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Little McGillivray Lake Nature Hike

Wildflower Journal Posted on 2026-08-02 by D. Smith2026-07-23

On a hot and smoky day I drove the backroad from Sun Peaks to McGillivray Lake.     I first paddled around the lake, then secured the boat before starting a loop route on cross-country/mountain biking trails to Little McGillivray Lake.     That whole area is wet year-round, and is often plagued by mosquitoes and flies in summer.     It kept me moving quickly, stopping now and then to photograph a wildflower next to the trail.  

Shared here are photos from the hike – pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea), self-heal (Prunella vulgaris), bog wintergreen (Pyrola asarifolia), one-sided wintergreen (Orthilia secunda), giant red paintbrush (Castilleja miniata), meadow hawkweed (Pilosella caespitosa), twinflower (Linnaea borealis), green false hellebore (Veratrum viride), yellow water lily (Nuphar lutea), and a spruce grouse (Canachites canadensis).

Click the link to go to the album (with captions) or enjoy the embedded slideshow:

Note to self – Hike this area after the “bug season.”

 

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Whyte Bowl Nature Hike

Wildflower Journal Posted on 2025-09-27 by D. Smith2026-07-16

At the end of summer I rode the Sun Peaks chairlift to mid-station to hike the trails on Tod Mountain.    All of the south-facing alpine meadows, bowls, and ridges were dry and the vegetation was mostly brown after a hot and dry summer.     I hiked up through Crystal Bowl to Top of the Mountain, then wound on a … Continue reading →

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Tod Lake Trails

Wildflower Journal Posted on 2025-07-26 by D. Smith2026-07-16

On a July morning I took the Sun Peaks Chairlift to mid-station and hiked trails on Tod Mountain.  I followed the Gil’s trail through the forest on the east side of the mountain, then went out to Tod Lake, and then returned on the Saddleback Trail to Crystal Bowl.    Much of the route was through damp forested slopes and … Continue reading →

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Tod Mountain Nature Hike

Wildflower Journal Posted on 2025-07-07 by D. Smith2026-07-16

I was first on the Sun Peaks chairlift to hike from mid-station to the top of Tod Mountain.   The hike was in dry conditions for much of the route, but it was wet or snowy at the upper end.     Wildflowers were abundant in the subalpine zone and the whole route had some seasonal wildflowers emerging or in bloom.   Featured … Continue reading →

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