Red Plateau is line of a volcanic hills and ridges rising up above the Dewdrop Range. the steep cliffs comprise the Red Plateau Escarpment. We can get to the rim of the escarpment from below, hiking up a variety of routes, or we can drive up the Red Plateau Forest Service Road. There are many possible combinations of trails which can be hiked, … Continue reading →
On a summer morning I drove to Pinantan Lake, continued on the Pinantan – Pritchard Road, then turned up the Hyas Lake Road. This backroad climbs steadily up into the hills and there are a number of unsigned side roads to ignore. The final section is mostly unsigned, a short rough road to the side of Hyas Lake. It arrives at a small … Continue reading →
On a spring hiking trip into Central Washington, we hiked a dozen routes in “Washington desert lands.” We camped on Wapunum Lake (one of the many lakes/reservoirs on the Columbia River). We hiked two routes nearby – Gingko Petrified Forest State Park and Whiskey Dick Wildlife Area. Both areas are open hills with no trees. We saw cactus and lizards, and plants … Continue reading →
We have twice hiked into Tsintsunko Lake. It is located in a remote area of the Bonaparte Plateau. The driving route requires some navigation – Westyde Road > Jamieson Creek Road to Whitewood Lake (27 km) > Beaverhut/Cabin FSR (12.5 km) > Branch Road. There are some rough trails/routes in to the lake. On our first trip, we took the signed trail from … Continue reading →
Dunn Lake is located near Little Fort in a valley on the west side of the Dunn Range, under Baldy Mountain. We can get there from Barriere or Clearwater on gravel roads, but the shortest route is to take the reaction ferry at Little Fort then drive the Windpass – Dunn Lake Road to the end of Dunn Lake. There is a small Rec … Continue reading →
We have explored Marble Range Provincial Park quite a few times and we have camped at Big Bar Lake a few times too. Many of the days were out from Kamloops to hike one of the peaks as a day trip, but when we stayed at the Provincial Park Campsite on the lake, we explored backroads too, west to Big Bar Ferry, north to the … Continue reading →
Glimpse Lake is located on the Douglas Lake Plateau. To get to the lake, turn onto the Douglas Lake Road from Nicola Lake and 7 km up the road, turn left onto the Lauder Road. The community, a public boat launch, and two Rec Sites are on the lake 15 kms farther. I use the public launch at the northwest side of the lake for … Continue reading →
On a mid-July morning I hiked a trail I have done quite a few times from McQueen Lake to Isobel Lake. this was once called the Forest Capital Trail, and interpretive route with a series of numbered signs with a printed guide available to McQueen Lake students and others. The trail starts 0.25 km past the road into the McQueen Lake Center. It angles … Continue reading →
McGillivray Lake is located in the Sun Peaks backcountry area, 6 km to the southeast, accessible by the McGillivray Forest Service Road. There is a good boat launch at the McGillivray Outpost, but there is also a Rec Site with a hand launch 1 km south. On a calm July weekday morning, I parked at the Outpost and launched into the lake to paddle … Continue reading →
On a sunny weekday morning I headed out early to paddle Lodgepole Lake and then hike around the Lake Trail. From the Lac le Jeune Road, I followed the Chuwhels Mountain Road up to the Lodgepole Lake Rec Site. The campground was mostly full but I arrived early and so there was no one on the lake and it was quiet in the camping … Continue reading →
