Over the Bush Lake South Ridges
Most of the snowshoeing routes on the South Side of Bush Lake follow old double tracks over the ridges. Most of them end in a landing so connecting sections usually means following opens spots. Recently the area has been logged so there are new double tracks an large open areas too that extend right down to the marshes across from Stake Lake. On a mild winter day I followed a double track south over two ridges and could have chosen to continue that way longer (though I was braking trail at the end), but I chose to retrace my steps and go over the larger hills, looking for a loop route back to Bush Lake. The outing was 5.5 km with some more difficult terrain on the return route.
The area has been logged in successive years, but the company has left a number of the larger trees at the edges of the cutblocks.
Cutblocks result in more windfall as the winter winds whip through the open spaces to snow-covered timber. All routes in the Bush Lake area requires some winding around fallen areas.
Some of the cutblocks have piled waste, some straggly trees, and lots of understory growth. Some of the blocks have not been cleared and then replanted, giving the spaces an unorganized look.
Every time we snowshoe Bush Lake South we take a different route and this will probably continue as more logging and replanting happens. It is a good area, though, for early season snowshoeing with a good parking area, accessible tracks, and a base elevation of 1283m (4200+ feet).
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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