In May, all of the higher elevation backpacking routes are still covered in snow, but Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park can be hiked and backpacked early. In past years we have run through Wildhorse Canyon from East Kelowna to Naramata, and we have also backpacked a two night loop route over the mountain. In one year a solo backpack started at a trailhead off Lakeshore … Continue reading →
McQueen Lake Environmental Education Center is a School District site with an overnight center for classes, a day center for shorter visits, and a number of trails for students to use. the public is asked to steer clear of the overnight center area, but hikers may use the trails on the south and east side, preferably on days when students are not on site. For hikers, … Continue reading →
On a warm day in mid-June I returned to hike to Rattler Viewpoint on a combination of trails. In the previous year I had hiked from Stake Lake, but this year I chose to start at the south end of the trail system, just off the Rossmore Forest Service Road. I followed ski trails, snowshoe trails, off-piste trails and some off-trail sections, mostly in the … Continue reading →
We camped at Waterton Lakes National Park and day-hiked several trails, including Crypt Lake, Lineham Ridge, Bertha Lake, and sections of the Great Divide Trail. We hiked up to Mt. Lineham via Lineham Ridge in good weather. The trail starts off the Akamina Parkway. The Rowe Creek Trail is also a leg of the Great Divide Trail (GDT). It winds up the … Continue reading →
In early June the lands near Tranquille begin to flood during freshet. We can paddle this area once the water is high enough so we can clear the barbed-wire fences. Past the fences is a large area of channels with “islands” of deciduous vegetation separating them. We can paddle out to Cooney Bay, we can cross the river to channels on the other … Continue reading →
On a sunny day near the start of June, I hiked the Bailey’s Chute and West Lake Trail in Wells Gray Park. The trailhead is 57 km up the Clearwater Valley Road. A signed parking lot is on the right side of the main road and a trail crosses the road and then winds up along the Clearwater River as it races through a narrow … Continue reading →
An annual hike for late spring is a route to a viewpoint on the northeast side of Lac le Jeune Provincial Park. There are cross country ski and snowshoe trails that can be used from Stake Lake, but we can hike to the Lookout from the Lac le Jeune area too. From the Lac le Jeune Park Drive east Road, a Forest Service Road (Rossmoore … Continue reading →
Elephant Hill Provincial Park is located west and northwest of the town of Ashcroft. The hills are in the sagebrush grasslands, but are difficult to access. The hills between Ashcroft/Thompson River and Highway are partly bordered by private property, grazing lands, and steep cliffs. The park extends to the east side of the Bonaparte River, but permission to cross grazing lands would be needed. … Continue reading →
On a mid-May morning I drove to the Neskonlith Provincial Park boat launch to kayak paddled a loop route on the lake. I have paddled right around the lake, but that is an ambitious venture (11.8 km) so I usually do a section of the lake each time. On this day, the wind was out of the west so I paddled southwest to ago around the … Continue reading →
On a mid-May day with changeable weather I drove up the Lac le Jeune Road as it rained, but emerged into drier weather past Lac le Jeune. From the start of the road to Logan Lake (Meadow Creek Rd.) to the turnoff is about 8 km and the lake is 8.5 km up the Paska Lake Road (paved). I used the boat launch at the … Continue reading →
