails and the whole area is rugged, but there is interesting terrain to explore and wonderful viewpoints along the way. We drive out the Frederick Road and we turn onto the lower road. We park to the left side of the road before the road starts to drop … Continue reading…
We hike a loop route through the hills above Peterson Creek every year, going along the rim, avoiding fencelines, going quietly, enjoying spring. We started at the Whiteshield Trailhead and first did the Grasslands Loop for the view up the valley. On our way up the Billy Miner Trail , we saw a few wind-shaped trees right on the edge … Continue reading…
We travel down to the Merritt area from time to time to hike on the area trails. Our favorite is the Lundbom area, but we have also hiked the other areas, like the Swakum Mountain Trails. On previous occasions we have gone up and back from the flagpole parking area, but this time we tried a loop route, returning by … Continue reading…
Lac du Bois and the hills nearby sit at 873m – 982m (2864 ft. to 3220 ft.) so spring arrives later than the lower grasslands, but when it does, the ponds are full, slopes green up, and wildflowers cover the upper grassland slopes. I paddled Lac du Bois, enjoying all the birds and western painted turtles, then secured the kayak … Continue reading…
