Aylmer Lake (sometimes called Star Lake) sits on the high, open ridge above Little Shuswap Lake. Cross the bridge over the South Thompson River at Chase and proceed west. At a well-signed junction, take the Bear-Loakin Road (Niskonlith Lake too) and climb up the switchbacks. The hillside opens up. In spring, this is one of the best areas to hike … Continue reading…
There are extensive mountain biking downhill trails at Harper Mountain, but limited cross country skiing and snowshoeing opportunities. The longest trail is about 5km and is untracked, but the skier or snowshoer may be traveling on either fresh snow or over snowmobile tracks. It is not a trail system that we return to. In this area, there are better choices. … Continue reading…
The trails in this area cross the forested sections between groomed cross country trails. The make a nice day’s outing if you are staying up at the Resort, but the trails sometimes get “stomped in.” They also cross the ski trails at various points. If you follow the trail system up to McGillivary Lake, a return look of about … Continue reading…
Although we prefer unmarked snowshoe trails, this route has some nice terrain to cross. We can’t recommend Loop A much since the lake is too close to the area used for motorcycle racing in the winter, but we enjoy Loops B,C, and D. Take the time to go off the trail north of C onto the big marsh on a … Continue reading…
The Skimikin Trail system is used by hikers, equestrian clubs, mountain bikers, and in winter, snowshoers and cross country skiers. The campground has been expanded to provide a number of equine sites and the trail system has been expanded with the support of the CSRD and the Shuswap Trail Alliance. There are over 100km of trails in the area. Although … Continue reading…
Lake O’Hara is a popular destination for cross-country skiers and snowshoers in the winter. As a day trip, it is 12 km each way just to get to the lake and back. The route is along the snow-covered gravel road, which makes nice cross-country skiing. The route is not tracked, although skier-tracks can become deeply furrowed and improve the glide … Continue reading…
The easy way to Lake O’Hara is to book the bus and ride up to the parking area. But there are other ways to get there…. Wenkchemna Pass to Opabin Pass Late in October we drove to Moraine Lake. The first snows had not yet struck, but the road in was dry (its not plowed in winter). No one was … Continue reading…
Just outside of City limits in Barnhartvale is an area of trails and tracks in a relatively flat area. Not far past Eagle Point Golf Course is a side road that goes down to Campbell Creek. Drive down this road a short distance and park at the side of the road. Tracks lead east and a loop route can be … Continue reading…
The Roche Lake area is not really known as a hiking or biking area, but there are routes and trails everywhere. The area can be linked over to Scuitto Lake or from Ernst Lake over to McGlashan Lake. There is a climbing area to the northwest. We have enjoyed following roads among the lakes and connecting some of the routes … Continue reading…
Ross Moore Lake lies to the east of Lac le Jeune. It is visited as a fishing destination in the summer or by snowmobilers or cross country skiers in the winter. Although there are backroads that can take you there, they can be very rough or can be subject to blowdown. They are also confusing with unsigned junctions. The best … Continue reading…
Scott Road runs from Rose Hill Road to a junction of fences to the southeast of Juniper (3km one way). This is a very enjoyable walk or mountain bike as an out and back route. For a better workout, hikers or bikers can start down in Juniper and do a loop. One end of the loop is at the end … Continue reading…
This loop is well-suited to a shoulder season hike. We often use this route in early March since most of the area is south-facing and has no trees. Snow may linger under the north slope, but hikers can veer north around snow pockets. There are many miles of double tracks in this area and so more posts on routes will … Continue reading…
Chuwhels Mountain is a rounded ridge-shaped peak that sits between the Lac le Jeune Road and Greenstone Mountain. It can be accessed from every side, but the approaches from the south, west and north all require 4WD or snowmobile. The east side has good road access. From the Lac le Jeune Road, the Chuwhels Mountain FSR starts directly across from … Continue reading…
We have been to Sunshine Meadows in 3 seasons. It is a good ski hill and a rewarding cross-country ski area in winter. As a section of the backpack all the way over to Assiniboine, it is a scenic and moderate section of the 52+km one-way route. And, for a summer hike, the 21 km return hike is open, has … Continue reading…
The McQueen Lake Environmental Education Center is run by SD73. School groups use the Overnight Center all year. There are a number of established trails for hiking and cross country skiing and the public can use the trails, obeying posted regulations. To avoid direct contact with school groups, it is recommended that hikers park at the southwest entrance, right at … Continue reading…
This is a low-key hike, but a pleasant one nonetheless. If you are looking for additional distance, you can climb to the lookout or hike the Forestry Capital Trail (a separate post) over to McQueen Lake. To get to Isobel Lake, take the Lac Du Bois Road, then as you near the north end of McQueen Lake, take the fork … Continue reading…