Author Archives: Kamloops Kayak

Stake in October

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In the fall Stake Lake is a “go-to” spot since the lake is one of the best paddling spots, it is relatively quiet, and we can do a paddle and hike on the trails.     On an October day, there was little wind and fall color was in patches around the lake.

I paddled twice around the lake (60 minutes), then went for a short hike.    A few images from the paddle are shared here.    Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.

Depending on conditions we may be able to paddle into early November this year (about 80 days of paddling in 2023).

Watch for a video on this hike on the YouTube Ramble On channel.

 

Kayaking Red Lake

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On a mid-October sunny day I drove the backroads to Red Lake and paddled the lake in breezy conditions.    Because the lake had suffered some winterkill, there were only a couple of boats on the lake.

This is a scenic lake and though there are burned forest sections, the area is usually quiet and mostly unspoiled.    I paddled most of the the lakeshore in about 1.5 hours.    A few images are shared here.    Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.

I hope to be back to paddle Red Lake again in 2024.

 

 

Logan Lake

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On a fall day I drove to Logan Lake to paddle the lake, then I hiked one of the trails.    There is a good launch spot at the campground on the east end of the lake.

I paddled twice around the lake (3.6 km), then secured the boat to go for a hike.    A few images are shared here.   Click an image for a lightbox view.

This is a nice spot for a combination paddle-and-hike and is a recommended outing.

 

 

 

 

Back to the River

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Near the start of October I returned back to the river.    When time is short, I can launch the boat at Pioneer Park and paddle up the river and back in an hour.    On this day, I paddled the river, then secured the boat and played tennis right next-door.


Some fall color is a feature of fall paddling on the South Thompson River.  Winds were light and there were no other boats on the river.

A few ducks dabbled in the river.    There were lots of birds – an eagle, magpies, crows, gulls, robins, woodpeckers, and various smaller species.

The river is too busy and too noisy in the summer so we wait until October to return.    There will be more days of paddling on the river before the end of the kayaking season.

And a short Youtube video of this paddle:

 

Nicola Lake from Monck Park

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On a cool, grey day with a smattering of rain I drove down to Monck Park and launched the kayak onto Nicola Lake.

Nicola Lake can be a windy spot and some cool winds were blowing down the lake so I stayed on the shoreline of the lake, enjoying the quiet paddle in spite of the conditions.

Nicola Lake is a big lake so I launch out of three spots (north south, and middle-west) and do different loops each time.    For 2023 this was my second time on the lake, day 67 of paddling.     After paddling I secured the boat, then hiked the trails.

A few moments from the paddle will soon be on the Ramble On YouTube Channel. 

 

 

 

 

 

Cool Fall Winds on McConnell Lake

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When there are winds forecast I try to get an earlier start because the winds get stronger by late morning.    I also chose a smaller sheltered lake and one of the best for this kind of day is McConnell Lake.   I launched early, the only boat on the lake that morning.

I paddled twice around the lake, once in each direction.    The wind was consistent at 10 – 15 km/hour.

Near the end of the second lap, the winds died down for a short time, but were back just after I finished the paddle.


After paddling I secured the boat, then went for a hike on the trail, exploring the forest before returning back to town.

A few moments from the paddle on the lake are shared here in a short YouTube video on the Ramble On Channel.

 

 

Kayaking Edith Lake

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On a cool, sunny late September morning I chose Edith Lake for an hour of paddling.    When I got there I found out that the World Fly Fishing Championships were scheduled for that day.   Eight women’s teams would be on the lake so I paddled out right away.

The back bays were quiet with no fishing boats, a perfect day for kayaking.

The competitors were clustered around the area out from the boat launch.    Fishing was slow, but the organizers were hovering nearby to count and measure the fish caught.    I gave the cluster of boats a wide berth as I completed a single loop of the lakeshore.

Edith Lake is one of my “go-to lakes.”    It is closest to home, the paddling is always good (except at the busiest times, which I avoid), and it is a scenic spot for an hour or two of paddling.

Watch for a short YouTube video on the Ramble On Channel.

 

 

 

Lac le Jeune after the Wildfires

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While the Ross Moore Fire was active, we avoided go to Lac le Jeune, partly because of smoky conditions, but we just wanted to stay out of the way too.   By fall the smoke had dissipated so we went to Lac le Jeune Provincial Park and launched from the beach.

On a mild day, the winds were light and we paddled around the shoreline.

A few moments from the morning of paddling are captured in this YouTube video:

 

 

Around Gibraltar Rock

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When we paddle on Paul Lake, we can pass close to the sheer slopes of Gibraltar Rock.    On a June day, I paddled a loop route on the middle part of the lake.

Some video moments of the paddle are captured here:

This day in June was the third day of paddling on Paul Lake for 2023 and the 26th day of kayaking in the year.    On to other lakes for the rest of the year…

Cold Winds and Fly Fishing on Jacko Lake

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Near the Fall Equinox  on a cool morning, I arrived at Jacko Lake to find it very busy.    The World Fly Fishing Championships was scheduled for September 24 to 30, but teams from around the world were arriving and practice rounds were on local lakes, including Jacko Lake.   When I arrived the French team and the Italian team were ready to launch.      I quickly unloaded and launched onto the lake, sticking to the shoreline, avoiding fishermen.

Winds were light at the start, but gusts started, blowing down the lake from the northwest.   Remnants of the rainy/stormy weather of the night before hung on over the hills.

The lake’s body of water was low and the bays had lots of aquatic growth, making the loop around the lake a bit shorter.     Jacko is ascenic lake so any loop is a rewarding one.

I left the fly fishermen to some hours on the lake and got out of the cold wind.    Jacko is a favorite lake, always worth my time, but I will avoid the crowds and the wind on upcoming outings.

More information on Jacko Lake at this link.

 

 

Stake Lake X3

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Although the Stake Lake Rec Site is officially “closed” because of the Ross Moore Lake wildfire, the gate to the parking area is open and lots of people are fishing or paddling the lake, and hiking, walking and biking the inner trails.   On a cloudy but mild September day I launched my kayak into the lake and paddled around the shoreline.

There was a breeze on the lake, but not enough to deter me from a great day of paddling on the lake.    I paddled around twice, once in each direction.    That takes about an hour.

After paddling, I secured the boat on the roof rack, then hiked around the lake, mostly using single tracks where available.

After a period of extended drought the forest is still very dry.    A few shrubs and perennials were still green if they were near water.

This is a favorite, three times around Stake Lake.      We will do this again in the fall.

Some moments of the three loops are shared here in a short YouTube video:

 

Kayaking McGillivray Lake

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On a sunny September morning I launched my kayak onto McGillivray Lake and paddled the shoreline.

The best boat launch is at the McGillivray Lake Outpost.    From the Village of Sun Peaks, take Sun Peaks Road to the gravel McGillivary Forest Service Road.    Continue for 6 km to the signed turn to the lake.   A paddle around the lake is about 4.5 km.     There are several shallow bays and 3 islands to explore.

On this day there was no one on the lake.     I spotted an osprey, and eagle. a loon, and several ducks, but otherwise all was quiet.    A few images are shared here.    Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.

More information – McGillivray Lake

 

Kayaking Isobel Lake

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On a sunny September morning I launched my kayak into Isobel Lake and paddled around the lakeshore.

A complete loop of the lake is about 2.3 km so twice around is the usual routine, once in each direction.    Since the trails are right there too, it is a good spot for a paddle and hike outing.

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

The lake was fairly quiet, but there were some RVs in the campground and one other boat on the lake on a weekday morning.

More information – Isobel Lake

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On Isobel Lake

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Kayaking Leighton Lake

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On a sunny September day I arrived early at Leighton Lake.    I launched the kayak from the campground boat launch in calm conditions.

There were lots of ducks on the lake and a few fishermen, but it was quiet, peaceful, and scenic.

Once around the lake was 3.4 km.    On this day I secured the boat, then also hiked the Leighton Lake Trail, a 7 km signed route through the Tunkwa Lake Provincial Park grasslands, a recommended route.

This is a great choice for a late summer or early fall paddle.

 

 

Kayaking Campbell Lake

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Sometimes there are pelicans on Campbell Lake in late summer or the start of fall.    We can never tell until we get there.   The lake was hit with winterkill, so the campground was empty and with so few fish in the lake, the pelicans may have gone elsewhere.    I did spot two of them on Scuitto Lake on the way in.     I launched my kayak on a grey, windy, slightly smoky day and paddled the lake.

Much of the lake has shallow bays full of aquatic growth so we usually paddle around the lake in an oval shape.

Campbell LakeThere were lots of ducks on the lake, but no larger birds and no fishermen.  It was a quiet paddle, mostly exercise and outdoor recreation; Day 57 of paddling this year.

I did a short video on last year’s paddle on the lake, provided here:

 

 

 

On Buse Lake

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Buse Lake Protected Area extends from Barnhartvale Road, across the lake, then up into the hills to the Buse Hill hiking area.    Buse Lake has no established access route, but it is only a short hike down to the shoreline from a pull-off area on the road.    To paddle the lake, we have be haul the boat down the slope to the shoreline.

Buse Lake is a highly alkaline lake and by mid-summer the lake has brine shrimp and brine flies.    A number of birds are attracted to lakes with high alkaline salt content.    I spotted ducks, swallows and killdeer on this day.

It was a calm day for a paddle around the lake exploring the bays and the shoreline.    Alkali salts fringe the shoreline in some areas and pickleweed was turning red right above the white band.   The bays were choked with aquatic growth and there was some algae in the shallows.

Buse Lake is a spot for naturalists, or for a paddler interested in the ecology of an alkali lake in the summer.     A few moments of the experience are captured in this video: