Category Archives: Paddling

Kayaking on the rivers and lakes of the area over a long season.

Rossmoore Lake Kayak and Hike

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On a hot day in July, I ventured out on the Long Lake Road, then continued on the bumpy Rossmoore Lake FSR for 16.5 km to Rossmoore Lake.   There is a small Rec Site on the lake, with a steep and rough boat launch.   On this day, I kayaked around the lake once, then hiked tracks and trails on the east side of the lake, visiting the Rocky Mountain Rangers’ cabins and continuing past marshes and a large pond back to the start.    There were a number of fishermen on the lake and some were camped at the Rec Site, but there was no one else on the rough backroads and grown-in tracks near the lake.   

I paddle Rossmoore Lake every summer.    It is not a large lake and when the lake is down, some of the bays are too shallow and choked with fallen trees, so it reduces the distance even more.   After securing the boat I hiked on a rutted and muddy track through a marshy shoreline area through burned forest, then turned to go to the RMR cabins on the lakeshore.     Everything seemed to be in good shape and there was no sign of recent use.   I continued northwest;  that track can be followed over to Fred Lake and beyond to Lac le Jeune (4.5 km), suitable for hiking, mountain biking, or ATV, but there are often deep muddy puddles and there may be fallen trees.    I have hiked it several times, but now, after the Rossmoore Forest Fire of 2023, black trees line much of the area north of the lake.

Rossmoore Lake is mostly a quiet spot in the backcountry, one of many lakes worth visiting in the area.     A few photos from the paddle and hike are included here in a Google Photos album.   There is a link on the upper right corner to go to the album (with captions) or the images can be viewed in an embedded slideshow in this post:

Monte Lake Kayaking

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Monte Lake is located by Highway 97 between Kamloops and Vernon.     The lake lies between the highway and a seldom-used railway.   A small community is on the northeast corner of the lake.   The hills surrounding the community and the lake were burned in the  2021 White Rock Lake fire. We can launch a boat from two spots, from a side road at the north end … Continue reading →

Tunkwa Lake Kayaking

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Tunkwa Lake is located in the hills to the northwest of Logan Lake.    We can get there by going through Logan Lake and turning onto the Tunkwa Lake Road (about an hour of driving).    We can also turn off the TransCanada Highway just east of Savona and go south on that same road.    We usually go there by one road and return on … Continue reading →

In the Floodlands

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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 →

Paska Lake

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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 →

A Month of Paddling

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In the last month I have been out kayaking the lakes, varying the location each time, but if conditions are marginal, I return to a few sheltered spots (Edith, Stake, McConnell mostly).    If the forecast has been for stronger winds, that has been a hiking day instead.    The goal is to paddle on almost all of the area lakes each year, but the higher … Continue reading →

Paddle and Hike at Stake Lake

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At the start of May I drove up to Stake Lake to paddle the lake and hike the trails.   There are a number of lakes where this can be done, like McConnell Lake, Lac le Jeune, Paul Lake, Lodgepole Lake, Logan Lake, Heffley Lake, Tunkwa Lake, and others.   Usually I paddle first since winds arise by about 11:00.    I paddle around the lake once or … Continue reading →

Paul Lake West Paddle

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On a sunny and mild April day the main gate to Paul Lake Provincial Park was closed, but the lake can be accessed from the west end of the lake.    A hand launch site is located next to the trailhead into the park.    I paddled up the lake along the north shoreline past Gibraltar Rock, then back on the same shore for a 5 … Continue reading →

Trapp Lake North Kayaking

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On a mild day with calm conditions, I drove down Highway 5A South to Trapp Lake for a second day of paddling, this time around the north end of the lake.   Trapp Lake is a good spot for early spring paddling since the lake is ice-free early and there is some protection from seasonal winds.     This lake is a muddy, alkaline lake though so it … Continue reading →

Pat Lake Thrice

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On a sunny day at the end of the first week of April, Pat Lake in the Six Mile Hills area was the destination for kayaking and hiking.   A bumpy road leaves the TransCanada Highway just west of Tobiano.    It climbs into the hills to the south side of Six Mile Hill.  This old road was once the main road between Savona and Kamloops, but … Continue reading →