In my last trip to Zion, I camped at the Watchman Campground, right at the entrance, next to the Virgin River. After a long day of hiking, I sat in a camp chair with a glass of wine and enjoyed the sunset. The Watchman lies to the south. Each direction has its own special view. The West Temple overshadows the … Continue reading…
We returned to the Orchard Lake Trails for a hike in the rain. Everything was very green and there were lots of puddles and some muddy sections, but the route is all on double tracks with easy grades. This is a good area to walk or bike, a pleasant journey in the forest. Trails have horse-and-hiker signs posted on trees … Continue reading…
Each time we return to Zion National Park, we try to pick new routes. The main trails are all worth doing over, but some of the extended routes, scamble routes, and side canyons are also exciting destinations. On this last trip, I scrambled up Checkerboard Mesa and also hiked the West Rim Trail. Many people hike the West Rim from … Continue reading…
When we drive the Wells Gray corridor, we arrive at the end of the road at Cleawater Lake. Beyond the campground and boat launch there are no roads, and anything beyond has limited access by boat and on a couple of trails. The main trail of the area is the Chain Meadows Trail, with a short side route over to … Continue reading…
In April, I camped at Mathers Campground at the South Rim Village for a couple of nights. At 7000 feet, it was cold at night (only 29 F). I was thankful for my down sleeping bag. Down the hill from the campground is the South Rim Marketplace, and not far beyond that, the South Rim Trail which runs along the … Continue reading…
Badger Lake is a fine paddling destination, one of the forty lakes of our area within an hour's drive. To get to Badger Lake, turn off the Sun Peaks Road onto the Knouff Lake Road and continue past Knouff Lake without turning off, until you reach the BC Forest Service Site on the northerat side. Some fishermen also take the … Continue reading…
Paddlers in the Kamloops area are blessed to have many paddling destinations within an hour's drive. There are more than 40 lakes within that radius, but the lakes must be big enough to get a good workout by going around the perimeter once or twice. Some of the lakes are large enough that it will take several trips to do … Continue reading…
The Dewdrop trail has long been a favorite, the best of the trails in our area. It was originally built by Forestry when they had Outdoor Recreation staff. The trail has eroded over the years and now it is part of the Lac Du Bois Grasslands Protected Area (BC Parks). The Kamloops Thompson Trails Alliance and BC Parks … Continue reading…
The river from Chase to Kamloops has excellent paddling before the power boat season. Once the powerful boats hit the river, the wakes and noise overwhelms the narrow river. When this happens, the North Thompson and Kamloops Lake are a better choice. Putting the boat into the water and taking it out is limited to a few locations. There are … Continue reading…
The hills above Barnhartvale are remote and challenging All of the approaches are steep and hard to figure out. One of the routes we take starts at the end of Pratt Road. Over the last few years construction of new homes at the south end has cut off two routes to the hilltops so now we have to drive to … Continue reading…
Recently, I traveled to the southwest where I backpacked and hiked a number of trails in the Grand Canyon, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Zion National Park. I traveled alone, but met a number of hikers along the way and stories were shared. I met Rick from San Diego who came with his Subaru packed with gear, including a large box of … Continue reading…
The primary focus of this site has always been trails and routes in the Kamloops area, but over the last year has also included feature articles on hiking, backpacking, paddling, scrambling, snowshoeing, biking, and exploring farther afield. Over time this site will be redeveloped so that subscribers and guests can find local information through menus. With over 470 posts … Continue reading…
While on the Island of Kauai, we were pleasantly surprised by the Moalepe Ridge Trail. The trailhead was at the upper edge of the upper Waipoili area and then follows the Kuilau Ridge into the Makahena Mountains. The legnth of the trail is a 5 mile round trip. The trail starts as a wide red dirt track between fences. As … Continue reading…
When we go to Kauai each year, we always go to Moloa’a Bay. This quiet spot has a few vacaction homes near the beach or along Moloa’a Stream, but for the most part it is a sleepy area with a beautiful beach. One hike we never miss is to follow the beach to the northeast end. The beach ends at … Continue reading…
Packing for a airplane flight to a backpacking and tent camping destination brings some new challenges. It would be nice if everything fit into the backpack and that was all we needed. Larger capacity backpacks are really too long and clumsy for airline luggage so they want all the straps tied down or removed. Beyond that, if you are camping, … Continue reading…
Two little-known spots in the Dewdrop-Red Plateau area are rewarding locations that can be linked in a single hike. Red Canyon is an easy hike deep into the a canyon in the Red Plateau escarpment. To find the canyon, park at the Dewdrop Trail parking area and follow the route along the fence. When you arrive at the stile which … Continue reading…