The cliffs of Red Plateau rise 623m (2044 feet) above the Dewdrop Range. The well-establihsed Dewdrop trail climbs up a ridge to the rim and follows the edge, passing many viewpoints above the red-orange lava bluffs. The original trail ended at the head of a gully, but an extension has now been added, marked by flagging tape and worn in … Continue reading…
In a long-term quest to paddle all of the area's lakes, I picked the Frogmoore Lakes for an afternoon of exploration. This chain of 4 lakes sit at the same elevation as the Surrey Summit, the high point on the Coquihalla Highway. To get to the lake, drive toward Logan Lake and watch for the turn-off on the left onto … Continue reading…
The trail into Trophy Meadows is the finest trail of our area, but anywhere beyond the end of the trail (Plateau of the Lakes under Trophy 2) is a rough, off-trail adventure. One of the best of these is the traverse over to Cwem Cwem Lake. We have tried several routes, bt the best one is now partly marked with … Continue reading…
We try to stay for a rew days of hiking in Glacier National Park each year and we hike the Asulkan Trail almost every time. The first half of the trail is an easy walk through a valley bottom and the second half is a steep hike up moraines to an elevation level with the tongue of the glaciers near … Continue reading…
When I travel, I am finding new locations and collect new photos and tracks for maps, but while I am away, the website will still have some scheduled posts, when I can keep up. While paddling Maligne Lake and hiking the Jasper-Banff Parkway, posts are not being written so instead, this previews some upcoming stories: We hiked Guanaco Peak. Photos, … Continue reading…
Mt. Fleet lies between Louis Lake and Mt. Lolo. It rises steeply above the Paul Lake-Pinantan Lake Road. From below, I have looked up the cliffs and had previously decided to get to the top, just because it is one more local mountain to explore. From Google Earth, I could see that the easiest approach was on logging roads from … Continue reading…
The words “ice caves” are a little misleading. These cracks, holes, and small canyons on the edge of he bluff receive melting snows and ice collects below in the lower areas on the north-facing slopes above Bridge Lake. The folklore is that First Nations and pioneers went to the caves to collect ice in the summer. Ice will stay in … Continue reading…
In my opinion, this is the finest trail in the province. The trail starts at the south end of the Glacier House National Heritage site and turns west up the hill. The trail is well-designed, switchbacking through the cedar-hemlock old growth forest. After 2 km, it arrives at Marion Lake, a small tarn under cliffs, surrouned by trees, a good … Continue reading…
The Hermit Trail starts at a pull-off on the Trans Canada Highway in Rogers Pass and climbs to a high meadows at the foot of the Hermit Range. When we drive to Glacier, we have often chosen this hike because it is shorter and can be done with a later start. The trail climbs through cedar-hemlock forest steeply. In fact, … Continue reading…
The trail from Pratt Lake to Blackwell Lake is shown on recreational maps and is listed in the Vernon Outdoor Club’s book so it was added to our list of hikes-to-be-done. It is a long drive to the trailhead so we waited for a sunny summer day so we could hike in the forest at a higher altitude, away from … Continue reading…
These are popular fishing lakes so if you want to paddle around the shoreline, pick a weekday or go there in shoulder season. Both have interesting shorelines to explore. Jacko Lake Paddle this lake before the new Ajax Mine opens. After that, it will be a disaster zone. Drive toward Lac le Jeune and just past Inks Lake, turn east … Continue reading…
All of the images need to be redone, which is planned…. We set a target of paddling on 40 lakes in our region, but the number will probably be closer to 60 by the time we finish. The lakes have to be big enough to provide a good workout, be within about a hour and half drive, and be reasonably … Continue reading…
Raft Mountain stands above Clearwater, a pyramid-shaped peak when seen from the valley. We have hiked this 8000 foot mountain a few times, but this last time, we came to traverse the 5 peaks. To get to the trailhead to Raft Mountain, continue past Clearwater on Highway 5 North for 4 km pst the Visitors Center. Turn left onto … Continue reading…
I made a list of 40 local lakes to paddle and have chosen to do the shoreline of all of them. Monte Lake is accessed off a short side road on the way to Vernon, off highway 97 south. Right before the lake, turn right onto a gravel road and there are two launch spots on the north side of … Continue reading…
Most visitors to Mt. Revelstoke National Park drive the 25 km to the top of the mountain, then hike one of the trails in the sub-alpine meadows. This 100 year-old park (in 2014) also has a number of fine trails on the lower part of the mountain. The two most accessible trails are the Soren Sorenson Trail and the Inspiration … Continue reading…
The northern end of the Marble Range has a number of fine hiking opportunities. The best hike is Mt. Bowman, but there are also routes up Pocupine Creek, Lime Ridge, Mad Dog Mountain, Wild Horse Ridge and Mount Kerr. Most of the trailheads are found off the Jesmond Road between Kelly Lake and the Big Bar ferry. After my last … Continue reading…
