Nakusp Garden Tour
We have just added a new “trail” to our inventory, a Garden Tour of the beautiful Nakusp downtown gardens planted and lovingly tended by Ray Nikkel. The Nakusp Garden Tour webpage on our site includes a brief description of the gardens, a map with locations, and a bio of Ray himself. Thanks to Gail J and Graham F for interviewing Ray, visiting the gardens and creating the web page copy.
North Arrow & Slocan Lakes Outdoor Brochure
An ad hoc group of trail and outdoor activity Societies from the north Arrow and Slocan Lake areas got together this past winter and spring to design and publish a new Outdoor Activity brochure for our region. It includes a list of managed hiking, biking, x-country skiing trails and paddling locations with information available to visitors and residents to help them locate and choose their activity. A QR code (nakusptrails.ca) will take you to a matched website location finder with various search tools and web links to related sites or documents. This is a “one-stop” source for all the non-motorized outdoor opportunities in our region.
Thanks to local government for supporting the design and printing of this brochure, including RDCK Areas H & K, the Villages of New Denver and Nakusp, and the Arrow Slocan Tourism Association.
A big shout-out to Shauna Fiddler of Design Farm in Slocan City for leading the design work, Beth Macleod and True North Forestry for mapping and quality control support, the Society reps who joined the design team including Gerald W, Richard A, and Tracy F of the Nakusp Chamber (who got the project going in the first place by bugging Bob T for a new printed trails brochure until he finally did something), and the Nakusp & Area Community Trails Society for their ongoing support, including hosting the project web location finder. And a final thanks to me (Bob T) for making sure it got done!
Brochures are available at the Nakusp and New Denver tourist information offices, and various hospitality or tourism businesses in the area.
Shannon Lake Group Hike July 12.26
9 NACTS Members joined Simone H and Graham F for a total of 11 happy hikers on the Shannon Lake Trail this past Sunday, July 12.26. The weather was perfect and the trail clear. They look like they were having a good time, although there are no reports of swimming in the cold lake! It is a beautiful spot.
Saddle Mountain Clearing July 8
Graham F and Bob T spent a full and productive day on Wednesday July 8 clearing the Saddle Mountain FSR to the Upper Parking lot and the trail from there to the summit. Or at least to the last of the falls that down-coming hikers reported. Graham also hiked down the trail at the end of the day from the intersection with the upper parking lot spur to the Lower Trailhead. He reported as many as 50 falls in that section, which is a lot. We will come up with a plan for clearing that section, or if not, posting it as un-maintained. For the time being we highly recommend hikers start from the Upper Parking lot. The outhouses are also unmaintained for now so bring your own tissue and use the bush if you find them unappealing.
Kimbol Lake Upper Clearing July 2.26
Gavin A, Jamie D and Bob T cleared remaining falls on the upper part of the Kimbol Lake trail on Thursday, July 2nd. This was Gavin’s first day as a working volunteer for the Society and he did a great job. The first fall we tackled was a huge cedar about 4 km up the trail that laid across and along the trail creating a formidable obstacle. We learned a few lessons the hard way as Gavin put our small e-saw to the test, cutting a split and rotten section that was more than twice as deep as our 16” bar could handle. We got it done after multiple cuts and a bit of prying and chiseling to unstick the saw. Jamie did an equally excellent job of grooming the trail. It is good to go for the season.
Kimbol Lake Group Hike June 21.26
Seven hikers spent a lovely day in the woods climbing from the Nakusp Hot Springs to Kimbol Lake. The weather was perfect for a late spring outing. Some even went for a swim. Bob, Jamie and Ida continued along the east shore toward the trapper’s cabin to check out falls and were happy to discover the trail was clear on this section. Some falls remain to be cleared on the upper part of the trail from the Hot Springs.
Kimbol Lake Clearing June 17.26
Gary M, Jamie D, and Bob T spent the day clearing the Kimbol Lake trail up to 3.4 km from the Trailhead at the Hot Springs. There were a couple of large tangled falls before the second creek that were causing hikers to climb up and in or bush whack around, and some bigger logs that challenged our 15” Stihl e-saw, giving us some range anxiety as we worked up the trail. Maybe it is time for a third battery! Gary did a great job of chain-sawing, and Jamie of grooming the trail. We are all set for the group hike on Sunday coming. A perfect day of trail work!
Caribou Creek Group Hike June 14.26
16 hikers from Nakusp and Burton joined master trail builder Gary M for a guided tour of the Caribou Creek log bridge loop near Burton, with side trips to elk bones and giant cedars. Everyone made it across the bridges even though they were still exciting with the rushing river and rapids below. It was a gorgeous sunny day but not hot. We stopped for lunch lined up on a log, and lined up again for a precarious pose on the lower bridge. Gary gave a great tour. Another fun hiking adventure with good camaraderie on an easy, pleasant outing!
Caribou Creek Hike Sunday May 31 Cancelled
Our Caribou Creek Hike has been cancelled due to high water flow. One of the smaller bridges Gary built has been partially swept away. The main log bridges we were going to cross are still OK but conditions aren’t safe for a public group hike. We will reschedule it for sometime next month when things improve.
Cape Horn Group Hike Monday May 18
18 hikers, including little baby Everette, braved the elements and challenging terrain of Cape Horn, 14 km north of Nakusp on May 18 for a lovely day, enjoying stunning views and good hiker-bonding. Actually neither the elements or terrain required much bravery. It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day and the trail short and easy, except for a few steep sections. We chatted, ate our lunches together or apart, and had a good time.