On a warm summer morning I took my grandson up the Mara Canyon Trail, his first time on this intriguing route. The trail is also called the Cinnamon Ridge Trail or the Hoodoos Trail. We parked at the end of the dirt road, an extension of Ord Road, past the golf course. We hiked up into the dry … Continue reading →
When the weather became hot and the valleys were wreathed in smoke, we ventured up to Sun Peaks to take the chairlift up the mountain to hike the subalpine trails. There will have been 3 days of hiking on the mountain this summer. On the second I took the grandkids on a loop route up through Crystal Bowl, then down … Continue reading →
When the weather gets hot, I go to higher elevations and do shorter hikes or combine hiking and paddling. On this hot summer day I launched my kayak from the Lodgepole Lake Rec Site and then paddled around the lake, once in each direction. I then secured the boat and hiked single track trails nearby. It was an early start, … Continue reading →
When the weather gets hot, we adjust our activities accordingly: an early start a higher elevation location no long hill climbs routes with some shade varied activities On a day that was forecast for 42ºC (107º F), I drove to Stake Lake. I was first on the lake, paddling around the lake twice, which took … Continue reading →
Community Lake is located in the hills to the east of Knouff Lake. It is accessed from the Knouff Lake Road, then the Community Lake Road to the Rec Site. I first paddled the lake then went for a hike into the hills above the lake on a hot summer day. Most of the old roads on top of … Continue reading →
Videos can sometimes enhance stories of hiking. On a recent hike in the McQueen Lake area, some video footage was taken and compiled into a video, combing hiking, nature walks, and comments, now shared here. Nature hikes are done at a slower pace, taking the time to go off-trail to observe, photograph, and appreciate whatever interests us. We hiked on … Continue reading →
On Denman Island, there are a series of connected green areas surrounding Denman Island Provincial Park, including Denman Island Protected Area, Central Park, Settlement Lands, Inner Island Nature Reserve, Pickles Road Conservation Area, and Winter Wren Wood. Trails wind through the forest, passing marshes and wet areas, over small hills, through dales. We can combine some of them for a … Continue reading →
The Lindsay Dickson Nature Reserve is an area of 134 acres of old-growth douglas fir forest and mixed forests on Denman Island. It is owned by the Denman Conservation Association with support from the Province of British Columbia. There are two official trailheads and several other informal trails. On an April day I hiked from the East Road onto the … Continue reading →
Boyle Point Provincial Park lies at the southeast end of Denman Island, between Baynes Sound and Georgia Strait. Forest trails wind through the park, providing some good hikes. On an April morning we hiked out to the south end of the park where we had views looking south toward the southern Gulf Islands. Right below the sea cliffs is an … Continue reading →
When it rains in Kamloops, we need to think about avoiding muddy trails. Over the years we have learned that the trails of Peterson Creek Park rarely get muddy. The sand and gravel base drains well. So, after a day of rain the choice for a hike was the East Rim Trail. The route starts on the Mariposa Trail and … Continue reading →
A favourite hike is on north-facing douglas fir forest trails on the southwest side of Kamloops, once the trails are open for recreational use (May 25+). The Low Iron Trail winds around the steep hills connecting to other trails, but keeps a gradual grade. It ventures into old mining areas, passing directly above the old Ironmask mine pit, then emerges … Continue reading →
On a grey day in April, I chose to hike/scramble/explore a route from Repulse Point on Denman Island (end of Lacon Road) along the shoreline, then a route up the steep cliffs to the Boyle Point Trails. I had hoped for a trail, but ended up with an off-trail route until I came into the Provincial Park. I found a … Continue reading →
While staying on Denman Island near Repulse Point, the weather was a bit wet so I made up my own hike, a loop route down Lacon Road (no traffic), out to a beach area, then along the rocky beaches and shoreline around Repulse Point for a loop route. The first part of the hike was past mixed forests and wooded … Continue reading →
We hiked up Mara Canyon from the trailhead (Ord Road West) in April, up into the hills, then down into the canyon, and up the drainage past the hoodoos, then up onto the east-side ridge. The route up the canyon requires some light scrambling past fallen trees, logs, washed out areas, and rocky terrain. The trail is sometimes called the … Continue reading →
In late March we hiked a loop route in Kenna Cartwright Park from the Pacific Way Trailhead. We arrived at a number of forks, but we turned each time to hike single tracks that wound along the north slope of Mt. Dufferin, with a number of viewpoints along the way. The combination of trails is a favourite in shoulder seasons. … Continue reading →
On a grey cool day in mid-March, the East Rim Loop (Peterson Creek) was the route of choice. Starting on the Mariposa Trail, all route choices were along the canyon rim, first on the west side, then on the east side. There is a good set of trails down to the bottom of the canyon to cross the creek, but … Continue reading →
