On a mild winter day I hiked off and on trail on the West Ridges on the edge of Kenna Cartwright Park. For the fits half of the hike, the route was off-trail, traversing the hills. The hills were open sagebrush grassland slopes, moderate off trail hiking. At the far northwest end of the ridges, the slopes descended down to … Continue reading…
Most of the homesteads in the hills have been abandoned for over 100 years and there is not much to find, but a few have remained mostly hidden and forgotten. We can find them by accessing historical records and by using Google Earth. Then it requires hiking to the potential site to further investigate. We spotted an old site in … Continue reading…
On a sunny mid-December morning the Batchelor Hills called for an 8 km hike. We have hiked some of these routes for decades, but now there are a number of additional single track trails too, with new names, and some new routes. For this day I chose to follow mostly old double tracks toward Mara Mountain, up and around a … Continue reading…
The grassland hills and forests were homesteaded too, but later and for a shorter period of time. Settlers came from around the world and built their homes and developed farms, but the dry climate and periods of drought forced many to sell their lands. Many of these quarter sections passed over time to larger ranches and the homesteads were abandoned and fell to ruin. A few are still standing in hidden pockets in the hills. We can hike to these spots to enjoy them while they still stand. Two hidden homesteads are shared here.
Continue reading...After a light snowfall in early December, we hiked an old trail from McQueen Lake to Isobel Lake. The trail was used decades ago as a cross country ski, snowshoe, or hiking trail from McQueen Lake to Isobel Lake. Forestry staff installed interpretative signs along the route. It has since fallen into disuse, mainly because there is very little parking … Continue reading…
On a grey end-of-November day I hiked from the west end of Paul Lake along the lakeshore on the Gibraltar Rock Trail. The trail follows the shoreline of the lake for 2 km before it starts to wind up the hill. For the next kilometre, it climbs the hill through the douglas fir forest to the north side of Gibraltar … Continue reading…
A summer of heat and drought has dried out the landscape. Grasses and trees in open locations were stressed, but soon the winter’s snows will bring some moisture for the spring melt. We have been hiking in the hills after the grazing season, picking routes across the hills where there are no trails, going quietly, leaving nothing behind but temporary … Continue reading…
On a sunny fall day I hiked an eclectic route through the forested hills above Timber Lake. Good double tracks go from the Lac le Jeune Road under the Coquihalla Highway and into the hills. There are many double tracks and a network of motorcycle/ATV trails. The first section of the hike was to the top of the Tower Hill. … Continue reading…
A single track trail winds over rolling terrain for 6 km across the Dewdrop Range from the area near Battle Bluff west to the trails going up the Escarpment. The Bluebird Trail was so named because the Kamloops Outdoor Club installed a series of bluebird birdhouses along a faint track south of the Frederick Road. Mountain bikers and hikers … Continue reading…
Hiking on the north side of the Ironmask Trails from late spring through mid-fall can be done, but it is now a mountain biking area and the single tracks are steep. Bikes coming down may be a challenge for hikers. Avoid going the wrong way on these trails; the double tracks are better choices for hikers. Hiking in shoulder … Continue reading…
On the day before our hike on Harper Mountain, there was rain, fog, and overcast skies. On the day of the hike, as we drove up, we went through a fog layer but broke through and parked in sunny conditions at one of the lower trailheads. The trail network on Harper Mountain is well-organized, with parking, signage and many trail … Continue reading…
At the start of November we hiked on the Stake Lake Trails. Our route was around the east side of the lake, past some iced-over bays. We hiked a series of double track cross country ski trails, working our way south to Rattler Viewpoint. The ski trails were all in good shape, providing good shoulder-season hiking. The old track from … Continue reading…
The south side of Mara Mountain has many gullies, ridges, canyons, hoodoos, rock outcrops, and shaped features, many of which are off-trail and out-of-sight. Each year I hike a cross country route to explore some of the interesting topographicl highlights. On a cool fall day I hiked across the sagebrush slopes to pass by the Sentinels, then up to The … Continue reading…
On a sunny fall day I drove on roads to the upper west end of Juniper Ridge to the trailhead at the top of Balsam Place (Qu’Appelle > Coldwater >Balsam). An old double track starts at the end of the road and winds its way up the hill through the forest. This is a route that has … Continue reading…
On an October day I hiked up the Tranquille River Trail through the colorful corridor. At the old Tranquille Water Plant, I followed a single track trail upstream to the end, then scrambled on rocks as far as I could go without getting wet. At the end of that rock-hopping section, I crossed the river. The west side … Continue reading…
On a mid-October day we drove up the Greenstone Mountain Road to hike the Greenstone Bench Trail. The trailhead (N50 37.289 W120 33.967) is an old road, bearing west across the hills about halfway up the mountain. The double track is in good shape providing a good route through mixed forests, plantations, and across ridges. The combination of sunny weather, … Continue reading…
