Mild and dry conditions provided for better hiking access in the lower Batchelor Hills in late January. From the quarry road parking area (one kilometer past the cattleguard, on the left side), the trail heads west, winding around a rounded hill and into a wide basin between Beacon Hill and Batchelor Hill. There was some mud, but in most cases I could just go around the … Continue reading →
We have hiked all of the trails in Revelstoke National Park over the years. The hike that we have done more times than the others ones is the Eva Lake Trail, then up to the top of Jade Pass overlooking the Jade Lakes. The trail is called the Jade Lakes Trail, but that refers to going up to the pass, then down to Upper Jade … Continue reading →
On clouded-in cool day in the valley in winter, I drove up the Lac Road to the sunshine at the Dogwood Marshes parking lot. With repeated melt-freeze cycle days I chose to wear microspikes on my hiking boots to hike the hardened trails of the snowshoe area. I stayed on top and never broke through on stomped-in trails. The route was one I had … Continue reading →
While we were visiting Smithers for a wedding, we hiked some trails in the area. My favorite was Hudson Bay Mountain. It is a skiing area in winter, accessed by a 20 km gravel road. Smithers lies at an elevation of about 500 m. The ski Village is at about 1426m. The summit of Hudson Bay Mountain is 2590m. A trail … Continue reading →
The Interior hills went through a warming trend mid-winter and the valley bottom and lower hills dried out, then some cold temperatures came in and the ground froze. In winter we often can’t hike the Mara Trail without encountering some ice and mud, but in late January the trails were dry and hard for a winter hike. We hiked the Outer Loop of the Mara … Continue reading →
When the weather warmed up, the snow in the valley began to melt and in the hills the snow was wet, slushy, or became a mud-snow mix. Snowshoeing at higher elevations would not have been much better, except in north-aspect higher elevations, but even those spots would be prone to snow “clumping” underfoot. The valley bottom is the best choice in such conditions, hiking/walking … Continue reading →
While the weather was below zero, there a number of fine days for snowshoeing. In that time period, I was on the Bush Lake Trails (3x), the Dogwood Marshes Trails (3x), Lodgepole Lake, Anderson Creek/Hull Hill, and Stake Lake and more outings were planned, but warm weather required adjusting the activities. Better than al the other snowshoe trails, the Bush Lake and Dogwood Marshes Trails … Continue reading →
On a grey and cold January day we parked at Lac du Bois, then followed a stomped-in track west around Lac du Bois. We wore hiking boots with spikes attached. The trail was in good shape to the upper end of Hanging Valley, then it was irregular and more difficult on the ankles, so we went along the treeline where there was less snow. … Continue reading →
We camped at Jasper and hiked a number of trails in the park. One of the hikes we chose was Verdant Pass. The trailhead is at the parking lot next to Cavell Lake to the northeast of the mountain. We hiked past the end of Cavell Lake and continued southwest above the Astoria River. After passing the slopes of Mount Sorrow, we could … Continue reading →
Getting out on the trails almost every day all winter can be challenging, but a variety of activity choices like snowshoeing, spike hiking, and valley-bottom walks/hikes allows some flexibility with changing weather and conditions. When the roads are clear enough to get into the high country hills south and north of Kamloops, snowshoeing is the preferred winter activity. Off the Lac le Jeune Road, … Continue reading →
