Tag Archives: Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area

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, kames, and pothole lakes back to the start.

There were meadowlarks and bluebirds in the grasslands.    Sandhill cranes flew overhead.    Red-winged blackbirds were in marshy ponds.    Swans, geese, and ducks were on Island Lake and Long Lake.   There were tens of thousands of sagebrush buttercups in bloom and a number of other soon-to-flower-plants were leafing out (Boechera, larkspur, Geum, death camas, and desert parsley).  I will be back again soon to enjoy this area again.

A number of photos are shared here as a Google Photos album with captions (link) or as a slideshow (without captions):

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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 →

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 →

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 →

North Batchelor Range Hike

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The north end of the Batchelor Range can be reached from the Deep Lake area by hiking the Grasslands Community Trail in the Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area, then going cross-country up the ridge from the north end.   From the trailhead for the Deep Lake Trail to the top of the ridge is a climb of about 581 m (1900 ft).   There are series of hilltops in the Batchelor Range, so we can go up and down several before looping back.    The loop route back for us was off-trail and steep.   The total distance was over 12 km. There is little shade on this route so it is a better hike for late spring or alternately, in early … 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 →

Outer Dewdrop Range Hike

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Conditions in the lower valley have dried out and those routes can now be hiked, but many of the hills surrounding the valley are still muddy or icy.    The exceptions are the Batchelor Range and the Dewdrop Range.    Those areas are south-facing and open to accelerated drying from the sun, warm conditions, and warmer winds.    The Dewdrop Range is a benchland with rocky bluffs overlooking Kamloops Lake, and the steep rocky Red Plateau Escarpment above.   Much of the Dewdrop Range is open sagebrush grassland with open pine trees in protected areas.   A few gullies and north slopes have more trees, but on the whole it is open enough to be fine for hiking by mid-March (later for … Continue reading →

Battle Bluff Hike

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On a cool day in the second week of March, the Battle Bluff Trail was the hike for the day.    The trailhead (N50 44.791 W120 33.921) is signed and the trail heads south, crossing the flats before going up a shallow gully.    The trail then winds up through open forest between low hills before emerging into the grasslands that slope down toward Kamloops Lake.   At 1.1 km, the trail starts the descent to the foot of Battle Bluff, and then crosses a flat grassy area before winding up the bluff. As hikers go up the ridge, the view to the north is of sets of basalt columns on Dewdrop Ridge. There are several possible routes up the rugged … Continue reading →

Deep Lake Loop

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The trails to the Deep Lake area in the east side of Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area dried out after the first week of March and provided good hiking routes into the grasslands.    From the trailhead on Ida Road, I hiked the signed Deep Lake Loop Trail.     The first kilometer is uphill through open forest and on sloping ridges to the grassland bench above. A single track trail wound through grasslands to the junction with the Grasslands Community Trail (which is 13 km one way to McQueen Lake). This area is open sagebrush grasslands. The trail continued to Deep Lake, which was still partly frozen.   A single track continues on around and past Deep Lake, connecting to … Continue reading →