Tag Archives: hiking

Stake Lake X3

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

Although the Stake Lake Rec Site is officially “closed” because of the Ross Moore Lake wildfire, the gate to the parking area is open and lots of people are fishing or paddling the lake, and hiking, walking and biking the inner trails.   On a cloudy but mild September day I launched my kayak into the lake and paddled around the shoreline.

There was a breeze on the lake, but not enough to deter me from a great day of paddling on the lake.    I paddled around twice, once in each direction.    That takes about an hour.

After paddling, I secured the boat on the roof rack, then hiked around the lake, mostly using single tracks where available.

After a period of extended drought the forest is still very dry.    A few shrubs and perennials were still green if they were near water.

This is a favorite, three times around Stake Lake.      We will do this again in the fall.

Some moments of the three loops are shared here in a short YouTube video:

 

Six Mile Thrice

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

On a pleasant spring day I drove up the bumpy road to Pat Lake, sometimes called Six Mile Lake.    It is a favorite spring fishing lake, but I stayed close to the shoreline paddling around twice, once in each direction.   

There were many birds on the shoreline and on the lake, including blackbirds, loons, ducks (mostly coots), geese, bluebirds, swallows, and crows.   There were painted turtles and marmots sunning, frogs croaking, and a variety of active insects.  

After paddling I hiked around the lake, enjoying the Six Mile Hills.

Video captures the calls of the birds and the soughing of the wind:

I will be back to do a larger loop through the Six Mile Hills.  

 

Lodgepole Lake Loops

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

On a hot summer morning I chose to drive up to Lodgepole Lake to do some loops – twice around the lake in a kayak, then once around the lake on the Lodgepole Lake Trail.    The trailhead starts at the end of the Recreation Site campground and winds around the lake.    The loop route is about 2 km.  

There is a lot of windfall all around the lake, but it has been cleared by volunteers and the Rec Site contractor. 

contThe trail comes out to the Forest Service Road and I walked along the road back to the trailhead.     

Three loops amounted to about 4.5 km, a shorter outing, but just right for a day that would be about 46 degrees C.  

 

More:

  • Around Lodgepole Lake (A Wildflower Journal)
  • On Lodgepole Lake (Kamloops Kayak)