Colourful time to go for a hike
It is the best time of the year if you love colourful foliage in the hillsides surrounding the Okanagan Valley. The Sheriff joined other members of the Central Okanagan Outdoors Club in MyraBellevue Provincial Park last weekend on an Adopt-A-Trail maintenance hike on Upper Lookout Trail, located on the far side of the lower trails so popular with hikers and mountain bikers.
From the Stewart Road East trailhead in East Kelowna (elevation 1,729 feet), we headed up Lost Lake Trail to Teddy Bear Junction (and Rose Lookout) where we found all of the stuffed teddy bears gone.
One COOC member explained that birds were not only removing the stuffing for their nests but some were consuming it. So Friends of the South Slopes (FOSS) eliminated the environmental hazard. Who knew that so many years ago when the vast collection began?
From there, we took Pink Highway Trail up to Flamingo Flats where the flamingos were no longer adorning the intersection. Hmmm, no stuffing, only pink plastic. At Obelisk Junction (sorry, no obelisks), Upper Lookout Trail takes you to the fantastic panoramic views of the Kelowna Lookout (3,478 feet). However, the Sheriff stopped at Obelisk Junction and headed a short distance down Lookout Trail to check out the erosion control work COOC did in 2017. The trail down to a creek bridge was dry and the channels on either side appeared to have done their job.
Upper Lookout had lots of brush trying to reclaim the trail so we used handclippers to cut it back as well as tossing branches and stones off the trail. We got more than half of the trail done so another hike should be able to finish it.
From Kelowna Lookout, it is only a short hike up Upper Lookout to Crawford Trail.
If you turn right heading west, Crawford Trail will take you to several wonderful viewpoints, including Bellevue and Sandy Knoll lookouts, at the top of steep cliffs overlooking Bellevue Creek. The opposite side of the creek has groves of aspens, which turn a rich yellow at this time of year.
Those who want to explore Myra-Bellevue should purchase the FOSS trail network map at bike and outdoor stores in Kelowna. Myra-Bellevue has more than 100 kilometres of trails. The website has a list of stores as well as maps for Myra-Bellevue and Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park at foss-kelowna.org/maps/
The Adopt-A-Trail program is wrapping up for another year with volunteers submitting reports on how much work was done.
For more information on how to join them, go to foss-kelowna.org/membership/
FOSS members, who adopt a trail, perform trail brushing and other trail maintenance as required. FOSS will provide instruction and the tools required. To adopt a trail, send an e-mail to info@foss-kelowna.org stating your interest in the program.
Another way to volunteer is to follow the Trail Work Day notices posted on the FOSSKelowna Facebook page. FOSS always welcomes new people who are willing to help.
***** It’s also the time of year for ski swaps. Big White Ski Club will hold its 47th annual Ski, Board and Sport Swap on Oct. 19-20 and the Vernon Ski Club its swap on Oct. 12-13.
For the Kelowna swap, the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year, you can consign your gear online by creating an account at bigwhiteskiclub.com/skiswap and adding items ($2 each) as you come across them in your home.
This will speed up your drop-off time. You can log back in at any time prior to the swap and add items to your list. You can use your account from last year. Print your Item Summary after you have all your items entered. Print and cut your tags, and stick the tags onto your items.
You will be required to log in to your account on consignment day so bring your log-in info, item summary and used items with tags 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 19 to New Life Church, 2041 Harvey Ave. Those who don’t want to consign ahead of time should just bring items in. Cash, debit and credit cards are accepted at the drop-off.
The one-day sale is 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20 with admission $2 per per- son or $5 per family. Payout is 6-8 p.m. on Saturday.
The club is also encouraging member families to volunteer for one or more shifts with the incentive that they can purchase gear on Friday night before the public swap on Saturday. You can volunteer for a shift at signup.com/go/YQAYVTR
For the Vernon Ski Swap, consignment drop-off is 3:30-7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12 and the sale 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 at the Vernon Recreation Centre, 3310 37th Ave.
A $2 consignment ticket must be purchased for each item, cash only. If the equipment sells, the club collects a 20-percent commission. The club will accept Visa, Mastercard, Interac and cash at the sale.
Pay-out is 12:30-3:30 p.m. on Oct. 13, but you can check back at the auditorium any time after 12:30 p.m. to see if your equipment has sold. You can also pick up your equipment any time before 3:30 p.m. Equipment left behind on Saturday becomes the property of the club.
If you want to volunteer, email James Phair at: Jdphair@hotmail.com. More information is posted at vernonskiclub.ca/clubs/4618/pages/112602
***** The final meeting of the Kelowna Canoe and Kayak Club year will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the May Bennett Wellness Centre, 135 Davie Rd. in Rutland. It is also the annual general meeting, so it will feature door prizes, refreshments and the opportunity to vote for the 2019 executive. There will also be judging on the best photos submitted on a USB stick.
***** You sometimes find little gems where you weren’t even looking for them.
In the October 2018 newsletter from the Central Okanagan Naturalists’ Club, minutes from the Sept. 11 general meeting of all things had some fascinating information.
Under unusual sightings: orchard oriole at Munson Pond (the first to be seen in B.C.), hawk on a car in Glenmore, river otter in Mission Creek, beaver (not Ogopogo), blue herons in Okanagan Lake, mushrooms, eared grebes and many other species at Robert Lake (behind UBC Okanagan). Under business arising: — Bluebird Trail in Scenic Canyon. The season is over; no bluebirds, but house wrens and tree swallows raised families (in CONC birdhouses).
— There has been too much water (perhaps that’s why there are so many mushrooms in the Central Okanagan) so construction has not begun on the birding platform at Robert Lake.
— The city has rebuilt the boardwalk at Maude Roxby Wetland and Mud Bay (off Abbott Street in Kelowna) with CONC contributing $15,000 towards the cost. Under new business: — Okanagan Highlands Trail (between Joe Rich and Vernon) has been entirely cleared. The flagging and relocation of some portions is now required.
— Maude Roxby Wetland and Mud Bay: a subcommittee of CONC’s conservation committee is hoping to work with the city on this. Many recommendations have been put forward to save the wetland that is receding at a foot per year.
***** The 2018 Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park Bird and Critter Count was held at the end of May and beginning of June, Les Gyug recently reported to the Central Okanagan Naturalists’ Club.
The club has been holding the count annually since 1993. Sixty-four people participated, although there is some overlap in that number because the count is held on more than one day now. That total includes hikers from the Wednesday and Saturday hikes.
Tallied were 2,963 birds of 100 species in 40 party-hours on 10 different routes. That’s about midway between the post-fire species average of 103 and the pre-fire (1993-2003) average of 96 species. The total also includes the John’s Family Nature Conservancy Regional Park count tallies.
“The most abundant birds were again House Wrens with 460 counted compared to less than three per count prior to the 2003 fire,” said Eva Durance. “Only four other species, all of which can do quite well in post-fire shrub habitats, beat the century mark in the tally, including Spotted Towhee, Dusky Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo and Nashville Warbler.
“Given that another 600 hectares burned in the centre of the park this year, it will be interesting to see what happens there next year…
“Forest birds such as Townsend’s Warbler (2), Mountain Chickadee (2) and Golden-crowned Kinglet (1) are still not faring too well in the park. Other birds of note were: three Lewis’s Woodpeckers, the most northerly one being at Reluctant Dragon Cove, and Common Poorwills along Lakeshore Road (after sunset).
The most abundant mammal was Bighorn Sheep, with a herd of 24 seen near the south end of the park. Second was Columbian Ground Squirrels (17). One rattlesnake was heard by the Wednesday hikers.
“The forest regeneration is progressing well at mid-elevations where the lodgepole pine are now up to five metres tall.”
J.P. Squire, aka the Hiking, Biking, Kayaking and Horseback Riding Sheriff, is a retired Okanagan Weekend reporter. Email: jp.squire@telus.net.