Category Archives: On the Lakes

Paddling the lakes in the many Kamloops area, some on main roads, but many in the backcountry too, and some more lakes found on our travels.

On Napier Lake

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I have driven past Napier Lake many times, but had never paddled it; the challenge was to find access to launch a boat.   After a number or stops along the road, I settled on a steep grassy slope near the north end of the lake.   There was a small pullout there to unload.   I attached wheels to the back of the kayak and pulled the boat down the steep hill, across some scrubby shrubs, then to the lakeshore.   Getting down there was not too bad, but I wasn’t looking forward to getting back up.

The Napier Lake Ranch is on the north end of the lake, but there is a small riparian zone on the northwest corner with a small gravel beach.   A rough launch, but once on the water, its a different matter.   When I launched into the lake, there was a steady wind from the south so I paddled into the headwind for 3.5 km.     The lake is a scenic paddle, but the wind dictated a route close to the shoreline, paddling in the lee of a series of hills.

At the south end of the lake, Droppingwater Creek cascades into the lake through a narrow canyon.   The creek originates on the eastern slopes of Hull Hill and flows through the Bute Lakes.   At the other end of the lake, the drainage goes into Ritchie Lake, then Trapp Lake, then Shumway Lake, and down Campbell Creek.

Colorful cliffs, mossy slopes,  and red ossier dogwood at the inlet on the southwest corner of the lake makes this an inviting place to paddle.

Strong tailwinds carried me back to the narrows.   Even the ducks took refuge in sheltered bays.

On the way back, the skies started to clear, and the sun shone on rocky hills rose above grassland slopes.

The final leg of the 7 km paddle was in light winds, passing the beautiful and open but steep slopes on both sides of the lake.

After landing, hauling the 18 foot kayak up a very steep slope was hard, but I will do it again just to paddle this fine valley-bottom lake.

 

On Little Shuswap Lake

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In April most of the lakes in the hills are still covered in ice so we do a rotation of the valley-bottom lakes first (Kamloops Lake, Little Shuswap Lake, Nicola Lake, Stump Lake, Trapp Lake, Shumway Lake, then move to the lower lakes in the hills.   When we paddle the larger lakes, we watch for a day with no wind.   Capsizing in cold water is dangerous so we try to follow the shoreline.   On this April day there was no wind I launched from Memorial Park in Chase in shallow water and angled across the lake, bearing northeast.

With no wind, the rocky hills above the north shore of the lake were reflected in the calm waters.

The long diagonal route took me to the north side where the rocky hills come right down to the lake.

I paddled about 3/4 of the way up the lake, then turned back to follow the shoreline all the way back to the start.   Reflections in the water create a type of optical illusion, affecting our innate sense of balance in the boat, especially when taking photos.

Along the lakeshore a few mergansers and other ducks scuttled away from the kayak.

The north side was in the sun and was from highway traffic so it is my usual route on Little Shuswap Lake.  I may return to paddle the other shore when fall colors border the lake.

 

 

On Trapp Lake

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Trapp Lake is a long narrow lake in the bottom of the gully south of Shumway Lake.   There is a good launch spot halfway down the lake.   It is one of the lakes in which the ice clears off  early,  so I usually pick it for a spring paddle.

I paddled down the west shore and then back on the east shore, a 10.3 km loop.

Much of the lake is surrounded by steep hills but in the southeast corner, then hills are lower and more open.   Eroded ridges and gullies have been shaped by water.

Two bald eagles perched on a snag near the north end of the lake, and they stayed for a portrait.

Over the year I paddle about 66 days, rotating the location for most outings.   The ice will be off the upland lakes soon, so I will paddle the lowland lakes first, then drive to the higher lakes as spring deepens.

 

 

On Nicola Lake

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We launched our kayaks in April from a boat launch on the east side of Nicola Lake close to the southwest end.   The lake was low and almost all of the water was quite shallow, but there was a channel of deeper water heading west toward Upper Nicola.

On a sandbar across the lake were 3 American white pelicans (only one of the 8 species to have a bump on its bill).

By drifting in slowly and remaining still, I was able to get close enough to get a few good photos

The pelicans kept an eye on me and started to walk away when I got too close.

After leaving the pelicans, we worked our way into the narrowing part of the lake which we found to be very shallow.   We spotted a great blue heron, eagles, an osprey, and many ducks along the waterway.

We had hoped to have done a loop, but this is probably only possible in high water so we returned up the main channel to our launch.   We have paddled all parts of Nicola Lake on separate days, all from different launch points.   The main body of the lake can be a very windy spot so we always try for a morning launch, avoiding a lake crossing at the end of the paddle (cross first at either end of the lake).   We will back next year to paddle another shoreline in spring.

Cooney Bay – Kamloops Lake Loop

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On a calm early April day we launched our kayaks from Cooney Bay and paddled into the rivers flow, down to the lake.   We rounded the corner and followed the shoreline of Cooney Bay.   Our route continued past a few fishermen, rocky bluffs, gravely and shingled shoreline beaches, and railway fixtures toward Battle Bluff.   We passed the tunnel under the bluff and continued around to the west side of the bluff.

The sheer cliffs of Battle Bluff were bleached white in the low-water conditions of early spring.   When it is windy, we can tuck in behind the bluff for sheltered paddling.   The wind whips out around the point so on those days, we veer out and enjoy the wind-assisted return voyage.   But on this day, conditions were warm and calm, so we rounded the point and started the 1.5 km crossing of the lake.   We don’t recommending crossing the lake in windy conditions, nor in a small boat.   Our kayaks are ocean kayaks, seaworthy, with rudders and structural stability.

 

We crossed over to the beautiful stone arch, constructed with quarried blocks in the 1880s, still in use today by the CPR.   We paddled right underneath, but it is rocky in low water.

We returned on the south shore right up to the river delta which was all sandbars and islands.   Sandhill cranes whooped overhead, a bald eagle tried to grab ducks in Cooney Bay, making multiple attempts, an immature eagle perched on a sand island, ready to attack.     People were arriving at Cooney Bay for a dog walk, a family picnic, or to fish.   We landed and completed our 10.4 km paddle.

 

sandhill cranes overhead

bald eagle attacking ducks

immature eagle on patrol

blind arch trestle

 

We try to paddle the lake when calm conditions are forecast, launching out of Cooney Bay, Tobiano, or Savona.   We also paddle downstream from town, landing in Cooney Bay, with a shuttle system.   In freshet, we launch just east of Tranquille at a parking area and paddle out over the fencelines into the floodlands at the river delta, usually in June.

 

 

On Badger Lake

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One of the lakes we return to paddle each year is Badger Lake.    Access to the lake is either past Knouff Lake (7 km) on a bumpy back road, or up the Orchard Lake Road (13 km) from Highway 5 North.  The road goes up the east side of Badger Lake to a B.C. Rec Site.   There is now a separate public boat launch just before the campground.   It is a bit of a longer drive on backroads to the lake, but it is worth the drive.

 

 

From the boat launch the main part of the lake runs north-south for 2.3 km.   Forested hills rise above the lake on either side.

 

 

Not shown on the map is a shallow, narrow channel (near the southwest corner of the lake).   Kayaks can paddle through that channel to the marshy areas on the west side.

 

 

Even in September there was enough water to allow for easy access under the forest canopy.

 

 

The marshes on the west side are surrounded by rushes and reeds with ducks clustered in sheltered areas.   Dragonflies patrolled the calm waters in search of prey.    There is another 2.3 km of exploration for paddlers in this part of the lake.

 

 

Another channel on the north end of the marshes provides access to the main part of the lake.   Following the shoreline around the lake bays and channels is 8.3 km.

 

 

A young loon surfaced in the lake nearby.   Fishing line had become tangled in its beak.   It will be unlikely to survive the winter.

 

 

I drove up to Badger Lake via Knouff Lake but I drove down the Orchard Lake Road, stopping on the way down to hike into Struthers Creek Falls (link).   WE will return to paddle Badger Lake again next year.

 

 

 

 

On McGillivray Lake

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We try to add new lakes and rivers to our paddling experiences every year, but those make for long days of travel, so we often return to some of the same lakes each year.   McGillivray Lake is a spot that we paddle every year.   It takes about an hour to get there with 6 km on a gravel road from Sun Peaks, but the road is usually fine and there is a good boat launch next to the McGillivray Lake Outpost at 1400 m (4593 feet).

 

 

On a day in early September, there was only one other boat on the lake so it was a quiet paddle around the lakeshore, a 5.5 km loop.

 

 

The shoreline is forested and there are some shallow marshy bays.  McGillivray Lake is fed by streams of the hills above and the outlet stream flows into Little McGillivray Lake, then continues west down McGillivray Creek past Sun Peaks, joining Louis Creek near Whitecroft.

 

 

 

A bald eagle kept watch over the south end of the lake, unperturbed by the quiet kayak below.

 

While paddling north back to the launch, the slopes of Sun Peaks Resort/Tod Mountain rose over the trees, 7 km northwest.

 

 

Each lake that we paddle has its own unique environment.   For McGillivray Lake, we avoid going there in spring because of the early access road conditions and cooler temperatures.   We avoid June and July to miss the mosquitoes and the crowds.   By the latter part of August the crowds are gone and there are no mosquitoes so we will continue to paddle there from mid August through the end of September.

 

 

 

Across Kamloops Lake to Painted Bluffs

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Painted Bluffs Provincial Park lies on the north side of Kamloops Lake east of Copper Creek.   Access by land is difficult, but it can be done from the Copper Creek Road just below the Sabiston Creek Road junction (link).  We have been in to Painted Bluffs five times in the last 2 years, with the last time by kayak from Savona.   We paddle on Kamloops Lake a few times each year, but we always check for weather conditions before heading out.   Typically the lake is calm in the morning and winds arise after 11:00.   Strong winds may be difficult for paddlers and they are often at their worst at about noon.    A crossing of the lake is about 2 km.

 

 

There is an official boat launch on the west end of Savona, but we hand launched from the former Savona Provincial Park area not far from the mill instead.   Access to the parking area and the beach below is blocked by large boulders so we parked on the side of Savona Access Road, then hauled our kayaks down to the beach (using rear wheels).   The beach is rocky but this is no problem in calm conditions.   We launched and then angled northeast to the far shore.  The paddle to Painted Bluffs is 6.5 km.

 

 

It takes about 1.25 hours in calm conditions to paddle across the lake and up the shoreline past Copper Creek.   The whole route over and back is very scenic.

 

 

There is a good beach/shore for a kayak landing.   We pulled our boats onto the beach and hiked up across the train tracks and into the bluffs.   As we approached the ragged ridges and gullies, there was very little vegetation below the cinnabar, iron, and copper infused slopes.

 

 

There are no trails, but with some light scrambling we can go over ridges to gullies that can be hiked or we can hike up the narrow eroded ridges.

 

All exploration is limited by eroded green (copper) red and orange (cinnabar and iron) ridges    Over the years we have clambered over all parts of the park.

 

 

 

The outing was on 9/11 and only by serendipityI spotted and took a photo with N11 in it.

 

 

Every trip into Painted Bluffs is a bit different because of changing light conditions.   Ragged shapes and patterns can be seen, depending on the angle of the view and the light.      No matter how many times I hike in Painted Bluffs, my sense of wonder is never diminished.

 

 

 

We paddled back just as the winds came up and we had about 1 km of concentrated paddling with waves coming out of the southeast.   We came under the shelter of Six Mile Hill and then paddled west along the south shore of the lake back to Savona.

 

 

This is an outing that we try to do every year.   The combination of paddling on Kamloops Lake surrounded by its scenic, rugged hills and hiking in Painted Bluffs is a prime Double Feature for our summer.

 

 

Vidette Lake

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On a late summer sunny day, I drove all the way up the Deadman Valley and paddled Vidette Lake.   It is a 56 km drive up the gravel road from the Trans Canada Highway.   Because it is a scenic route with many places to explore, I return most years, choosing different lakes and different hikes each time.   We have previously explored Deadman Falls, Deadman Lake, Snohoosh Lake, Mowich Lake, Castle Rock Hoodoos, Sherwood Creek Hoodoos, Split Rock, Pass Valley, Criss Creek, Hihium Lake and more.   For this trip it was Vidette Lake and an exploration of the Deadman River, finding an alternate route to the falls.

 

 

There is a small Recreation site on the lakeshore with a good boat launch.

 

 

Vidette Lake is long and narrow, close to the road, with steep hills on both sides.   At the end of the lake, the Deadman Road climbs into the hills.

 

 

Vidette Lake is not part of the Deadman River as the other lakes in the valley are.   It is on a tributary drainage of three creeks (Hamilton Creek, Yard Creek, and Coal Creek) and the outflow goes into the Deadman River 0.3 km south.    Each lake has a different ecology.   Many of the shallow bays of our lakes of the area have water lilies, smartweed, and aquatic weeds like millfoil, but Vidette Lake had arrowhead in the bays near the shoreline.   This plant grow from rhizomatous tubers which was historically harvested by First Nations people.   Muskrats and ducks eat it too.   Flowering was done for the year, but clusters of seeds were visible at the surface on the ends of stems.

 

 

Fallen trees become saturated logs and over time the wood  decays, but as it does this, vegetation may take root in the above-water part of the log.   Mosses usually start the process and then grasses and perennials grow on these small “islands”.

 

 

A the north end of the lake the Vidette Gold Mine can be seen.   This is now on the Vidette Resort property and a tour can be arranged with the resort owner.   I wrote a historical research report for Gold Country on the mine.    Here is a link to the story – Vidette Gold Mine.

 

 

At the south end of the lake is  a narrow channel, but it was jammed with logs which would require portaging the boat around or driving down the road and hauling the boat down a steep bank so I skipped that section.   The paddle around the rest of the lake, following the shoreline was 5 km.

 

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Back to Campbell Lake

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We paddle Scuitto and Campbell Lake each and every year, but we try to schedule Campbell Lake for late August or September to paddle with the pelicans and sandhill cranes.   Campbell Lake is at the end of the Scuitto Forest Service Road, a 14 km bumpy backroad.   There is a BC Recreation Site on the south shore of the lake and a good boat launch there for fishermen and paddlers.

 

 

No wind is always a blessing for both paddling and photography.   An early start on a sunny day with no one else on the lake made this outing perfect, but I couldn’t see any pelicans from the boat lunch.

 

When the pelicans come to Campbell Lake, they usually roost in shallow bays on the south side of the lake.   There are some private properties on the north side of the lake.  They fly to other areas of the lake to fish, but they congregate in one of two bays, not very accessible by land, but fine for a kayak.   A kayak can skim over very shallow water to get closer to the pelicans.

 

 

Rafts of ducks filled all the shallow bays and a few perched on logs by the shoreline.

 

 

In the largest shallow bay there were 16 pelicans clustered together.    Some were sleeping with heads buried in their feathers, but most were preening or resting.   A few aired their wings, standing apart from the pod.

 

I used a telephoto lens to try to get a close up of the birds, but it is only an intermediate lens.   Its too hard to use a heavy, long lens in a kayak.   I floated in without making any noise and kept my movement to a minimum.  The pelicans kept an eye on me, but did not disperse.

 

 

I took lots of photos, then I continued around the lake.   There were also two sedges of sandhill cranes on the lake.   They are much more skittish than pelicans,  so I got whatever shots I could from the water.

The second group wheeled over the lake making a racket,  then settled into a small bay across the lake.

 

 

We spotted all sorts of birds on the lake, but the pelicans were the stars of nature’s show on this day.

 

 

 

Campbell Lake is a very nice paddle on any day, but it is a special place when there are blue skies, no wind, a quiet lake, and lots of birds to see.

 

Palmer Meadows Lake

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Palmer Meadows Lake lies in the hills east of Stump Lake, not far from Dardanelles Lake.   It is a dammed lake with the reservoir benefiting waterfowl and ranchers that need summer irrigation.   The dam has created a larger lake, flooding copses, meadows, marshes, and low areas.    Access is by backroads (Old Kamloops Road > Fraser Road > Palmer Dam Road (no signs) for 14 km.   Navigation will be required to go to the lakeshore and there are some high clearance areas along the way.   The lake can’t be seen until the last minute and there is no visible public road access and boat launch area.   There is a short side road that may be on private property or on Crown grazing lease (or licence) with a gate (close the gate behind you), but paddlers will have to haul their boats down the bank on either side of the dam area.   We found two reasonable launch spots on the west side of the lake, although these spots may need permission from land owners or lessees (there is no signage though).

 

 

This is a scenic lake with many bays, channels, wetlands, islands, and marshes.    Paddling the whole shoreline is an 11.5 km venture.

 

 

There are cutblocks on the hills, meadows and pastures, forested areas, cattle grazing areas, and wetlands around the lake.   Fall colors had started in early September.   There was no one else in the whole area.   The nearest person was probably a fisherman on Dardanelles Lake, only 3 km away, but an hour’s drive.  I doubt that anyone fishes in Palmer Meadows Lake.

 

 

Much of the lake was shallow so there were many ducks in every bay.   Loons were on the lake too and raptors patrolled the area.   A red-tailed hawk perched on a branch overlooking one arm of the lake.

 

 

There was no road access to the east shore of the lake (that I could see), but there was the remains of an old homestead, an isolated spot in the hills.

 

This lake took over 2 hours to paddle on a sunny, breezy day.

 

On Bleeker Lake

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Bleeker Lake is a long narrow lake located just north of Roche Lake.   To get to the lakeshore, drive up the Roche Lake Road and then turn left onto the Bleeker Lake FSR (3 km before Roche).   Follow the bumpy 2WD road to the west end of the lake.   There is access to the lake off a side road, close to the dam, but there are better facilities at the BC Rec Site on the north shore of the lake, 1.2 km farther on the gravel road.   There are campsites there with outhouses, parking, and a gravel boat launch.   I launched and then paddled east along the north shore for a clockwise 5 km loop around the lake.

 

The shoreline is a bit rocky in some areas and marshy at either end.   As an amateur naturalist/photographer, I enjoy watching for aquatic plants, dragonflies, insect hatches, shoreline wildflowers, ducks, birds, and natural formations.   A kayak moves quietly along the shoreline and with curiosity always engaged, I watch for what is around each corner.

 

 

Damselflies and dragonflies were patrolling the lake and the shallow marshes.   These damselflies were starting the process of fertilization for a new batch of eggs for the next year.     This position is sometimes referred to as the heart or wheel position.

 

 

When we paddle close to reeds, rushes, and submerged fallen trees, we can spot exuvia/exoskeletons when the nymphs of dragonflies and damselflies climb up into the air to shed their skins.

 

 

Exuvia are the remains of the exoskeleton and other parts after the insect moults.

 

 

Along the lakeshore were old stumps that became flooded in when the lake was dammed.   Moss was growing in the wet wood fibers and marsh skullcap was growing in the moss.   Scutellaria galericulata is an upright perennial in the mint family.   Hooded tubular flowers emerge from the same side of the stem.   It only grows in wet areas.

 

 

At the east end of the lake in shallow water, lily pads, smartweed, aquatic buttercup and other aquatic weeds grew in the water, rooted in the muddy bed of the lake.   We were also pleased to spot some patches of bur-reed.   Sparganium is an aquatic perennial that grows in marshy areas.   Strap-like leaves grow from rhizomes under the lake and in summer spherical flowers emerge.   Seeds are spread after flowering to sink into the muddy bottom of the marsh.

 

 

There was no one else on the lake at that time so other than the usual ducks and shoreline birds, it was a quiet paddle, moving along with the water striders and damselflies.   We return to the Roche Lakes area frequently to paddle some of the lakes and hike between them.   A new phase is upcoming where I will be hiking into some of the more-difficult-to-get-to lakes with an inflatable board.   Watch for updates this fall.

 

 

At Scuitto Lake

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In late summer or early fall we often drive through Barnhartvale to the Robbins – Campbell Range Road, then onto the Scuitto Lake Forest Service Road to launch a kayak in each lake.   In August and September we expect to encounter birds on the lake – pelicans, sandhill cranes, herons, eagles, loons, kingfishers, ducks, yellowlegs, killdeer, and more.   In this most recent  paddle on Scuitto Lake we also spotted wildflowers in bloom at the edge of the lake and nearby.   A paddle around the lake is 6 km,  a combination of good exercise and floating quietly to observe and photograph the birds, the insects and fish, the plant life, interesting views, and any animals around the lake (a bear came to the lakeshore).  There is a good boat launch at the Rec Site on the north shore.

 

Scuitto Lake was dammed to create a larger lake so the flooded stumps and snags along the shoreline are numerous.

 

 

The lake may be drawn down for irrigation in the Campbell Creek Valley in a dry summer so water levels can vary, but in 2019 water levels seemed high.   While paddling around the  lake a number of birds were spotted, with photos displayed here in a gallery.   Click and image for a larger view and a caption.

 

 

I walked along the shoreline and made some short stops at ponds on the drive back.   More photos are shared here in another gallery.

 

 

Scuitto Lake is one of our best destination paddle spots, so we will be back to Campbell Lake this year,  and we will continue to return whenever we can.

 

 

Shambrook and Lodgepole Lakes

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When we travel to the lakes of our area to the Interior, we usually try to go a lake that is large enough to warrant the time an effort to load up, drive, launch, reload, and drive back.   We prefer a lake that has a 5 km shoreline or longer.   If we choose a smaller lake, we try to paddle then hike or to try two lakes in the area.   On a hot summer day, two small lakes were chosen, Shambrook and Lodgepole Lakes.

 

 

No one paddles Shambrook Lake.   It lies between Walloper Lake and Lac le Jeune and it has very limited access.   It is right next to the road, but it required me to haul my 18 foot kayak to the shoreline and do a wet launch in the reeds.   Half of the lake is hidden behind a treed isthmus, out of sight.   I launched and paddled the 2 km shoreline.

 

 

On the north side is the Lac le Jeune Road with the Coquihalla Highway directly above.

 

 

The lake is mostly shallow and there are lots of fallen lodgepole trees to paddle around but it was a pleasant paddle, to be done once only.

I reloaded and secured the kayak, then drove up to Lodgepole Lake.   There are 3 spots to choose from to launch a kayak or canoe.   It is a small lake with only a 1.3 km paddling distance around the shoreline.

 

 

A loon and chick were on the lake, keeping an eye on the fishermen.

 

 

 

The loon chick was getting large enough to swim on its own, but stayed close enough to the parent, just in case.   Chicks can be attacked by bald eagles, osprey, or ravens if they swim too far from protective parents.

 

 

I thought about doing a third lake but all the loading, unloading, and securing the boat onto the truck’s roof takes time and patience so I settled for a 2 lake day instead.   I had paddled Lodgepole Lake before once on a smoky day, but Shambrook was a new lake for me, one more in 100+ lakes in the area.

 

 

 

On Ross Moore Lake

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Ross Moore Lake is a pleasant lake in the Lac le Jeune area, but its not easy to get to.   The best road access is to drive out onto the Brigade Lake Road, then turn onto the Long Lake Road.   After the last ranch, the road is not maintained very often so it will requires some slower driving on backroads, turning onto the Ross Moore FSR and continuing for another 6.5 km.    There is a small BC Recreation site at the southeast end of the lake where visitors can park, then launch a boat.   On this summer day, though, we drove across the dam on the south side and parked at a small pullout there.

 

Ross Moore is a quiet spot surrounded by forest at 1280m (4200 feet).

A paddle around the lakeshore is 3.4 km.

On the journey home, we drove the same road back, but then turned onto the McConnell Forest Service Road which took us back to the Lac le Jeune Road in 13 km.   We like the Long Lake Road a little better since it is more scenic, but either road is about the same in terms of road quality and distance.

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Latremouille Lake

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There are hundreds of lakes to paddle in the area and we try to get out to as many as we can, adding a few new ones to the list each year.   From Highway 24 (Little Fort to 100 Mile House area) are dozens of lakes of all sizes, with differing challenges of access.   On a summer\s day, we drove up the road and at the top of the hill, we turned onto an unsigned road into the Latremouille Lake Recreation site.  There are 9 campsites at the end of a short, rough road.   Access to the lake is by hand launch.

 

 

There was no one in the Rec Site, nor on the lake on this sunny, mid-week day.  The lake was calm and quiet.

 

 

The whole shoreline is forested and there are no large hills around the lake.   A number of aquatic flowering plants were spotted in the shallows – knotweed, buckbean, aquatic buttercup, marsh cinquefoil, burr-reed, and water lilies.

 

 

Kingfishers chittered and flitted along the trees.   Loons fished the lake.   A sliver light painted the lake’s surface.

 

 

The paddle around the shoreline was 5.3 km.   Another gem in the Highway 24 area.

 

I went over to Goose and Laurel Lake afterward to explore some more.   I will be back again to paddle Deer Lake and Rock Island Lake to the north.