Sandy (Tree) Island Provincial Park is located about 1 km north of Denman Island. It is a marine park, most often accessed by boat, but at low tide it is possible to hike over to the island. The route is to drive to the north end of the island on The Point Road and to hike the signed trail to … Continue reading →
I hiked the dry south-facing western slopes of Kenna Cartwright Park and stopped to observe and record what I saw along the way, now captured in this YouTube video:
Continue reading →Stake Lake is a favorite location for snowshoeing, paddling, hiking, biking, and running. During the warmer months, a combination outing is a great choice. On a recent spring day I paddled around the lake twice, once in each direction, then hiked around the lake. On another day in the following I week I paddled a nearby lake, then ran the … Continue reading →
Island Lake lies in the Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area and can be reached by hiking for about 800m on and off trail to the lakeshore. Any effort to paddle the lake will require carrying a boat over the grassland hills. It has probably never had a boat on it. On an early May morning, … Continue reading →
There are many short, interesting hikes in the Kamloops area. On days where conditions or personal reserves don’t permit a longer hike, we sometimes choose one of the shorter ones we have done in past explorations. From the Uplands Drive Trailhead (the junction of McLeod Drive and Uplands in Barnhartvale), we hiked west along the double track, then turned uphill … Continue reading →
In mid-April we drove onto the Quilchena Plateau and hiked the Hamilton Corrals Commonage track. At 4000 feet there was still lots of snow and the ponds were still frozen over. We hiked out and back on the track, enjoying the quiet hills and ponds. We usually hike this route in June and we hope to be back when the … Continue reading →
On a pleasant day in mid-April I drove 40 km south to Stump Lake. The three boat launches on the east side were busy and so I opted for a steep, rocky luanch on the northwest corner of the lake. I paddled a loop route on the lake and then secured the boat. On a whim I decided to climb … Continue reading →
The ridges and gullies between Rose Hill and Peterson Creek have a number of trails that can be combined into an eclectic route. On a spring day, I hiked up an old track and followed some double and single tracks, a loop route which ended by hiking down the Peterson Creek Gully. All photos by the author. Click and image … Continue reading →
Guanaco and Vicuna Peaks in the Coquihalla Summit backcountry and are accessed by an overgrown rough track which goes up the Coldwater River to its source. Once at the trailhead, it is a good trail to the ridge between Guanaco and Vicuna. The route up Guanaco is a faint trail that winds around the back and up. The route to … Continue reading →
A seldom-visited spot in the Kamloops area is Dewdrop Arch. It is located in the cliffs of the Red Plateau Escarpment and access is on a faint trail to the ridge above it or by scrambling to the foot of the arch gully. Access points require navigation and all routes are steep. Dewdrop Arch Through the Arch Climbing through … Continue reading →
The Garden of the Trolls is an area of interesting boulders and outcrops at the foot of Jag Hill, just above the Dewdrop Range. Most of the southern face of Jag Hill has ragged ridges, spires, lava pockets, and cliffs and at the foot are chunks of rock with irregular shapes. The name Garden of the trolls was taken from … Continue reading →
On the first day of spring I hiked across a sagebrush grasslands bench route and enjoyed the sights and sounds, including: several bluebirds meadowlarks (singing) a hawk a woodpecker bighorn sheep wild horses emerging growth on saskatoons, bunchgrass, and pussytoes scats of bear, deer, coyote, and rodents Mild temperatures, sunshine, and dry conditions made this hike a celebration of … Continue reading →
In winter we can go up the canyon to the falls in Peterson Creek. The whole route is on ice, but it can be done with spikes on and a hiking pole for stability, taking some caution in the steep sections. There is always a danger of falling rocks, so a helmet may also be a good choice. By early … Continue reading →
The Gregson Trail was built by Jack Gregson as a nature trail from the end of East Lorne Street along the South thompson River to Valleyview. It had fallen into disrepair and then CP Rail added a siding to the rail lines, cutting off access from the west side. We can still get down to the rivershore from the east … Continue reading →
We hiked a loop route in Kenna Cartwright, stomping on snowy trails on a cool and windy late winter day. We started at the Pacific Way Trailhead and hiked on a series of trails, working our way to the Upper Doug Daws Trail. On the north side of Dufferin Hill, we turned onto Rabbit Run to take us back to … Continue reading →
Peterson Creek is sometimes a go-to area for short winter hikes. On a mild late-winter day, I started at the Mariposa Trailhead and hiked a series of trails on the snow. A favorite spot is the viewpoint on the Rabbitbrush Trail. There are many combinations of trails to hike in Peterson Creek Park and we return to hike a new … Continue reading →
