Author Archives: dsmith

Saltwort Pond Hike

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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

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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

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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 →

Greenstone Mountain Trails

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On a late October day we hiked a series of trails on the northeast flank of Greenstone Mountain.    There are a number of mountain bike trails winding through the forests and across ridges and gullies.    The “up” trails (like Take it Easy) are gradual and wind up the slopes.    The “downhill” trails are often steep, and may require technical skills on a bike.    There are a number of connecting trails as well and a number of old tracks cutting across the slopes in an east-west direction, used for logging the area after a forest fire.    In the last two years, many of these tracks are being decommissioned.   Our plan was to hike bike trails winding … Continue reading →

Six Mile Lakes Hike

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On a sunny day we drove out to the Tobiano area, then turned onto the bumpy Pat Lake Road to hike a route in the Six Mile Lakes area.    We parked near Pat Lake, then took a single track trail around the east side and worked our way up onto a double tracks through the hills.     There are a number of old backroads, grassy tracks, and some single tracks to choose from, but we followed a known route, working our way west, then north to Morgan Lake, where we stopped for lunch. We used to call Morgan Lake “the Slough”, but a conservation project turned it into a small lake, then fisheries added trout stock and now it … Continue reading →

Lac du Bois Loop Hike

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Near the end of October I drove up the Lac du Bois Road and parked at the northeast end of the lake.   I hiked the track along the north side of the lake.    There were some ducks on the lake, aspens were in fall colors, but otherwise it was very quiet.    The track leads into Hanging Valley, but at the northwest end of the lake, I followed a faint trail (which have hiked before) into an area on the west side of the hills overlooking Lac du Bois.    There are some game trails and cattle trails too, but the best access is a wider track going up a gully toward the top of the ridge.   There are … Continue reading →

Adams River Hike

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In the last part of October I journeyed out to the North Shuswap Road and then parked at the Wade Road area in Tsutswewc Provincial Park.     This pull-off is on the north side of the road after crossing the bridge across Adams River.  Most hikers go upriver from this spot, but there is a trailhead sign for a trail that goes under the bridge, then continues downriver toward the main spawning area and continues down toward the southeast end of the park near Shuswap Lake. The upper end of the trail has many burned trees from the forest fire of 2023.   Danger trees have been cleared, but there are still a number of deciduous trees (cottonwoods, aspens, birch) still … Continue reading →

Custer Lake Loop

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On a fall day I drove to the Lac le Jeune area, going along the Rossmoore Forest Service Road to a point next to a trailhead, then I hiked a known loop route on ski trails, backroads and old tracks.    I had done parts of this route on foot, on a bike and on snowshoes.    At this time of year, there were a couple of dog-walkers on area trails, but for the most part, the rest of the route was quiet.    The Resource Road had been upgraded since there was some active logging on the slopes near the firebreak.   The first 2.7 km was on the Gus Johnson Trail to the end of Lac le Jeune.   The … Continue reading →

Wavy Range Hike

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We have been to Murtle Lake a number of times and we have paddled both arms, staying at various marine campsites for a few days.    From spots along the lakeshore, we have hiked into the mountains, through the forest, and along rivers and creeks.   This is all remote backcountry so all of the usual precautions are needed. On one trip we paddled up the north arm and camped at Strait Creek.    We decided to hike the Wavy Range Trail.    We forded the creek and started the steep trail up through the forest to the open ridge ascent. There is a small backcountry campsite at about 5 km.   At 5.5 km, the trail enters the alpine zone with … Continue reading →

Roche Lakes Backcountry Hike

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On a fall day, we drove up to Roche Lake, then we hiked a 12.25 km loop route through the Roche Lake Provincial Park backcountry area.    We started at the junction of the Roche Lake Road and the Black Lake Road.  We hiked along a rough double track to the shores of Black Lake, one of the picturesque and mostly-unspoiled lakes of the park.    From the end of Black Lake, we continued east, passing under the transmission lines and around Bog Lake.   There are several side tracks to ignore, but we knew the way and continued on, heading south past an old cabin to a backcountry campsite on the shores of Ernest Lake.     This is the most … Continue reading →