By the end of summer, the McArthur Island boat launch has its gate closed and the lagoon begins to dry out. In the first week of September, there was just enough water to paddle out of the channel in a kayak. A week later it would have been a muddy portage. I exited to the river and aimed the boat …Continue reading…
Now that the busy time on the rivers is over, I have returned to paddle both rivers. On these days in October and November it is rare to see anyone else in a boat. Today I paddled down the river to the Confluence, then up the North Thompson and back down then upstream again. The water does not get as …Continue reading…
We returned to paddle Campbell Lake in late summer, choosing a sunny weekday to launch a kayak and explore the shoreline. The launch spot is at the Campbell Lake Recreation Site on the south side of the lake. To drive there go through Barnhartvale, then turn onto the Robbins Range Road, and then the Scuitto Lake Forest Service Road. From …Continue reading…
The goal is to paddle all the lakes in our area (except the smallest ones) and eventually we will have done the shoreline of over 100 lakes. Hosli Lake has been on the list for a while, but it is a little harder to get to. The route is to drive to Roche Lake, but turn onto the Bleeker Lake …Continue reading…
McGillivray Lake is a high country lake on the Cahilty Plateau 6 km from Sun Peaks Village. The McGilllivray Lake Forest Service Road connects Sun Peaks Road to McGillivray Lake and the gravel road continues on down to Neskonlith Lake and Shuswap Road. To paddle the lake, follow the gravel road and turn in to the McGillivray Lake Outpost where …Continue reading…
Dardanelles Lake lies in a basin in the plateau country south of Roche Lake and east of Stump Lake. The main route is on the Dardanelles Forest Service Road which starts at the north end of Stump Lake. It is a 21 km backroad, gradually climbing to 1260m. The last short section is a rough road (high clearance) to the …Continue reading…
One of our best paddling outings is a circuit around Lac le Jeune. Interactive points of interest are embedded in the map below with photos, links, and other information. More information: Paddling Lac le Jeune Lakes Lac le Jeune Circuit
Lodgepole Lake lies in a basin on the eastern slopes of Chuwhels Mountain. We can access it by turning off the Lac le Jeune Road at Stake Lake and proceeding up the Chuwhels Mountain Road for 2.7 km. The small Rec Site at the east end of the lake is for day use only, perfect for launching a canoe or …Continue reading…
One of the first two lakes to clear of ice in late winter is Jacko Lake. It can be a busy place in early spring with a lot of eager fishermen, so it is best to find other places to paddle. But, because it is at a lower elevation and shallow, it is not a great summer fishing lake but …Continue reading…
During freshet, the river runs faster so any downriver route is a quicker paddle. The route downriver from Pioneer Park to Tranquille Bay is 11.65 km and takes about 2 hours. From the flooded boat launch at Pioneer Park, the kayak enters the current and I paddled under the Red Bridge then the CN Bridge. There was not much clearance …Continue reading…
When the North Thompson and the South Thompson Rivers rise, the Thompson River expands and the estuary at the head of Kamloops Lake widens into a floodlands. We can launch a canoe or kayak from the BC Parks Lac du Bois Wildlife Management Area parking area. .This launch spot is suitable for canoes and kayaks only during freshet. We paddle …Continue reading…
Today I paddled from Pioneer Park down the Thompson River to Tranquille Bay, a leisurely kayak outing which included exploration of flood channels. About 15 km in 2.35 hours.
Every spring we paddle down the South Thompson River in 21 km outings. From the Lafarge Bridge (NE side) we launched our kayaks and enjoyed a 3 hour flatwater paddle from Lafarge to Pioneer Park. Using a two vehicle system, we started paddling about 9:30 am and landed at the boat launch at Pioneer by 12:30. One of the keys …Continue reading…
Once the ice clears off our area lakes we head out to do a circuit of local lakes. The first three to paddle once or twice each are Paul Lake, Heffley Lake, and Lac le Jeune. With cool spring weather we are warm in our kayaks with spray skirts on and we wear paddling jackets to block the wind. When …Continue reading…
tIn spring we start our paddling season on the South Thompson and North Thompson Rivers. The best launch is from Pioneer Park, but we also go to other launch sites to paddle different parts of the rivers. With Valleyview Boat Launch closed for bank repairs, we went out to the Lafarge Bridge beach and paddled upstream in early April. There …Continue reading…