A new video is available on YouTube:
Click the YouTube link for more videos.
Tag Archives: kayaking
South Thompson Paddle (Video)
A YouTube video is ready for viewing:
Click the YouTube link on the menu bar for more videos.
Paul Lake Paddle (Video)
A Kamloops Kayak/Kamloops Trails video is available on YouTube:
There are many Kamloops Trails/Kamloops Kayak videos on YouTube – link
On Shumway Lake
I paddled Shumway Lake on a sunny cool morning. I hauled my kayak over the bank from the area just outside the Paddling Center. A paddle of the whole lake is about 8 km.
The facilities on the lake were built in 1991 by the 1993 Canada Games Society in partnership with the local rowing and canoeing/kayak clubs (I was the manager of sports and facilties at the time and was part of the design and installation team). Access to the facility is now for Club members only so the general public has to access other spots on the lake to launch and land.
The main part of the lake has a 2000m racing course supported by an underwater cable system. The above-water course had not yet been installed as I paddled down the lake.
Although the highway is on the west side of the lake, the east side is quiet and there were lots of ducks, geese, and shoreline birds.
Azure Lake and Clearwater Lake
I took the water taxi from the campground area at the end of Clearwater Lake to the Rainbow Falls Marine Campsite on Azure Lake and paddled back to the start. In the first day, I paddled my kayak for 15.5 km to Four and a Half Mile Campground in stormy conditions. On the next morning I paddled for 5.7 km to the end of the lake, then down the Azure – Clearwater River for 3 km to Clearwater Lake.
Paddling down the Clearwater River is relatively easy, avoiding shallow gravel shoals on the east side and deadheads and sweepers on the west side. The middle of the main channel is the best choice.
Once on the main lake, experienced paddlers go down either shoreline, not down the middle of the lake. The choice depends on the direction of the wind and which campsites may be the end point for the day. The western shoreline is a bit shorter with smaller bays. From the north end of the lake to the narrow neck of the lake at Diver’s Bluff is 15.5 km.
As I paddled down the west shore (which is more scenic since there are better views of the Azure Ranges), I could see back to Mt. Huntley and the peaks on the north side of Azure Lake. I passed by several campsites – Barella, Huntley View, and Archer Creek on my way to the Diver’s Bluff Point.
On the east side, Azure Peak and Zodiac Peak rise above the lake. The ridges of Azure Peak and Zodiac Peak can be reached from Ivor Creek Campground, but there is no trail and the climb is 1800 m (5900 feet).
After Diver’s Bluff the lake starts to narros. Grey clouds threatened another afternoon storm, but I got in before any difficult weather came in. Nevertheless I faced a 10 km headwind all the way down the lake.
It is 5.7 km from Diver’s Bluff to the boat launch, but my truck was back at the campground so I paddled down the narrowing lake-river channel to just before the falls, another 2.7 km.
After 7 hours of continuous paddling I arrived at the landing spot. I paddled 32 km that day, enough for a well-deserved rest that night.
I am not recommending this kind of trip. Paddling on Azure Lake in a storm is not advisable, even for experienced paddlers. Paddling all day can be done, but the route is best done in 4-5 days, camping at different marine campsites on the way back. I have done it both ways and when I return to do the trip again, I will opt for 3 days, a compromise plan, but weather also adjusts our plans, so it may be another adventure on the lakes.
High Country Paddle and Hike
When the weather gets hot an option is to drive to the high country (4000 feet+) and paddle one of the lakes, then go for one of the hikes nearby. On this blue sky hot day, I paddled twice around Stake Lake, then hiked a snowshoe route nearby. It was an early morning start and winds are usually calm until late morning in our area. There was no one else on the lake.
We spot western painted turtles in a number of our area lakes, particularly murky lakes with marshy areas. We were surprised to spot one on the western side of Stake Lake which is a clear-water lake.
Across the Lac le Jeune Road is a series of open marshes and a number of double tracks can be hiked or snowshoed, linked into a loop, although some route-finding is required. The marsh reeds were starting to turn colour in late summer.
Butterflies were out on wildflowers along the route. This skipper was spotted on clover.
A swampy area in the forest was surrounded by rushes and reeds.
There were lots of late-summer flowers, mostly taller varieties, but a few low-growing wildflowers like self-heal (prunella vulgaris) could be spotted with careful observation.
Going into the high country offers some relief from the hot summer sun, especially if combined with an early start and a forested route. Paddling and hiking in the middle of the day in open areas is best left to shoulder seasons.
Diver’s Bluff and Eagle’s View
We padded up Clearwater Lake in Wells Gray Provincial Park to the Diver’s Bluff Marine Campground, then hiked the Eagle’s View Trail. We launched our boats (canoes and kayaks) and headed up the west shore of the lake. With calm conditions we were at our destination in about 75 minutes.
From the boat launch at the end of the Wells Gray Corridor to Diver’s Bluff is 6 km. We got an early start for our paddle up the lake. The lake was calm and quiet. In the distance we could see Garnet Peak and Mt. Huntley at the end of the lake.
The deepest part of Clearwater Lake is at Diver’s Bluff, named after the cliffs where adventurer’s jump into the lake not far from the the campsite.
We landed on the shoreline then donned our hiking boots for a steep 3km return hike to the bluffs overlooking the lake.
This pleasant trail winds through a damp forest before climbing the ridges above.
From Eagle’s View the south end of Clearwater Lake stretches down to Osprey Falls.
To the southeast the Trophy Mountains rise above the hills of Wells Gray Park.
To the east Azure Peak stands above the lake.
We returned back to the shoreline and then paddled back down the lake. A light tailwind made the paddle back easier.
Clearwater Lake is a wonderful destination to paddle (and to camp) so we were pleased to return to do a 12 km paddle plus the 3 km hike, an all-day venture (with 2 hours of driving each way).
Pelicans and Skeletons at Scuitto
In late fall, we drove out from Barnhartvale on the bumpy Scuitto Lake Forest Service Road for 12 km to the Rec Site on Scuitto Lake. It was a sunny day for a 5.2 km paddle around the lake shoreline. We met pelicans and skeletons along the route.
The Scuitto Lake Rec Site has been rebuilt and has designated camping spots, new washrooms, and a good boat launch.
Scuitto Lake is a flooded lake, that it, it was dammed to provide water for late season irrigation and now to provide for recreational use. Scuitto Lake is drained by Scuitto Creek which descends 5 km northwest down to Campbell Creek. The shoreline has some interesting rock features, and lots of stumps, root stalks and twisted driftwood (the skeletons on the shoreline) left behind when the lake was expanded.
While we there, there were 4 pelicans on the lake, a bald eagle, and many ducks. Hover your cursor over an image in the gallery for a caption or click one for a larger image and a caption.
The Cougars of Harper Lake
While paddling on Harper Lake, I spotted some movement at the remote west end of the lake. As I approached closer I could see two cubs in the open as well as the longer/larger mother partially hidden in the forest. Cougar cubs stay up to 2 years with their mother before they are driven off to fend for themselves. These two were already over a year old so they will be on their own in the spring.
Cougars are naturally secretive and stay well hidden, but the cubs were curious about the 18 foot green kayak out in the lake. I stayed as still as I could so they sat and watched me for a while.
The mother cougar kept an eye on me, though. Mostly she stayed hidden, but I was able to drift to a clearer view. Cougars are polygamous, with males mating with several females. The females are fertile by 2 to 3 years of age and can mate at any time of the year. Babies gestate for up to 96 days then the mother will look for a den to have her young. One to four babies are born in a litter. Their eyes are closed at birth, but are open withing 2 weeks. The kittens are nursed for 5 – 6 weeks then start to eat meat.
When I drifted too close to the shoreline, the young cougars retreated to the cover of the bush, but still remained curious.
The mother cougar decided that was enough and led her young along the south shoreline in search of prey. They range in an area of 5 to 25 square miles so there were probably many miles to go before the ed-of-the-day sleep.
Comox Lake
We launched our kayaks in Comox Lake with the intention of paddling down the lake far enough to see the end of the glacier-fed lake, but strong winds came up so we ended up paddling a loop around the east end of the lake only.
We parked adjacent to the campground and launched from the beach into the protected bay. There is no charge for canoes and kayaks.
We had an audience as we paddled out onto the main body of the lake.
There was a boat upside down by the point, capsized by the strong winds/ Our ocean-going kayaks were okay in the waves and wind, but the lake is cold and open waters is not a good choice for a recreational paddle.
A loop around the east end of the lake is about 5.5 km so we did it one and a half times to get in decent workout.
A loop all the way around Comox Lake would be 32 km, too far for one day, but it is possible to paddle down around the corner to see the end of the lake and back with a 13 km paddle, our goal for the next visit. .
More information:
Jacko Lake on a SuP
One of the first two lakes to clear of ice in late winter is Jacko Lake. It can be a busy place in early spring with a lot of eager fishermen, so it is best to find other places to paddle. But, because it is at a lower elevation and shallow, it is not a great summer fishing lake but it is a good time to paddle. Jacko is a scenic lake with a number of shallow arms, all worth exploring. On a hot summer day, I put a paddleboard on the water and followed the shoreline around the 4.7 km perimeter of the lake.
The turn to Jacko Lake is on the Lac le Jeune Road right next to Inks Lake. The access road parallels the Afton-Ajax Mine Road for 1.8 km. A good parking/launch area is located on the north side of the lake. The lake is surrounded by grasslands hills and a few douglas fir forested patches.
The access road to the mine passes along the north side of the lake.
There were ducks, loons, dragonflies, damselflies, killdeer, swallows, magpies, a caddis fly hatch, leeches, and small fish feeding on the surface.
There was no one around and Jacko Lake was peaceful and quiet on a hot summer day, with clear blue skies. Paddling the lake on a SuP is slower (for me) than with the ocean kayak, but perfect for a smaller lake in mid-summer.
Lafarge to Pioneer Park Downriver
Every spring we paddle down the South Thompson River in 21 km outings. From the Lafarge Bridge (NE side) we launched our kayaks and enjoyed a 3 hour flatwater paddle from Lafarge to Pioneer Park. Using a two vehicle system, we started paddling about 9:30 am and landed at the boat launch at Pioneer by 12:30. One of the keys to an outing like this is to paddle downstream before the power boats get onto the river, if possible.
There are homes, businesses, the railway, and the highway along the south shore, but the north shore is much quieter and more scenic.
Eagles and ospreys watched over the river along the route. This eagle perched in front of its nest in a snag. Photos taken from a kayak are never easy. It would be easy to drop the camera in the swirling, swiftly-moving water of the river. The camera survived this last outing.
Five kayaks are seen here below the silt cliffs on the north side of the river near Harper Ranch.
tThere were geese, goslings, ducks, blackbirds, and bank swallows all along the route.
On several sections of the river there is only the riparian zone with Shuswap Road and the silt cliffs above, remnants of a glacial lake.
On the other side are waterfront homes near Campbell Creek, in Dallas, and Valleyview. The final section of the journey goes through a narrow section by the TIB Office, then a short section into Downtown Kamloops.
 |
 |
By noon there was a fair amount of boat traffic on the river, a good time to land and get the 18+ foot kayaks away from the noise and turbulent waves of the powerboat crowd. The best part of this route is the first half with quiet kayaks gliding among the birds on the river.
More Information:
Downriver: Lafarge to Pioneer Park
Every year we paddle downriver to Kamloops. The South Thompson River from Chase to Kamloops can be done in 3 legs – Chase to Pritchard, Pritchard to Lafarge, and Lafarge to Pioneer Park. We organized a pickup vehicle at the end so we enjoy the river as it runs quickly in freshet. We paddled downriver from Lafarge to Pioneer Park at the end of May with the river swollen with meltwaters from the Monashee Range to the east (article on the sources of the river). Our route follows the corridor between silt cliffs of an ancient glacial lake
There is a good hand launch spot on the northeast side of the Lafarge Bridge. We launched out into the river in our seaworthy ocean-style kayaks for a 3 hour downriver paddle.
The gravel bars are covered along this 21 km route in freshet. We had a tail wind and a good downstream current making for easy paddling.
The weather was good, but thunderheads were starting to form to our west. When paddling in the area, it is almost always better to paddle in the morning before afternoon winds start.
We were able to maintain about 8 km an hour downstream on this day with favorable winds and good conditions. We will be paddling the other 2 legs this spring and then we will paddle downstream on the North Thompson River. We paddled all the way from Clearwater to Kamloops last year (link). There are launch spots and landings for 9 different routes of downriver paddling with Kamloops as the epicenter. Not many cities have these kinds of opportunities so we take advantage of the opportunities by doing most of the legs each year.
Paddling Paul Lake
There is a big difference between paddling Paul Lake on a quiet day as compared to a busy weekend in the summer. On this sunny day in April, loons were calling across the lake. Kingfishers flew from tree to tree, chittering as they followed the shoreline. A great blue heron slowly worked its way along the lake to a new perch. Fish were jumping with the chironomid hatch. And two quiet kayakers paddled along the shoreline.
Ice Off, Kayak On
The first day in the kayak in 2016 was in February and the next 5 weeks was paddling in the rivers. Once the ice is off the lower lakes, we look to paddle them, but the first ones to thaw are smaller lakes like Jocko and Six Mile and they are full of fishermen too, so we wait for Paul Lake, Neskonlith Lake, then Heffley Lake and paddle each of those 2-3 times while the upper lakes thaw. Paul Lake is one the best lakes to paddle all year, offering good access, a longer paddle (12.2 km around), and great scenery. The best launch spot is at the Park beach.
The east end of the lake has some shallower areas, but these are no problem for a kayak.
Every year we see trees angled out over the lake as the roots become weaker where the shoreline erodes away from winter storms and power boat wash/waves. They lean, then some fall in a winter storm.
The narrow spot of the lake is at Gibraltar Rock which stands dramatically over the lake.
Steady paddling around the whole shoreline is a 2 to 2.5 hour workout, depending on fitness and wind conditions. The best time to paddle Paul Lake is early in the morning or on weekdays when the power boats aren’t on the lake. We return to the lake a few times each year, along with Heffley Lake and Lac le Jeune, our favorite local lakes.
More information – Paul Lake and Area Lakes
Trapp Lake
Trapp Lake is a long narrow lake right on Highway 5A. It is surrounded by hills and rangelands, though there is some Crown land too. It is not known as a fishing lake, nor does it see much recreational use. There is a good hand launch spot for paddlers a short distance off the highway (at N50 27.931 W120 16.246).
We can go around the lake in either direction, but it will depend on the wind. On this day early in the morning the lake was calm and the reflections off the hills were displayed in the lake’s surface.
It was almost a shame to paddle since the movement of the boat sent ripples into the reflections.
The grasslands stretch up the hillsides in both directions.
The water quality of the lake is not the best and there can be an algae bloom on the lake mid-summer, but in fall it is a quiet, cool, muddy lake down in the bottom of the valley.
Paddling down one shore to the end and back up the other in a long loop is a 10.4 km paddle. The highway traffic is the drawback, but on a weekday morning the number of vehicles was comparatively low and I just tuned out the noise. In its own unique way, Trapp Lake is another beautiful spot in our area.