Tag Archives: Stake Lake

Mornings, on Three Lakes

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In June each year, I look for reasonable conditions to paddle and I travel to different lakes each time, trying to avoid the busiest times for a quiet paddle.    Loop routes are my first choice, but I try to avoid long stretches of private lakefront cabins/homes where possible.   On a number of lakes they are confined to one side so I paddle the forested side or up the middle of the lake.     Paddling early in the morning  often solves the noise and congestion problems.

On grey day that promised rain, I launched my boat into Isobel Lake from the boat launch in the northeast corner of the lake.   There were no other boats on the lake and only one fisherman on the fishing dock on the north side.

 

In late spring we can paddle into all the bays and around 3 islands.    A complete loop of the lake takes about half an hour.    On this day I went around twice, once in each direction.    A few spits of rain spattered the lake, but I stayed dry under my splash deck and rain jacket.

On a Friday morning I launched my boat into Heffley Lake.     This is a lake that can be very busy (and noisy) on weekends, so an arly start on a weekday a good choice.

The north side of the lake has lakefront homes, so I usually paddle along the south shoreline, going into the bays, then returning down the middle of the lake.    There was one other boat with a trolling line, so the lake was fairly quiet.

One of my favorite paddling spots is Stake Lake.    It can be a busy spot, but in the early morning, there are usually less boats.    There are often lots of walkers, hikers, dog walkers, and bike riders on the trails, but on the whole it is a quiet area in the morning.

Once around the lake takes about 25- 28 minutes, so I usually paddle the lake twice, once in each direction.    On this day, I secured the boat, then went for a hike afterwards, choosing a different route each time.

 

 

High Country Paddle and Hike

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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.

 

 

Ospreys on Stake Lake

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On the west side of Stake Lake is an osprey nest at the top of a broken-top fir tree.   Eggs were laid by the mating pair  and then were incubated for about 40 days.   The chicks hatched then nested for 50 – 60 days this summer and each time I returned to kayak the lake, I checked their progress.   From my kayak with a 250 mm zoom lens I could get images of the mother and chick in the nest.

The adult male was often nearby, keeping an eye on possible predators.   I could also watch it fishing, circling then doing a talons-first dive into the lake.

Loons were also fishing on the lake and kept an eye on their young one.

Ducks also stayed in small flocks, especially with an adult osprey nearby.   Ospreys mainly feed on fish but they can also feed on ducks, birds, muskrats, mice, snakes, and squirrels.   It is, however, the only member of the hawk family that primarily eats fish.

In the fall, the ospreys will start their long migration from Stake Lake to Central America.   We will return to paddle the lake and watch for ospreys next spring and summer.

Lac le Jeune, Stake, and McConnell Lakes

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All of the images need to be redone, which is planned….

We set a target of paddling on 40 lakes in our region, but the number will probably be closer to 60 by the time we finish. The lakes have to be big enough to provide a good workout, be within about a hour and half drive, and be reasonably free of power boats.

McConnell Lake

We like McConnell Lake. There are usually eagles, ospreys, and loons on the lake (and sometimes herons), but it is a small lake and it gets a fair number of fishermen, canoes, and kayaks. The parking area is a good one for a hand launch and it is an easy drive from town. We have to go around the 2.65 km lake shoreline twice to get a better workout, but it is a busy place on weekends (pick a weekday instead).

McConnell Lake paddleStake Lake

We cross country ski, snowshoe, bike, hike, and run on the Stake Lake Trails, but we also go to Stake Lake to paddle once or twice each year. It is an easy drive and launch, and it is a good spot when larger lakes are too windy. There are usually not many boats on the lake. It is a shallow lake which makes interesting paddling.

Stake Lake 001bbrThe shoreline is an easy 2.4 km paddle so we paddle around the lake twice (once in each direction). There is an osprey nest on the east shore so we usually see the pair flying over the lake for fish.

Stake is a great spot for a double-outing so we often bring a bike or walking shoes along too, locking our boats on the rack while we do a loop on the trails.

stake lake paddleLac le Jeune

Lac le Jeune is one of our favorites. It is a large enough lake to get a good workout, there is lots of room for other boats, and there is a varied shoreline. We can also paddle under the bridge and do the little west lake, making the whole loop a 9.5 km paddle. Most types of kayaks are fine on Lac le Jeune, but on a windy day, the smaller boats are advised to stay close to shore. Since we camp at Lac le Jeune every year, we get several paddles on the area lakes, including an annual full lake loop.

lac le jeune paddleWe try to visit the swampy area at the far west end every year. If you glide quietly to the reeds, you will often spot a variety of birds. We usually go to the far east end too for the blooming lilies. Damselflies hatch in July and dragonflies come afterwards. Visiting blue damselflies on yellow lilies is a favorite annual ritual.

LLJeune July 010br“What sets a canoeing expedition apart is that it purifies you more rapidly and inescapably than any other travel. Travel a thousand miles by train and you are a brute; pedal five hundred on a bicycle and you remain basically a bourgeois; paddle a hundred in a canoe and you are already a child of nature.” – Pierre Elliott Trudeau