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 →

Hiking the Winter Beaches – The Confluence

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When trail conditions in the hills becomes too muddy, slushy, or icy, hiking at the bottom of the valley is much more appealing.    Routes on gravel, sand, or pavement will leave our boots dry and the risk of slips/falls is greatly reduced.   Many walkers use the paved sections of the Rivers Trail and McArthur Island.    Another choice for hikers is to hike the winter beaches – Airport Beach, West Beaches, the Confluence Beach, Mission Flats Beach, the dike and beach in Westsyde, Cooney Bay, and other riverside routes.    On a mild mid-winter day I chose to hike the Confluence Loop from Overlander Park.    This is a 3.1 km route taking about an hour. There was no … Continue reading →

Dogwood Marshes Spike Hike

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On a cold winter day we left the valley fog to hike in the Dogwood Marshes area.    The skies were a mix of sun and clouds and there was a rime frost on all of the trees.   With these hard-packed trails, we wore our hiking boots with microspikes attached, and we stomped our way along a series of trails in the high country forests. The red-osier dogwoods were coated in frost as we wound our way south through the Anderson Creek dogwood marshes. We followed trails up to mixed forests, then into aspen groves, and up to Douglas fir forests.   Some of the trails are marked with flagging tapes and signs, and some are user-made trails, so the best … Continue reading →

Snowshoeing the Lodgepole Lake Area

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One of the best areas for snowshoeing in the area is from trailheads at Lodgepole Lake.    The lake is higher (4600 feet) than nearby Lac le Jeune and it is on the border of backcountry forests on the flanks of Chuwhels Mountain.  to get to Lodgepole Lake, we turn off the Lac le Jeune Road near Stake Lake and follow the Chuwhels Forest Service Road to Lodgepole Lake.     The road is kept plowed all winter, but it may not yet be in good shape right after a snowfall.     For much of the winter, though, we can easily drive up to the parking area next to the Lodgepole Lake Recreation Site (campground).     There is lots of parking … Continue reading →

Snowshoeing the Isobel Lake Trails

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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 … Continue reading →

Bush Lake and Dogwood Marshes

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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 →