Tag Archives: paddling

Paddling Bleeker Lake

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Bleeker Lake is 2 km north of Roche Lake.   Take the Bleeker Lake FSR and follow the bumpy backroad to the Rec Site on the north shore of the lake.   there is a small campsite there and a rough boat launch.   It is a popular fishing lake, but the lake is large enough for paddlers too.   A circuit of the whole lake is about 5 km.

I launched from a spot next to a campsite while campground was closed for overnight use.

A few ducks were on the lake, including some barrow’s golden eyes.

There was still a bit of snow on the south shore, which is at the foot of a hill.   Some pussywillows were caught in  sunny spot along the shore of the lake.

Mating pairs of ducks were in the shallow parts of the lake on the 1.25 hour loop.

A ripple of wind arose near the end of the paddle as silver light appeared on the lake’s surface.

This is also a lake I enjoy in mid-summer, especially since flowering aquatic plants grow in the shallow, marshy areas (full of insects and other critters too) on the east and southeast end of the lake.  I hope to return and perhaps combine it will another paddle of nearby Hosli Lake (on a very rough road).

 

Paddling Scuitto Lake

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Scuitto Lake is one of our favorite lakes to paddle.   There is a nice Rec site with a good boat launch on the east shore of the lake, just off the Scuitto Lake Forest Service Road.  On an early May morning we paddled our kayaks out onto the lake following the shoreline in a clockwise loop.

When the lake was dammed, it flooded an number of trees, now standing as stumps along the shoreline.

Tree swallows were cruising along the shoreline, feeding on airborne insects.

On the western shoreline were a number of western painted turtles who have crawled up onto waterlogged perches to bask in the morning sun.

As we closed the loop, Mt. Vicars rose above the east shore of the lake.   We usually hike to the top each year (use the Search bar to find the article).

A different tree swallow kept its eye on me as I drifted by one of the stumps in the lake.

After paddling around the lake (5.7 km), I went back out for another shorter loop around the island and back.   We usually return for another paddle in early September when pelicans and herons are on Scuitto and Campbell Lake.

 

 

On Napier Lake

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I have driven past Napier Lake many times, but had never paddled it; the challenge was to find access to launch a boat.   After a number or stops along the road, I settled on a steep grassy slope near the north end of the lake.   There was a small pullout there to unload.   I attached wheels to the back of the kayak and pulled the boat down the steep hill, across some scrubby shrubs, then to the lakeshore.   Getting down there was not too bad, but I wasn’t looking forward to getting back up.

The Napier Lake Ranch is on the north end of the lake, but there is a small riparian zone on the northwest corner with a small gravel beach.   A rough launch, but once on the water, its a different matter.   When I launched into the lake, there was a steady wind from the south so I paddled into the headwind for 3.5 km.     The lake is a scenic paddle, but the wind dictated a route close to the shoreline, paddling in the lee of a series of hills.

At the south end of the lake, Droppingwater Creek cascades into the lake through a narrow canyon.   The creek originates on the eastern slopes of Hull Hill and flows through the Bute Lakes.   At the other end of the lake, the drainage goes into Ritchie Lake, then Trapp Lake, then Shumway Lake, and down Campbell Creek.

Colorful cliffs, mossy slopes,  and red ossier dogwood at the inlet on the southwest corner of the lake makes this an inviting place to paddle.

Strong tailwinds carried me back to the narrows.   Even the ducks took refuge in sheltered bays.

On the way back, the skies started to clear, and the sun shone on rocky hills rose above grassland slopes.

The final leg of the 7 km paddle was in light winds, passing the beautiful and open but steep slopes on both sides of the lake.

After landing, hauling the 18 foot kayak up a very steep slope was hard, but I will do it again just to paddle this fine valley-bottom lake.

 

Exploring the Delta Sand Islands

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I paddled out of Cooney Bay in April and instead of heading out into the bay and then farther out to Kamloops Lake, I chose to paddle upstream into the shallow river channels and explore the delta sand islands.  At low water, the river divides into 3 channels near the mouth before entering Kamloops Lake.   The main channel is about 2/3 of the way across to the other side.    The water moves more quickly there and is deeper.   On the north side of the mouth are two channels, the one closest to Cooney Bay and one shallow channel farther over.   In between the channels are a number of sand islands.   At low water, the islands dry out, some with a few logs or other debris.   I paddled up the first channel, past the gravelly beaches and cottonwoods by Tranquille.

I paddled up the first channel and then down the second one,  watching for shallow spots since its no fun to ground the boat.  I turned the corner at the lake mouth, then went up the main channel, paddling against the current and landed on a sand island.

I explored the island, examining debris and tracks.   There were lots of bird tracks (mainly seagulls), but there was also a river otter tracks that started at one end of the island and went across to the other side.    I have spotted river otters in this area a few times, especially during freshet.

I paddled over to the next island and explored it too.   I tried wading through shallow water between the islets, but the super-saturated silts were like quicksand, with my boots burying deeper with each step.

After exploring 3 islands. I paddled to the south shore then looped back through deeper water in the lake to the launch spot at Cooney Bay.   All of these islands will be covered in water by now and will have to wait until mid-fall to dry out again.

We are lucky to have access to this area, but it is rarely explored, except by a few who kayak into the lake.

On Little Shuswap Lake

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In April most of the lakes in the hills are still covered in ice so we do a rotation of the valley-bottom lakes first (Kamloops Lake, Little Shuswap Lake, Nicola Lake, Stump Lake, Trapp Lake, Shumway Lake, then move to the lower lakes in the hills.   When we paddle the larger lakes, we watch for a day with no wind.   Capsizing in cold water is dangerous so we try to follow the shoreline.   On this April day there was no wind I launched from Memorial Park in Chase in shallow water and angled across the lake, bearing northeast.

With no wind, the rocky hills above the north shore of the lake were reflected in the calm waters.

The long diagonal route took me to the north side where the rocky hills come right down to the lake.

I paddled about 3/4 of the way up the lake, then turned back to follow the shoreline all the way back to the start.   Reflections in the water create a type of optical illusion, affecting our innate sense of balance in the boat, especially when taking photos.

Along the lakeshore a few mergansers and other ducks scuttled away from the kayak.

The north side was in the sun and was from highway traffic so it is my usual route on Little Shuswap Lake.  I may return to paddle the other shore when fall colors border the lake.

 

 

On Trapp Lake

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Trapp Lake is a long narrow lake in the bottom of the gully south of Shumway Lake.   There is a good launch spot halfway down the lake.   It is one of the lakes in which the ice clears off  early,  so I usually pick it for a spring paddle.

I paddled down the west shore and then back on the east shore, a 10.3 km loop.

Much of the lake is surrounded by steep hills but in the southeast corner, then hills are lower and more open.   Eroded ridges and gullies have been shaped by water.

Two bald eagles perched on a snag near the north end of the lake, and they stayed for a portrait.

Over the year I paddle about 66 days, rotating the location for most outings.   The ice will be off the upland lakes soon, so I will paddle the lowland lakes first, then drive to the higher lakes as spring deepens.

 

 

On Nicola Lake

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We launched our kayaks in April from a boat launch on the east side of Nicola Lake close to the southwest end.   The lake was low and almost all of the water was quite shallow, but there was a channel of deeper water heading west toward Upper Nicola.

On a sandbar across the lake were 3 American white pelicans (only one of the 8 species to have a bump on its bill).

By drifting in slowly and remaining still, I was able to get close enough to get a few good photos

The pelicans kept an eye on me and started to walk away when I got too close.

After leaving the pelicans, we worked our way into the narrowing part of the lake which we found to be very shallow.   We spotted a great blue heron, eagles, an osprey, and many ducks along the waterway.

We had hoped to have done a loop, but this is probably only possible in high water so we returned up the main channel to our launch.   We have paddled all parts of Nicola Lake on separate days, all from different launch points.   The main body of the lake can be a very windy spot so we always try for a morning launch, avoiding a lake crossing at the end of the paddle (cross first at either end of the lake).   We will back next year to paddle another shoreline in spring.

Cooney Bay – Kamloops Lake Loop

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On a calm early April day we launched our kayaks from Cooney Bay and paddled into the rivers flow, down to the lake.   We rounded the corner and followed the shoreline of Cooney Bay.   Our route continued past a few fishermen, rocky bluffs, gravely and shingled shoreline beaches, and railway fixtures toward Battle Bluff.   We passed the tunnel under the bluff and continued around to the west side of the bluff.

The sheer cliffs of Battle Bluff were bleached white in the low-water conditions of early spring.   When it is windy, we can tuck in behind the bluff for sheltered paddling.   The wind whips out around the point so on those days, we veer out and enjoy the wind-assisted return voyage.   But on this day, conditions were warm and calm, so we rounded the point and started the 1.5 km crossing of the lake.   We don’t recommending crossing the lake in windy conditions, nor in a small boat.   Our kayaks are ocean kayaks, seaworthy, with rudders and structural stability.

 

We crossed over to the beautiful stone arch, constructed with quarried blocks in the 1880s, still in use today by the CPR.   We paddled right underneath, but it is rocky in low water.

We returned on the south shore right up to the river delta which was all sandbars and islands.   Sandhill cranes whooped overhead, a bald eagle tried to grab ducks in Cooney Bay, making multiple attempts, an immature eagle perched on a sand island, ready to attack.     People were arriving at Cooney Bay for a dog walk, a family picnic, or to fish.   We landed and completed our 10.4 km paddle.

 

sandhill cranes overhead

bald eagle attacking ducks

immature eagle on patrol

blind arch trestle

 

We try to paddle the lake when calm conditions are forecast, launching out of Cooney Bay, Tobiano, or Savona.   We also paddle downstream from town, landing in Cooney Bay, with a shuttle system.   In freshet, we launch just east of Tranquille at a parking area and paddle out over the fencelines into the floodlands at the river delta, usually in June.

 

 

Three and a Half Bridges

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In the right conditions paddling on the Thompson Rivers is great in March.   On this mid-March day, there was no wind and blue skies.   I paddled west from Pioneer Park, going under the Red Bridge, then the Black (CN) Bridge before passing through the Confluence.   The river is quite low at this time of year and there are gravel bars in the confluence area.   Much of the area is shallow because of silts deposited by the two rivers as they collide and merge.

Overlander Bridge is the third bridge on the downriver route.   The half bridge is seen to the west, with 3 pillars still standing in the river.

The section down to Rabbit Island is relatively calm.   Mara Mountain above cottonwoods reflected in the river as I approached McArthur Island.

I paddled down the north side of Rabbit Island to inspect the narrow channel.  At its narrowest spot it is only about 8m across and only mid-calf deep.   I was planning on wading over to hike around the island in the next week.

The return route is more difficult, paddling upstream for about 4 km.   A rhythmic paddle stroke yields slow progress toward the confluence.

Old pilings in the river are easy to spot in low water.   These ones were west of Overlander Bridge.

 

With no wind, it is easy to see how shallow the Confluence is.   Mt. Peter and Mt. Pail stand above the meeting of the waters.

The sandy beach next to the boat launch in Pioneer Park makes a fine place to launch and land.

When there is more water in the rivers we can paddle around Rabbit Island, already planned for another day on the river later in spring.

On Badger Lake

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One of the lakes we return to paddle each year is Badger Lake.    Access to the lake is either past Knouff Lake (7 km) on a bumpy back road, or up the Orchard Lake Road (13 km) from Highway 5 North.  The road goes up the east side of Badger Lake to a B.C. Rec Site.   There is now a separate public boat launch just before the campground.   It is a bit of a longer drive on backroads to the lake, but it is worth the drive.

 

 

From the boat launch the main part of the lake runs north-south for 2.3 km.   Forested hills rise above the lake on either side.

 

 

Not shown on the map is a shallow, narrow channel (near the southwest corner of the lake).   Kayaks can paddle through that channel to the marshy areas on the west side.

 

 

Even in September there was enough water to allow for easy access under the forest canopy.

 

 

The marshes on the west side are surrounded by rushes and reeds with ducks clustered in sheltered areas.   Dragonflies patrolled the calm waters in search of prey.    There is another 2.3 km of exploration for paddlers in this part of the lake.

 

 

Another channel on the north end of the marshes provides access to the main part of the lake.   Following the shoreline around the lake bays and channels is 8.3 km.

 

 

A young loon surfaced in the lake nearby.   Fishing line had become tangled in its beak.   It will be unlikely to survive the winter.

 

 

I drove up to Badger Lake via Knouff Lake but I drove down the Orchard Lake Road, stopping on the way down to hike into Struthers Creek Falls (link).   WE will return to paddle Badger Lake again next year.

 

 

 

 

Across Kamloops Lake to Painted Bluffs

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Painted Bluffs Provincial Park lies on the north side of Kamloops Lake east of Copper Creek.   Access by land is difficult, but it can be done from the Copper Creek Road just below the Sabiston Creek Road junction (link).  We have been in to Painted Bluffs five times in the last 2 years, with the last time by kayak from Savona.   We paddle on Kamloops Lake a few times each year, but we always check for weather conditions before heading out.   Typically the lake is calm in the morning and winds arise after 11:00.   Strong winds may be difficult for paddlers and they are often at their worst at about noon.    A crossing of the lake is about 2 km.

 

 

There is an official boat launch on the west end of Savona, but we hand launched from the former Savona Provincial Park area not far from the mill instead.   Access to the parking area and the beach below is blocked by large boulders so we parked on the side of Savona Access Road, then hauled our kayaks down to the beach (using rear wheels).   The beach is rocky but this is no problem in calm conditions.   We launched and then angled northeast to the far shore.  The paddle to Painted Bluffs is 6.5 km.

 

 

It takes about 1.25 hours in calm conditions to paddle across the lake and up the shoreline past Copper Creek.   The whole route over and back is very scenic.

 

 

There is a good beach/shore for a kayak landing.   We pulled our boats onto the beach and hiked up across the train tracks and into the bluffs.   As we approached the ragged ridges and gullies, there was very little vegetation below the cinnabar, iron, and copper infused slopes.

 

 

There are no trails, but with some light scrambling we can go over ridges to gullies that can be hiked or we can hike up the narrow eroded ridges.

 

All exploration is limited by eroded green (copper) red and orange (cinnabar and iron) ridges    Over the years we have clambered over all parts of the park.

 

 

 

The outing was on 9/11 and only by serendipityI spotted and took a photo with N11 in it.

 

 

Every trip into Painted Bluffs is a bit different because of changing light conditions.   Ragged shapes and patterns can be seen, depending on the angle of the view and the light.      No matter how many times I hike in Painted Bluffs, my sense of wonder is never diminished.

 

 

 

We paddled back just as the winds came up and we had about 1 km of concentrated paddling with waves coming out of the southeast.   We came under the shelter of Six Mile Hill and then paddled west along the south shore of the lake back to Savona.

 

 

This is an outing that we try to do every year.   The combination of paddling on Kamloops Lake surrounded by its scenic, rugged hills and hiking in Painted Bluffs is a prime Double Feature for our summer.

 

 

Palmer Meadows Lake

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Palmer Meadows Lake lies in the hills east of Stump Lake, not far from Dardanelles Lake.   It is a dammed lake with the reservoir benefiting waterfowl and ranchers that need summer irrigation.   The dam has created a larger lake, flooding copses, meadows, marshes, and low areas.    Access is by backroads (Old Kamloops Road > Fraser Road > Palmer Dam Road (no signs) for 14 km.   Navigation will be required to go to the lakeshore and there are some high clearance areas along the way.   The lake can’t be seen until the last minute and there is no visible public road access and boat launch area.   There is a short side road that may be on private property or on Crown grazing lease (or licence) with a gate (close the gate behind you), but paddlers will have to haul their boats down the bank on either side of the dam area.   We found two reasonable launch spots on the west side of the lake, although these spots may need permission from land owners or lessees (there is no signage though).

 

 

This is a scenic lake with many bays, channels, wetlands, islands, and marshes.    Paddling the whole shoreline is an 11.5 km venture.

 

 

There are cutblocks on the hills, meadows and pastures, forested areas, cattle grazing areas, and wetlands around the lake.   Fall colors had started in early September.   There was no one else in the whole area.   The nearest person was probably a fisherman on Dardanelles Lake, only 3 km away, but an hour’s drive.  I doubt that anyone fishes in Palmer Meadows Lake.

 

 

Much of the lake was shallow so there were many ducks in every bay.   Loons were on the lake too and raptors patrolled the area.   A red-tailed hawk perched on a branch overlooking one arm of the lake.

 

 

There was no road access to the east shore of the lake (that I could see), but there was the remains of an old homestead, an isolated spot in the hills.

 

This lake took over 2 hours to paddle on a sunny, breezy day.

 

On Bleeker Lake

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Bleeker Lake is a long narrow lake located just north of Roche Lake.   To get to the lakeshore, drive up the Roche Lake Road and then turn left onto the Bleeker Lake FSR (3 km before Roche).   Follow the bumpy 2WD road to the west end of the lake.   There is access to the lake off a side road, close to the dam, but there are better facilities at the BC Rec Site on the north shore of the lake, 1.2 km farther on the gravel road.   There are campsites there with outhouses, parking, and a gravel boat launch.   I launched and then paddled east along the north shore for a clockwise 5 km loop around the lake.

 

The shoreline is a bit rocky in some areas and marshy at either end.   As an amateur naturalist/photographer, I enjoy watching for aquatic plants, dragonflies, insect hatches, shoreline wildflowers, ducks, birds, and natural formations.   A kayak moves quietly along the shoreline and with curiosity always engaged, I watch for what is around each corner.

 

 

Damselflies and dragonflies were patrolling the lake and the shallow marshes.   These damselflies were starting the process of fertilization for a new batch of eggs for the next year.     This position is sometimes referred to as the heart or wheel position.

 

 

When we paddle close to reeds, rushes, and submerged fallen trees, we can spot exuvia/exoskeletons when the nymphs of dragonflies and damselflies climb up into the air to shed their skins.

 

 

Exuvia are the remains of the exoskeleton and other parts after the insect moults.

 

 

Along the lakeshore were old stumps that became flooded in when the lake was dammed.   Moss was growing in the wet wood fibers and marsh skullcap was growing in the moss.   Scutellaria galericulata is an upright perennial in the mint family.   Hooded tubular flowers emerge from the same side of the stem.   It only grows in wet areas.

 

 

At the east end of the lake in shallow water, lily pads, smartweed, aquatic buttercup and other aquatic weeds grew in the water, rooted in the muddy bed of the lake.   We were also pleased to spot some patches of bur-reed.   Sparganium is an aquatic perennial that grows in marshy areas.   Strap-like leaves grow from rhizomes under the lake and in summer spherical flowers emerge.   Seeds are spread after flowering to sink into the muddy bottom of the marsh.

 

 

There was no one else on the lake at that time so other than the usual ducks and shoreline birds, it was a quiet paddle, moving along with the water striders and damselflies.   We return to the Roche Lakes area frequently to paddle some of the lakes and hike between them.   A new phase is upcoming where I will be hiking into some of the more-difficult-to-get-to lakes with an inflatable board.   Watch for updates this fall.

 

 

Shambrook and Lodgepole Lakes

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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.

 

 

 

On Ross Moore Lake

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Ross Moore Lake is a pleasant lake in the Lac le Jeune area, but its not easy to get to.   The best road access is to drive out onto the Brigade Lake Road, then turn onto the Long Lake Road.   After the last ranch, the road is not maintained very often so it will requires some slower driving on backroads, turning onto the Ross Moore FSR and continuing for another 6.5 km.    There is a small BC Recreation site at the southeast end of the lake where visitors can park, then launch a boat.   On this summer day, though, we drove across the dam on the south side and parked at a small pullout there.

 

Ross Moore is a quiet spot surrounded by forest at 1280m (4200 feet).

A paddle around the lakeshore is 3.4 km.

On the journey home, we drove the same road back, but then turned onto the McConnell Forest Service Road which took us back to the Lac le Jeune Road in 13 km.   We like the Long Lake Road a little better since it is more scenic, but either road is about the same in terms of road quality and distance.

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Diver’s Bluff and Eagle’s View

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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).