A Winter Wander to Clay Lake

A Winter Wander to Clay Lake

Doug Smith  February 19, 2024 at 9:00 am

On a mild winter day I drove up through the Lac du Bois Grasslands to the upper end of the Nature Conservancy.    Snow covered the tracks of the route I had chosen so I stomped through the snow past a few animal tracks, but no other human footprints.    The low winter sun shone over the chain of ponds as I hiked up into the forest.  

An old double track leads to the eastern end of Clay Lake.    On the shoreline is the old Reid Homestead, built in 1912.  

All was quiet on the lake.    Later in the season I will return here on snowshoes.   

An old track climbs the slope bearing south, emerging into the grasslands at a marsh.  

I looped back across the upper grasslands to complete my 1.5 hour loop route, coming back past the old Nesbitt Homestead on the lower pond.

I spotted various tracks – snowshoe hare, deer, coyote, and small rodents.   But all of the animals stayed hidden.   All was quiet in the Conservancy.   A few images are shared here.    Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.  

 

A YouTube video shares some of the moments:

 

 

 

 

About KamloopsTrails

I started exploring this area in 1976 and I continue to follow tracks and routes wherever they lead, with the aid of map, compass, GPSr and camera. After many dead-ends, but also many discoveries, I chose to share this information. Getting out 12 months each year, I continue to explore trails, tracks, routes, and waterways of the Kamloops area and beyond.


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Doug Smith

Doug writes for Kamloops Trails, a not-for-profit (and ad free) website, offering information on trails, waterways, routes, featured spots, viewpoints, and explorations in the outdoors in the Kamloops area (and beyond).

Doug started exploring this area in 1976 and continues to follow tracks and routes wherever they lead, with the aid of map, compass, GPSr and camera. After many dead-ends, but also many discoveries, he chose to share this information.

The Kamloops Trails website has a massive number of interesting posts and would be of interest to anyone in Kamloops who enjoys the outdoors. Visit the Kamloops Trails website at: http://www.kamloopstrails.ca/

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