At the end of March some of the lower elevation lakes became ice-free. Some of the larger valley-bottom lakes had been clear for a few weeks, but large lakes and strong winds are not a good combination in cool temperatures, so I paddled on the river instead. On a cool (2º ) morning there was a steady breeze our of the east, but I … Continue reading →
We hiked a loop route in the outer Dewdrop Range at the end of March. We drove out the Frederick Road, then parked just before the gravel road starts its descent to the lakeside community of Frederick. Since we have hiked the Frederick Bluffs many times. we try to vary the route each time. There are no trails, except for a few faint … Continue reading →
On a cool, windy, and sunny day in mid-March I decided to hike the Bluebird Trail, scouting a route for the next week. From the first pullout on the Frederick Road in the Dewdrop Range I hiked a single track trail that bears west along the open forest and grasslands slopes, crossing the Battle Bluff Trail at 1.3 km. The trail continues for 3.6 … Continue reading →
On a cool March morning the destination for the day’s hike was Juniper Ridge Conservation Area, a new BC Parks Foundation Project. We have been hiking across this area for decades. There has been a double track called Scott Road which goes east for 3.6 km to locked gate. Just before the that gate, a downhill mountain bike route called the Rio Escondido has been … Continue reading →
On a mid-March day, I chose to hike the Mission Beaches route. there are several trails that go out to the river, but I usually start at the west end, then go along the rivershore heading east. The usual route is to go around (or between) the islands and back for a loop route of about 3.5 km. I went through some sandy … Continue reading →
When I first came to Kamloops in 1976 I hiked this area in the Batchelor Hills and called the area “the Barren Hills”. Coming from the forested Coastal area, the hills seemed dry and barren, but the reality is that the lower hills have very few trees, but they have a rich sagebrush grasslands environment. I have hiked this loop route, or a variation of … Continue reading →
By early March the south-facing slopes above the Thompson River Valley were dry enough for hiking and exploring. I have hiked a series of hills and ridges that rise above the west side of the Tranquille River Valley a number of times. There is an old double track for part of the route, but the rest of the route is off-trail, following the ridgeline … Continue reading →
At the start of March the trails at lower elevations in the Thompson River Valleys were mostly free of snow and mud. One of the areas has multiple trails/routes off the end of McLeod – Uplands Roads in Barnhartvale. Access starts from a small parking area to a gas line track which goes west below the steep slopes of Sunrise Mountain. Single track trails … Continue reading →
On a September day, we camped at Lake Louise before doing an ascent of Mount Temple. We got to Moraine Lake very early and we started up the Sentinel Pass Trail in the dark. We were in the meadows at first light, then continued up to Sentinel Pass. After a short break, we wound up the steep scree slopes up a ridge. … Continue reading →
There are some routes for winter hiking that climb into the hills and go through sagebrush grasslands. Many of these possible routes are used for grazing in spring and summer. Hiking them in the snow, quietly, leaving no trace (except footprints), using gates where available and respecting fences is all part of the code of conduct for these kinds of hikes. This post … Continue reading →
