Tag Archives: hiking
Sept. 22 – Dufferin Ridge
Sept. 21 – Lower Rose Loop
Sept. 17 – Whyte Bowl
Clay Lake Loop
On a sunny but smoky late summer day I drove up through the Lac du Bois Grasslands to the Nature Conservation Area in the upper grasslands and douglas fir forests south of McQueen Lake. I hiked an old grasslands track, then took a grown-in single track around Clay Lake, then looped back through the forested slopes and grasslands. Clay Lake had low water levels from … Continue reading →
Gingko Petrified Forest State Park
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 →
Tsintsunko Lake
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 →
Lodgepole Loops
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 →
McQueen Lake Trails
McQueen Lake Environmental Education Center offers an overnight camp for School District classes throughout the school year and outdoor education day trips on selected weekdays. Hikers are asked not to access the Overnight Center (security, safety, and privacy), but they can hike the trails on the south and east side during days when students are not on site. On a summer day after school was … Continue reading →
Stake Loops
At the end of June I returned to Stake Lake to do three loops, two on the lake and one on the trails. I got an early start since it was the long July 1st weekend. I launched my kayak at 7:15 am and paddled twice around the lake, once in each direction. There were other boats on the water, quietly fishing. Two … Continue reading →