The Outer Inks Trails are mostly forested double tracks with a few single tracks added by dirt bikers on motorcycles. It is not an official trail system. The old double tracks on Crown Land were used by ranchers (grazing leases) and for forestry access. Recreational use has mainly been motorcycles and ATVs, but the trail system is also suitable for … Continue reading…
When the Dewdrop Trail was built, it connected the Dewdrop Range (grasslands and hills) with Red Plateau (forested uplands). The route climbs (lava flow) north-south oriented ridges to the top of the Escarpment. The trail continues along the rim of the Escarpment to various viewpoints. There was once a loop route back then which we had hiked, but decades of … Continue reading…
There is a large chunk of rugged terrain on Crown Land east of Kamloops. A series of rocky bluffs and forested slopes rise one after the other to the north above the South Thompson River. There is no real access from Shuswap Road because of private homes, but a gravel road climbs up the power line on the east side … Continue reading…
Bearcat Caves generates a lot of local interest and we get frequent enquiries about how to get there and what it is like. We returned back to Bearcat Caves in June of 2016 coming in by the original route detailed in earlier articles. Bearcat Caves Report Bearcat Caves For a couple of years, the main road through the Monte … Continue reading…
The hike along the Adams River Trail is an enjoyable walk in any season, but in late spring we can witness the meltwaters surging through the canyon and we can enjoy the wildflowers along both sides of the trail. The trailhead is on the north side of the road just after crossing the bridge. After climbing a short hill, … Continue reading…
The Deadman Valley runs north for over 50km from the Trans-Canada Highway, a scenic drive, but also a good route to explore lakes, falls, hoodoos, and backcountry routes. Each time we make the whole-day trip, we pick new points of interest for more exploration. Last year, it was Deadman Falls, Sherwood hoodoos, and Snohoosh Lake (Deadmans Tour). This year it … Continue reading…
The Jesmond Lookout is at the north end of the Marble Range. It is the last peak of the range and all the lands north of the Lookout are the relatively flat. high plateau of the Cariboo. The Jesmond Road follows a valley west of the Marble Range from Kelly Lake to Big Bar Lake. Both ends can be accessed … Continue reading…
Big Bar Lake lies in the southwest corner of the Cariboo, not far from the Big Bar Reaction Ferry on the Fraser River. The simplest route is to drive north of Clinton and then follow the gravel road for 33km to Big Bar Provincial Park. This is a beautiful spot just north of the Marble Range (a favorite area … Continue reading…
In the Grand Coulee corridor in Central Washington State is a series of dry rocky coulees and pothole lakes. The channeled scablands were scoured by the released floodwaters of Lake Missoula during successive ice ages. This area is barren and rocky, but the State has funnelled water down this corridor from the Roosevelt Reservoir, supplying a chain of lakes, including … Continue reading…
While hiking in central Washington State we ventured out to mountain bike a section of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. This route is a rails-to-trails recreationalal corridor that follows the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railway bed for 430 km across Washington State from the western slopes of the Cascades to the Idaho border. We rode was the eastern … Continue reading…
In November we “tramped” in Tongariro National Park, completing the Northern Circuit in 3 days. From Whakapapa, we left the lower slopes of Mt. Ruapehu and backpacked for 8.5 km over to the Mangetopo Hut. The trail wound through the tussock slopes on a wet route, but we climbed to drier slopes in the saddle between the two volcanoes and … Continue reading…
The Clearwater River Trail follows the river and lava flows all the way from the town of Clearwater up to the Canyon Creeks. Along the length of the trail area a number of access points that provide day hiking opportunities. We started at the trail to the Natural Bridge on the Wells Gray Corridor Road. There is no designated parking … Continue reading…
Able Tasman National Park extends along the coastline of the South Island of New Zealand from Marahau to Golden Bay. Most people hike, paddle, or boat from the south end and the north end gets far fewer people for two main reasons. For those driving to the trailheads, the road to the north goes over Takaka Hill, a climb of … Continue reading…
Some places transcend their reviews. Kaikoura exceeded all of our expectations. Kaikoura is a small seaside community on the eastern coast of the South Island, two and a half hours north of Christchurch. The town is situated on a narrow, rugged coastal area between the Kaikouara Mountain Ranges and the Pacific Ocean. To the north of the town a long … Continue reading…
Ben Lomond is a peak that stands above Queenstown, New Zealand. It is a popular hike and we saw a number of “trampers” on our day up to the summit and back. The trail can be started from the bottom, right in Queenstown, or hikers can take the Skyline Gondola up and avoid an hour of hiking in the forest. … Continue reading…
Every spring, we drive through Chase, stopping in at the Band Office on Shuswap Road for a permit, then we drive up the Bear-Loakin Road to the Neskonlith Meadows trailhead. The hike up to Star Lake and back is about 10km, but it is the spring wildflower display that brings us to the area. We just follow the double track … Continue reading…
