When we get some warmer temperatures in winter, the snows start to melt and the first places to be free of snow and mud are the shoreline trails and beaches of the rivers.   The premier route for a winter walk/beach is along the Rivers Trail to the west beaches between the airport and Tranquille.   We park at the end of Aviation Way and follow the main trail west.   At successive junctions we stay left until we come to a fenceline.   We follow the fence for a short distance, then follow the trail down into the slough,  which is dry in winter, and continue out to the beaches.

Yellow-twigged willows grow next to the Rivers Trail, framing a view of Mara Mountain.

The left track continues through cottonwoods to the fenceline.

Down in the slough is an area that the locals call Dale’s Antique Beach, an old dumping spot for vehicles.

There were a number of bald eagles perched in trees above the slough.

The trail out to the beach winds through shrubby growth out to river channels, scrubby islands,  and sandbars.   There are many route choices, but we like the one that goes around the north side of a dry island, then out to the end of the sand beyond.

At the very end of the west beaches. ice shelves and sandbars break up the river delta area near Kamloops Lake.   The still waters reflected the rocky hills around Kamloops Lake.

I walked a wide arc onto the the outer sandbars.   Across the river stands an old abandoned building that I have explored by kayak.   Inside is a large boiler, but I could nothing else to explain its origin.

As the ice melts it gets carried downstream and some smaller bergs hang up on the shoreline.

After walking for an hour on the west beach, I returned the way I came and stopped to watch for the eagles again.

There are no trail signs to help with the route, so hikers may need to follow whichever trails they encounter and work out a better route for the next time.   The entire hike/walk is about 8 km and well-worth our time on a mild winter day.