Author Archives: Kamloops Kayak

Diver’s Bluff and Eagle’s View

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We padded up Clearwater Lake in Wells Gray Provincial Park to the Diver’s Bluff Marine Campground, then hiked the Eagle’s View Trail.   We launched our boats (canoes and kayaks) and headed up the west shore of the lake.   With calm conditions we were at our destination in about 75 minutes.

 

 

From the boat launch at the end of the Wells Gray Corridor to Diver’s Bluff is 6 km.   We got an early start for our paddle up the lake.   The lake was calm and quiet.   In the distance we could see Garnet Peak and Mt. Huntley at the end of the lake.

 

The deepest part of Clearwater Lake is at Diver’s Bluff, named after the cliffs where adventurer’s jump into the lake not far from the the campsite.

 

We landed on the shoreline then donned our hiking boots for a steep 3km return hike to the bluffs overlooking the lake.

 

This pleasant trail winds through a damp forest before climbing the ridges above.

 

From Eagle’s View the south end of Clearwater Lake stretches down to Osprey Falls.

 

To the southeast the Trophy Mountains rise above the hills of Wells Gray Park.

 

To the east Azure Peak stands above the lake.

 

We returned back to the shoreline and then paddled back down the lake.   A light tailwind made the paddle back easier.

 

Clearwater Lake is a wonderful destination to paddle (and to camp) so we were pleased to return to do a 12 km paddle plus the 3 km hike, an all-day venture (with 2 hours of driving each way).

 

 

 

Otter Lake Provincial Park

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Otter Lake Provincial Park is situated on the northwest shore of Otter Lake, just north of Tulameen.   It can be reached by driving north from Princeton on the Coalmont Road (33 km) or on  gravel roads (34 km) from Highway 5A starting near the turn-off to Kentucky – Alleyne Lakes.  The park itself is a forested 49 hectare area in the border of the Coast Ranges and has 45 campsites on the lake.   There is a boat launch for paddlers or fishermen.   A tour in a kayak around the whole lake is 11.5 km.   Across the lake is the Brookmere to Princeton section of the Trans-Canada Trail.   The town of Tulameen is at the southern shore of the lake.

 

We were able to get a lakeside campsite and spent our time paddling, going for short hikes, and touring the area.

 

 

From the boat launch I kayaked around the lakeshore, but then some some weather came in, so the paddle was only half the lake this time.

 

At the north end, Otter Creek runs into the lake.   In the valley to the north (upstream), the Coalmont Road is on the west side of the creek and the Kettle Valley Rail Trail is on the east side.

 

 

The larger part of the lake is south of the campground.

 

We hiked the Nature Trail which wound through the forest on the south side.   There were some spots to look out on the lake, but for the most part it is just a forest walk.   A few wildflowers were spotted along the way.

 

 

In previous trips we had walked the Trans Canada Trail, explored the ghost town of Blakeburn, hiked to the wooden trestles from the coal mine down to Tulameen, and explored Lodestone Lake, Lodestone Mountain, Granite City, and Coalmont.

Otter Lake is a good escape if you want to slow down. During the week in June there were only 4 campsites occupied out of 45, but it will be busier in the summer.

 

 

On Osoyoos Lake

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We camped at Haynes Point Provincial Park to do some paddling in the South Okanagan area.    Osoyoos (“narrowing of the waters”) Lake is 18 km long with 2/3 north of the border and the south end in the United States.   Haynes Point is one of the “narrowing” points with a shallow passage on the east side of the lake.   South of Haynes Point the International Border is only 2 km away.   US Customs has live cameras on the lake, patrol boats, and aerial coverage, although we saw none of that over the 3 days we were on the lake. One kilometer to the north is the Town of Osoyoos.   To get to the rest of Osoyoos Lake (the north end), we paddled under the Main Street Bridge.

 

 

Our campsite was right on the end of the point with our own beach.

 

The dry, desert-like hills surrounding Osoyoos Lake invited some future exploration on foot.

 

I paddled down to the border on the east side then along the watery border where there were some anchored buoys marking the boundary in the middle of the lake and then over to the west shoreline.

 

On the west side was a short road with red pylons, right below the vehicle border crossing.

I was amused that there was a flock of Canada geese on the Canadian side, but none on the US side.   The to-the-border-paddle-loop back to the campsite was 7 km so I paddled around Haynes Point into the harbour too.

On another day we paddled north through the harbour, under the Main Street Bridge, and up the west shore of the lake on a 9 km paddle.   We were interested in the rocky and open-forested slopes of Anarchist Mountain Protected Area on the east side, noting it for another day of exploration in the area.

 

 

There were a number of geese, ducks, loons, eagles, herons, osprey, swallows, blackbirds, and other birds on the lake, including this flock of ducklings.

To paddle the whole lake is too long (40 km) for just two days so we will leave the north end at least for another visit.

Whitetail Lake

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Whitetail Lake lies in a valley in the Purcell Mountains about 28 km from Columbia Lake in the East Kootenays.  Access is by the Findlay Creek Forest Service Road near Canal Flats.    The final section is on the Whitetail FSR to the Whitetail Lake recreation Site.   The lake is a destination for camping and fishing, but we traveled out there to paddle the lake in our kayaks.

 

 

 

The lake had the clear blue-green water from marl shoals.

 

Surrounding the lake are forested hills with snow-mantled higher peaks of the Purcell Mountains providing a scenic backdrop.

 

We paddled the 9 km lakeshore on a calm and sunny day, enjoying the peaceful mountain lake.

 

Whitetail Lake is managed by the Ministry of Environment as a trophy lake, stocked with Gerrard trout and brook trout.   We spotted many of the fish in the clear waters below our kayaks.

We had good access for launching and parking at the Whitetail Lake Recreation Site.   For recreational paddling, this is a recommended destination while visiting the East Kootenays.

 

Lake Enid

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We drove some backroads out of Invermere to visit Lake Enid, about 6 km west of Wilmer.   A small recreation site is there with a good boat launch and a hiking trail around the lake.   We paddled the lake and then I hiked the trail around the lake to finish the outing.

Enid Lake is not a large body of water.   A paddle around the shoreline is only about 2 km.   It is a picturesque setting though.

There were many western painted turtles along the south shore, mostly perched on logs.  We took photos from the kayaks and from the shoreline.

We had lunch on a grassy shore across the lake and I hiked the trail around while the others did another loop on the lake.

In open spots the purple pasqueflower was in bloom.

It is also called prairie crocus and is often cited as the first sign that spring is arriving.

In open meadows woodland star was in abundance.

On the sunny, open pasture on the north side of the lake locoweed was the most prominent wildflower.  The pasture/meadow on that side had been devastated by ATVs and motorcycles and several were roaring around the peaceful lake on that day too.

Some protection for the riparian habitat was installed on the south shore with fences and a boardwalk to enjoy on the way back to the recreation site.

Lake Enid is a beautiful area, but one that is being overused and partly spoiled by too many motorized users.    We were there on a weekday.   We couldn’t imagine what it would be like on a weekend.

Downriver: Invermere to Radium

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In early May I paddled down the Columbia River from Invermere to Radium, a distance of about 16 km.   The river was low and slow-moving except for 3 spots of faster water.   Adjacent to the river are many wetlands so birds and waterfowl were abundant along the way.    The launch spot was by the Athalmer Bridge at the outlet to Windermere Lake.   the landing was at a backwater channel next to the Forsters Landing Road bridge below Radium.   Although the railroad follows the shoreline of the river I was lucky that there was no train running for the 2.5 hour downriver run.   Along the way there were great blue herons, bald eagles, a golden eagle, ospreys, loons, barrows golden eyes, mallards, kingfishers, and numerous small birds.    The paddle whetted my appetite to continue the run downriver in some future trip to the Kootenays.

Taking photos from a kayak is never easy but when the water was calm and the hand was steady,  a few turned out well.   These were combined into a video:

Watch for a future report for a downriver paddle from Radium to Golden (105 km).

 

On the River in the Fall

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Pioneer Park is a busy place in the summer, but in fall, the area is much quieter.   On the river, the noisy and disruptive power boats are absent.   We can return from the high country lakes to paddle up and down the river.   On this grey and cool day in October, I pushed out from the boat launch and went downstream.

The section down to the confluence of the North Thompson and South Thompson Rivers passes under the red bridge, then the train bridge.

It is an easy 1.3 km to Indian Point and the mixed waters  of the confluence.

The waters of the North Thompson are muddier and faster than the South Thompson.   Turning the corner and going upstream is a challenge.

With some persistence and lots of sweat, we can work our way upstream for as long as far as we choose to on that day.    The return trip back to the confluence is quick.

The waters swirl where the two rivers meet and there are shallow gravel bars on both sides of the area.   We can do a circuit of the confluence area before heading upstream again.

Options may include a paddle downstream to Rabbit Island and back or we can paddle back up to Pioneer Park  but continue upstream to the Yellowhead Bridge and back.   Depending on conditions, we can paddle any distance from 4 km to 20 km.   Since all of the upsteam paddling is hard work, we are guaranteed a good cardiovascular workout.

When the air temperature drops, the water takes much longer to cool, so we are comfortable in the kayak for another month.   We dress more warmly and the spray skirt will be used if there is some wind.   By early November we will put away the kayak until next March when we will launch in the river for another season.

Pelicans and Skeletons at Scuitto

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In late fall, we drove out from Barnhartvale  on the bumpy Scuitto Lake Forest Service Road for 12 km to the Rec Site on Scuitto Lake.   It was a sunny day for a 5.2 km paddle around the lake shoreline.   We met pelicans and skeletons along the route.

 

The Scuitto Lake Rec Site has been rebuilt and has designated camping spots, new washrooms, and a good boat launch.

 

 

Scuitto Lake is a flooded lake, that it, it was dammed to provide water for late season irrigation and now to provide for recreational use.    Scuitto Lake is drained by Scuitto Creek which descends 5 km northwest down to Campbell Creek.   The shoreline has some interesting rock features, and lots of stumps, root stalks and twisted driftwood (the skeletons on the shoreline) left behind when the lake was expanded.

While we there, there were 4 pelicans on the lake, a bald eagle, and many ducks.   Hover your cursor over an image in the gallery for a caption or click one for a larger image and a caption.

 

 

 

Tulip Lake and Rose Lake

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Although we have about 100 lakes to paddle in the Kamloops area , there are many small lakes too, most of which are too small to warrant the drive and the effort and time to load and unload a kayak or canoe.   Some are suitable for SUPs, but paddlers would most often prefer a lake that is at least 2 km round to go through the effort and time required.   A number of smaller lakes have good access and we can paddle around the lake 2 or 3 times.   Tulip Lake is only 1.25 km around the shoreline and adjacent Rose Lake is barely a kilometer around.   There is good access through and with some effort we can paddle Tulip Lake, Rose Lake, and Horseshoe Lake in the same day or over a couple of days from the 3 Roche Lake Provincial Park campsites nearby.   Tulip Lake is accessed of a short rough road from the Roche Lake Road.   It has been designated as a fishing lake for youth and disabled persons.

A fishing dock has been constructed to support access.   In September, one of the support beams was underwater.      There is an aeration system in place for this lake to reduce winter kill.

To launch a kayak or canoe we have to wade through some mud and muck and then paddle/pole through the rushes.

Most of the shoreline for both lakes is marshy, but there is some open water too.    It would be unlikely to see another boat.

Access to Rose Lake is also muddy.  Since the lakes are aerated, the ice can be unstable in winter for ice fishing, hence the warning signs.

These lakes will be too small for most paddlers, but we enjoy paddling as many lakes as we can.   There are a number in the Roche Lake area we have paddled (Roche, Horseshoe, Bleeker, Hosli, Tulip, and Rose) and a number we hope to paddle (Frisken, Bulman, John Frank, Black, Bog, and Ernst), depending on how brave we are to face the Roche backroads.

We have walked the Black – Bog – Ernst – John Frank route and we know it is 4WD access, but we may choose to at least drive in  to Black Lake through the giant puddles.   We have recently investigated Frisken and Bulman and outings are planned for John Frank Lake.   Driving into Bulman requires a medal for bravery.

Rousseau Hill Above Kamloops Lake

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From Bruker Marina at Tobiano, Rousseau Hill stands above the north side of Kamloops Lake.   This is a great spot to launch to explore the middle section of the lake and all its bluffs, eroded slopes, silt cliffs, gullies, hoodoos, volcanic features, and shorelines.

It is a 2 km paddle across to the far shore, below Peregrine Bluffs.   On this late summer day, the route was across then west along the length of Rousseau Hill to Rousseau Creek.

Kamloops Lake is always scenic, but it can also be windy so paddlers need to have seaworthy boats and have some experience in larger lakes.  On flat water it is about a half paddle across.

 

Peregrine Bluffs rises steeply above the CNR tracks.   We have been able to spot peregrines from  the top by following the guano marks to nests in rocky alcoves..

Just below the CN tracks is a small abandoned shack made from logs and railway ties.

There are a number of different erosion features on the slopes of Rousseau Hill.

The shoreline is rocky with few landing spots between Red Point and the beach at Twelve Mile/Rousseau Creek.

Ragged volcanic features are the highlight of the south side of Russeau Hill.

Below the bluffs are erosion gullies running down to the lake.

The treeless slopes have alternate ridges and gullies right down to the sagebrush.

Our paddle also included an exploration of the abandoned Twelve Mile Ranch acreage, to be shared in a later post.   On the way back we paddled right across the lake just below Balancing Rock

The loop route was about 11 km, another great day on Kamloops Lake.

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Paddling Campbell Lake

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At the send of summer each year, we drive to Campbell Lake to paddle when the pelicans. sandhill cranes, and other migrating birds are on the lake.   We have detailed how to get there and where to launch in previous posts:

 

Each year is different.   In 2018 we spotted 14 pelicans on the lake and another 2 on nearby Scuitto Lake.

 

 

We spotted 6 sandhill cranes on the lake but watched another flock fly overhead.

 

 

There were the usual consort of ducks and geese too.

 

On some lakes we paddle for the exercise, maintaining a steady stroke for outing, paddling the lakeshore, enjoying the views, but keeping a steady pace.   On other lakes (like Campbell Lake), we go for a paddle and a “float”, enjoying the eagles, ospreys, herons, ducks, geese, pelicans, cranes, dippers, kingfishers, turtles, otters, muskrats, aquatic plants, riparian flowering plants, dragonflies, chironomids,   water striders, damselflies, mayflies, and whatever else we spot.   We bring the camera and our sense of wonder each time.

Badger Lake Paddle

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One of our favorite lakes to kayak is found far up in the hills north of Kamloops.  Badger Lake has an upgraded  BC Rec Site for camping and a new boat launch area.   To get to Badger Lake, most vehicles turn north off the Sun Peaks Road, heading toward Knouff Lake, then they just keep going all the way to Badger Lake.   There are just about always lots of potholes and puddles after Sullivan Lake so it is a slow 7km drive.   There are signs along the way to get us to the lake, ignoring turns along the way.   Just before the campground is a signed gravel road that points the way down to the boat launch.

There is lots of parking and easy access to the water in the middle of the lake.

The lake is in a forested setting but clear water and a variety of trees makes a picturesque paddle

One of the best things about Badger Lake is a back channel of shallow lagoons sometimes called Spooney Lake.

Paddling through the back channels adds an extra 3km of quiet paddling, usually with good opportunities to see ducks, geese, loons, and eagles.   The marshlands have wide channels to paddle among the rushes and reeds.

Paddling the whole lakeshore is 8.3 km.   It is a popular spot for fishing too, but on a late summer mid-week paddle, the lake had only one other boat on it.

We chose to drive back on the Orchard Lake Road, a good resource road that goes down to McLure, but the junctions are unsigned so it may not be for all drivers.

We recommend both Sullivan (Knouff) Lake and Badger Lake as great paddling destinations.   We have also paddled nearby Little Knouff Lake (difficult access) and Community Lake.

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Pat (Six Mile) Lake

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Pat Lake and Jacko Lake are usually the first two lakes to be ice-free in spring so they get a lot of fishermen early in the season, but once all lakes are open, Pat Lake can be a quiet spot in summer.   We can access the lake from the Tunkwa Lake Road or from the Six Mile road above Tobiano.   Six Mile Road was once the Trans Canada Highway so there are still some asphalt sections on the way through.    When Pat Lake and Morgan Lake were dammed, dirt road bypasses were cut.    They were once rough, but they are now reasonable roads for most cars.   i parked and launched at the east end of the lake on this late summer day.

The launch is the old road bed which used to go along the north side of Pat Lake.

While I was paddling around the west end of the lake, an osprey dove and caught a fish.   As it winged across the lake, a bald eagle attacked and the fish was dropped.   The osprey turned to safety and the eagle continued to hunt and after a few circuits above, swooped to catch a fish.

The bald eagles showed little care of me in my kayak, but it kept its eyes on me as it soared above the lake.

On the northern side of the lake in the reeds were a number of logs, many of which had western painted turtles sunning on them.   Turtles will plunge into the lake if we make noise so a quiet approach is needed to spot of photograph them.   All three lakes in the Six Mile area have turtles.

The route around the shoreline is only 2 km so I paddled once counter-clockwise, then turned the kayak and paddled around the lake clockwise for a second loop.   Both Jacko and Pat Lake have grassland hills rising above the lake, a more scenic setting than forested hills for most lakes.

We enjoy hiking this area too, but we also return to paddle it once a year to enjoy a quiet sojourn on the lake.   Ospreys, eagles, loons, dragonflies, and turtles are a bonus

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Divers Bluff Loop on Clearwater Lake

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At the very end of the Wells Gray road is the boat launch.   Everywhere beyond is best explored in a boat.   We can paddle 21 km north on one shoreline and 21 km back on the other shoreline.   When the river volume drops in August, we can even paddle the additional 2.5 km up to Azure Lake by using back channels, eddies, and some shoreline lining, if necessary.    Azure Lake provides another 24 km of paddling each way.   For a day paddle, though, we can paddle up the lake to Divers Bluff Marine Campsite and back. 12.6 km on the lake.    Any canoe or kayak can paddle up the lakeshore but seaworthy boats are needed to cross the lake if it is windy.  We paddled up the east shore on a smoky day.

The lake was busy with tour groups in canoes as we headed north.

There were no winds so our progress was steady along the shoreline.

The orange-red rocks of the cliffs at Divers’  Bluff can be seen at a distance.

The journey/route to the marine campsite is 6 km, one to one and a half hours of paddling.

We had lunch on the beach then checked the campsites and a short trail on the terrace.   There is also a 1.5 km trail to a lookout, but on a smoky day, we did not attempt it.

On the shoreline were some hooded lady’s tresses (spiranthes romanzoffiana), an orchid.

By late summer, there are fewer varieties of flowers, but daisies and asters continue to bloom until first frost.

On the way back the winds rose so we stayed close to the shoreline and so did this family of mergansers.

We try to paddle Clearwater Lake every year and Azure or Murtle Lake very third year.   Smoky conditions have discouraged us from camping in these remote marine campsites this year and last year so we are waiting for our next clean-air opportunity.

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Horseshoe Lake

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There are a number of lakes in the Roche Lake Provincial Park area.   Some are easily accessible like Bleeker Lake, Roche Lake, and Horseshoe Lake and some are harder to get to, requiring high clearance or 4WD.    Horseshoe Lake  Campsite/boat launch is off the West Roche Lake Road and the branch road is clearly signed.   The road is a bit bumpy with some potholes, but is suitable for most vehicles.   At the end of the road are 4 primitive campsites, a gravel boat launch, and lots of room for parking.

The boat launch starts in shallow waters    On this summer day there was no one at the lake.

Much of the lake has a marshy shoreline.   Behind the wetlands is montane forest.

Paddlers can go down a number of marsh channels to explore.   this one was covered in lily pads and smartweed.

Dragonflies were abundant in the marshes and along the shoreline.  This one landed and stayed long enough for me to get a photo from the kayak.

Some of the shallow areas were full of aquatic plants, a great place for fish to hide from predators.

Smartweed was in bloom in some of the shoreline alcoves.

A few lilies were in bloom too, with others emerging.

A small creek on the northeast end filled the lake from Roche-Tulip-Rose Lakes and a dammed channel was draining north to meet Bleeker Creek on its way down to Campbell Creek.

There were many interesting spots to explore around side channels, around reed-rush islands, and in shallow bays.    The shallows are full of life and a quiet paddle on a quiet lake is a great way to experience the wetlands.

A paddle around the lake is only about 2.7 km so it is best suited to an exploratory paddle of the wetlands, but it could also be combined with another lake in the area.

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Jacko Lake Paddle

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Jacko Lake is one of the closest lakes to Kamloops and at a low altitude, it is also one of the first ice-free lakes for fishing.   It is a busy place in spring so we paddle on the larger lakes early and come back to Jacko in summer when the lake heats up and fishing is not so good.   When we go there in mid-summer, we may be the only ones in the launch area.    The paddle around all the lake, going into all the arms of the star-shaped lake is about 5 km.

The parking area provides easy access for both launching and landing.

Grassland hills surround the lake.

In each of the lake’s arms, the water is shallower and has marshy sections full of water insects, ducks, frogs, blackbirds, and muskrats.

On this day there were a dozens of ducks, mostly barrow’s golden eyes.

In the sheltered bays, reflections welcome paddlers.

 

Jacko Lake is really more of a Peterson Creek reservoir.   It has past mining activity to the north and east.    The dam on the east side of the lake is opened for late summer draw-down for ranches downstream.     But is is also a  stocked lake (rainbow trout) for fishing. In the shallow bays hatches were obvious and we hear that a good bet is chironomids.

The access road in can be a bit rough, but is suitable for most vehicles.  Right at the junction is Inks Lake, another  good spot for a summer paddle.

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