Author Archives: Kamloops Kayak

McConnell Lake Paddle and Hike

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A favorite combination for summer recreation is to paddle a lake, then hike around it.   In August I launched my kayak and paddled the 3 km loop around the lake.  

After securing the boat, I hiked the 3.5 km trail around the lake, enjoying some of the larger douglas fir trees by the single-track trail. 

There were a few hikers and dog-walkers on the trail and a couple of boats out on the water, but it was a quiet day at McConnell Lake.   

This year we have paddled the lake twice, we snowshoed the area twice, and we have hiked the lake loop, each time enjoying the high country forests.  

This grove leads to a shortcut trail down to the Dogwood Marshes.  

Some video footage was taken during the paddle and the hike, now available on YouTube:

Other paddle-hike locations include Stake Lake, Isobel Lake, Lac le Jeune, Paul Lake, and a number of other lakes that have trails nearby. 

 

More Information – McConnell Lake Trail

Paddling Community Lake

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Community Lake is located on top of Community Mountain between Knouff Lake and Sun Peaks.   To get to the Community Lake Rec Site, drive up the Knouff Lake Road and turn onto the signed Community Lake FSR.    Follow the signs to the lake, which sits at 1370 m (4500 ft.)

There is a good boat launch at the Rec Site.   A paddle around the lake takes about an hour.    There are a number of marshy bays and islands to explore.

Community Lake Launch

 

I paddled the lake on the BC Day long weekend and I was the only boat on the water.    The lake is off the beaten path so there are a few fishermen and an occasional paddler

Some video clips and some drone footage helps to share the paddling the lake experience:

This is a lake I enjoy paddling each summer, a higher elevation paddling destination when the weather gets hot in the valleys.

Paddling Surrey Lake

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On a hot summer day I paddled Surrey Lake.    there is a good road to the Wildlings Resort on Surrey Lake.   There is a boat launch there and paddlers can pay a fee to park and launch, or alternately, take the side road along the west side of the lake and hand launch at one of two spots.    That road (around Surrey Lake) is a narrow one and high clearance is advised.

With steady paddling it took an hour to go around the 5 km shoreline of the lake.

Some video of the paddling experience is shared here:

When the temperatures rise only a few ducks will be on the lakes.    These ones were having a siesta on a lakeshore log.

When the temperatures rise, the lakes that lie at an elevation of over 4000 feet are good destinations for a morning paddle.    Surrey Lake is one more gem in the Kamloops area for paddlers.

 

Paddling Nicola Lake North

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On the hottest day of the year I traveled to the north end of Nicola Lake to paddle a loop route.   The goal was to get onto the water before it got too hot and before the power boats were active.   The lake is very open so there is no shade so a modest distance was in order.    There are a number of good launch spots and I chose the northernmost one on Highway 5A.

The highlight of the day was paddling along the west side of the lake by giant granite boulders below granite cliffs.    There are no homes on the northwest end of the lake.

This large standing rock rose like a mushroom from the shallow lakeshore waters.

Most of the waterfowl were hiding in a shaded location, but these mergansers were on morning patrol.

A video of the paddling experience on the lake is shared here:

A greeting committee was waiting for me at the landing area, a kaleidoscope of clouded sulphurs.

Each day of paddling brings some new surprises, with more to come….

Paddling Stump Lake

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Stump Lake is a popular fishing spot and at peak times, the boat launch sites can be full, especially in spring.   It is also a windy lake so finding the right day for a paddle on the lake can be a challenge.

A paddle right around the lakeshore is 19 km, too far for a day’s paddle so we usually paddle the north or south end of the lake in alternating years.  There are three launch spots off Highway 5A, but almost everyone uses the main one half way down the lake.    On this day, I used a steeper track nearer the south end of the lake for a paddle in that area.

Along the shoreline were deer, ducks, a bald eagle, a killdeer, and lots of insects.    Click an image for a lightbox view and caption.

This was a hot and sunny day in July:

I will be back to paddle the north end of the lake on another day.

 

 

Paddling Sussex Lake

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Sussex Lake is a bit remote and because of it, it is quiet, except for the drone of the highway.    I have paddled here twice and snowshoed in from Surrey Lake in winter.   A paddle around the lakeshore is 3.3 km.   Paddlers can go around the lake twice or paddle two lakes in the area.   I also paddled Desmond Lake, but other choices include Surrey Lake and Frogmoore Lake.

Sussex Lake lies at 1365m (4553 ft), just below the Surrey Summit on the Coquihalla.    To get to the lake, we have to go up the Surrey Lake Forest Service Road to Surrey Lake, then take a secondary Road to the Sussex Lake Rec Site.    It is a high-clearance road, but fine to drive in summer.   There is no boat launch, but we can hand launch from a gravel beach at the small Rec Site.

While paddling loons were on patrol, but an osprey dove into the water twice not far from the kayak and came up with a fish.    I could only get shots of it in the air as it flew past.   The fish is clear to see though, glistening in the sun before being consumed.

A short video of the day’s outing is included here:

I will be back into the area to paddle Surrey Lake, Bob Lake, and Frogmoore Lake.

 

 

Paddling Ross Moore Lake

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Although Ross Moore Lake is a long drive on bumpy roads, it is still one of our favorite lakes to paddle.    It has a bit of a remote feel to it and the lakeshore is both interesting and relatively open.

Just getting to the lake requires some navigation (see the link below).    The road was in pretty good shape until the last part where it is rougher, requiring high clearance.    There is a small launch at the south end of the lake which is an easier spot to launch from than from the Rec site. A paddle around the lake is about 3.2 km.    We try to explore all the marshy bays too, but there are many sunken stumps and fallen lodgepole pines, a result of damming the lake.

Eagles flew and perched overhead, ducks with ducklings scuttled to safety, yellow water lilies were in bloom in the bays, and marsh skullcap was in bloom on the shoreline.    Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.

A Youtube video shares some of the moments at the lake:

More Information – Ross Moore Lake Page

 

 

 

Paddling Scuitto Lake

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On a hot summer morning I drove out to Scuitto Lake and enjoyed a leisurely 5.7 km paddle around the lake.

This is a first-class lake for paddling and there is a good boat launch and parking area for visitors.

Along the way I spotted hawks, eagles, blackbirds, a heron, geese with goslings, ducks with ducklings, a muskrat, and many shore birds.    These ducks were keeping an eye in every direction since there were three eagles on the lake.

A few moments were captured and compiled into a short YouTube video:

Information on this lake can be found on the Scuitto Lake Page.

 

 

Paddling Hyas Lake

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On a hot summer morning I drove up the Paul Lake Road to Pinantan Lake, then along the Pritchard Road to the Hyas Lake FSR turn.   There were no other vehicles all the way to the lake and no boats on the lake.

A paddle around the lake is about 4.4 km.    The lake is deep and the water is clear.

This is another favorite paddling destination, one I prefer to do in summer.

More information on this lake can be found on the Hyas Lake page.

 

 

 

Paddling Sullivan Lake

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Sullivan Lake is located at the community of Knouff Laje and is often referred to as Knouff Lake.    It is reached by driving up the Heffley – Louis Creek Road (toward Sun Peaks), then turning onto the Knouff Lake Road.   There are three boat launches, but for most kayakers, the ones at either the Rec Site on the west side of the lake or the one a bit farther north and fine for paddling on the lake.

With a resort on the north end and a community on the south end, the lake can be busy at prime times, but on this morning, there was no one else on the lake.

A paddle around the lake is about 5 km.    Large marshes at the north end create bullrush barriers, although I was able to find a narrow Channel through.    There are also a few islands to investigate.

More Information – Sullivan Lake page

 

Paddling Bleeker Lake

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Bleeker Lake is a good spot to paddle in late spring or early summer.   Because much of the lake is shallow, it is prone to draw-down for irrigation and evaporation without much recharge, so aquatic growth takes over the shallows, the shoreline recedes, and winter kill happens in some years,   In spring the lake is recharged and the shoreline can be paddled in a quiet, out-of-the-way spot.

In July aquatic growth was filling in some of the shallow bays, but I was able to launch at the Rec Site and kayak around the lake, a 4.8 km paddle.

The video has footage of the channel on the east end of the lake when it fills in and some drone footage from a drone flight over the lake.

Some Bleeker images are shared here.   Click an image for a lightbox view.

More Information:

Paddling Paska Lake

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Paska Lake is a fine paddling lake from late spring to mid-fall.   At non-prime times, the lake is a quiet spot surrounded by high country forest.

To get to Paska Lake, we drive up the Coquihalla, then turn onto the Meadow Creek (Logan Lake Road).    The Paska Lake FSR turns off farther along, heading north, to a basin in behind Chuwhels Mountain.   A signed turn leads down into the Paska Lake Recreation Site where there is a campground with a boat launch and parking.

A favorite route is to paddle down the lagoon channel that becomes Greenstone Creek.    In spring we can paddle to the end, but as the weather warms up, the lagoon fills with aquatic plants.

On this summer day, the distance going around the lake, including the channel was about 5 km, on the 40th day of paddling in 2022.

More Information:

 

Paddling Lac le Jeune West

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On a grey and drizzly long weekend summer morning I arrived early to paddle the west end of Lac le Jeune.    From the campground I paddled west to the end of the lake, then went through the watery tunnel under the road to the smaller lake.

After paddling around the western lake the route was back through the tunnel and along the south shore, a 5 km route.

The smaller lake is marshier and there is a channel to explore.    A loon chick and some ducklings were dabbling near the rushes and reeds, blackbirds patrolled the margins, and predators flew overhead, but all was quiet otherwise.    This is a must-do each summer.

More information – Lac le Jeune

 

Paddling Lac du Bois

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On July 1st it was a beautiful sunny day and I knew all of our lakes would be very busy with motorboats, fishermen, and paddlers so I opted for less busy spot early in the morning.   To paddle the lake I had to haul the kayak over the fence, then get it down to the lakeshore.    It is awkward to launch a longer boat anywhere on the shoreline since it is so marshy, but with some maneuvering, I launched and paddled the lakeshore.

The lake was quiet, but there were a number of ducks with ducklings, muskrats, birds, and western painted turtles.

cont

Western painted turtles were numerous and to get closer to them we have to soundlessly glide in (no paddling.  Click an image for a larger view and a caption.

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”15″ gal_title=”Lac du Bois”]

More Information on Lac du Bois.

Paddling Lodgepole Lake

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Lodgepole Lake is small so its a good choice when it is windy, smoky, or rainy.   Whenever I go to paddle there, I go early to avoid competing for space on the lake, but also when it is quiet and peaceful.   Once around the shore is 1.3 km so I usually do 2 or 3 laps.

When I arrived at the lake it was raining, but I launched anyway and it cleared after one lap:

 

More information on Lodgepole Lake (page).

Steelhead Park Launch

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There are 3 or 4 launch spots in the Savona area to paddle the west end of Kamloops Lake.   During freshet some are not practical since the shoreline gets flooded and debris, including logs, fills the launch areas.    The public boat launch in Savona Park was closed and logs enclosed the area so the best launch was off the beach at Steelhead Provincial Park.

On this rainy morning the route was north past where the lake drains into the Thompson River, then north up the shoreline.   On a windy day an out-and-back route might be best, but with little wind it was an easy 1.4 km crossing of the lake.

The loop was completed by paddling down the lake to Steelhead Park, a 7 km paddle around the west end of Kamloops lake: