Since we are in the grasslands and off trail so much, we have picked up many ticks over the years. We don't worry too much about having them on our clothes, but we take a number of precautions after our hikes. We do a visual inspection before climbing into the vehicle. Any probable tick "hideout" (jackets, backpacks, hats) gets isolated … Continue reading…
Some of the most interesting hikes on the Hawaiian Islands are shoreline walks. This one starts at a headland, goes along a beach, climbs another headland, then descends into sand dunes, along cliffs, down through rocky bays, up through ironwood forests, along lithified dunes, along a remote beach, over “hanging” headlands, past pocket beaches, before finishing on lava flows that … Continue reading…
Another good choice in March is to go up the Red Lake Road, turn onto the Dewdrop Range Road, then take the lower (Frederick) Road, then park near the junction noted on the map below. Various route options are noted. the double track going south goes to a lookout (Bighorn Bluff) over Kamloops Lake. The loop around the hill has … Continue reading…
Every spring we return to hike this area since it is the first to clear of snow and dry out. it has a south exposure, no trees, and well-defined double tracks. Later it becomes a hot area, but in the spring it is an easy and scenic area to hike. Walking on the dirt (not on snow or ice) is … Continue reading…
An article from Jeremy Markel is featured here: "Geotagging photos is a fun and easy way to enhance your photo experience. Essentially GPS data is ‘added’ to a photo that will allow it to be displayed on a map. This can greatly increase photo viewing by allowing you to see exactly where a photo was taken. This assumes that one … Continue reading…
The first wildflowers actually appear before the first day of spring, even in this area. As the snows start to melt in early March, we take to the south slopes, looking for areas that can dry out quickly (trying to avoid spring muds). The south-facing slopes of Bachelor Hills, the Lac du Bois lower slopes, the Dewdrop area, the {now … Continue reading…
While hiking overseas, new posts to this site have been rare. New items will be seen in a week. As spring approaches, check the Kamloops Hiking Clubs Facebook site and their blogspot site at http://kamloopshikingclub.blogspot.com/ They have hikes planned to Battle Bluff on March 19 and Upper Adams on March 20. The first slopes to clear off will be south-facing. … Continue reading…
There is a large (but not deep) cave near the foot of the rockwall on Rockface Mountain, not far from Pinantan Lake. The route into the pass between Harper Mountain and Rockface Mountain is accessed from the Pinantan Lake Road and then either end of the Hale Vinnie Road. The foot of Rockface Mountain can be accessed off the Pinantan-Harper … Continue reading…
This trail had an easy start. The route starts at the highest point and goes down to the lowest point over 5km. The first half of the Awa’Awapuhi winds through wet forest, but as it descends onto the narrow ridge, the trail emerges into a dry, exposed environment. All the hikes on this side of Kokee follow the fluted pali … Continue reading…
On Kauai, start at the highest point you can drive to. Hike along the rim of the caldera, following a narrow ridge that drops off 3000 feet on one side to the Kalalau Valley or south down the slopes into the jungles of the Alakai’i swamp. The views down to the ocean are only a few feet off the main … Continue reading…
There a few trail systems in the world that have their own unique quality. Kokee State Park is on of those. Is location is on top of the island of Kauai. It is flanked on the north and west sides by the Na Pali Coast, sheer fluted ridges and cliffs that drop 4000 feet to the ocean. On … Continue reading…
This is an unnamed ridge that rises above Paul Lake, west of Gibraltar Rock. There is no trail and it requires a steep climb through forest and grass slopes following the prominent ridgeline which runs east-west. From the cacmpground at Paul Lake, take the Bluff Trail as it heads west to Gibraltar Rock. Just before the trail turns south to … Continue reading…
National Parks Maps BC Parks produces decent trail maps. They are not detailed but have reasonable graphics for planning hikes and routes. Regional and local areas also produce maps for hikers and outdoors people. But the National Parks do not provide reasonable on-line maps. All the National Parks defer to authors of Trail guides or Friends of …. groups to … Continue reading…
Bestwick Hill is a rocky knob of a hill overlooking Campbell Range. If there were no fences in the area, it would be fast hike from the Campbell Range Road. Indeed, the shortest route is a side road just under the peak. Hikers could park at the gate (at N0 35.860 W120 06.447). This used to be called Coster Road, … Continue reading…
Hiking on icy tracks all winter has been so much safer using trekking poles. They add stability, take pressure off the knees, and are great for testing the snowpack. Many people use two, but I prefer to have one hand free for a map, camera, or GPS. My pole is always in the truck and goes with me on every … Continue reading…
Mount Vicars sits above Scuitto Lake. There is no trail to the top, but hikers can get halfway up on double tracks, and the rest is a "route" among the rockbands. To get to the parking area, drive along the Barnhartvale Road, then turn onto the Campbell Range Road. Continue straight up, and not far past the Robbins Range Road … Continue reading…