Buntzen Lake


We like to get out in nature when we can. It's been a few weeks since our last communion and the concrete was starting to get to us. We packed our backpacks and headed up into the mountains for a hike.

We checked out the popular Buntzen Lake. I'd heard it was beautiful, heard it was popular .. and both were true. Seeking refuge from urban folk we caught the trail around the lake. Ahh, know one in sight. A few steps into the trail we see a sign .. "Caution! Black bear and Cougars spotted in this area". Ok, bears don't "scare" me too much, they actually don't set out to hassle or attack you, but cougars man - they'll stalk you - and before you've seen the large wild cat -- it's on your back leaping from a tree .. trying to kill you....now that's a bit scary.

Well, that didn't put us off .. so onward and upward we plodded through the woods. M 's part of this land, she know's it well. My education of local species continued. Todays lesson was how to spot .. Western Hemlock trees. Huckleberry bush, Salal ? and Oregon Grape plants. We hiked for miles, stopping off for views of the lake and enticing swimming holes.

Finally we arrived at the North beach. Finding a nice sandy spot on the beach, we laid out of cloth, unpacked the food and munched away on olives, feta cheese, pita and a nice salad .. all washed down with Blu Sky soda. (ginger)... mmm-mmm-mmm. We hung around for a while basking in the intense sun until I couldn't take it anymore. Fleeing the heat, we sought cooler solice in the shady woods and hiked back to the car.


An *ace* day out. It feels ages since we've done anything like that. Next scheduled day out, on my scheduled day off ... Golden Ears Provincial Park.