On a cool (2 degrees) spring day I headed up to Stake Lake to paddle at 4350 feet. There was a bit of snow on the shoreline and there was a steady breeze out of the northwest. It hailed near the end, after paddling twice around the lake:
Category Archives: On the Lakes
Back on Edith Lake
At higher elevations it had snowed overnight (in May) and rain and wind were forecast, so a lake close to town made the most sense for a morning of paddling. The road to Edith Lake was muddy. A few campers were at the lakeside campsite and 4 boats were on the lake as I launched among active blackbirds at the marshy shoreline.
There was a large chironomid hatch so there were hundreds of birds feeding on all parts of the lake. The flies were so numerous that I was pelted when I paddled into the wind. Many birds swooped acrobatically over the lake and the shore area.
Two loops around the lake is about 7 km, a good workout in the kayak. The winds picked up on the way back and it rained later in the day, but I was grateful for an opportunity to paddle with the birds on a spring day.
Paddling Pat Lake
On a mild spring day I drove up to Pat Lake in the Six Mile Hills. It is a popular spot for fishing in the early season so I arrived early then paddled along the shoreline.
Two loops of the lake (one in each direction) is only 4 km so I hiked around the lake too.
The sounds of blackbirds, ducks, geese, loons, frogs, songbirds, and wind is best captured with video:
This is a favorite lake to paddle and a favorite area to hike, always worth the drive up into the hills.
Back on Trapp Lake
On a breezy morning I paddled Trapp Lake. There were lots of ducks and geese and the trucks kept roaring by on the west side of the lake, but it was otherwise quiet.
A steady 10-15 km wind from the south made paddling upwind more work, but when I turned back, it was easy kayaking. In all the years of paddling Trapp Lake, I have only seen one other boat.
Kamloops Lake Loop
On a calm spring day it was time to haul the 18 foot kayak down to the rivershore at Cooney Bay and launch out onto the lake.
The plan was to paddle around the point and into Cooney Bay, then along the shoreline past Battle Bluff, then cross the lake and return by the other shore, stopping to enjoy various highlights along the way.
This was an 11 km paddle taking about 2 hours. A video was complied of the journey.
More paddling is planned for Kamloops Lake in the upcoming months.
The West End of Paul Lake
On a sunny and calm spring day I launched my kayak from the west end of Paul Lake and paddled east past Gibraltar Rock to the campground, then crossed the lake and returned on the other side of the lake, a 7 km outing. Ducks and geese were along the shoreline areas and an osprey flew overhead.
With such a windy start of the year’s paddling, it was great to have a calm and sunny day for a morning paddle.
We can launch from the beach area of the campground too, a good spot to paddle the east end of the lake (link).
Paddling the East End of Paul Lake
From the Paul Lake campground beach I paddled to the east end of the lake and back on the other shore to complete a loop of half the lake.
The lake was quiet, except for the raucous calls of ducks and geese on the lake. A pair of loons have newly arrived on the lake.
The other half of the lake was planned for the near future.
Paddling Inks Lakes in April
In mid-April I paddled the Inks Lakes, paddling twice around the main lake and two back arms. The lake was quiet, but there were hundreds of ducks on the lake. Geese, lesser yellowlegs, killdeer, crows, a bald eagle, and sandhill cranes were spotted. All photos taken while paddling. Click an image for a lightbox view and caption.
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The Inks Lakes are small and the lakeshore is muddy, but it is a great place to paddle among the birds in spring.
Jacko Lake in April
One of the first lakes in the hills to be ice-free is Jacko Lake. Since it is also a popular hike for fishermen, avoid peak times to paddle the lake. The Jacko Lake Road is an extension of the Inks Lake Road. It has been a rough road, but it has been improved by the Trans Mountain Pipeline Project staff. Nevertheless it is still a high clearance road.
With little wind and a dozen fishermen, I paddled around the lake twice (8 km if you paddle the bays too).
Jacko is a favorite to paddle so I will be back again soon.
On the River in March
We try to get our kayaks in the water in the river as soon as enough ice and snow melts to allow us easy access to launch and land. Our first choice is Pioneer Park. In early March when the gate to the boat launch is still locked, we have to transport our kayaks on wheels down to the river shore, and on our first launch, we had to pull the boat over layers of ice to get to the open water. In later paddling sessions, we were able to use the boat launch to unload and launch. When we ready the kayak for a paddle, there are no other boats in sight, but dog walkers are common. We launch and paddle upstream or downstream, alternating, but adjusting to wind conditions too.
The most common route is to paddle upstream first. It is 1.6 km to the Yellowhead Bridge. There is some faster water in the big S-turn east of the bridge. Turn-around spots vary according to the length of the paddle session planned and on wind conditions. We paddle up for somewhere from 40 – 80 minutes then turn back downstream.
On a sunny day, the sun glares down as I paddle upstream, reflecting in the river.
On a day with no wind, the going is slower upstream, about 3.5 km per hour, but much faster downstream.
When the wind blows from the west, the paddle downstream can be slow too.
We also paddle down to the Confluence then west on the Thompson River and back upstream. If we want a harder workout, we paddle up the North Thompson river and back.
Some Early season Paddling Tips:
- The water is cold so either a dry entry or good boots helps to keep the feet warm.
- to stay warm , we use a spray skirt, a paddling jacket, and paddling gloves.
- If there is a cold wind, we usually wait for a better day.
- Paddle close to the shoreline. If you capsize, it will be better to go to the shoreline than to try a wet, cold self-rescue.
Phillips Lake
Phillips Lake lies on the Skimikin Lake Road between Turtle Valley and Skimikin. The fastest approach from Kamloops is to drive on Highway 1 East to Squilax and turn onto the Squilax – Turtle Valley Road. Follow the valley toward Skimikin then turn onto Ptarmigan Road. A good parking area and boat launch is located on the northwest side of the lake.
The whole lake is surrounded by reeds and rushes. In fall, the lake was fairly quiet, but the lakeside would be full of blackbirds, marsh wrens, and ducks in the spring.
A paddle around the lakeshore is 2.5 km, but there is also marshland which can be paddled on the far end. This would be better in the spring when there is more water and before the water lilies fill the channels. In summer and early fall, an algae bloom also fills the lake. Spring is the recommended time to paddle this lake.
The lake sits between the Fly Hills on the south (see below) and Black Mountain on the north. To the northwest are the rocky slopes of Squilax Mountain (seen above).
In fall, the Turtle Valley and the Squilax Valley were filled with color. We continued east to paddle Skimikin Lake on the same day, another fine small lake for paddling.
Lac le Jeune West Loop
When we launch our kayaks from Lac le Jeune Provincial Park we can choose to do a loop east or west and if we choose to head to the West Lake we then have to paddle to the bridge underpass. My loop route followed the north shore of the lake, then a circuit on the smaller lake, followed by a circuit of the south side of the main lake and back, a 5.5 km morning paddle.
In a year of high rainfall, the lake was full and that left minimal space to get under the bridge. By removing my PFD and laying flat on the deck of the kayak, I pulled myself through (barely).
Winds made even the small lake choppy, but I headed around the lakeshore, watching for birds and wildlife.
There are some interesting channels in the marshes at the far end of the lake. The waterway is the start of Meadow Creek which flows down to Logan Lake, then into Guichon Creek which flows south to the Nicola River.
Water lilies were in bloom on both lakes.
Goslings were steered by the mother goose in sheltered bays on the lake.
Silver light was cast on Lac le Jeune for the return paddle
Each summer I do a circuit of the area’s lakes, some of which are done every year (like Lac le Jeune), and some are in alternate years or every few years. I try to do a few new lakes each year too, but this now means more traveling time, smaller lakes, or a challenging portage. The overall goal is to get out paddling more than 50 times each year, and in 2021 it was 80 times.
Spillman Beaches Marine Park
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Tranquille Lake
Tranquille Lake lies at the foot of the southern end of Bonaparte Plateau. Porcupine Ridge is due north and backcountry surrounds the lake. The road ends at Wendego Lodge, the destination for most people who go to this area. We drove through Lac du Bois, then took the Pass Lake Road and continued on the Sawmill Creek Road.until the 40 … Continue reading →
Paddling McGillivray Lake
McGillivray Lake can be accessed through Sun Peaks. Take Sun Peaks Road to the McGillivray Lake Forest Service Road. It is a 5.6 km drive on a gravel road to the McGillivray Outpost/Boat Launch. A paddle around the lake (inc. all the shallow bays) is 5.8 km. On a sunny weekend with an early start there were only a small number of boats on the lake.
Tod Mountain stands to the northwest, here seen between two islands in the lake.
In summer the marshy shoreline featured yellow lilies, an osprey, lots of sweet-scented marsh orchids, and a number of sedges, reeds, and rushes.
 water lily |
 osprey |
 marsh orchid |
 little green sedge |
McGillivray Lake is one of the lakes we paddle every year. Nearby Morrisey Lake is smaller and we sometimes paddle it too as a second stop in the area.
On Plateau Lake
Plateau Lake lies in the hills of the Douglas Plateau, accessed on backroads from Highway 5A. From the highway, it is a quick drive to Peter Hope Lake, but a slow and difficult drive over the hills to Plateau Lake.
It is not easy to get there. There are several possible routes in, but Rec Sites and Trails BC recommends taking the Peter Hope Lake Road (from the south end of Stump Lake), then turning onto the signed Plateau Lake Road for 4.4 km then taking a right turn onto an unsigned secondary road.
This road was very narrow and very rough and it is definitely high-clearance, and but possibly 4WD. If you go in that way, carry a chainsaw too. Cross the power line and follow another rough road down the hill to the lake. This is a total of 8.5 km of slow, careful driving. On the way back out, I followed a different route, following the power line northeast to a junction and then following a much better (but longer) road back. to the Dardanelles Road. From that road, it is possible to go back to Peter Hope Lake Road along the Plateau Lake Road, or down the hill to the north end of Stump Lake. A GPS is helpful but if you use a map, the BC Backroads Mapbook is very unreliable for this area.
There is a good boat launch at the lake. When I was there, there was no one else at the site, nor on any of the backroads of the area.
One of the features of this lake is extensive marl shoals. The silt-mud bottom has lots of lime and calcium which clarifies the water. The shoals had a clear yellowish colour.
The lake was very quiet with no noise from any direction.
A paddle around the lakeshore is about 4 km, but there are lots of marshes to explore and it is such a pleasant spot that two loops of the lake makes sense.
With the clear mineral-rich water comes little lake weed growth, except for one bay where the sun shone on the emerging weeds.
There are 6 campsites at the site, all on flat ground. This would be a fine place to camp, but I can’t recommend pulling a trailer down that road. It is a good spot for a paddle if you have the right vehicle to get in to the lake.
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