Category Archives: Kayaking

On Campbell Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

In late summer each year I drive the backroads to get to Campbell Lake Rec Site to paddle the lake and, at the same time, spot and photograph pelicans and sandhill cranes.    I timed it right and saw both, along with eagles, an osprey, loons, many ducks, deer, and shoreline birds.   Campbell Lake is a pretty spot, with low hills surrounding the lake.

Paddling the whole lake shoreline is about 8 km, but some of the bays are very shallow in late summer so paddlers may need to adjust their shoreline routes.

There were about 10 pelicans standing on rocks or in shallow rocky bays on the south side of the lake.  To get good photos, we have to drift in, then use a good telephoto lens.

The  shallower bays were sometimes choked with aquatic vegetation, but getting closer to the sandhill cranes and pelicans means paddling through those bays, scraping the rudder in the mud.

About 20 sandhill cranes flew into the lake and landed on the shoreline at the end of a large muddy bay.

After spending some time watching the pelicans and cranes I paddled all the way around the lake, another great day of paddling in the hills.

 

 

On Community Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Community Lake is on Community Mountain at 4500 feet.    Drive toward Knouff Lake, but turn off at the signed Community Lake FSR.   There is a Rec site at about the 6 km mark up the gravel road.     There is a good boat launch and lots of parking at the Rec Site.

The access road was in good shape.   On a cool morning there was no one else on the lake, but there were a few people camping at the Rec Site.

No wind on the lake and some darker clouds overhead provided some refelctions in the glassy water.

There are 5-6 islands in the lake and some shallow bays to explore.

Tod Mountain rises above the trees to the east 9 km away.

A paddle around the lake takes about an hour.   When I go to the lake, sometimes I fo around the lake twice, once in each direction.

Community Lake is one of my favorites, one I do every summer or fall.

Back to Walloper

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

As the summer winds down, some of the lakes start to shrink from both evaporation and from draw down for irrigation.    Bleeker Lake is quite low right now and Walloper Lake too has receding shorelines and shallow bays.    The shallowest bays are now full of aquatic vegetation, making paddling difficult.    Nevertheless, on a fairly clear day, I launched and paddled for 4.4 km around the lake.

There were loons, ducks, great blue herons, and an osprey on the lake.   Some aquatic plants were blooming in the bays.

There were smoky areas around, but the skies over the Lac le Jeune area were clear for another day of paddling in the high country.

 

Roche Lake West

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

On a mild smokeless day I went to the West Roche Lake Rec Site to launch my kayak.    The road in is rough, but a sign stated that the road will be closed for 3 weeks in the fall for an upgrade.   There was no one in the campsite, but the boat launch was in good shape.   I launched and paddled down to the south end of the lake, doing a one hour loop.

I spotted many ducks, two eagles, a great blue heron, a fawn, a coyote, loons, and a turkey vulture.   There were three fishing boats on the lake, but all seemed quiet.

In recovering from a summer cold, I was pleased to be able to paddle for 65 minutes with almost no wind, and good conditions.

Here is a Google Earth Fly-By of the day’s paddle:

 

Each week brings new paddling destinations, but the choices are determined by conditions – wind, smoke, and weather.  Each outing is a choice-of-the-day.

 

Paddle Blade in the Smoke

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

The smoke blanketed all of the hills for hundreds of kilometers so I picked a local lake for a one hour paddle.

On the way up I spotted a black bear and on the lake I watched an eagle, two hawks, killdeer, ravens, mergansers, dragonflies, and two grey jays.   There was no wind and no other boats on the water.

A blackbird flock moved around the lakeshore.

With fires in every direction, the chance of a smoke-free day this summer is unlikely.

By keeping the outings shorter and by lowering the intensity, I can still paddle the lakes of the area.    This was my 60th day of paddling in 2021.

 

In the Eye of the Smoke Storm

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Smoke was everywhere, but firesmoke.ca predicted a small pocket of clear air right over Roche Lake Provincial Park, so I headed up there to paddle the lake.    there was blue sky overhead, but ashen skies in every direction.   There were no campers in the two campsites and only two fishing boats on the lake.

I followed the lakeshore, going into marshy areas and shallow bays to explore.

Reeds and rushes filled the shallower bays.

There were a few ducks on the lake, including this merganser.

I also spotted turkey vultures, eagles, loons, a deer, geese, spotted sandpipers, and ravens near the shoreline.

The smoke was predicted to fill in all of the open spots over the next few days so I was pleased to have had one more day of semi-clear weather for paddling.

On Ross Moore Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

On a hot day with no smoke, I drove the Long Lake backroads (30+ km) all the way to Ross Moore Lake.    There was one section of upgraded road near the pipeline.

The road is in good shape to the lake, but then it gets rough to the Rec site and beyond.   There was no one else at or on the lake.

The Rocky Mountain Rangers cabins were closed and quiet.

Ross Moore Lake has been dammed (Ross Moore Lake drains south into Nicola Lake) so there are flooded tree rootstalks, stumps, and logs in two of the shallow bays.

A few snags are still standing in the lake after many years.   Most of these are lodgepole pines.

On the lake were some flowering plants – yellow water lily, water smartweed, and crowfoot.    On the shoreline was marsh skullcap and field mint in flower.

A paddle around the shoreline is about 3.2 km, but I investigated all of the shallow bays and some of the shoreline too, enjoying a quiet, sunny day in the backcountry.

 

Jacko Lake Loops

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Jacko Lake is a favorite paddling lake each year.    It is close to home and has good access (although the road is a bit rough), and it is a scenic area with grasslands hills around the lake.   A loop around the lake is 4.3 km, but in mid-summer the shallow bays get filled with aquatic plants so a loop around is shorter.

I paddled around the lake twice, once in each direction.

There were coots, mergansers, bald eagles, spotted sandpipers, and many blackbirds.

The smoke seemed to be in the valleys and we had clearer conditions up in the Peterson Creek Hills on Jacko Lake.

In August, I try to rotate to different lakes each time, but avoiding smoky spots is the number one priority at this time.    Either way, Jacko Lake is a lovely spot to paddle.

 

A Reprieve on Edith Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

When the smoke seemed to be everywhere, I used firesmoke.ca to select a lake missed by the smoke streams.    There was a forecast gap of good weather for 2 hours at Edith Lake so I got out early to the lake.   Some sun was shining through clouds, and most of the smoke was down in the valley.

Darker clouds were moving in, but conditions were still very good for a paddle around the lakeshore.

The summer drought had turned the pasture lands to dry yellow grasses in the hills around the lake.

I have kept the paddling time during the smoke to an hour to 1.25 hours.    Once around the lake with some photos and some investigation took about an hour.

In most summers, all of the paddling on quiet lakes is rewarding, but with the smoky conditions, we have to take what we can get, doing some research to find the right spots.    Edith Lake was a perfect spot for a summer day in fire season.

 

On a Smoky Paddle on Paul Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

It was smoky everywhere so I used firesmoke.ca to find the least smoky place to paddle and Paul Lake was the best spot.   There were touches of blue directly overhead, but the hills were smoky, especially looking into the early morning sun.

I paddled the east end of the lake, taking time to go through the marshy shallow bays where aquatic plants were in bloom.    I was pleased to spot this arumleaf arrowhead flowering in one bay.

I stopped to examine the growth on a waterlogged log.    I spotted moss, foxtail barley, and epilobeum (willowherb).

I paddled shorter because of the smoke, but it was early, quiet, and the right temperature for another day of paddling, Day 54 for the year.

 

On Stump Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

On a smoky day I reviewed information on firesmoke.ca and saw that the least-smoky area was Nicola and Stump Lake so I got an early start and drove to the south end of the lake, going down a short pitch to a hand-launch spot.

It was grey and smoky around the lake, but bluer skies were directly overhead as I paddled down the shoreline.

The shallower bays had vegetative growth, mostly crowfoot, smartweed, and algae.

Ducks and loons were ever-present in the shallows as I paddled around the south end of the lake.

The loop was about 5 km, the right distance for a smoky, hot day.

This was the 53rd day of paddling this year, the last few in the smoke.  I look forward to paddling in clear air in the weeks to come.

 

 

Trapp Lake on a Smoky Day

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

On a hot smoky day, I used firesmoke.ca to see where the least-smoky area was and the answer was – down the Highway 5A corridor.   With several lakes in mind I went along the lakes and found Trapp Lake to be reasonably good.   the lakes beyond tend to be windy and winds were forecast, so I was happy to find a place for an early paddle.    I had paddled the north end of the lake in the spring so this time I did a 5.5 km loop on the south end of the lake.

The light winds subsided and the sky started to clear at the end of the lake.

There were lost of blackbirds, three eagles, and many ducks on the lake.    Weedy flowers were also blooming, but white clematis covered the banks in the southwest shore.

The pros of paddling Trapp Lake include no boat traffic, easy access, and a longer lake to paddle.   Cons include highway traffic and murky water, especially with algae growth in summer.   But, for a 1.25 hour paddle on a smoky day, it was a perfect place for a workout on the water.

 

On Peterhope Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Peterhope Lake Rec Site is on the northeast corner of the lake, 7 km from the turnoff, just past the south end of Stump Lake.    A good road leads to the Rec site where there is a dedicated boat launch.

Peterhope has marl shoals and sunken islands, with clear water.    Fishermen can catch medium-sized rainbow trout in season.  When smoke blanketed the Interior, the lakes in the this area had relatively clear skies.  Light winds rippled the lake.

At the southwest corner a narrow channel through marshes leads to a small secluded lake.

This was the highlight of the day, going around the shores of the hidden lake.

I paddled back out, then continued around the lake.

A paddle right around the lake, including channels and bays is about 6.5 km.   Peterhope is a favorite lake and I will be back again next year.

 

 

On Pinantan Lake

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

On a hot summer day I kayaked Pinantan Lake arriving early to find quiet paddling.

I launched from the end of Holbrook Road.   There is a good boat launch there and room for a few vehicles to park.

A lakeshore loop is about 4.3 km.    In the distance, Rockface Mountain lies to the west of the lake.

A narrow channel connects the upper lake to the main lake.    I paddled up to the beaver dam and back.   In past years, I have gotten out of the boat and then I have hauled the boat over the dam to paddle the upper lake (link to an article.)

A paddle around the lake takes 1 – 1.25 hours.    A mother loon had two chicks in tow.   She keeps watch over them, but they are bigger now and they can swim and dive.

There were some birds in the marshes, some flowering aquatic plants, and because it was early in the day, the lake was quiet and peaceful.

 

On a Hot Smoky Day

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

When the summers get hot in Kamloops, driving to higher terrain may yield coller temperatures.   When the forest fire smoke fills the valleys, heading away from the source of the smoke may lead to clearer skies.    Lac le Jeune was a good spot in the dog days of summer.   We hiked 9 km through the hills, returning back to the beach at Lac le Jeune Provincial Park.

A paddle around the east end of the lake followed the hike, with little wind and warm temperatures.    Frequent splashes of lakewater on the head helped.

Damselflies hovered over shallow bays in the marshy east end of the lake.

Marsh cinquefoil was just starting to bloom along the marshy shoreline.

The lake was well-used by other kayakers, SUPs, fishermen, and swimmers on a hot summer day.   We hike, paddle, snowshoe, and camp at Lac le Jeune over most of the year, a close-to-Kamloops recreational retreat.