When the North and South Thompson Rivers rise from the spring melt, the boat launch at McArthur Island can be used to access the Thompson River.
During freshet, the volume of watyer increases and the current is stronger. Once we enter the river, we look for slower water to progress upstream. The north side shoreline can be followed towards Overlander Bridge, a good workout. We enter the main flow and go across the river to come down the channel on the south side of Rabbit Island. The current is slowest next to the island.
At the west end of Rabbit Island, we turn the corner to come back up the shoreline. The current is slower right next to the island, although the water is quite shallow. We enjoy paddling right around the island. When the river is very high, some of the interior channels of the island fill with water and we can explore them (article).
The Rabbit Island Circuit is about 6km. We could do an extra lap around the island or go downstream farther and could easily extend the paddle to 10km. The upstream sections add a good strength and endurance workout.
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One of the best paddling destinations we try to do every year is Clearwater Lake. The boat launch is at the very end of the Wells Gray Corridor Road. Beyond the launch is 22km of wilderness lake with treed shorelines and snow-capped mountains rising above. Along the shoreline are a few wilderness marine campsites. We have enjoyed going to the far end of Azure Lake and paddling back 45km over several days. For a day trip, though, we head up the lake past the curving eastern shoreline below Easter Bluffs.
Once we have gone up the lake a few kilometers, the views start to open up. We can see Mt. Huntley at the end of the lake. Azure Lake lies beneath the mountain and to the northeast. It drains into Clearwater Lake by a short section of the Clearwater River.
If the winds cooperate, we go up the lake and then cross to the other side to Divers Bluff. This is the deepest part of the lake. Campers at the marine campsite there sometimes dive off the bluffs into the lake on a warm summer day. There is a 1.5km trail to the top of the bluffs too. We landed on the beach for lunch. The bay there is sheltered from the winds coming down the lake.
We returned down the lake back along the western shoreline. Thunder heads started to form over Chain Meadows and the Easter Bluffs in the boat launch area.
Paddling Clearwater Lake is best done in a seaworthy kayak or canoe. Winds often come up in the afternoon and it can be more challenging. We stay close to the shoreline when the winds come down the lake.
On this day we had tailwinds helping us back to the launch, but a thundershower burst over the last leg, bringing hail and rain.
Several articles on Azure Lake too; type Azure into the Search Bar
The route up the shoreline to Divers Bluff and back is about 13km, taking about 3 hours. There are two beaches at campsites along the route and we spotted two other small beaches for potential landing spots too. Small waterfalls and streams enter the lake from both sides. We paddled this loop in May when there were no power boats on the lake. The only sounds were the calls of birds and a few rumblings of thunder. We will be back for an extended paddle on Clearwater Lake.
One of our best paddling lakes is Lac le Jeune. The ice comes off in the spring and we can paddle there in April, but at 4200 feet, we usually go to the lower lakes and the river first. Later in the season it is a busy place as boaters and fishermen fill the lake. Early in the season it is a quieter destination for a 9.5 km paddle.
We enjoy paddling both lakes, going through the water tunnel under the road. The smaller lake to the west has extensive marshes. Yellow and red-winged blackbirds and marsh wrens filled the reeds and bullrushes with sound. A hatch must have also been in progress because fish were jumping all over the west lake.
South shoreline
yellow-winged blackbird
marsh wren
the water tunnel
When the winds pick up, we usually avoid the larger lakes, but Lac le Jeune is higher on the Interior Plateau so the winds are not the gusting cross-valley east-west winds found at lower altitudes. We followed the shoreline, ducking into the lee of bays when we could. For local paddling Lac le Jeune, Paul Lake, and Heffley Lake are our three best choices for the spring (for many return outings).
One of the best lakes to paddle in our area is Paul Lake. We launch from the Provincial Park beach and follow the shoreline all the way around.
We can head east or west and our choice is often governed by the wind.
On this occasion I paddled west to Gibraltar Rock, then down to the west end of the lake.
Coming back on the south side, I passed a number of homes, then come back into the park across from Gibraltar Rock. The south side shoreline is a steep slope covered in trees.
The east end of the lake ends in a shallow, marshy area. The inlet stream from Pinantan Lake comes in there. We paddled down the north shoreline past homes back to the park.
The entire loop is about 12.5 km if we follow the whole shoreline, including the bays. We paddle this a couple of times each year. It is a quiet spot in spring and the fall, but can be busy in the summer. We avoid weekends and any time after 11:00 in the morning in the summer. Winds pick up after about 11:30 so mornings are usually the best time year round.
BC Parks has removed the boat launch ramp from the Park so that only cartop boats can launch there now, but there are still homeowners who have big docks and big powerboats on either end of the lake. The lake is too narrow for these powerboats which invade the peaceful valley with echoing noise pollution and big waves sent out from the motors, which continue all the way to the shoreline both ways. The lake really needs a horsepower limit, but since it likely won’t happen, we just paddle there in the off-season.
A good early-season paddle is to launch at Pioneer Park and paddle down to the Confluence of the two rivers, then take a sharp right turn right to go up the North Thompson River. It is never an easy paddle upstream, but we look for the slowest water on the river, crossing back and forth, sometimes progressing quite slowly. This is a good early-season workout.
Mt. Paul stands above the Kamloops Indian Reserve on the eastern shore.
Cottonwood-lined Schubert Drive and the Rivers Trail in North Kamloops follows the western shore to Halston.
It takes about an hour to paddle up to the Halston Bridge and beyond to the CN Bridge. A train was crossing the bridge as I paddled underneath and around the pylons.
There are extensive sandbars and shallows along the North Thompson River. Along the eastern banks are signs of beaver activity, including a lodge, several belly slides, and chewed off willows and red ossier dogwood. Great blue herons stood on the shoreline and bald eagles watched from the cottonwoods.
This is a hard workout paddling upstream on the North Thompson, but it is an easy paddle back down to the confluence. The hard work starts again, paddling back upriver to the Black Bridge, then the Red Bridge on the way to Pioneer Park.
Early in the season there is no one else on the river. It is a good workout to paddle the 10.6 km route, half of it upstream into the current, but it is part of developing a base of paddling endurance for the year, running this year from February to November.
The South Thompson River is a well-used and busy river from June through mid-September, but there is very little activity on the river after October 1st. The river is lower and has a number of shallow areas, troublesome for power boats, but these pose no problem for canoes and kayaks. We launched our kayaks at the Lafarge Bridge (NE side of the river) and paddled down to the Valleyview Boat Launch.
This section of the river is 14km long which takes about 2.5 hours of paddling. There are a number of homes on both sides of the river along the way, but it is a quiet area on a weekday morning, late in October. Fall colors lined the banks and there were lots of geese, ducks, eagles, and a variety of smaller birds in the riparian zone.
Even though the air and the water are cooler in the spring and the fall, those months invite us for a day of quiet paddling downstream.
Paddling down the Shuswap River is a delight at any time, but it is a special experience during the peak of the salmon run. The sockeye spawn in the gravel shallows in the upper river. The river is full of red-colored sockeye and black-headed spring salmon, most moving upstream, but some in redds near the shore, some leaping out of the water, and some dead ones along the shore. Eagles, seagulls, and crows line the shores scavenging. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans was there in river boats and on the shoreline counting fish and monitoring. As we paddled over the fish, we had to be careful not to collide with the salmon in numerous shallows.
It would be nice to launch at Mabel Lake, but the rapids in Skookumchuk Rapids Provincial Park have Class 111 – Class 1V whitewater for 3km. The Shuswap River has 10 hand launch sites from Mabel Lake to Mara Lake. Most have a sign at the turn-off, parking areas, and a good spot to launch and many also have outhouses and picnic tables. We launched at a designated hand launch site at Hupel, 29.5km by road from Enderby.
The route from Hupel to halfway between Cooke Creek and Dale’s Hand Launch is mostly Class 11 water, but has some short sections of Class 111 too, all very doable, although there are some narrow spots and some obstacles too, so this section is for experienced paddlers. The river becomes slower as it continues to Enderby. For this last venture, we chose to exit at Riverside Hall, just past the Trinity Valley Bridge, a total of 26km.
The river below Ashton Creek is slower and runs through farmlands. On a previous day of paddling, we went all the way to Enderby, taking out at the bridge (link to story).
Paddling with salmon at the height of the migration on their four year cycle is a unique experience. We watched the fish and their predators with fascination as we quietly paddled downriver. This is a good time to carry an underwater camera, but it is not easy to get a good photo of the fish while moving downstream in a kayak or canoe. It is probably easier to do this from the shoreline with a bit of wading (Cooke Creek is a good place to do this). Along the way, we stopped for lunch in Shuswap River Islands Provincial Park, a section of oxbows, channels, islands, and sandbars. Cottonwoods line the riparian zone in this protected area. The upper river has an unspoiled feel to it and the huge sockeye run is indicative of a healthy river, even in rising temperatures.
We have penciled in a return paddle in October of 2018 to meet the next generation of salmon as they return to the Shuswap River.
It would be rare to meet someone at Painted Bluffs. It is a remote and quiet spot on the north side of Kamloops Lake. For those who do visit the site, most stay on the lower slopes, but some of the upper gullies and ridges have some surprises for explorers. On this last paddle and hike, I was able to find a gully that took me all the way to the top and then used two more gullies to come down into a different area. New views and some finds awaited me.
Blazing star
Bighorn sheep skull
An old mine opening
Boulders on the wash
The descent came down a gully into another world, a primeval and strange landscape, a place to quietly focus one’s sense of wonder.
High on the ridges in a barren, infertile soil infused with iron, copper, and cinnabar, a few scrubby plants survive and some blazing stars can be found in unlikely spots.
As winter approaches, we reflect on the seasons now past and a few special places blaze in our memories. Canyonlands, Zion, Azure Lake, and Painted Bluffs burn bright in our connections to the outdoors.
Tunkwa Lake is reached on the the Tunkwa Lake Forest Service Road from Logan Lake (15km) or from Savona (km). The lake lies entirely within Tunkwa Lake Provincial Park. Follow the paved road to the campground and look for the gravel launch on your left.
The lake is a busy fishing lake so paddlers can choose a quieter time to stay out of the away of fishing lines. The shoreline is often shallow or choked with underwater weeds. Early in the season, paddlers can do the entire 8.5km shoreline, but later in the year may choose to skip or skirt the long inlets and shallow areas. The lake is surrounded by grasslands. The east shore has a few cabins. Fish swam in the shallows in this stocked lake. “Toonqua” Lake in local Indian dialect means “Goose” Lake. On this September day, there were many ducks and geese on and around the lake. A good place for a quiet paddle.
From Tobiano we can launch our kayaks and canoes into Kamloops Lake and then paddle across the lake for 2.2km to Peregrine Bluffs. This rocky rib is called Perergine Bluffs because peregrine falcons nest on the cliffs. Look for the guano on the rocks for their nests.
The north side of Kamloops Lake is rocky and there are no homes between Frederick and Copper Creek, but the whole route is scenic. As we paddle west, we pass by the impressive cliffs of Rousseau Hill, then Rousseau Creek Valley. Continuing along this 7km route, we pass the remnants of the 12 Mile Ranch near Jaleslie on an outwash plain. The hills resume as we travel west to Painted Bluffs. There will be no one on the shoreline or in the hills above, but we spotted bighorn sheep on a ridge. Painted Bluffs is a good spot to stop for a break, lunch, and some exploration. There is a large beach here at low water, but even at high water, it is still a good landing area.
The paddle from Tobiano to Painted Bluffs is 9km each way. It is a rewarding route, but care must be taken to go in calm conditions. Kamloops Lake can have strong afternoon winds. Kamloops Lake gets little fanfare, but it is a superb paddling lake in good conditions.
Mamit Lake borders the road that goes from Logan Lake to Merritt (Highway 97). From the juction west of Logan Lake, drive 11.5km south. There are 3 pullouts next to the lake and there is a boat launch at the second one. A good gravel beach is excellent for a hand launch.
The paddle around the circumference of the lake is about 9km. The setting is scenic and the area is fairly quiet. This should be a good paddle. In early September, though, the lake was choked with green algae. The south half of the lake felt like paddling through green pea soup. Wildlife had abandoned the lake and I was a lone paddler on the lake. There was a faint odor to the lake and I came off the lake happy to get to dry land. Perhaps the lake is nicer in the spring? We won’t return to this lake unless something is done to change this lake’s ecosystem.
Emar Lakes Park was created in 1996 as a wilderness area of small lakes, potholes, and wet areas in a forested area off Highway 24. The lakes are used by fishermen, but there is also a lake chain loop with portages for canoeists and kayakers. Access is from Janice Lake Recreation Site or from Willowgrouse Recreation Site. The trails/portages are mostly user maintained and have become difficult with windfall. To do the loop counter-clockwise, paddlers would have to do the following:
launch at Janice Lake (link to an article) at N51 29.457 W120 24.410
paddle 1.5km to the landing spot (at N50 29.115 W120 25.090)
portage for 1030 metres to Club Lake (past Next Lake)
paddle to the end of Club Lake (780m)
portage 100m to Boulder Lake
paddle across Boulder Lake (400m)
portage 400m to Willowgrouse Lake
option to paddle Willowgrouse Lake (670m) then portage out the campsite (500m) or
paddle across Willowgrouse following the loop (230m)
portage 150m to Emar Lake
paddle across Emar Lake (1.2 km)
portage 450m to a pothole lake then 100m into Sedge Lake (or push through to Dytiscid Lake)
paddle across Sedge Lake (220m)
portage 700m to the end of Janice Lake
paddle to the start (400m)
All of the trails are currently closed with windfall and danger trees on the route. Hopefully Parks can find some funding or perhaps volunteer user groups can help keep the routes open (count me in)? A BC Parks map is included here and more information can also be found on the Parks website (link).
Mahood Lake lies in the western edge of Wells Gray Park, but must be approached from the west, so from Kamloops we drive to Little Fort (95km), then west on Highway 24 (Interlakes) for 70km, then we turn north at Sheridan Corner onto the Horse Lake Road, then the Mahood Road (8000 Rd.) for about 40km to Canim Lake, and finally east for 15km to the west end of Mahood Lake. This takes about 3 hours. It can be done in a day, but the campsite at Mahood Lake is worth a night or two of paddling and hiking.
On this last trip to Mahood, I launched from the boat launch/beach at the end of the lake and headed down the lake to camp at one of the marine sites 21km away to the east. The winds were light at the start, but soon heavy winds came in from the northwest, so I beached about 1/3 of the way down the lake.
On this September day, the campsite was empty, the few cabins east of the campground looked locked up, there was no one on the lake, I was paddling solo, the temperature had dropped, and there was snow on top of Mount Mahood. With a choice of braving the winds downwind, waiting the winds out on the shoreline (it actually blew for 2 days), or turning back, I decided to turn the kayak into the wind and work my way back, a slow paddle in strong headwinds. Safe back at the launch, I went for a hike to Deception Falls and the Canim River Trail, but left Mahood Lake with the goal of paddling the whole lake another time.
Each year, we paddle the 36 km route down the North Thompson River from the McLure Ferry to Westsyde Road. It is different experience each time, depending on the volume of water in the river. Before the spring melt, the river has extensive sand and gravel bars and the water moves more slowly. During freshet, the river is wide and moves quickly. Side channels are also full of water and there is a lot of movement in the river – eddies, rapids, whirlpools, and waves. The Heffley Rapids are imposing, making for an exciting ride.
This time, we paddled the river on September 1st and the sandbars and gravelbars were emerging. The river was still moving along at a good speed and we were able to maintain about 9km/hour with steady paddling. We found that the river travels about 2km/hour faster on the outside of curves (using a deck-mounted GPS) and that river always had one side that ran faster. We launched from the Ferry on Westsyde Road and stayed in the faster water as much as could.
Most of the river is just steady paddling, but there are a few obstacles to go around and some minor rapids. We always stop and land at a small beach just past Jamieson Creek and jus before the Heffley Rapids. We hiked over to the edge of the rapids this last time and planned a route, which worked very well. We went through only 3 sections of rapids by going down a side channel to the right. The left side has a long series of rapids and in higher water, there will be about 8 sections to get through. This is not a route for novices. Good boat-management and a variety of paddle strokes are needed.
The last section past Rayleigh to Westsyde seems slower, but the river is wider and flows about the same speed. Most kayaks will be fine for running the river, but the longer boats go faster, are more seaworthy in rougher water, and a rudder helps to avoid obstacles with both paddling and steering.
We divide the river into 4 sections for a day trip:
The Eagle River runs west from Eagle Pass in the Monashees down to Sicamous and into Shuswap Lake. There is really not enough water in the upper end of the river to paddle, but when the Perry River joins the river, there is enough water to paddle from Craigellachie or Malakwa. On the upper river there are fallen trees, sweepers, deadheads, and logjams to contend with so it is only suitable for experienced paddlers. Eagle River meanders all the way making the distance much longer in a boat. We launched at the Malakwa Suspension Bridge which is only 21 km from the lake, but it took us 39.6km to paddle the river. At times we were paddling east on our way downriver.
The upper section had some faster water, but many hazards too. At one point 6 km downstream, the entire river was blocked by a logjam with only a 4 foot opening, followed by an obstacle-slalom course. I was able to get through, but another person capsized and the third person portaged around the section. For the first two hours, we had to slow down the kayaks in the river, scout the best line, and paddle adeptly around various hazards. At a good landing/launch spot downstream the river became slower, more clear of hazards, and it started to meander even more. This would be a good/safer spot for most kayakers to launch (see the locations coordinates below).
From this point, it is just a long paddle to the lake. We took 7 hours in all. Next time, we will start about 6 km downstream and we will pull out at the dog park just past the Cambie-Solsqua Bridge, shortening the route by about 13km. We ended up paddling out into the lake where there were powerboats, windy conditions, and nowhere to land near parking. We landed near the bridge, but this is a busy area with limited parking opportunities. In the lower river, there is also a set of rapids then a fish weir to negotiate.
We enjoyed the wildlife corridor, especially with the early run of the sockeye salmon. The fish jumped out of the water and predators patrolled the shoreline. We spotted a bear, many eagles, herons, and turkey vultures.
For recreational paddlers, the lower river would be a good choice, avoiding the upper river and lower river obstacles. Paddling this river in high water conditions would be for experienced paddlers only. The Eagle River is scenic and interesting, worth a day of paddling and exploration.
Coordinates (east to west):
Malakwa Suspension Bridge launch area (on the north side) – N50 46.448 W118 47.677
Janice Lake (sometimes called Long Island Lake) lies next to Highway 24 (Interlakes) at the McDonald Summit. The turn-off to the Recreation Site on the shoreline is 22.5km from Little Fort. The access road is a bit rough and leads to a cleared area with 3 campsites and a steeper final slope down to the lakeshore. I chose to park in the clearing and carry my boat down the last 50m. The paddle starts in an arm of the lake.
The distance around the shoreline of the lake is 8.25km. At 1270m, this is a higher lake and temperatures are cooler than the North Thompson Valley. The lake water was clear and I could see schools of fish. The shoreline is treed and the lake can't be seen from the highway. The lake lies with Emar Lakes Provincial Park. It is one lake in a chain that can be paddled with short portages between (although one is 1030m long). At this time, the trails are closed because of windfall and danger trees (link to more information).
The most enjoyable lakes to paddle include these attributes:
no powerboats
no lakeshore homes
away from busy roads
clean water and a healthy ecosystem
wildlife potential
large enough to offer a good workout
reasonable launch and landing access
a scenic shoreline
Some good paddling spots have most of these, but Janice Lake has all of these. Although the lakes of this area are a bit of drive, they are worth a day of paddling in the high country on the edge of the Cariboo.
During freshet, the volume of watyer increases and the current is stronger. Once we enter the river, we look for slower water to progress upstream. The north side shoreline can be followed towards Overlander Bridge, a good workout. We enter the main flow and go across the river to come down the channel on the south side of Rabbit Island. The current is slowest next to the island.
At the west end of Rabbit Island, we turn the corner to come back up the shoreline. The current is slower right next to the island, although the water is quite shallow. We enjoy paddling right around the island. When the river is very high, some of the interior channels of the island fill with water and we can explore them (article).
The Rabbit Island Circuit is about 6km. We could do an extra lap around the island or go downstream farther and could easily extend the paddle to 10km. The upstream sections add a good strength and endurance workout.
