Author Archives: dsmith

Adams River Trail

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In early spring I drove out the North Shuswap Road to the Wade Road Trailhead ad hiked north on the Adams River Trail in Tsutswecw Park.    After the forest fires of 2023, the trails were closed and some are still not yet open.    The trail going north has been cleared of fallen or danger trees up to the Adams River Gorge.    At the north end of the Gorge there are fallen trees across the trail and the route ahead didn’t look promising.   I looped back on the upper trail, a wide path through the burned forest.    The hike was about 5 km, taking about 1.75 hours (with a number of side trips to see the river). … Continue reading →

Island Lake Loop

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On the third day of spring I hiked in one of my favorite areas, the middle grasslands of Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area.    I hike there several times each year and I vary the route each time.     For this day I followed the Long Lake Loop going clockwise above the west side of Island Lake, then I climbed the Grasslands Esker and followed it down to a low point between two hills, then I headed up over an open hill following cattle/tame routes until I met the Long Lake Lookout trail.    After enjoying the view I followed the trail back for about half the distance, then followed another game track through the glaciated terrain of moraines, … Continue reading →

Dewdrop Ridge Hike

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On the Spring Equinox we hiked in the Dewdrop Range, using the Bluebird Trail as a starting point, then climbing up to the top of Dewdrop Ridge.    We hiked northwest on the trail on top of the ridge as it angled down to join the Battle Bluff Trail.   From there we went west on the Bluebird Trail, adding a loop route up to a viewpoint, then all the way back to the start.    The weather was mild, but windy.    This is an outstanding hike in any month, but even better on the first day of spring. From the east end of Dewdrop Ridge, there are excellent views of Kamloops Lake, the Thompson River and the hills above … Continue reading →

Savona to Sabiston Hike

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We hiked from the Savona Cemetery on the north side of Kamloops Lake along a well-established trail above the railroad to a beach on the west side of Sabiston Creek.   This is a hike we do every year since it is on a south-facing slope near the valley bottom and it is often one of the first trails to dry out.   the trail starts as a double track then becomes a winding single track with lots of ups and downs.    We have been stopping at a beach area for a day hike, but the trail continues on and climbs up through the hills to backroads above the lake. For the duration of the whole hike, there are wide views … Continue reading →

Rabbit Island Hike

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At the end of February on a cool and sunny day I hiked from McArthur Island down to the beach area, then waded across the river channel to Rabbit Island.    I wore a dry suit and neoprene boots and the water depth was about mid-thigh with a current, but I used a pole for stability and crossed quickly.    I then went across the sandy beaches to a pile of logs under the cottonwoods.    I removed my dry suit and boots and left them to dry while I hiked clockwise around the island. The north side is all on the beaches and the south side is on a grassy bench above steep sandy slopes down to the river.  … Continue reading →

Thompson River Estuary Hike

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On a grey day with a chance of rain in fourth week of February, I drove to Tranquille and parked at the gate.    I then took a rough path down to the wetlands area and wound my way out to the Estuary area.    From there I followed the shoreline downstream, sometimes hiking on the shoreline, sometimes, crossing channels at narrow spots, sometimes on sand-silt islands, and sometimes on rocky beaches.   The route was out to the sandy point where Cooney Bay starts, then back on the road. Various channels wind down from the hills to the river, but there are usually a way to the other side at narrows. This is a scenic route.    There is no … Continue reading →

Deep Lake Hike

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On a cool February day we hiked up trails in the Deep Lake area to a hill above the lake.    The Deep Lake Outer Loop winds up sagebrush grasslands and open forested slopes to the Grasslands Community Trail on a benchland southwest of the lake, then comes to a junction just south of the lake.    We though that the outer loop route would be icy on the north side of the hill, so we went to the top of the hill for the view instead. A single track trail has some steeper sections as it climbs to the open grasslands. At 2.3 km we arrived at a point above Deep Lake.    Trails continue around the lake, but … Continue reading →

Downriver in Winter

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Mild winter weather arrived in February and the rivers became ice-free.     Paddlers can venture onto the water if the temperature is above + 3 and there is no wind.    Since the water is very cold still, we need to wear protective gear.     Neoprene boots and gloves and a dry suit protects the kayaker from cold conditions wading at launch and landing, and sitting in the boat while paddling.   Although a spill is unlikely, a dry suit and a PFD are the best safety measures.    The extra gear takes a bit longer to load and launch and reload again, but if the conditions are good, it is all worth the effort. On a pleasant morning with some … Continue reading →

Around Batchelor Hill

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As winter retreated, the south-facing lower hills dried out.    By  the end of the first week of February, the open grasslands benchlands and hills had damp trails, but not much mud.    We hiked from a trailhead on the southeast corner of Batchelor Hill onto a combination of double tracks and single tracks going west.     The route continued on trails in a large clockwise loop around Batchelor Hill. An old double track winds through sagebrush grassland hills for about half of the route. On the northwest side of Tower Hill is a track which goes through a wet meadow that I have been calling Batchelor Pass for decades.    Mountain bikers call this trail Kow a Been Here. … Continue reading →

Cooney Bay Winter Hike

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On a cool and greyish day at the end of January I drove to Cooney Bay to hike along the beach and up the bluffs.    the road was very bumpy with deep puddles, but with slow driving I arrived at the parking area.     My hike was along the shoreline on sandy, then gravel, and then rocky shingle along the lakefront.    Tranquille River was frozen over with water running under the ice making the crossing difficult.    I got my feet wet going both ways. There was a steady wind out of the southeast, but there were geese and ducks on the water.    The shoreline is sandy near the outlet of the Thompson River, but size of … Continue reading →