In mid-September, we spent a few days in Vernon and paddled Kalamalka Lake. The first day, we paddled out of the provincial park.
After some walking around, we decided our best bet was to follow the paved trail from the first parking lot down towards Juniper Bay Beach and then hook a right to launch from the sandy beach into Jade Bay.
This was a 400m carry with a pretty good elevation drop (30m?) and the first time I've ever wished for carts! The launch was beautiful, though and we ended up swimming here at the end of the paddle. There were pit toilets and picnic tables right off the beach.
We then went left (south) off the beach and followed the shoreline for an hour around Rattlesnake Point and then towards Cosens Bay Beach.
This was a spectacular paddle. Great weather, no boats, and a tremendous blue-green colour made for a nice day. Yay, travelling in the offseason!
The water was super clear. The colour is apparently a chemical reaction: as the lake heats, crystals form that reflect the blue-green rays.
We were starting to poop out at Cosens Bay so we turned around, had lunch, and paddled back.
The carry back up to the cars sucked, and we ended up stopping several times to give our shoulders and hands a rest. But the paddle was totally worth it. It is also possible to access the beach from the north end at Kal Beach, but that area is much more built up.
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