As the winter snows cover all of our trails, we shorten our hikes, we put on cross country skis or snowshoes,and we plan ahead for our spring hikes. We have also chosen to travel in the shoulder season to locations where good hiking can be found in later February through late March. On Spring Break we traveled to Sedona in … Continue reading…
We were up in the hills past Cooney Bay exploring fossil beds. Most of our previous activity had been in the long gullies closer to Cooney Bay. We have found fossils there, but the area had been picked over and it took some digging to find new fossils. On a winter day with no snow on south-facing slopes, … Continue reading…
A well-hiked trail/corridor is the flat pipeline road from Barnhartvale to Juniper. The trailhead can found at the end of McLeod-Uplands Road. The route heads to a ridge below Juniper. Most walkers/hikers skirt the north end of the ridge and traverse some gullies to access the benchlands below Juniper. Another route option for hikers and bikers is to follow the … Continue reading…
Kamloops area rockhounds have uncovered many locations where agates can be found. Agates have been used for ornamental purposes, carving, and display since ancient times. Agates are formed through volcanic processes when crystalline silicas bond into layers within a pocket in the lava. Quartz layers may also be present in the nodules, Our area is well-know for its chalcedonies. Chalcedony … Continue reading…
Kamloops and area has a number of fossil sites nearby. There was once an inland sea over the area and plant and animal life became trapped in layers of mud and silt. Where these old shale layers have been uplifted and then exposed to the air, we can sometimes find fossil impressions by breaking apart the layers. In general, the … Continue reading…
The chain of mountains to the south of Smithers dominates the skyline. Hudson Bay Mountain looms above the town. A gravel road winds up the flank to cross country and alpine ski trails. The road ends at a small village and the ski runs come down off the ridge in two directions, but the summit of the mountain is not … Continue reading…
While we were in the Smithers area, we tried several of the hikes and we were very pleasantly surprised by the Malkow Lookout hike. The hike starts at the edge of pastures, winds through forests, then climbs a hill in the middle of the valley. There are wide view of the fields, hills, Bulklley River Valley, Babine Mountains, and Hudson … Continue reading…
KamloopsTrails normally features outdoor explorations in the Kamloops area, but when we travel and find hikes, we include them into the site. Driftwood Creek is a spot we have returned to over the years. On the first trip back in the 1970’s, there were some references to a fossil bed on the way to the Babine Mountains so we had … Continue reading…
In the middle of the Lac du Bois Grasslands lies a long, narrow lake. Long Lake sits at the bottom of a trench between the Bachelor Range and the Upper Grasslands. The lake itself is 1.5 km long, but there is really a chain of ponds stretching over 3.5km. A double track runs along the east side and there are … Continue reading…
This hike has been in our sights for a number of years. All references to the hike stated to not attempt it in wet conditions so it was bypassed in marginal conditions. In our latest attempt, conditions were cold (-4) at the start and there was snow over most of the route, but the road in was fine, though we … Continue reading…
Orchard Lake Road climbs the hill from McLure on its way to Badger Lake. The road pass by three small lakes called the Struthers (Loon) Lakes. Not far past the largest of the lakes a road at 5.5 km turns south. This side road is the Coyote Lake Road and for most of the year it is suitable for most … Continue reading…
The high country on the Bonaparte Plateau is heavily forested with many lakes. The higher elevation means an early winter and late snows in the spring. Late spring hikes are possible, but expect a muddy road, late drifts, and wet feet. Even in summer the trail into Skoatl Point can be a wet hike. The mosquitoes of June-July follow, so … Continue reading…
We have heard about the Petrified Forest in the hills above Barnhartvale for a long time, but we never had the exact location. Roland Neave referred to it in his book, Hiking the High Points. It is noted in various rockhounding journals. There was even a two-part newspaper article in December 2000 by author Peter Grauer. There is a Min-File … Continue reading…
Manning Park has a lot of great hiking trails but only 3-4 of all the hikes can be called the premier routes of the area. One of these is the Skyline Trail. There are two distinct sections that both traverse the ridges to the north and west of the the Lightning Lakes Chain. Although Skyline II can be done … Continue reading…
The area above Pratt Road in Barnhartvale is a a rugged area with surprisingly-remote hiking for the intrepid. Access has changed as new homes have been built off the end of Pratt Road. The two original access routes are now cut off and hikers now have to follow a very steep fibre-optic line to the highlands. Drive up Tod Road … Continue reading…
So many of the hikes in Wells Gray Park are challenging, but there are a few easier trails too. The South Helmcken trail is a fairly flat, well-marked trail that provides a 8 km return hike with the reward of a a close-up view of Helmcken Falls. In the Dawson Falls area, watch for a trailhead sign and parking … Continue reading…