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 one else on the beach when I was there, but there were lots of people across the river at the  Riverside Park Ice Skating Path.   There were swans in the Confluence waters, at the meeting of the North Thompson and the South Thompson Rivers.

From the Confluence, I hiked on the sand and gravel upstream, bearing north.

The beaches run out at a steep bank just off the Schubert Drive Rivers Trail.

I walked back on the paved path, then took a short trail back to the beach to return to Overlander Park.   This is an excellent route for a walk/hike on a mild winter day.

• YouTube Short video – Hiking the Winter Confluence Beach