The BC Parks Foundation is leading a fund-raising effort to purchase lands above Juniper Ridge. A donor has provided 50% of the funds needed and a campaign has been launched to crowdfund $1 million for this project. “This area near Juniper Ridge is a breathtaking 517-acre landscape east of Kamloops, home to rare grasslands, centuries-old trees, and vital habitat for species at risk. These grasslands … Continue reading →
At the end of February, winter starts to give way in Kamloops. The temperatures get milder, but the hills are still covered in snow. With milder days, but colder nights, the snow can turn to ice. More exposed slopes melt more quickly, but there is a period of muddy trails. We have to be selective in our choices. Routes in the bottom … Continue reading →
The forecast was for snow and rain, but the weather and mild was grey, but fine for hiking. I started my winter hike at the Pacific Way Trailhead and followed a series of trails – Upper Doc Findlay, Owl’s Perch, Ruffed Grouse, North Vista, and Upper Doug Daws for a 1.75 hour hike using microspikes. Some of the narrower sidehill trails were not as well-stomped-in, … Continue reading →
I snowshoed a route through the upper grasslands of the Lac du Bois Conservation Area up to a series of viewpoints on the southwest side of Clapperton Ridge a few days ago in sunny conditions. Then, I took a group up the same route after a snowfall in greyer conditions. The same route was a bit harder with two snowfalls filling in the tracks. … Continue reading →
We hiked a number of trails in the dry Central area of Washington State in April, camping at State Parks, and going out each day to hike new-to-us trails. One of the trails we enjoyed started in Swakane Canyon in the Swakane State Wildlife Area north of Wenatchee. We wound up onto open ridges above the Columbia River. We hiked along the ridge and were … Continue reading →
