Pack and Paddle: Frisken Lake
There are a number of lakes in Roche Lakes Provincial Park that are accessible by hiking, ATV, or snowmobile. I have hiked to all of them too, but I hope to paddle them. Four wheel drive vehicles can access some of them when conditions are dry, but it is always a matter of how much punishment we want our vehicle to take. I have driven to John Frank Lake, but that road is very rough. I have hiked to Bulman and to Ernest Lake, but would not take my truck on those roads. I had hiked in to Frisken Lake(and beyond to Bulman Lake), so I opted to backpack my folding kayak to the lakeshore. I drove around Roche Lake on the Smith Lake Forest Service Road to Range Valley where I parked.
My kayak fits into a special pack. There is a sleeve for my paddle and I hang a PFD off the back. I fit any other gear into a day pack and sling it over my shoulder. I hoisted the packs and hiked along the power line, then onto the Frisken Lake Road. The route is about 1.5 km each way.
The Smith Lake FSR is a good gravel backroad. The track along the powerline is rough.
Frisken Lake is a nice lake to paddle. There is a good launch spot at a primitive camp spot. It was quiet at the lake. I saw no one else all day and I would guess that the lake is rarely visited.
I assembled my folding kayak on the shoreline then launched into the lake. I paddled around the lake (2.5 km).
After paddling everything needs to be folded and packed up. I hoisted my pack and hiked out. It was a warm day for a backpack, but not too long. I spotted a snowshoe hare, lots of ducks, loons with chicks, grey jays, blackbirds, and I could hear many other birds. One more lake to the list of local lakes paddled.
A few moments from the hike and paddle are shared in this YouTube video.