In mid-September Face Lake was the destination for a morning paddle. There is no reasonable public launch on the lake so I checked in at the Mile High Lodge, paid a small parking and launch fee, and used the boat launch (parking in the Guest parking area). The folks at the lodge were again welcoming and wished me well. I then paddled around the lakeshore.
It is accessed by the Paska Lake Road (paved). Continue to the end of the road which takes you to the Resort. Face Lake sits at 5800 feet, at the foot of Chuwhels Mountain.
It is a pleasant 5.8 km kayak around the lake. With no traffic past the resort, the lake is a quiet spot.
A few moments on the lake are captured in a short video:
This is a recommended lake for paddling in the summer.
Face Lake is at the end of the Paska Lake Road. A backroad does continue around the lake, but it is very rough. I have driven it twice, but never again. There is a Rec Site on the northeast corner of the lake that can be used to launch a boat, but when there is a better choice at Mile High Resort, and that will be my choice this year and in the future. A small guest fee is required to drop a boat off, park in the designated area, then launch from their beach. On a hot June day, I launched into the bay at the south end of the lake and paddled the shoreline counter-clockwise.
At the north end of the lake, Greenstone Mountain stands above the hills, 6.8 km away.
The shoreline is forested all the way around the lake. The lake lies at 1460m (4790 ft).
An eagle watched over the lakeshore at the northeast end of the lake.
Above the east side of the lake Chuwhels Mountain rises 425 m above the lake and 3 km away.
In the northwest corner loons had two chicks which were now swimming with their parents.
I paddled for about 1.5 hours, covering about 6 km in a leisurely summer paddle in the high country.
If you have stayed at Mile High Lodge, you may have been on Face Lake, but if not, it is hard to get to. Drive up the Paska Lake Road and not far past, the road ends at the Mile High Lodge. You could park at the lodge and launch your boat, paying a modest fee, but if you want to find your own spot, you have to drive to the Face Lake Recreation Site on the northwest corner of the lake.
Right at the gate to the lodge, turn left onto a road that has a Dead-End sign at the start. A short ways up, look for another weather-beaten Face Lake sign that is easy to miss. This 2.2 km road is rough and is only suited to high-clearance vehicles. It eventually comes down to the Rec Site where there are 2 camping spots and a hand launch.
With two arms at the north end, the lake offers more shoreline to explore, although some of it is in shallow water, fine for kayaks. The launch is off a grassy bank in a quiet bay.
A small islet lies at the entrance to the west arm. It has a trail and a small informal campsite.
Shallow areas had lily pads and smart weed in bloom. Caddis flies and water boatmen were in hatch and fish were jumping. Dragonflies combed the surface. Chuwhels Mountain stands over the eastern side of the lake. All was quiet. This is a pleasant 6 km paddle. When the valley heats up in the summer, the 4800 foot high plateau lake is cooler and the fish continue to feed.
Enter the water gently. Paddle easily, drifting often to observe the creatures of the lake and the hum of life, surrounded by the silent green forests.
It is accessed by the Paska Lake Road (paved). Continue to the end of the road which takes you to the Resort. Face Lake sits at 5800 feet, at the foot of Chuwhels Mountain.
It is a pleasant 5.8 km kayak around the lake. With no traffic past the resort, the lake is a quiet spot.
