Category Archives: Kayaking

On Surrey Lake

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On a hot summer day I drove to the Logan Lake Road, then turned up onto the Surrey Lake Road.   The FSR parallels the Coquihalla Highway, then crosses under through a tunnel.   Less than 1 km past the tunnel, the signed road to Surrey and Sussex Lakes is now called the Wildlings Lodge Road.

At the gate into the Lodge, a side road goes to the right.   A short distance along that road, there are a couple of pullouts to do a hand launch into the lake at the northwest corner.

A paddle around the shoreline, including all the bays is about 5.0 km.  In addition to the lodge, there are 4-5 private homes, all on the northeast corner of the lake.   The whole lake is forested, mostly with lodgepole pine and marshy reeds and rushes.

There were extensive yellow water lilies in shallow bays.   Dragonflies, damselflies, and insect hatches made all of the bays alive with life.

I spotted a loon, an eagle, and a number of shoreline birds.    Fish were jumping, but the lake was calm for the whole paddle.

I have paddled the lake before (its a favorite), but I have also paddled Sussex Lake.    In winter I have snowshoed a loop route past both lakes.    Nearby are the Frogmoore Lakes, another favorite.

On Jacko Lake Before the Storm

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Winds, rain, thunder and lightning were forecast for the afternoon so I went to Jacko Lake early and launched the kayak in calm conditions.

Jacko Lake was very quiet with no fishermen.    It was just birds and the kayak.

A squall did come in and it rained hard for short time.    Families of geese headed for the cover of shore.

Watching over the shoreline was an immature eagle.    I paddled within 5m of the eagle and it didn’t seem at all worried.

This was my third time on Jacko Lake this season.    I had planned for two loops, but dark clouds and rain discouraged more paddling.   It was a quiet morning paddle, worth the effort to get out early onto a rough road.

 

 

Above the Smoke on McConnell Lake

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With a forest fire in progress it was smoky in the valleys so I drove south to the 4000 ft. level at McConnell Lake where there was less smoke.   It was a hot day so I got an early start.

There was a muskrat on the lake and two loons with two chicks.

I paddled around the lake twice, once in each direction, a total of 5.3 km.

McConnell Lake can be a busy spot so an early start is recommended.

 

On Lodgepole Lake

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On a hot day at the end of June, I drove up to Lodgepole Lake and launched from the Rec Site.    Lodgepole Lake is a small, mostly shallow lake in the high country above Stake Lake at 1408 m (4620 ft).

I paddled around the lake twice and then hiked around the lake, finishing before 10 in the morning.

I only paddle this small lake when it is very hot, very windy, or very smoky, but it is a nice paddle nonetheless.

 

The trail around the lake is a nice one and on this day there were a number of wildflowers to enjoy.

  • Around Lodgepole Lake (on A Wildflower Journal)
  • Lodgepole Lake Loops (on Kamloops Trails)

 

Access – Turn onto the Chuwhels Mountain Road/Lodgepole Lake Road across from Stake Lake.   Continue up the good gravel road for 2.5 km to the Lodgepole Lake Recreation Site.

 

On Lac le Jeune West (Lake)

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On a hot summer morning, I drove to Lac le Jeune and launched from the beach area.   I paddled west to the end of the lake.

A bridge separates the smaller lake, Lac le Jeune West from the main lake.  Lac le Jeune drains into the smaller lake, then into Meadow Creek.

In some years it we can barely get under the bridge, but the water was low in the channel and it was an easy passage.

I paddled around the marshy smaller lake.

There were loons, ducks, and blackbirds active, even on a hot day.

There are some marsh channels surrounded by cattails or bullrushes to explore then a loop route around the lake.

I continued up the shoreline, back under the bridge, then around the south shoreline of the lake for a 5.6 km morning paddle.

 

Access:

Drive south on the Lac le Jeune Road to Lac le Jeune Provincial Park.    Park at the beach and launch/land there.

 

On McGillivray Lake

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On a hot summer day, I got an early start to go through Sun Peaks on my way to McGillivray Lake.  There was only a light breeze and I paddled along the shoreline in a clockwise loop.

There are 3 islands in the lake and the shoreline is either treed or marshy.

The shoreline is about 5.7 km around, taking about 80 minutes.

Yellow water lilies were in bloom in shallow bays.

McGillivray Lake is a favorite paddling destination, one I do in summer every year.

On Face Lake

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Face Lake is at the end of the Paska Lake Road.    A backroad does continue around the lake, but it is very rough.    I have driven it twice, but never again.    There is a Rec Site on the northeast corner of the lake that can be used to launch a boat, but when there is a better choice at Mile High Resort, and that will be my choice this year and in the future.    A small guest fee is required to drop a boat off, park in the designated area, then launch from their beach.    On a hot June day, I launched into the bay at the south end of the lake and paddled the shoreline counter-clockwise.

At the north end of the lake, Greenstone Mountain stands above the hills, 6.8 km away.

The shoreline is forested all the way around the lake.   The lake lies at 1460m (4790 ft).

An eagle watched over the lakeshore at the northeast end of the lake.

Above the east side of the lake Chuwhels Mountain rises 425 m above the lake and 3 km away.

In the northwest corner loons had two chicks which were now swimming with their parents.

I paddled for about 1.5 hours, covering about 6 km in a leisurely summer paddle in the high country.

 

Loops on Stake Lake

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A favorite combination is to paddle around Stake Lake (once, twice, or thrice), then hike on the trails.   On the first day of summer, there was little wind on the lake for two loops, then I secured the kayak and went for a 5 km hike on the trails.

Stake Lake is a favorite lake too because of its clear water and light-colored shoals.

Once around the lake, doing all of the bays takes about 25 minutes.

 

Stake Lake is one of a handful of lakes that I paddle several times each year. I will be back next time with the grandkids.

A Morning Paddle on Edith Lake

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I always check the wind forecasts the day before kayaking.    In this case, the forecast called for strong winds by 10:00 am, so I left before 7:00 am and picked a lake close by.   All was calm at the boat launch on Edith Lake.

I opted for one loop around the shoreline, a 3.7 km paddle, and the conditions were excellent for the hour.

I enjoy the back channel in behind the hill.    Fishing boats rarely venture there and I can paddle into all of the side channels in the valley between grasslands hills.

I had expected some wind, but I picked the right time and place to paddle on my 35th day of paddling for 2021.

My rating for this paddle – [usr 4.0 size=20]

On Glimpse Lake

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On a sunny June morning I drove south on Highway 5A, then turned onto the Douglas Lake Road, then up the Lauder Road to Glimpse Lake.   I launched my kayak from a good hand launch at the west end of the lake.

Glimpse Lake allows only electric motors so even though there were a few fishing boats, it was quiet on the lake.   There are a number of shallow marshy areas to explore on the way around the lake.

There were a few ducks and geese on the lake, including some families.

I kayaked all the way around the lake, a 6 km paddle.

Glimpse Lake is one of the best lakes in our area to paddle, one I try to return to each year.

Paddling Jacko Lake

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On a windy morning I drove the rough road into the Jacko Lake boat launch area and paddled twice around the lake.   This can be a busy spot so I got an early start and paddled the shoreline, dealing with the winds as they gusted.   Jacko Lake has a few side channels to explore, so on the first loop, I paddled the whole shoreline where I could.

Jacko Lake is one of my favorite lakes.    It has open views and is usually a quiet spot in the hills.    Peterson Creek runs into and out of the lake so it was full of clear water in June.

I spotted many yellow-headed blackbirds, a great blue heron, eagles, ducks, geese and goslings, spotted sandpipers, wrens, crows, and some grassland songbirds.

On the west shore is an old shaped snag, always asking me for another photo.

Two loops amounted to 7.2 km of paddling in about 1 hour and 50 minutes.    I usually paddle Jacko 3 – 4 times every year so I will return at the end of summer for another morning of kayaking.

 

Last Day in the Floodlands

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By the middle of June this year, the river had dropped at least a metre so the floodlands were reduced to channels.    On a windy day, I Iaunched from the pullout near Tranquille into Tranquille Bay.

A strong wind from the east made paddling more difficult as I crossed the bay to the fenceline.   I could clear the top wire of the fence in a couple of places still, but if the river drops another foot, access to the rest of the floodlands may be gone.

I followed channels wherever there was some open water, finding watery channels around the fences.    The sun was coming up behind clouds in the east behind Mt. Mara.

To the northeast Tranquille flanked the shoreline with Jag Hill in the background.

I explored the channels fighting winds upriver and enjoying easy paddling back downriver toward Kamloops Lake.

The upriver paddle was very slow and crossing the wind was not easy either, providing a good workout on a soon-to-be-stormy day.   I took a track while out paddling for 1 hour and 40 minutes.    I do not anticipate paddling in the floodlands again this year.

 

Relive ‘Last Day in the Floodlands’

On Roche Lake

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On a grey morning I got an early start to get to the boat launch on Roche Lake before the winds came up.    I paddled the lakeshore, a 2 hour, 9.2 km outing.

There were some goslings following the geese around the shallow bays on the lake.

The lake was calm, but there were many fishermen all over the lake.    It is best to avoid weekends and prime time on Roche Lake.

In a shallow bay away from all of the fishermen,  a loon had her baby on her back.    The chick will be swimming soon.

I paddle Roche Lake very year, picking a good time to avoid too much traffic on the water.

On Scuitto Lake

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On a cool morning I launched my kayak from the boat launch at the Scuitto Lake Recreation Site.    There was a light breeze from the northwest.

In protected bays, the water was calm with clouds reflected in the lakewater.

There are always lots of birds on both Scuitto Lake and on nearby Campbell Lake.    On this day I spotted ducks and ducklings, geese and goslings, a great blue heron, an osprey, spotted sandpipers, blackbirds, loons, swallows, wrens, and more.

On the west end of the lake, Mt. Vicars stood above the lake, a hike I have done a few times.

Scuitto Lake is one of my favorite paddling spots, one I do every year.    I will be back to paddle Campbell Lake in late summer.

More Information:

On Tunkwa Lake

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Tunkwa Lake is one of my favorite paddling lakes in the Kamloops area.   The lake has open views, lot of birds, and many small bays to explore.    On the other hand, it can be very busy on weekends and in summer, and it can be too open on windy days.     I usually pick a weekday morning and paddle around the shoreline, which takes about 2 hours.

On this mild June day, mixed skies made for silver light and reflected clouds on the lake.

While paddling I spotted two muskrats, many geese and ducks, goslings and ducklings, a spotted sandpiper, yellow-headed blackbirds, a great blue heron, sparrows, swallows, a robin, and an osprey.    A few images are shared here.   Click any image for a larger view.

There were a number of fishermen on the lake, but I stuck to the shoreline, keeping out of their way, but also paddling away from ducks in the bays, where possible.

This was a mostly calm day, a paddle through silver light, worth the drive to the high country.

More Information:

  • Tunkwa Lake is northwest of Logan Lake.
  • Launch in Tunkwa Lake Provincial Park.    Follow the signs on the road.
  • Article – On Tunkwa Lake

Into the Floodlands

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During freshet, the lands near Tranquille flood and we can paddle the bays and channels on both sides of the river.      We have to wait until the water rises above the fences which is usually the end of May.    I launched from the parking area near the junction of the road into Tranquille and the Tranquille Criss Creek Road and paddled out and cleared the fence into the bay.

It was a calm day and the hills reflected into the lagoon.

Willow stands rise above the floodlands like small islands.

We can paddle right down to Cooney Bay, but on this day, I paddled through the bays and channels in a clockwise 6 km loop.

The water is fairy still in the bays and back channels. but the river continues to run down to the lake.   On other days, i paddle across to the other side and go up the channels to create a loop route.   On this day, I wound through channels on the north side of the river.

The pasture in from of Mt. Mara becomes Mara Bay with the mountain reflected in the still water.

The floodlands provide the best paddling of the year in June each year.   We will be back a few more times.