Author Archives: dsmith

Exploring Mara Meadows Ecological Reserve

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There are no trails and no realistic access routes into Mara Meadows Ecological Reserve.    Until recently hikers could not enter the park/protected area without a permit.    Just this year, hikers may explore the reserve, but without established trails, fixed signage, or route information, we are left to figure it out on our own.    There are two backroads that can be used to get close to the central area, but from wherever you choose to park, you will have to navigate, following traces of tracks and trails to get to the central marsh area.    We hiked two routes from the west following old double tracks, then bushwhacking to the edge of the marsh, and back retracing our … Continue reading →

Stake Lake Thrice

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On a warm June morning I drove to Stake Lake to paddle and hike.   I got onto the water early and paddled twice around the lake, once in each direction.    Then I loaded and secured the boat, put on some hiking shoes and followed trails around the lake for a third time.   This has become a favorite outing in the last few years, one I will do again, but the hiking route is varied each time.    On other days I have paddled a nearby lake (Lodgepole Lake, McConnell Lake, or Walloper), then I made the short drive to Stake Lake for the hike. When I arrived at the lake there were two fishing boats on the lake, but … Continue reading →

Buse Hill Hike

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On a sunny June weekday morning I drove through Barnhartvale and up the Robbins Range Road to the Buse Hill trailhead.    I hiked up the steep double track to a small lake under Buse Hill, then went off track over the east shoulder to the rim, then continued west along the rim, down through gullies on single tracks, then back up the rim, all the way to the end of the hill overlooking the Buse Pinnacle.    On the way back, I looped through the forest and joined the main track on the south-facing grassland slopes. At about 1.2 kilometers up the track,  a small lake sits in a low spot between the hills.    The actual summit of … Continue reading →

Up the Red Plateau Escarpment

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On a hot (34 degrees C) end-of-May day, we drove into the Dewdrop Range and parked at the Dewdrop Trailhead area.    We got an early start and hiked steadily up the steep trail, climbing a series of ridges on the Red Plateau Escarpment.     There are a number of viewpoints and possible end points along the way, but for this day, we continued along the rim, traversing west to the top of the Ragged Red Ridge, our lunch and turn-around point.   We enjoyed the open views and explored the lava flow formations a bit, then we headed back down, retracing our steps, hiking back the way we came up. The climb from the Dewdrop Range up to the rim … Continue reading →

Mara Northeast Route

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Each year we hike to the top of Mara Hill/Mountain choosing one of three different routes.   Our favorite route is from the northeast, at the fenceline in Pruden Pass.    We drive up the Lac du Bois Road, then turn left onto the Pruden Pass Road.   We follow the bumpy route to the gate and park there (the former site of the Wheeler Mountain School).    The sign on the fence says “No Trespassing,” but it really refers to the private property 600 m farther on.    The lands to the west (for 600m ) are BC Parks lands so we can hike them, although there is no visible trail.   We angled off to the southwest, picking up an occasional … Continue reading →

Napier Lake Ranch Conservation Area

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The Nature Conservancy of Canada, in partnership with Napier Ranch, has established a heritage grasslands conservation area (526 ha) in the rolling hills between Kamloops and Merritt.   Most of the area is open grasslands with pockets of aspens, mostly in gullies    It is still a working ranch area, but for a few months each year, we can drive up the narrow and steep gravel road to the gate.    There are grass tracks heading north and west and if cattle are on the ranges, we should choose to hike in a different direction.    I have been hiking the area for a number of years and I vary the route each time.    There are no established trails, but … Continue reading →

Gattling Gorge Hike

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In mid-May we drove north through Clearwater into Wells Gray Provincial Park.    We continued on paved roads to the turn to Helmcken Falls.    We parked in the lot there and enjoyed the viewing areas for the falls, but we continued on along the rim trail following the Murtle River down to the Confluence with the Clearwater River.   A signed single track follows the edge/rim of the lava cliffs bearing west, then contours north above the Clearwater River,  with many views down into the canyon.   There are no guard rails on this section of the trail, making it unsuitable for dogs or children, and even experienced hikers have to be cautious along this part of the trail. Any hike … Continue reading →

Rose Swanson Trails

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We drove southeast through Falkland, then we continued on a series of backroads to the trailhead for the Rose – Swanson Trails, in the forested trails to the west of Armstrong.   We had hiked here before, so we chose this time to vary our route from previous hikes.    We hiked through the forest on the north slopes of the hill toward the southeast and then out to the top of bluffs looking south, southeast, and east into the North Okanagan.    Our route was about 7 km, but we included some breaks, so we were on the trails for about 2.5 hours. The main trail was a wide track through cedar, birch, and lodgepole (and jack pine) forests. From … Continue reading →

Albas Falls Hike

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At the end of the first week of May, we drove east to Shuswap Lake, then out the North Shuswap Road and out toward the end of Seymour Arm, a 150 km route (each way) to hike the Albas Falls Trails.   The Albas Site is part of Shuswap Lake Marine Park and it is often visited by boats.    At this time of year, there were no boats in sight and no one else on the trails.    The Celista – Seymour Arm Forest Service Road is a wide gravel road, with some logging trucks, but is a good road, although it was dusty.    the turn down toward the lake has a small sign and the road into the … Continue reading →

Griffin Lake with a Folding Kayak

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In early May I drove up the Lac du Bois Road then turned onto the Isobel Lake Road and parked just off the roadside.    I had my folding kayak in a large backpack so I gathered my gear and then hiked to the marshy shoreline of Griffin Lake.   I had paddled the lake once before, hauling my kayak through the woods and into the lake, on rough ground, but this was the first time with a folding kayak. The distance from the truck to the marshy launch area was only about 150m, an easy hike with the boat on my back.    The boat (Oru Inlet) unfolds like an origami puzzle and then it has clips to hold the … Continue reading →