Many of the trails on the Bonaparte Plateau are old roads, logging skid tracks, or fishing routes, but there also a few established trails. The Tsinsunko Lake Loop is one of the nicer trails systems in the Tsintsunko/Bonaparte Provincial Parks. To find the trails, drive up the Jamieson Creek Road and watch for the turn-off just past Km 28. Turn … Continue reading…
All trails in the Bonaparte Plateau area are surrounded by true wilderness. The trails/routes near these fly-fishing lakes sit at 1250m. The area can be accessed from the Jamieson Creek FSR from Westsyde Road just past Beauregard Lake. Other options are to take the Westsyde Road to the Gorman Lake Road or to go in from Darlington to the Powder … Continue reading…
The hike from Tranquille Lake up to Porcupine Ridge is a hike that is listed in many sources – in hiking books, on websites, on recreational maps, and in regional literature. It is the first leg of the Masters Sub-Alpine Trek, a route all the way across the Bonaparte Plateau to Bonaparte Lake. But this hike is not a recommended … Continue reading…
Bearcat Caves are a fairly recent discovery in our area and the details cannot be found in any book nor on any website. We heard about it about a year ago when a geocache was placed inside the caves. We finally got to it this fall. Thanks to Glenn Dreger for some of this information. A local hunting outfitter named … Continue reading…
This hike surprised us. It starts on the Lake Minnewanka Road. Turn off to the Upper Bankhead parking area. Start at the trailhead sign. The trail climbs through mixed forest up to the old C-Level mining area. There are some derelict buildings and fenced mine shafts at the 1.1 km mark. At 1.3 km (just past the coal tailings), take … Continue reading…
One of the best hikes in the Rockies is the trail up to Helen Lake and beyond to Dolomite Pass. The trailhead starts on the Jasper-Banff Parkway, 33 km north of the Lake Louise Junction. The Crowfoot Glacier viewpoint is on the west side; the Helen Lake trail is on the east side. The trail climbs through fairly open forest … Continue reading…
We took another route into the Trophies and stayed at the Trophy Mountain Chalet. We then explored the ridges and lakes of the east side. It was a hot day so we swam in two of the shallow lakes. We glissaded down snow slopes. We contoured around and between the ridges to high spots. There are also routes to the … Continue reading…
From Trophy meadows another route (not a trail) is to contour around a gully and then up and over to Cwem Cwem Lake. This alpine tarn is the largest in the Trophies, but is completely invisible from the meadows or Plateau of the Lakes. It has some interesting islands and is a great photo spot. From the far shore, hikers … Continue reading…
If the time is available to go beyond Plateau of the Lakes, then a climb to Long Hill and/or Trophy 2 is recommended, especially for the added views and just getting to the top of the mountain. To go up Long Hill (west of the plateau), go beyond the last lake underneath Trophy 2, and aim to the high col … Continue reading…
This is a hike that won’t have many takers, but its a nice area, especially if you are looking for a new hike. Bestwick Hill is the spreading summit which the Campbell Range Road and the Robbins Range Road goes around. The simplest access routes are on the west and south sides, but they all involve climbing over a fenceline … Continue reading…
Although I have only been to Stevens Lakes once, I hope to get back there again soon. It can be done in one long day, but it also takes some preparation. I was lucky enough to have hired a fishing guide who took us in for the day. I remember the long back road route, then the long hike in. … Continue reading…
A drive high up into the Shuswap Highlands followed by a hike along a good track to alpine meadows… Wildflowers in bloom and views in every direction… This is an area popular for snowmobiling and is also accessed by motorbikes and quads in the summer, but it is also fine terrain for hiking and mountain biking. It is a moderate … Continue reading…
This hike is on an island. For most of us, we have to use a boat from the Scotch Creek Campground, but access is also available from other points, including Blind Bay. The best place to dock/beach is on the east side on a small gravel beach. This is also the trailhead for the hike. It is about 3km of … Continue reading…
Elephant Hills may be the driest grasslands park in the province. The hills are south-facing and treeless. The hike up is steep and will be not your best choice on a hot day. But it is a uniquely placed between the Trans-Canada Highway and the Cornwall Hills to the west and the eroded valleys of the Bonaparte and Thompson Rivers … Continue reading…
This is not a hike in any book, nor could we call this a trail, per se. The route follows a good dirt road, but since there is a gate at the junction with the Sabiston Road, it is listed as a hike (or route). Drive up the Sabiston Road from west of Savona for 9-10 km and park at … Continue reading…
At the head of the Salmon Arm of Shuswap Lake, Bastion Mountain’s cliffs loom over the lake. From the top of the bluffs there is an unimpeded view of Sunnybrae, Skimikin, Shuswap Lake, Mount Ida, the Fly Hills, and the Salmon River Valley. To get up to the top of Bastion Mountain, take the Bastion Mountain FSR at the … Continue reading…