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April 2021
The South Shuswap Scoop
Shuswap Overland Adventures A Good Batch
By Jason Lutterman Not far from our little slice of heaven, just west of some great fishing spots, lays the one and only Lac Du Bois grasslands. These are the kind of directions one can expect when they ask me how to get somewhere. It’s been brought to my attention a few times that “just around the corner” might mean something different to me than everyone else, but where is the adventure in knowing exactly where you’re going?
Just before the protected grassland begins, before the dirt road that divides them, you’ll find the Bachelor Heights ORV Park. A 468-hectare park designated for shared off-road use. 4x4’s, hikers, bikers and ATV’s can let loose on the endless network of trails, hill climbs and mud pits. This park isn’t only unique because of its design, the epic scenery sets it apart from its surroundings. Rolling hills as far as the eye can see. Blue Bunchgrass, Wheatgrass and Prickly Pear Cac-
tus makes it feel more like California than Kamloops. I have been there countless times and still enjoy it as much as the first day it was introduced to me. It has become the first place I visit every spring that is snow free. There isn’t much better after a long winter. We decided to make our way through the park and settle down in the low of a valley for lunch and a short reprieve from the wind. While the sky looked like summer, the wind was very much still made of everything winter and the ground only dry until our tires broke the surface exposing the layer of thaw below. As we huddled around a warm fire a fellow on a dirt bike repeatedly attempted to climb a long steep section of trail. Over and over again he nearly made the summit before his bike tossed him to the ground. I think the more we stared at the mountain the bigger it began to look and before long a black Jeep, that rhymes with black sheep for a reason, had left our group and began the climb. To everyone’s surprise, especially the dirt biker’s, without needing a second try it climbed up and over the top. Cheers and celebration could be heard by us below and we knew we’d probably never hear the end of it.
We sat at the tops of many knolls that afternoon and took in the ever-changing horizons. We challenged ourselves over some technical terrain and I watched friends casually manoeuvre through trail that only a year ago was far outside their comfort level. We have built a small community within ourselves; we support and inspire one another. Brought together by these capable machines and our wanderlust. We are the definition of lucky, we are happy, healthy and live in a four-season paradise. Turn it all off, disconnect and head outside. Trust me you’ll find your scoop.
