Author Archives: Kamloops Kayak

Trapp Lake

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Trapp Lake is a long narrow lake right on Highway 5A.   It is surrounded by hills and rangelands, though there is some Crown land too.   It is not known as a fishing lake, nor does it see much recreational use.   There is a good hand launch spot for paddlers a short distance off the highway (at N50 27.931 W120 16.246).

Trapp Lake imageWe can go around the lake in either direction, but it will depend on the wind.   On this day early in the morning the lake was calm and the reflections off the hills were displayed in the lake’s surface.

IMG_6253rIt was almost a shame to paddle since the movement of the boat sent ripples into the reflections.

IMG_6254brThe grasslands stretch up the hillsides in both directions.

IMG_6256crThe water quality of the lake is not the best and there can be an algae bloom on the lake mid-summer, but in fall it is a quiet, cool, muddy lake down in the bottom of the valley.

IMG_6258rPaddling down one shore to the end and back up the other in a long loop is a 10.4 km paddle.   The highway traffic is the drawback, but on a weekday morning the number of vehicles was comparatively low and I just tuned out the noise.   In its own unique way, Trapp Lake is another beautiful spot in our area.

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Downriver Clearwater to Kamloops

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We launched our kayaks at North Thompson Provincial Park and paddled downriver to Kamloops over 3 days.  We spent our first night on an island in the middle of the river.

 

We launched in the morning on the second day and stopped for a break on one of the many sandbars along the route.

Downriver 3 Days 023rThis second section of the journey has many sections of calm water for a longer day of paddling.   The hills on either side rise above the farmland benches of Darfiield and Chu Chua.

Downriver 3 Days 024rCottowwoods line the river and sandbars are exposed in August.   when we paddled this route in June one year, the water ran fast and there were many side channels, but few gravel bars or sandbars above the water.

Downriver 3 Days 027rThe river moves quickly past Barriere and through Fishtrap Canyon.   The hills are barrne because of the 2003 McLure fire

Downriver 3 Days 028rThere are some bumpy sections of water through Fishtrap Canyon as we round Mount Goudreau and Skull Hill, offering some interesting and scenic paddling.

Downriver 3 Days 031rAt the bottom of Fishtrap Canyon there are some rapids and several islands.   In high water, there are three islands, but by August they are a single island.   There are some small bays and sandy beaches on the west side with campsites suitable for a few tents.

Downriver 3 Days 036rThis was our second night of camping, after a 39 km paddle.

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The third day is a slower paddle past McLure and Vinsulla towards a canyon north of Heffley Lake.

On the North Thompson River 023rAlthough the river seems to be moving slowly, we averaged 8.5 km/hour over the 36km distance to Kamloops.

On the North Thompson River 025brcThe Heffley Rapids are always an exciting paddle, but they are less formidable in August.   We stopped at the mouth of Jamieson Creek to scout the rapids and pick a route.   We opted for a route to the right and passed through without incident, but we also enjoyed the bumpy ride over a series of smaller rapids over a kilometer distance.   Below the rapids, we passed Heffley creek and Rayleigh with grasslands above the communities.

On the North Thompson River 055rOld log boom poles run down the side of the river in Rayleigh.

On the North Thompson River 060brWe landed in Westysde at Harrington Road, not the best place to haul the boats and gear, but Kamloops lacks good landing/launching spots on the North Thompson within the City’s limits.

The entire journey was about 112km over 3 days.   There are many good places to camp on islands in the river so the trip could be done in 2-4 days.   We had good weather and little wind so the days were long, but reasonable.   Camping on the river is a wonderful experience, one that we will paddle downriver Clearwater to Kamloops again in upcoming years.

Glimpse Lake

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Glimpse Lake is in the forest at the upper edge of the Douglas Lake grasslands.   To get to the lake, turn onto the Douglas Lake Road at Nicola Lake and climb through the ranchlands for 7 km, then turn left onto the Lauder Road.   Follow the Lauder Road for 16 km as it passes the Lauder Ranch and a section of the Nicola Lake Indian Reserve.   At the starting edge of the lake at a cattleguard, a signed sideroad goes into Glimpse Lake Southwest Rec Site.  It is a shady site with 8 campsites and a shallow shoreline.

The main road goes around to the north side of the lake and there is a good public boat launch for fishermen (electric motors only) and paddlers.   There is also an open-forested recreation site (Glimpse Lake North) farther along the road with 17 campsites.

Glimpse LakePaddlers can hand launch at either Rec Site, but the main boat launch is a good one and a better choice for both parking, launching, and landing.   The paddle around the shoreline is about 6 km.

IMG_6359rThere are extensive shallows in the lake and in fall, the lake was down a couple of feet so paddlers have to be careful to stay out of the reeds, milfoil, and mud.   The lake is popular with fishermen so it is best to pick non-prime times to visit the lake.   A sign at the boat launch states that 12 000 Pennask rainbow trout were stocked in the lake.

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IMG_0994r IMG_6364r

The paddle around Glimpse Lake is a peaceful retreat off-season and a good choice for canoes or kayaks.   In addition, the drive up the Lauder Road is a scenic one.   The Charles Beaks cabin is passed not far above the Nicola River.

IMG_6365brThe Lauder Road climbs up through the open grasslands of the Douglas Plateau.

IMG_6357rIt is possible to return by backroads past Peterhope Lake too, but bring a current topo map and/or a GPS to navigate that route.   I chose to backtrack, taking the time to enjoy the views along the way.

Surrey and Sussex Lakes

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Surrey and Sussex Lake lie near to the Surrey Summit (1444 m /4738 feet) on the Coquihalla Highway, but the access route is off the Logan Lake Road.   Going west towards Logan Lake for 7 km, we turn left onto the Surrey Lake Forest Service Road and follow the road up the hill for 6.9 km until it passes under the Coquihalla.   Watch for a Surrey Lake Fishing Resort sign and turn right onto that sideroad.   At 1.3 km, the Resort is reached, but look for another side road going to the right.   This narrow road follows the western shoreline of Surrey Lake and beyond to Sussex Lake.

Surrey and Sussex LakeI found 3 spots to park and hand launch on the side of Surrey Lake.   Paddlers could also ask to launch at the Resort which would involve a small day-use fee.   The shoreline paddle is 4.6 km, including the shallow bay on the northeast side of the lake.

IMG_0875rIn fall this lake was very quiet.   The cool morning temperatures left a few lingering mists, but there were some ducks in the shallow bays.   There are a small handful of cabins on the lake in addition to the fishing resort, but no one was stirring on this day.   Most of the shoreline is treed and even through there has been extensive logging in the area, most of the cut blocks are not visible from the lakes, except on one side of remote Sussex Lake.

IMG_0879rThe road continues over to Sussex Lake, but it is narrow and rough 0.6km to the Sussex Lake Rec Site.   Bring an axe or chainsaw for any fallen trees.   From Google Earth, there IMG_6618rappears to be another route through a cutblock to the west that will be fine for an ATV, but I did not try to bring the truck on the track.

The Rec Site sits on the banks of the lake.   There is a room for a few campers there, an outhouse and some user-made fire rings.   A small hand launch area makes easy unloading.   The paddle around the lake was 3.2km.   There are no cabins at Sussex Lake;   its just a nice high country spot for fishing or paddling.

After paddling the two lakes (7.8km), I came back down the FSR and stopped at Desmond Lake, visible from the Coquihalla.   This small, marshy lake would be better suited to a paddleboard in the spring when it is full (1.7km around the shoreline).

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Near Surrey and Sussex Lakes are more lakes – Frogmoore (a favorite), Bob Lake, and Mildred Lake, more spots for exploration in the High Country.

Isobel Lake

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Isobel Lake is a fine destination for a short hike or to camp at the redeveloped Rec Site.   Fishing is now restricted to youth, in this small, shallow lake stocked with rainbow trout.   All around the shoreline is quite shallow, but the middle of the lake is up to 25 feet deep.   For paddlers, the lake is only 2.5km around the perimeter, but it makes a quiet SUP choice for a cool fall day.   I parked and launched at the boat launch area on the northeast corner of the lake.

IMG_6563brIn a counter-clockwise loop, we pass a fishing dock, added for youth and seniors.  We then pass the Forest Inn, an outdoor shelter area for group use.   The west end is very shallow and surrounded by bullrushes and reeds.   The south shore has a number of small islands and logs to paddle around.   On the eastern shoreline, we can paddle around the island in a narrow and shallow passage through the bullrushes.

Isobel Google imageShallow water and pond growth extends far out into the bays around the lake.   Fall colors were emerging and three islands are passed on the SUP loop around the lake.

IMG_0865rIn the summer this can be a busy place and on some days school groups come over from nearby McQueen Lake.  On this last visit early in the morning, mist was still on the lake and there was no one around, with a few ducks on the lake to keep me company.

IMG_0860br

Murtle Lake West

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At the end of September and into the first days of October, we went into Murtle Lake for 4 days, paddling into the west arm.

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From Blue River we drove up the narrow Murtle FSR for 27 km to the parking area.   The parking lot is well-laid out and has information boards and an outhouse.   The portage in is 2.5 km and takes about 1.25 hours.   The Park Operator was working on the track and so it was a bit rough, but we appreciated the maintenance being done on the bridges, the parking area, the launch area and the portage path.

I used a kayak cart, but I could see that a canoe cart (with bigger wheels) would be better for a longer kayak and a bigger load.   Its still a good workout to get in to Murtle (and back out is harder after paddling).   Paddlers can rent a cart at Blue River or pick it up at the lake.

 

 

From the end of the track, we launched our loaded kayaks into Murtle Lagoon.   At the west end of the lagoon Snookwa Creek enters the lagoon, draining the southern slopes and the Stevens Lakes up in Indian Valley.   The distance through the lagoon is 1.6km.   There are two campgrounds right at entrance into the lake and we have stayed there before right next to the sandy beach.   This is a good choice if conditions are windy on arrival.   Paddlers either head north or west from this point.   The first campsite on the way north is Strait Creek, a wonderful spot.

 

This time we pointed our kayaks to the northwest with no winds to slow us down.   Our route passed Sandy Point Campground at 5.4 km.   The Wavy Range dominated views to the  east.

IMG_0891crAt 8.9 km we passed the point where the Park Operator’s cabin sits looking over the lake.  By going in straight line, we saved some distance and Fairyslipper Island was passed at 11.2 km.   There are 4 West Arm campgrounds not far past the island – Leo Island, Birch Beach, Cottonwood, and Tropicana.   We paddled down the middle of the lake and found Leo Island unoccupied so we landed and set up a base camp for the duration of this trip,  a first day total of 13 km of paddling.

IMG_6287r Leo IMG_6291r Leo

 

Leo Island has 3 designated fire rings with room for 2-4 tents at each.   There is also a bear-proof food cache and an outhouse.   The operator had left some sections of windfallen trees for firewood.   The beaches are sandy and the water is clear and clean, especially in the fall.

A sandy spit reaches out south from the campsite, but there is another sandspit on the other side too.   When I hiked the Central Mountain Trail on another trip, I could see the sand bars on either side extending toward the shoreline of the lake.

north side spit

north side spit

 Leo Island

 

Nearby are 3 alternate campsites:

  • Cottonwood Campsite (0.6k m north)
  • Birch Beach (1.0 km northeast)
  • Tropicana (1.3km west)

 

Any of these sites will make a good basecamp for paddling and exploration of the west arm (more information on where to go in the next story).

Murtle 9 DuskEastbr

To follow:

  • Murtle Lake – A Guide to the West Arm

Pass Lake

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Pass Lake is located on the Lac du Bois Road about 2.5km past the McQueen Lake-Isobel Lake turn-off.   Access is through the Pass Lake Rec Site.   There are 13 camping spots at this fishing lake and a good boat launch

Pass LakeThis is a small lake and I used the SUP to do a 2.5km loop around the lake.    Lakes with a perimeter of 2-4 km are just right for the board, leaving larger lakes to the kayak.

The shoreline is shallow but the water is about 30′ deep for much of the middle section of the lake.

IMG_6557rAt the west end of the lake is a former Agriculture Canada Field Research Station.   This was established in 1886, at first as part of a federal forest fire lookout station, but later was made part of the Ag Canada Station in Brocklehurst which then was closed by the Conservative Government in 2013.   The land is currently leased to local ranchers.   When I paddled by, it was actively being used.

IMG_0854rBeyond Pass Lake the road continues and becomes the Sawmill Lake Forest Service Road going into the high country near Saul Lake, Tranquille Lake, and beyond to Criss Creek.   Another branch heads over the O’Connor Road to Mt. Hyde and back to Westsyde.

This is a popular campsite fishing spot so paddlers are advised to pick less busy times to paddle the small lake.   On an early morning in September, there were no boats of the lake in an hour of quiet paddling.

Stump Lake

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We have hiked and biked around Stump Lake, but paddling the lake eluded us because of frequent strong winds.   I resolved to get onto the lake early in the morning before the winds came up, so I set out to paddle as much of the lake as I could.   To paddle the whole lake perimeter is about 19 km, a long stretch of paddling, but too long if the wind rises up.   The winds did come, but I managed to complete 14 km of paddling first.

The best launch spot is midway along the west shore where there is a designated rest area.

IMG_6260rSome of the shoreline has homes, but most of the southern shoreline has wetlands in the riparian zone and grasslands rising above.

IMG_0828rOn this early morning with some wind, there were no boats on the lake and little activity on the shoreline.

IMG_0824rAs the winds rose, I tucked into the more sheltered bays on the east shore, working my way south into the winds.   The shoreline paddle heading north was much quicker with a tailwind.

IMG_0819rThe north end of the lake will be another day of paddling.   Most of the larger lakes are done in 2 or more days, always watching the wind forecast.

IMG_6265rSailboarders and kitesurfers head to Stump Lake on a windy day, but paddlers have to watch for the wind forecast which comes out the day before.  The north end of the lake will wait until next year now.

IMG_6259br“The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. As age comes on, one source of enjoyment after another is closed, but nature’s sources never fail.”   (John Muir)

 

Birch Lake

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The Interlakes Area of Highway 24 has many lakes to paddle and explore.   Birch Lake is found west of McDonald Summit (4300 feet) on the Nehaliston Plateau just east of Lac des Roches.   The turn off the highway is signed as Phinetta Lake.   It goes south to the Opax Mountain Resort which owns the campsite/launch area at Birch Lake.   Paddlers can stop here to pay the modest ($10) launch fee.   There was also a self-registration deposit system at the lake office.  The road goes down towards Phinetta Lake, then turns right where anarrow rough road leads us to the shores of Birch Lake.

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The Birch Lake Fish Camp has a nice boat launch in a scenic location.

IMG_6498rBirch Lake sits in a basin surrounded by forested hills.   The there are some shallow bays and one rocky island.

IMG_0837rThe lake was calm with blue sky and fluffy clouds.   The birch trees were starting to turn color on the western shores.

IMG_0843rThe paddle around the perimeter of the lake is 7.5 km.   This is a pleasant spot for paddlers.   On the way out, I stopped to look at Phinetta Lake and decided it would be better for a SUP with its smaller size (along with nearby Goose Lake).   The Phinetta Road continues on for 6km to the upper end of the Eakin Creek Valley offering an alternate route back east, coming out on Highway 24 highway at the bottom of the Big Hill.

There are a lot of rec sites next to lakes in the area.   For anyone who loves to paddle, there are enough lakes within an hour’s drive of Interlakes to keep us paddling every day for a couple of weeks (at least) – Lac des Roches, Phinetta Lake, Latremouille Lake, Crystal Lake, Sheridan Lake, Deka Lake, Sulphurous Lake, Lynn Lake, Wavey Lake, Sheridan Lake, Hathaway Lake, Drewry Lake, Needa Lake, Eagan Lake, Bonaparte Lake, Caverhill Lake, Akehurst Lake, Bridge Lake, Janice Lake, Emar Lakes Circuit, and many more.

Lac du Bois

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Up to now, I have not attempted to bring the long kayak to paddle the smaller lakes, but with the addition of a stand-up paddleboard, smaller lakes like Lac du Bois, Pass Lake, and Isobel Lake are now on “the list” of lakes to be paddled.

The best launch spot is at the southeast corner of the lake.   Following the shoreline around the circuit is 3.3 km.

Lac du BoisThe long finger of land that sticks out into the lake is an esker, a winding gravelly moraine, formed by a stream running underneath a glacier as it retreated.

The lake is too muddy and shallow for fish.   It is more like a large lagoon with riparian growth around the shoreline.   I found a large turtle shell just above the northern shore and I have spotted muskrats swimming in the lake, along with ducks.   We could see a number of pond creatures swimming below the board.   Grasslands surround the lake on the north and east sides and a forested hill flanks the west side.

IMG_6522rWhen I paddled around the lake, there was no one around except for a few ducks on the lake.   The leaves were just starting to change color.

IMG_0849rWe have hiked past the shoreline of the lake many times, but this was my first time on the lake itself.   Shooting photos from the SUP was a bit of challenge.  I didn’t want to fall off the board into the cool, muddy lake so the steps of framing the picture, adjusting settings, focusing, and reviewing was hit-and-miss at best.    I suspect kneeling or sitting will be required to get the photos I want.

The original goal was to paddle 50 lakes, but with the SUP now available, many smaller lakes are now on the long list bringing it to more than 100 lakes.

Peterhope Lake

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On a morning day with winds predicted to pick up in the afternoon, I headed south to Stump Lake to paddle for a couple of hours, but the winds were already strong by 9:00 in the morning so I had a backup plan ready – to paddle Peterhope Lake instead.   Just past the end of Stump Lake is the Peterhope Lake Road.   This is a good gravel road and the lake is 7.5 km up the hill.  At the end of the lake is the popular North Peterhope Lake Rec Site.    There are two good boat launches, easy access for paddlers.

IMG_6241rThe lake has a few reedy bays to explore.   The north end is not used by fishermen since it is tooshallow.   The dam for the lake is at the northernmost end.   At the southwest corner is a narrow channel to a smaller lake, shallow but suitable for canoes or kayaks.

peterhope topoThere are some homes along the east and west shores, but it was a quiet spot on a weekday in September.   The distance around the lake, including the shallow areas was 6.75 km.

IMG_0812rThe campsite is a nice one with trailer access so it will be a busy spot on a weekend.    We  try to avoid paddling at busy fishing times so a weekday or off season would be a good time to choose to explore Peterhope Lake.

On the way back past Stump Lake, the skies were clearing, offering nice views down the lake.

IMG_6242brI stopped at the lakeshore to look out over the lake.   Its always windy on Stump Lake.

IMG_6246rThe plan is to paddle the north half of Stump one day and the south half another day, but windy days have been thwarting my plans.   Or maybe I should try a different activity?

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SUP(pose)

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After years of kayaking, I decided to give Stand Up Paddleboarding a shot.   The previous attempt had been on Kauai, where I was thrown around by the surf.   Without instruction or practice, I was launched a few times and ended the whole experience discouraged and unsure about SUP.

One of the attractions for me is the simplicity of set-up.   Hauling around an 18.5 foot kayak is always a lot of work, but once I am in the boat, I am happy to paddle for hours and the seaworthy kayak handles wind and waves well.   On the other hand, going for a quick paddle on a smaller lake with a paddleboard is a tempting alternative.

I decided to take a lesson before buying a board.   I called up PaddleSurfit at Heffley Lake and opted for a one-hour private lesson.   I arrived and Bodie gave me the introduction and stand-up-paddle-boarding-sup-vector-527638we were soon on the lake.   Shaky at first, with Bodie’s guidance I found the right stance and my balance point, but my paddling was awkward and ineffective, except for going around in circles.   I was guided in steps to the correct position and stroke, although it will take many hours of practice to make it natural and automatic.

By the end of the lesson, I was hooked.   The next step was to get a paddleboard.   From my research, there are no used ones in sight.   New ones range in price from $700 to $2000, but I won’t be racing, doing yoga, or surfing so I chose a long (14′) touring paddleboard.   Then there will be lots of hours of practice. Watch for me on a local lake.

IMG_6522rThe river slips through its silent bed.

Sway, Sway,

As the bubbles spray

And fall in tinkling tunes away.

And up the hills against the sky.

A fir tree rocking its lullaby

Swings, swings,

Its emerald wings,

Swelling the song that my paddle sings.

Pauline Johnson

 

Juniper Beach

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Camping at Juniper Beach Provincial Park has both good and not-so-good features.   On the less-desirable side, two railroad lines flank the spot and trains run throughout the night.   The site has a few trees but for the most part is open and the campsites are side-by-side facing the river.   There is power and water for hard-sided units now, along with showers, waste-water disposal, outhouses, picnic tables, a day use area and a beach.

On the good side, the river is a beautiful spot.   Gravel bars with some sandy sections front the fast-flowing river.   When the river drops, it leaves a pond, perfect for the little ones.

IMG_6379rI launched my boat and tried to paddle up the river.   The river runs very fast through this part of the canyon and I could only get up the first set of rapids, but could not get through the next set.

IMG_6389rTurning back downstream are a series of claybank slopes and hoodoos.

IMG_0762rBelow the river is another set of Class 2 rapids.   I wasn’t sure if could get back up them so I turned around and had to paddle hard upstream to get up to the campsite.   Although it was fun to paddle through the fast water, the choices here are limited.   We have paddled downstream from Savona to Juniper Beach before and it is a fun route with a number of Class 2 rapids along the 20 km route.   Launching from Juniper Beach, though, does not offer much to a paddler.

We walked along the gravel bars up and down the river.   The barren hills above show the semi-arid south-facing slopes of the Cache Creek – Arrowstone Hills.

 From Juniper Beach are a number of interesting tours – Walhachin, Deadman’s Valley, and Back Valley.   We chose to drive up the Battle Creek FSR to the Back Valley Road, then turned right to go east toward Deadman’s Valley in a 52.6km loop.

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Along the route we passed some lava cliffs in the Battle Creek Gorge, then Stinking Lake and Cultus Lake.   As we descended into the Deadman’s Valley, the eroded cliffs and hoodoos rising above the river are another point of interest.IMG_6402rA more ambitious choice from the Back Valley Road would be to climb into the Arrowstone Hills, but there are no established trails.   We plan to find some routes, but this is a big, remote area that will take some time to explore.

Apart from the railroad and the side-by-side camping, the area fronting the river is a nice spot for peaceful camping and walking.   The alpenglow and rising moon signaled the end of each day while camping at Juniper Beach.

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Pinaus Lake

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Pinaus Lake is found in the hills between Falkland-Westwold and Okanagan Lake.   Just after passing Westwold, a Forest Service Road leads up into the hills.   Follow the Pinaus FSR for 18 km, ignoring turns to Ingram Lake and Tuk (Tuktakamin Mountain).   The Pinaus Lake Resort is at the start/west end of the lake.   The narrow road continues to wind along the north shore.   Watch for a sign for the turn down to the Pinaus Lake North Rec Site.   This is a larger campsite (8 open sites) on the shore of the lake.   There is a good hand launch site.

IMG_0767rI paddled 8km along the the shoreline on a windy day.

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There are a few homes/cabins along the northeast shoreline, but most of the lake is surrounded by steep forested slopes.   On a Monday morning the lake was very quiet, with only a few loons, ducks, dragonflies, and an eagle active on the lake.  A few sand/gravel beaches were found along the north shore providing easy landing spots along the way.

IMG_0776rThe goal is to paddle all the larger lakes in the area and we return to paddle the best ones.   Pinaus Lake is a very good choice for a quiet paddle on a remote lake.   Recommended.

  • Launch site – N50 25.742 W119 35.832

Allan Lake

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Allan Lake is found at the northeast end of the Bonaparte Plateau.   Bonaparte Lake is the largest of all lakes in the area but Mayson Lake and nearby Allan Lake are the next largest vehicle-access lakes.   To get to Allan Lake, drive for 45km up the Jamieson Creek Forest Service Road, then turn east onto the Gorman FSR.   At 2.7 km along the sideroad, a signed turn leads us into the Allan Lake Rec Site.

Allan Lake The campsite is a good spot to launch a boat for a 9km (2 hour) shoreline paddle around the lake.   The lake has been dammed to maintain the water levels so there are a lot of tree stumps along the shoreline.

IMG_0747rThere is also lots of marshland around the edges with shallow bays to explore.

IMG_0752rTraveling this far up backroads to paddle a lake is warranted for a number of reasons:

  • there will likely be no one around (I saw no one at all in the whole area on this August weekday)
  • there were bald eagles, ospreys, loons, kingfishers, and other birds
  • from the appearance of the water lilies, moose had been grazing in the shallows
  • I spotted a bear and some deer nearby
  • the lake is large enough to paddle for 2 hours, a good workout
  • we can drive a loop route back

From Allan Lake, I drove down the Gorman Lake FSR for 6 km to Gorman Lake.

IMG_6227rContinuing along the Gorman FSR we are provided views northeast across to the Dunn Range.

IMG_6231rIt is 9.5 km from Gorman Lake down to Westsyde Road.   The whole route is 2WD, but it is slow-going.   From the junction, the right fork follows Fishtrap Creek down to the McLure Ferry and beyond to Westsyde Road.   The left fork goes back to Barriere.

We can paddle on a busy lake or we can find an out-of-the-way peaceful lake in the backcountry.   Both Allan and Mayson Lakes are fine choices for a day with only the birds and fish.