The annual Hike for Hospice up the Enderby Cliffs is quickly approaching on May 6th.We thought we might give it a try again this year since we enjoyed it so much last year.
We have only just begun to get out hiking again after a year of house renos. In an effort to get in a bit better shape before attempting the 7.5 km (2200 vertical ft) to the top, we have been trying to get out on some of the local trails. This weekend we decided what better prep than to do a bit of the Cliffs themselves. So in between the rain on Saturday, we hiked up the first 1.5 km (650 vertical ft) to the Shrine. The 3 km round trip took about an hour and 20 minutes. Things were a little wet and foggy with the rain but the trail was in pretty good condition. We also saw some wildlife on the way including a woodpecker and a little frog.
Woodpecker in the parking lot.
Birdwatching at the Enderby Cliffs
A foggy trek up the trail
Little frog friend.
Trail at the Enderby Cliffs.
Part of the old trail at the Enderby Cliffs (being reclaimed by nature).
The Shrine at the 1.5 km mark (and 650 vertical ft).
The group hike is an excellent choice for all ability levels as the group breaks up with the faster hikers moving up the hill first and a middle group for those in decent shape. Us slower hikers move at our own pace at the back of the group but we stick together and encourage each other up the trail. If you decide to hike the Cliffs, make sure you are prepared. Walking poles and knee braces are good to have if you have any stability or knee issues. It is also a good idea to have good walking shoes, plenty of water and a snack.
Anyone interested in joining the Hike for Hospice can meet at the Enderby IGA parking lot at 8 am on Sunday, May 6th. To register and for info call Judy at250-832-7099. You can also check out the Shuswap Trail Alliance website.
Have you ever hiked the Enderby Cliffs? Share your experience hiking the Cliffs below in the comment section.
What a beautiful spring day today!!!! We got out and celebrated the Easter Weekend by doing
a little 2.5 km hike on the Park Hill Trail System on Shuswap Lake. We had
plenty of sunshine and the temperature was just perfect.
The loops that
we walked were in great condition and things are just starting to green
up. There was only one spot we ran into that was a bit muddy. This trail is great for families and hikers of most fitness levels. The Park Hill Trail is part of an extensive network of trails built and maintained by the Shuswap Trail Alliance.
Well maintained trail at Park Hill.
Stump in the trail.
Park Hill Trail in the spring.
Squirrel on the path.
Beautiful trail.
Whats around the bend?
Spring green
Sunshine through the trees.
Glad to be out again enjoying the trails. With most of the house renos behind us we are eager to do a lot more hiking and paddling this summer. We are sure to visit this trail often as it is a favorite of ours. Do you have a favorite trail in the area? Do you prefer to hike, bike or horseback ride the trails? Let me know in the comment section below.
I must confess it has been months since my last post. Our outdoor fun has
been fewer and further between than we have wanted. That said we have had a bit
of outdoor fun at Larch Hills, the local cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and
tobogganing destination. While the snow has come and gone with changing
temperatures here in the North Okanagan, it has remained snowy up at higher
elevations such as Larch Hills.
The beginning of December there was just enough snow to snowshoe on the more open trails.
Come mid January, Larch Hills was the winter wonderland we love to play in.
Now, in late February, we still have plenty of snow and it is still coming. If
things keep going this way, we should be able to keep going up there to play in
the snow till at least the end of March.
These pics are from early in the season. The open paths had plenty of snow but areas under heavy cover were still snow free.
Snowshoe trail entrance
Open snowshoe trail
Snowshoe trail at Larch Hills
This next one was taken in January. Great snowshoeing to be found on all of the trails.
There is a great place to go sledding at Larch Hills. Beside the north side of the parking lot is the Ski Out down to John's Ski Shack. The first stretch of it beside the cabin makes for excellent tobogganing and it is rarely used so you won't be in the way of the cross-country skiers.
Sledding on a cloudy afternoon.
Tobogganing at Larch Hills
A sunny afternoon at Larch Hills
Sliding down the hill on our tummies!
We are still hoping to get out a bunch more between now and the melt to enjoy the snow. Have you gotten out as much as you wanted to this winter? Any great places you have played this winter? Let me know in the comments below.
I also wanted to provide you with a short video of what you can expect to find while hiking the Scotch Creek trail. It is only 60 seconds long and contains much of what is in the longer version as well as a little extra footage of the trail.
Do you prefer the longer or the shorter video. Leave a comment below and let me know.
Sunday the 26th of June, was the official opening of the Scotch Creek Trail in the North Shuswap. The project was a combination of efforts by the Shuswap Trail Alliance, CSRD (Columbia Shuswap Regional District) and Shuswap Tourism as well as many other groups and individuals. Near a hundred people, young and old alike, showed up for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony that afternoon and then hiked the new trail.
The trail itself is accessed off the Hlina Logging Road. It is a bit of a drive over the rough roads and the road is not suitable for low vehicles at this time (we drove in a minivan and had no troubles). The parking lot for Scotch Creek Trail is well outlined with rocks and there is an excellent map at the trail-head. There are no pit/compost toilets to be had at this time.
The trail consists of two loops. The shorter, easier Lower Loop and the longer Hlina Loop, though both loops can be done in an couple of hours. While the trail as a whole is a rougher style of trail, it can be used by most people. Many consider the first part of the trail to be the toughest, even though it is located on a well used road, as it climbs relatively quickly to where the trail heads for the trees and into the loops.
Once in the trees the trail travels up for a short distance till you come to a gate. Once in the gate, the scenery instantly changes into that of old growth forest. Here the trail lends itself to a slower pace. After a short walk, hikers will come across an amazing vista at the Lookout Point. The highlight of the Scotch Creek Trail, this point looks out across the Shuswap Lake to Blind Bay and Copper Island. Parents and dog owners will want to keep child and pets in hand near the Lookout as there is very steep drop with no barrier in front of it.
Once past the Lookout hikers will quickly come across the intersection where they can choose to take the Hlina Loop, which has a spectacular view of its own and then travels to the parking lot via a different route or they can finish the Lower Loop. The Hlina Loop has only been roughed-in at this point (but is scheduled to be worked on this summer), so is only appropriate for people who are comfortable with off-trail hiking. Those finishing the Lower Loop will only travel a short distance to the end of the loop and then continue down the hill they way they came up.
Some photos from the Scotch Creek Trail Lower Loop before the Lookout.
Winding trail through an Old Growth Forest in the North Shuswap.
Scotch Creek Trail Lower Loop
Old Growth Forest
Rougher styled trail.
Sun shining through the trees.
The Scotch Creek Trail - Lower Loop Lookout Point
View from the Lower Loop Lookup
Blind Bay from across the Shuswap lake
Blind Bay & Copper Island from the Scotch Creek Trail Lookout
More trail from the Lower Loop after the lookout.
Lower Loop trail through Old Growth Forest.
Plenty of twists and turns on the trail.
Rugged path of the Scotch Creek Trail Lower Loop
The trail past the gate and down to the road.
My family loved this trail and we will certainly be back for more! We will likely plan it on another Sunday this summer so we can hit the Scotch Creek Farmers' Market (from 10 am to 2 pm just off the highway when you enter town) while we are at it.
Have you hiked the Scotch Creek Trail? Do you have another favourite in the area? Let me know by posting in the comment section below!
Our second stop on Father's Day was to Sicamous Creek Falls, located just past Sicamous, off of Highway 97A at Waterway Houseboats, onto 2 Mile Rd.
As we arrived it started raining quite heavily. We considered not going but decided a little (or a lot of) rain wasn't going to stop us. Thankfully the trail was in great condition and was not overly slippery when wet. The rain did provide a little trouble while picture taking. It was tough to keep my lens dry but I was able to get a couple of nice shots. I wasn't able to get all of the shots I wanted due to safety (water height and speed combined with wet surface from the rain), but will just have to try again on another day!
Some pics of the waterfall at the bottom of the stairs.
Sicamous Creek Waterfalls
Sicamous Creek Waterfalls at the end of spring.
Raging water!
The creek from different spots along the trail.
The Sicamous Creek
The Sicamous Creek Falls Trail
The rained stopped near the end of our hike and as we started to climb back towards the parking lot the humidity was so high that my lens fogged up and I couldn't keep it clear til we hit the open air at the parking lot. It gave the pics a dreamy quality!
Shooting the trail though a fogged lens.
More foggy trail.
A little friend we met near the parking lot.
A wee snail.
A short video clip of the Sicamous Creek Waterfalls.
All in all it was a most excellent Father's Day spent with my family.
Do you know of more waterfalls located in the Okanagan Valley? Leave a post in the comments bellow.
While still in the midst of much packing, renos and chaos, my family and I decided to take a break on Father's Day and get some fresh air. Our first stop was to one of our favourite places, Margaret Falls. Located in Heralds Park, directly across the Shuswap Lake from Salmon Arm, it is accessible from the Trans Canada Highway (Highway 1) near the Tappen Co-op.
The Margaret Falls trail is in superb condition. This short trail is easily accessed by most people and is stroller friendly. In fact, the most difficult section of the trail is just as you travel down from the parking lot to the actually trail. It is a bit steep, but does have a handrail for the steepest part. The rest of the trail is a mild slope and has several small bridges that you cross from one side of the river to the other.
Still raging with spring's runoff combined with all of the rain we have had, this waterfall did not disappoint the many visitors who came to see it that day (the parking lot was near capacity). The falls themselves were raging so hard that it created a thick mist at its base. It was all I could do to try and dry my lens every few pictures.
Some pictures taken along the trail to the waterfalls.
Near Entrance of Margaret Falls Trail
A splash of bright green among the rocks.
Margaret Falls in late spring
The trip back to the parking lot.
A little video of the falls to get the full experience.
This is one of my families favourite places to visit. If you know of other great places for a family outing in the area or other waterfalls located in the Shuswap, leave a post in the comment section below.
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