Kamloops Trails

West Rim Trail

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Doug Smith

Each time we return to Zion National Park, we try to pick new routes. The main trails are all worth doing over, but some of the extended routes, scamble routes, and side canyons are also exciting destinations. On this last trip, I scrambled up Checkerboard Mesa and also hiked the West Rim Trail. Many people hike the West Rim from top to bottom in a backpack, but I chose to hike up and back in one day, a long and hot one.

The trail starts at the same trailhead for Angels Landing and hordes of people of all abilities climb the hill to Scouts Landing to contemplate or attempt the hike (Angels Landing story). On this day, I turned off at Scouts Landing to climb the ridge above toward the West Rim.

The route beyond climbs over slickrock onto a ridge into a back valley, traverses over a gully and then climbs up through another canyon (there was snow on the north side) before switchbacking up the the sheer sandstone cliffs to the top of the plateau. From the top, the trail splits into two. I followed the Canyon Rim Trail as it skirted the edge of the escarpment high over brightly-colored canyons, ridges, buttes, and domes. After a few miles, the plateau to the west became forested and the trail eventually left the canyons to head to Lava Point, another half day of hiking beyond, but my turn-around point for a long day's hike on this occasion.

All of the views in Zion are impressive, but to really see the area, you have to hike from the Virgin River at the bottom of the valley up to the plateau above to get the best perspectives.

This is a trail that provides outstanding views for the whole route. As I hiked higher and went through a series of canyons, new perspectives were constantly presented. From the top, I could look down into a series of slot canyons, a number of which are traversed by canyoneers, especially Benuhin Canyon (link) and Heaps Canyon. Standing above these are sheer-sided buttes and mountains – Mount Majestic, Cathedral Mountain, the Great White Thorne, and Castle Dome,

Doing this out-and-back hike from the bottom is about 12km return (depending on where you choose to rutn around) with a 2900 foot elevation difference each way (4400 ft. to 7300 ft.). The only water is a seep spring at the edge of the mesa, 4.5 km along the trail. You will need filtration before drinking the water, though. A one-way hike from the top at Lava Point to the bottom is 14.2 km, but will require a ride to the West Mesa (about an hour from the Visitors Center) or a two car system. That will be our next venture in Zion.

Like a number of other trails in Zion, the final route up to the plateau above goes up a sheer sandstone face on carved ledges with many sheer drop-offs. This provides great views, but is not for anyone with a fear of heights. Angels Landing has far more exposure, but the West Rim trail, Observation Point, Hidden Canyon, and many of the slot canyons have some exciting sections for the hiker. A little adreneline adds to the experience.

Chain Meadows Trail

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Doug Smith

When we drive the Wells Gray corridor, we arrive at the end of the road at Cleawater Lake. Beyond the campground and boat launch there are no roads, and anything beyond has limited access by boat and on a couple of trails. The main trail of the area is the Chain Meadows Trail, with a short side route over to Sticta Falls and the Dragons Tongue (lava flow). We hiked the whole Chain Meadows Loop recently, a 16.4km loop.

The trail can be hiked in either direction, but we chose to go up the hill from the campground. The trail climbs the sidehill to the junction to Sticta Falls, which is a nice side trail, especially if you go down the side trail to the bottom of the falls.

From the junction, the trail continues to climb to the Osprey Falls Viewpoint, a climb of 175m. This is a nice spot for a short break after a half hour of hiking and for a good lookout down on the campground area and Osprey Falls, In the Spring, the Falls doesn't have much of drop when the lake is high. Clearwater Lake was formed when the Dragons Tongue lava flow blocked the Clearwater River 7500 years ago.

From this point, the trail meanders for 5.5 km across the forested plateau past a number of wet areas. Skunk cabbage was blooming along this section of trail. The trail is in good shape, except for a few spots which get muddy in spring. Chain Lake is mostly just a clear spot through the trees since the approaches are swampy.

We continued past the lake and climbed a short section to the top of Easter Bluffs, so named because the profile of one of the vertical bluffs reminded someone of Easter Island. The trail goes over the top of the bluffs, then winds down to the foot of the 10m cliffs. Continuing northwest, the trail winds through mixed forest to a viewpoint looking north to Clearwater Lake. Dominating the skyline is Garnet Peak, Mount Huntley, and Azure Peak, all snow-capped in the Spring. This is a good spot for lunch.

On this day, the peaks were wreathed in clouds, but on the previous day, we paddled up to Divers Bluff and all the peaks were clear in front of blue skies. This spot is worth hiking up to from the boat launch, a distance of 4km.

The trail from the lviewpoint down to the Boat Launch traverses gently down through old growth forest. Giant cedars and hemlocks give the area a cathedral feeling. The last kilometre of this section is along the lake starting across from Caribou Beach.

From the boat launch to the campground is a 2.5 km trail along the shore of the lake. Some parties may wish to leave a vehicle at the boat launch to reduce the length of the hike.

Although this is a long hike, it a well-designed trail with easy climbs and descents, it has lots of variety of habitat to enjoy, and there are many fine views along the way.

We were pleasantly surprised and will return to do this trail again.

Grand Canyon South Rim Trail

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Doug Smith

In April, I camped at Mathers Campground at the South Rim Village for a couple of nights. At 7000 feet, it was cold at night (only 29 F). I was thankful for my down sleeping bag. Down the hill from the campground is the South Rim Marketplace, and not far beyond that, the South Rim Trail which runs along the edge of the escarpment for 12 miles. The South Rim Trail is mostly paved with a number of interpretative signs and viewpoints. Where points jut out into the canyon, the trail also veers out to a viewpoint.

Parallel to the Rim Trail is the Rim Road. A free bus service runs the length of the route and visitors can get off at any of the stops along the way along the road to the end at Hermits Rest. Most vistors get off at viewpoints, walk out a short distance to the viewpoint, then return back to the bus stop. Hikers can choose any distance they want and return by bus. The colors and shadows of the Canyon change throughout the day so photographers can make their choices according to the light and weather. I walked 10 miles along the Rim one day, going out to each point for the views. Hopi Point was my favorite. The road from the East Village to Hermits Rest is for buses only so the trail between the western points had less people. Hopi Point juts out farther into the Canyon than the other viewpoints, affording views up and down the Canyon, with glimpses of the Colorado River, a green streak far below.

The best hiking is down into the Canyon, but the Rim Trail is still worth doing. Camp at Mathers and walk down to the Rim Trail. Follow the Rim trail all the way to Hermits Rest and then take the bus back. Along the way, you may find the area near the Bright Angel Trail very busy. Just hike through that area quickly, climbing out to the next point where you can look back to see the lodges on the Rim and below you, the Bright Angel Trail winding down to Indian Gardens and beyond to Plateau Point. Each viewpoint offers new vistas of the rugged landscapes below. Bring your telephoto lens for this trail, then on the next day, descend into the Canyon and bring your wide angle lens for the real hiking adventure.

Badger Lake

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Doug Smith

Badger Lake is a fine paddling destination, one of the forty lakes of our area within an hour's drive. To get to Badger Lake, turn off the Sun Peaks Road onto the Knouff Lake Road and continue past Knouff Lake without turning off, until you reach the BC Forest Service Site on the northerat side. Some fishermen also take the Orchard Lake Road up from Highway 5. Both are good roads once the road surface dries out.

The Badger Lake Recreation Site has 18 campsites and a primitive boat launch. The lake has clear water and some marl shoals. I watched a loon swimming under my boat in a back channel, its black and white speckled back clear under the water. The narrow channel to the west is called Spooney Lake and this quiet marsh-lined channel offers some additional paddling. On a spring day, small rainbow trout were jumping with a recent mayfly hatch. Eagles seemed to be everywhere. I spoke to a fisherman who said he had spotted 18 on the pevious day. I couldn't spot their nests, but they flew along the lakeshore and perched in the large trees overhead. A large wooded isand (800m x 200 m) separates Badger Lake from the Spooney Lake Channel. The whole lake is surrounded by trees but at one point, snow-capped Mount Baldy filled the north horizon, 43 km away. Much of the area to the north and west has been logged, but little of this can be seen from the water.

There are numerous backroads to explore on mountain bike and the Orchard Lake Trails are only 4.5 km down the backroad to the southwest (link to Orchard Lake Trails). I have hiked the Orchard Lake trails, but almost all of the trails can also be biked (deferring to any horseback riders since the trails are primarily a horse-hiker system. The area is a bit remote so come prepared for wildlife, backroad conditions,unmarked routes, and few people.

Nearby Knouff Lake and Community Lake (link) are also good for paddling. 2013 is a good year to bring your boat onto all 3 lakes.

40 Lakes

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Doug Smith

Paddlers in the Kamloops area are blessed to have many paddling destinations within an hour's drive. There are more than 40 lakes within that radius, but the lakes must be big enough to get a good workout by going around the perimeter once or twice. Some of the lakes are large enough that it will take several trips to do the whole shoreline. If we paddle 50 times in a year, we can go onto sections of the river or one of the 40 lakes and paddle somewhere different every time. There area still a small number of lakes we haven't yet paddled on, but by the end of 2013, we will have done the perimeter of most of them. Shuswap Lake, Adams Lake, Nicola Lake and Okanagan Lake will take longer to complete.

The other challenge on some of the lakes is competition from other boats. We want to avoid big power boats or lakes that are full of people fishing, but that is mostly just picking the right time of day. Power boats rarely get out in the morning. Fishing is not good in the middle of the afternoon, so we paddle on the larger lakes in the morning and on the smaller lakes in the afternoon. We go to more remote spots in warmer weather.

And we have our favorites that will require multiple visits – Tranquille Bay, the North Thompson, Adams Lake, Heffley Lake, Johnson Lake, Campbell Lake, Azure Lake, Clearwater Lake, Murtle Lake, and the Shuswap River. We will feature some of these after paddling them. This week, we paddled Paul Lake, Badger Lake, and Stake Lake. If you don't have a kayak yet, it may be time.

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