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.