On a hot and smoky day I drove early towards Chase, then up bumpy backroads to the Harper Lake Recreation Site. There was no one else in the area and all was quiet on the lake. A paddle around the lake is 3.3 km. There were loons and dragonflies on the lake. With smoky and hot conditions, once around the … Continue reading →
On a hot summer morning I drove up to Monte Lake. The launch on the north side of the lake is the best choice. Right at the north end of the lake turn onto Mill Road and the launch is an obvious spot. It was a busy spot on that morning, but there is lots of room for parking and … Continue reading →
On a hot summer day I parked at the gate area by Lac le Jeune and then hauled my kayak down to the lakeshore. We have to lift our boats over a fence now, then carry them about 40m down to the lakeshore, then do a muddy launch among the cattails and bulrushes. A paddle around the lakeshore is about … Continue reading →
On a hot summer morning I drove southwest past the smoke to paddle Tunkwa Lake. The lake had a few fishermen on it, but it was otherwise quiet. I launched from the day use area. Tunkwa is a lake created by a dam and it is shallow, making it a popular spot for waterfowl and shoreline birds. On this day … Continue reading →
On a clear summer day I paddled around Pinantan Lake. There are several spots to launch a boat, but I prefer the one at the end of Cridge Road. Drive past the school on Holbrook Road and continue to Cridge Road. A paddle around the lake is about 4 km. I paddled up the lagoon channel to the beaver dam … Continue reading →
Scuitto Lake is in the running for one of our top 5 paddling lakes in the Kamloops area. The Scuitto Lake Recreation Site is reached by driving out through Barnhartvale and onto the Robbins Range Road, then onto the Scuitto Lake Forest Service Road. There are three launching spots in the Rec Site area. When Scuitto Lake was dammed, the … Continue reading →
Pat Lake is a small lake in the Six Mile Hills. It is reached from a bumpy road going off the uphill side of the TranCanada Highway just west of Tobiano. It is a popular fishing lake and it is a busy spot in spring, but by mid-summer it is quiet at the lake. The road to and under the … Continue reading →
On a summer day that had smoky conditions in Kamloops, I used firesmoke.ca to look for smoke-free areas and I found that areas south were clearer. To get to Glimpse Lake, we first drive to Nicola Lake, then turn and drive towards Douglas Lake. At the power station, we turn left onto Lauder Road and follow it to the lake. … Continue reading →
On a hot summer morning there was smoke in town, but the smoke forecast maps showed clear skies towards Merritt so I drove down Highway 5A past Stump Lake and then up to Peterhope Lake. A paddle around the whole lakeshore took about 90 minutes, including the lagoon channel and hidden lake off the southwest corner of the lake. A … Continue reading →
John Frank Lake is one of several hard-to-get-to lakes in Roche Lake Provincial Park. Access to Black Lake, Frisken Lake, Bulman Lake, Ernest Lake, John Frank Lake, and Bog Lake is by rough roads. In spring there are giant mudholes. In summer, the roads have big rocks, but we can drive them if we have high clearance (trucks or jeeps, … Continue reading →
It was smoky in Kamloops but I used the excellent website firesmoke.ca to see the smoke condition in the area and it showed clear skies to the south, especially at higher elevations, so I picked Surrey Lake, one of my favorite lakes to paddle. The roads were in good shape. I turned right at the entrance to Wildlings Resort and … Continue reading →
Chuwhels Lake is in a remote spot between Greenstone Mountain and Chuwhels Mountain. It is accessed by driving up the Greenstone Mountain Road for 15.5 km then turning onto the Chuwhels Road. A 1 km track (unsigned) bears east to Chuwhels Lake. I put my folding kayak into a pack and hiked in to the lake. The track is driveable, … Continue reading →
Hyas Lake is located in the remote hills north of Pinantan Lake. The Hyas Lake Forest Service Road climbs to the bumpy track in to the Hyas Lake Recreation Site. When I arrived, there was one other boat on the lake. A paddle around the lake takes about 75 minutes. Hyas is one of my favorites, but I also choose … Continue reading →
Pemberton Lake is located in the hills to the north of Pinantan Lake. It is a small lake with a primitive Rec Site and a rough 1 km road, accessed from the Hyas Lake Forest Service Road. I put my folding kayak into a pack and hiked in to the lake. The launch area is muddy, although there are some … Continue reading →
We kayak Bleeker Lake every year. In the last few years it has suffered some winterkill and with dry conditions, it was drawn down for irrigation so the lake has far fewer fishermen, but it is still a fine lake to kayak in spring or early summer. Aquatic vegetation grows and fills in the bays at either end, but we … Continue reading →
Sullivan Lake is sometimes referred to Knouff Lake. The community of Knouff Lake is on the southern shore and a short way north is Little Knouff Lake. In terms of geography, it is referred to as Sullivan Lake. We usually get to it by driving up the Sun Peaks Road, then the Knouff Lake Road. We usually return by the … Continue reading →