In winter, Tranquille Creek continues to flow, but it ices over in frigid temperatures.   Although water does move under the ice, it backs up and spreads horizontally, creating ice shelves along both sides.   Tranquille Creek empties into Kamloops Lake at Cooney Bay.  In the outwash plain near the mouth, the ice expands into a wide fan.

Crossing the ice is a bit precarious, so I put on my microspikes.   Some of the ice was glacial blue in the winter sun.

We hiked along the shoreline of Cooney Bay to the end and back with Kamloops Lake and Battle Bluff in the background.

Cooney Bay is accessed by driving to Tranquille, then take a left turn down a rough road.   There is no snow clearing so there will be days when many vehicles won’t be able to drive the last section.  The path to the beach goes through the cottonwoods down to the shoreline.   To continue along Cooney Bay, hikers can either skirt the creek near the mouth where the snow and ice tends to melt or cross the creek higher up in the trees.   Either way, traction devices are a good idea.

A sunny day in winter is a good reason to go and explore the Tranquille ice shelf.