Author Archives: dsmith

Snowshoeing the Isobel Lake Trails

Kamloops Trails Posted on by 2

In mid-January the temperatures rose and snow started to disappear in the valley, but the snow near Isobel Lake is at a higher elevation and the area is in behind forested hills.     The snow was going through some melt-and-freeze cycles so it was hard where it had been walked/biked on, and crusty elsewhere.    The road was hard-packed on the way in so care was needed on the curves, but it was drivable by most vehicles.     The area is walked, snowshoed and ridden on fatbikes in winter (who also maintain the trails).   The parking area was cleared (with thanks) and there were lots of signs along the trails.

I wore snowshoes on the trails (rather than spikes on my boots) to support the efforts of the fatbike community, which asks hikers not to make postholes in the tracks.

Although the day was cloudy there were bright spots in the southern sky and a mist hung over the lake.

I hiked around the lake, a 4.2 km route taking about 80 minutes.

Isobel

There are more trails in the areas, packed for fatbiking, but fine also for snowshoeing, so a return visit is planned for this winter.

Since that day, the temperatures warmed and conditions for snowshoeing and fat-tire biking deteriorated .    After more snowfall and below zero temperatures, conditions will improve at Isobel Lake.

Bush Lake and Dogwood Marshes

Kamloops Trails Posted on by  

When snow blankets the hills in winter, we can go snowshoeing at higher elevations.     Some of the locations frequented in our area include Stake Lake, Sun Peaks, Harper Mountain, Isobel Lake, Lodgepole Lake, Lac le Jeune, and the Bush Lake – Dogwood Marshes area.   We can also snowshoe backroads and snowed-in trails, either on snowmobile tracks or breaking trail.   There is a fee required to snowshoe at stake Lake, Harper Mountain, or Sun Peaks, but not at the other areas noted above.    Getting to a parking area for trailheads has to be taken into account.    Some roads are not plowed soon after a snowfall, and some roads may require 4WD to access trailheads.   When plows clear roads, … Continue reading →

Clay Lake on the Snow

Kamloops Trails Posted on by  

Near the end of December right before the more snow blanketed the hills, I went for a hike in the upper grasslands near McQueen Lake.   The route went into the forest on the edge of the McQueen Lake property, then around the end of Clay Lake, then looped through the forest and back through the grasslands.    I had hiked in the area another time not long before so both routes are shown here. Clay Lake was frozen and topped with a layer of snow. It was quiet in the area and there were very few footprints, except for deer tracks crossing my route.   Since I knew the area well, i visited 3 different homesteads, now abandoned for over 100 … Continue reading →

Peterson Creek Hills Hike

Kamloops Trails Posted on by  

On the second day of winter it was a cool, but sunny morning.    We arrived in the morning for a 3-hour hike through the Peterson Creek hills.   We started at the lower trailhead and hiked upstream to the canyon, then crossed the creek and climbed the west side of the hill, working our way to the rim, then uphill to the Tom Moore Trail.   We dropped back down to cross the creek, then followed a single track on the East Rim Trail.    Our hiking club leader took us on a series of winding trails up Tower Hill and back by different trails to the rim of the canyon.    We finished the hike by coming down the east … Continue reading →

Mission Flats Winter Beach Hike

Kamloops Trails Posted on by  

When we have milder temperatures near the start of winter, then again in late winter, the snow in the valley bottom melts.    The sandy-silty shoreline is quite porous so the meltwater does not result in mud.    There are a number of winter beach hikes along the shores of the Thompson River, the South Thompson River, and the North Thompson River to enjoy.     One of the the hikes is along the beaches of Mission Flats on the south side of the Thompson River.    The beaches are widest near the mill, but we usually start our hike closer to the Waste Disposal area, at the west end of the beaches.    We hiked there twice doing different routes.  … Continue reading →

Sugarloaf Hill Hike

Kamloops Trails Posted on by  

On a greyish mid-November morning I returned for my annual hike to the top of Sugarloaf Hill.    I started on Sugarloaf Road and followed a double track as it wound past a dry pond, then out near the Coquihalla Highway.   At a junction, I followed the upper track which was fairly grown-in.   The track climbed the slopes of the hill which became more forested on the north-facing steep slope.    At the end of the double track, there is a faint single track trail which climbs the steep slopes.    There is some flagging tape (some of it I placed) and I added a dozen more cairns this time.   There are two hilltops.   The one on the west side … Continue reading →

Monck Park Hike

Kamloops Trails Posted on by  

In the later part of November I drove to the south end of Nicola Lake, then up the Monck Park Road.    The gate was closed for the season, but there are a few parking spaces at the top, above the gated road.    A single track trail winds down into the park to the day use area and the beaches.    I followed the shoreline trail bearing southwest.    The trail goes to a series of bluffs and then goes up the hill using switchbacks.    After crossing the road, the trail continues to rise up to the fenceline border of the park.   An interesting trail winds along the side-slope, past rock bands, ridges and gullies.    At two … Continue reading →

Saltwort Pond Hike

Kamloops Trails Posted on by  

On a sunny November day we hiked tracks and routes in the hills above Kamloops Lake.    We started from Abbey Road, parking near the gate, then followed the gravel road as it angled toward the Cherry Bluffs area.   We turned onto a side track and followed it up, then downhill all the way to Saltwort Pond, an alkali dry lake on the benchland.   A series of hills lies between the pond and Kamloops Lake so we hiked up a steep hill off-trail to a viewpoint over the lake, and for a lunch break. From the top of the hill we had open views down Kamloops Lake and over to the Dewdrop Range. We angled down to the lake and … Continue reading →

Ironmask Hills Hike on the Snow

Kamloops Trails Posted on by

Near the end of November (while the trails were still open) we went to the upper trailhead just off the Lac le Jeune Road and we hiked a loop route on the Ironmask Trails.   We saw a couple of late-season bikers on the trails, but we were breaking trail on the snow for most of the way.    It was a cool, sunny, and breezy day for 2 hours of hiking. These are nice shoulder season hiking trails with single track trails winding through open forests and over open hilltops. The bike trails wind a lot, providing easy grades for uphill routes.    Our hike was 7.5 km, a good distance for a pre-winter hike. On the following day I … Continue reading →

Coal Hill Hike

Kamloops Trails Posted on by

On a sunny morning in the second week of November, we hiked up Coal Hill from the highest point in Aberdeen.    A series of double tracks and single tracks wind up the hill.    Many of the double tracks date back to mining operations on the flanks of Coal Hill, then they were used by ranchers.    Mountain bikers use some of the old tracks, but mostly use newer single tracks connecting to Pineview and the Ironmask Hills.    Some of the slopes are grazing lands, so any hiking in the grasslands area is best done after grazing season, going quietly, leaving nothing but ephemeral footprints.   We wound to the top and enjoyed the views in the wind. On … Continue reading →