Hiking Ok Falls to Vaseaux Lake

I’ve been trying to work out a hiking trail from Penticton to Osoyoos, with no luck so far … but I’ve had some good hikes. This route from the Provincial Campground at Okanagan Falls to the second lagoon south of Vaseaux lake takes four hours at a good steady walk for the round trip. A shorter walk is straight down the dyke to Vaseaux Lake.

Even in early March the river is full of lots of waterfowl: mallards, geese, swans and even a few loons. Others appeared to be bufflehead or some type of Goldeneye. I guess there must be some fish if the loons are there.

To start my hike I drove down the Green Lake Road just west of the bridge at OK Falls and took the second road to the left after the provincial campground. It is just a short distance to the parking lot and the dyke gate. Be sure to leave the private driveway clear.

There is a walkway over the channel here, but unfortunately it is blocked, as are the other ones down river, making them difficult to access for wheelchairs. It would be possible however to negotiate though and travel down the dyke.

About 340 metres along is the second walkway. This would make for a short circuit, crossing here and heading back up the other side. The third one is 550 metres further along; crossing here would make for a nice short walk, except that the other side is near the sewage treatment plant. The fourth and final one is not quite at a kilometre (967 metres). Just north of this last walkway there are a few boulders in the river, which might offer good resting spots for some nice trout. Might be worth checking out later in the season.

It’s just 210 metres to where the KVR used to cross the river, but between the walkway and this point there is a gate and I’m not too sure if a wheelchair would make it around through the rocks. At this point you can either keep to the dyke or veer to the right onto the old KVR right of way.

Let’s first look at the dyke track, which leads down to the head of Vaseaux Lake, a distance of about 2.35 kilometres. Unfortunately, the walkthrough will not accommodate a wheelchair. You leave behind the nearby hill and Oregon grape patches and have the river on one hand and swampy land on the other, with lots of bulrushes and marsh grasses. Right along the dike I also ran across some grass at least eight feet tall! Yes, I even found another likely looking blackberry patch. Might be an interesting day spent in the right season feasting on these and plying the water for some trout or bass.

The round trip for this hike is about 8.83 kilometres. If you want, you can take the old rail bed to where it used to cross at the south end of Vaseaux Lake. It is about a 13 km round trip from where it crosses the dyke. You could of course take the Green Lake Road to this point or the next access point.

The first 2.4 km on is mainly close to the bank under the Green Mountain Road and is fairly rough and overgrown. If you are traveling with a wheelchair companion you might be wiser to take the next access road down to the railway bed.

From this last access point to the KVR trail it is 4.3 km to where the bridge was removed at the head of the lake. Before reaching the lake there is swampy land on the left and some ranches on the right. It seems to me the southern end of the lake would be a great place for a wilderness camp if we were able to turn this into a hiking trail for tourists and were able to connect Penticton with the border.

This is lovely country around here with bunch grass and ponderosa pine. I love the absence of knap weed along this section. Just a little to the right of the end of the line there is a small old road that takes one around the first lagoon below Vaseaux Lake to the second lagoon, a distance of nearly a kilometre.

I would dearly like to see this all wheelchair accessible, with a few piers for fishing access for those in wheelchairs.

Enjoy your hiking and remember, what you carry in --- carry out!

Comments and suggestions always welcome

Fire

Fire

Walking through the sleet today, my mind turned to fire. Its conditions like this that can sneak up on us in the outdoors until we find ourselves at risk for hypothermia.

Like most aspects when it comes to survival, waiting until the last minute to prepare for the eventuality is a sure fire way to disaster. Those who know me would be a little surprised that I didn’t have the means for a fire and a knife on my person. No, I don’t throw my survival kit on in town, but if I am going any distance at all in the country its one of the first things I grab.

A survival fanatic might carry something like a steel and flint or a chord to make a fire with the bow method. I understand the methods and in some instances might even be tempted to try them. However, we are talking about survival here. Once the fingers reach a certain level of numbness and the body core temperature drops below the critical point is not the time to start regretting experimenting with these methods, or trying to use a magnifying grass.

I carry an expensive windproof lighter in my back and usually some waterproofed wooden matches. Most times these are fine for getting a fire going even if it is fairly damp. Careful searching usually can come up with the necessary tinder; dead needles sheltered for the rain, that black hair like moss, smaller dead branches under the dense over canopy of trees.

Usually, but not always. I also carry in my pack the stubs of candles. These little sources of flame although not all that hot, can be used to get a fire going under trying situations with some careful tending. Always start with the smallest and driest material and hand and once the fire gets going feed in larger pieces. If it is really damp you will also want to keep a nearby supply drying out.

Always plan on getting lost when you are out in the bush. I have been lost a few times in the past. Usually for only a few hours, but getting the fire going and roasting up a fool hen was a good way to calm the nerves and within minutes after setting out again we were soon on the right path.

Have fun and be safe.

Corn Snow

Corn Snow

It’s getting to be the time of the year when you can often run into “Corn Snow” on the slopes. I used to love this skiing right into May. In fact I have such fond memories of one May 24^th long weekend when I managed 65 runs per day (130,000 vertical feet for the weekend). George LaBounty, if you are still around give me a call. George was the lift operator who helped with this feat.

The lifts on the slopes no longer run that late into the season, but there is still a good run of spring skiing in the corn snow. Corn snow is granular and very watery, tremendous for carving turns with your edges. It can however freeze to a very hard icy sheet overnight before softening up later in the day, so if you want more relaxed skiing sleep in just a little longer and give the runs a chance to soften up. But, if you want to get the oh so good hard skiing in, get up and be prepared to use those steel edges.

If you have been thinking of trying your hand at alpine skiing, March and April are the ideal time of the year. Not only do you run into fabulous snow conditions, you are usually treated to relatively mild temperatures and lots of brilliant sunshine. Many times you can ski in shorts and T-shirts or even topless.(Although this could cause accidents) Take along some good sun-block, though, for the sun reflecting off the snow as well as from above can result in some serious sunburn. Do not forget the camera, either, the blue skies, white snow and the warm green of the trees make for some great pictures, and you just might run across an attractive ski bunny.

Lessons are likely the quickest way for a beginner to get comfortable and enjoy this sport, but it is possible to pick it up by watching and by trial and error. The new safety harnesses and shorter skies have helped reduce the risk of injury, but the warmer temperatures also mean the muscles are more relaxed.

I believe anyone who can dance can ski. The important things to remember are to keep most of the weight on the lower ski and not to sit back into the hill. Try to keep the shoulder at right angles to the fall line with most of the motion coming from the hips to the feet - all of which is much easier to show than to describe. Take a chance and hit the slopes if you can afford it.

For complete information on Apex log on to
 www.skibaldy.com
For complete information on Mount Baldy log onto
www.apexresort.com

Access issues

Access Issues

There is a notice to hunters in this years hunting regulations that caught my eye. Which I quote here. “ In order to protect sensitive alpine habitat, the Ministry of environment is considering restriction motorized vehicles (except snowmobiles) from travelling off established roads and trails in the alpine (above 1700m elevation0 in Region 8. Written comments on this proposed regulation can be sent to Brian Harris at the Ministry of Environment office in Penticton, 102 Industrial Place, B. C. V2A 7C8

Generally I agree with the intent of the proposed regulations and I do think you and I as the public using these areas do need to offer our input.

What concerns me is who then decides which roads and trails are established. While I can hike great distance and over tough terrain, what about those less able. We have all seen access roads and trails destroyed by logging, mining or other developments. Years ago there was a beautiful trail from the Kettle Valley Railway to Ratnip Lake, over a rickety bridge over a small streams and swamp and through fern lined sections of trail. This trail was obliterated by logging in the area and the next time I was in we had to search through a tangle of fallen trees to relocate the last section of the trail.

These old roads also provide access to the top of places like Apex mountain where one can enjoy snowball fights as late as July or just have a picnic lunch and enjoy the machinery. But these eco-systems are very fragile and I do agree that vehicles should keep to the old roads and trails as much as possible. There is nothing so disheartening as climbing to a beautiful mountain meadow only to find it torn up with Quads and four wheel drives.

I do use a four wheel drive vehicle and expect in another 40 years I will need a quad to get into my old haunts, however, we all must do our part to protect the unique experiences that draws us to the hills. If we all share these areas responsibly we will have them to use well into the future.

I am glad that most of the Kettle Valley Railway is still open to all modes of traffic. Each time I listen to a complain that it should be restricted to hikers, I look with sadness across the table at my wife. She did so enjoy the great outdoors and hiked into places like Brent Mountain, Little White Mountain and the Cathedrals. Just after she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and now it is hard for her to even ride into the hills with me. Let us continue to think of those who are not as physically capable and do not deny them access to the beauty of our alpine areas and back country.

The Agur family and Agur Lake Society have the right idea with their project at Agur Lake, I whole heartedly endorse their efforts. For more information e-mail
agurlakecamp@shaw.ca or phone 250-8809-7130.

Fly Tying

Fly Tying Materials Canadian Tire



Fly Tying

So you’ve planned your fishing trips for next season, but it will be months before those lakes are accessible and free of ice. What to do in the long evenings as you look longingly at the fly rods on the wall? Have you ever tried your hand at fly tying?

There is something very special about bringing in a fat trout on one of your own creations. Flies generally work on one of two principles: imitating food sources or triggering their aggressive instincts. Keeping this in mind, don’t be afraid to experiment.

One of my early creations was a tiny mosquito, the body a very small hook with a thin grey body with thin black stripes. I then took some thin plastic, etched some tiny wings and attached them at the head of the fly. It worked great: as soon as it hit the water a nice trout took it. Unfortunately, when the fish struck the wings broke. Now if I could just manage to invent a system of clip on wings.

My late Uncle Howard had a tremendous fly tying set up, including a roll top desk with many small drawers to hold his equipment and was able to leave it set up. One can purchase inexpensive kits to get started. These include a fairly good selection of hooks, feather, tinsels, wool and thread as well as a fly tying vice. Most of these vices are soon discarded in favour of a better one once one gets more experience. The materials may also not be to your liking or the hooks of incorrect size for your desired flies. Still, they are usually fairly inexpensive and may be the way to experiment.

The fly tying vice is your most important tool. When choosing a vice, look for one that is fully adjustable, grips well and attached easily and firmly to your chosen work surface. Hackle pliers are perhaps the next important item: again I recommend getting quality.

Regardless of your decision to start with a kit or purchase individual items and supplies, pick up a book on fly tying to learn the intricacies. (I was delighted to see a good display of supplies at the Canadian Tire Store)
You will also need to decide on a work area that allows easy set up or preferably where you can leave things in place for those odd free moments. Unless you have this space and a good well organized storage system for your supplies you will spend more time setting up and putting supplies away than fly tying.

Remember you will want to have many different sizes and styles of hooks, colours of yarns and threads, and a multitude of types and colours of feathers. This is just for starters. Remember that roll top desk I mentioned earlier that Uncle Howard had? I’d love to have one like that. Once you get into fly tying you might also become so keen that you will have a portable kit to take along on your trips to tie flies right on the spot to match the hatch.

Once you start using flies you will constantly be studying your surroundings very closely, learning more and more about the cycles of nature. However, it is possible for a good fly fisherman to create an imitation hatch.
Another pleasant experience with a custom fly was a black wool caterpillar tied on a long shanked hook. A cast underneath the willow on the bank of Headwaters Lake produced a nice fat rainbow trout. All this talk about tying flies makes me long for more space and time to take it up again.

Fly fishing outfits

Fly Fishing Outfits

Its the time of the year when avid fishermen are reviewing their gear for the upcoming season. Every fly fisherman has at one time or another experience the frustration of being on the water with the wrong type of line on the fly outfit. Either the fish are rising like crazy and the line is a fast sinking line or there is nary a rise and the fish are busy bottom feeding and you are stuck with a dry line on the rod.

If you are alone on a boat you can use two rods with different lines to fish at different levels. However if you are fishing from shore or there are other fishermen in the boat or canoe you are restricted to using one line. One outfit is also much easier to back into those out of the way fishing holes. There are three solutions each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

The multi tip system is perhaps the lightest and cheapest way to go. This system uses a main line with four interchangeable tips about five metres in length. You have the choice of a floating tip, slow sinking, medium sinking and a fast sinking tip. Each tip has a loop on the butt end which attaches to the loop on the end of the main line. Sitting in a canoe it is not all that easy threading this five metre length and the two to three metre leader through the loop on the line to join the two pieces. One other problem is that sometimes the connection does not slip easily through the rod tip. The system is relatively cheap and light, but not exceptionally easy to use.

The next system I looked into seems to be ideal. One reel with four separate spools or cartridges each with a different type of line. This cartridge system is a little heavier that the interchangeable tips system, but is much easier to use. I even have a fly on each cartridge so all I have to do is change cartridge and thread the rod. If you consider this option check out the ease of changing cartridges. Remember that cold fingers are not as nimble so if in doubt perhaps you should consider the last option.

One fly reel for every fly line in your arsenal is a bit bulkier but likely easier to change in the field than the cartridges. Just remember to keep the reel seat in good working condition. Last fall I attempted to change a reel on an older rod and in the struggle so loosen it the seat broke the base of the reel.

Rods and reels are designed for specific weights of lines so be sure to match you outfit. Generally the lighter the weight the less effort required in casting, but the larger the fish you are after the heavier line you want to use. Line weights from 4 to 7 are the normal range for fresh water fishing, but for bass the recommended weights are from 7 to 9. I settled on a 8 weight outfit which is a bit heavy for Panfish and trout, but should be heavy enough for even steelhead fishing. Large flies and plugs require heavier lines.

Longer rod lengths are great on open water but a shorter rod is better for small bodies of water such as creeks and beaver dams. Two piece rods can be difficult to transport in a crowded vehicle, as I quickly found out. Three piece outfits still have good action and are easier to store while travelling. If you plan on back packing however a four piece rod fits into a pack and is less likely to catch on the brush. Keeping all your rods the same weight means all you have to do is change spools and you are ready to go fishing.

Now is the time for fine tuning your equipment for some great fishing in the coming season.

Locating Lakes

Locating Lakes

Its that time of the year when if you are not an ardent ice fisherman or into other winter sports, one dreams of next seasons fishing trips.

Got that out of the way new lake in mind, but are unsure how to get there? The last few weeks I've been ironing out some problems with my computer, but I think I'm up and running now. Here's my solution.

I have located the lake using Google Earth. This shows a maze of back country roads in the general area of Heart Lake, (the first one I'm going to try to locate) I slowly work my way back to the main road makng print outs as I go. On each print out, I mark important intersections with map co-ordinates. It is important to remember that maps of all these areas are never completely up to date and that they do not show the conditions of the roads.

Next summer I will take these maps and co-ordnates and with my GPS will get to about a kilometer and a half from the lake before setting of hiking with the lake programed into the GPS.

The last few years I have located several lakes in this manner. Some with fabulous fishing and others that I am sure would produce well if they were stocked once in a while. Can not think of a better method of mosquito control than having all these small lakes stocked with either rainbow or brook trout.

Happy dreams of tight lines and fish sizzling in a frying pan over a campfire.