Wizard Lake, west launch

In late May, we drove south to Wizard Lake. In the past, we've put in on the eastern edge of the lake by Jubilee Park Day Use Area. That end of the lake tends to be very full of boats and, for a long time, I just gave up on Wizard for paddling. This time, we put in on the west end (Range Road 275 and Township Road 481).

This is a basic county boat launch: portapotty, area to turn around, and a gravel launch. There is some parking on the easy side of the launch and more roadside parking further up the hill on Range Road 275.

You can drop right beside the water and the launch was clean and easy. We went right (west) off the launch, hoping to go up the channel and into a smaller basin on the west end of the lake.

Right off the launch, we saw a bald eagle, chilling out. There were lots of folks fishing here and some pelicans on the south side of the lake.

We then went up the channel and into the other basin (maybe 8km around trip, including the perimeter of the basin). No current at all in the channel but it would like be pretty weed-choked by summer.

We did come across the beaver lodge. The hump floating in the water between the edge and my wife was a boated carcass of some kind. mostly submerged, wth longe dark hair. Maybe a young moose or a black bear?

We entered the western basin. There were no boats here (although one was docked at the far end). The channel in was pretty shallow as was the lake. 

We had a very good breeze pushing us west and the paddle back was pretty tough. The wind was about 25kph. No waves (every shallow lake) but lots of wind resistance!

The shore is mostly reeds giving way to aspen. The far west end is just a fen with no obvious channel.

There were lots of birds here, including a yellow-headed back bird that  don't get a shot of plus beaver and muskrats.

Overall, this was a much nicer paddle than the east end of the lake and has really redeemed Wizard for me. I suspect this is a nicer paddle early in the year than later.