Sunday, January 16, 2011

Buntzen Lake, Jan 15, 2011

My girlfriend, Lindsey, and I went for a short hike to Buntzen Lake. We were hoping to do the whole Buntzen Lake Loop, but we were short on time and only managed to get to the suspension bridge before deciding to turn back along Powerhouse Rd.

We parked at the south beach and noticed right away how high the water was. Apparently, BC Hydro is in the process of replacing a turbine in the power house. As a result, the amount of water passing through has declined and sits, waiting in the lake.
From Buntzen Lake, Jan 15, 2011


The air was refreshing and the temperature was quite mild. The humidity was high and patches of wispy fog were scattered around. We walked for some time before coming to our first outlook. A nice bluff about 1/3 of the lake's length north of the south beach. We paused for some photos before continuing our trek.
From Buntzen Lake, Jan 15, 2011


It wasn't long before we came to a part of the trail that was dangerously close to being washed out. Only about 3 meters of water that was 8"-10" deep stood between us and a creek crossing. We checked for possible reroutes, but ultimately, had to cross through the frigid water. Off came the shoes!
From Buntzen Lake, Jan 15, 2011
From Buntzen Lake, Jan 15, 2011


As time passed, I was worried that we wouldn't make the whole loop before darkness fell. I did, however, want to make it to the suspension bridge that was at the northern end of the lake. We made it and spent a short amount of time here enjoying the view and taking pictures.
From Buntzen Lake, Jan 15, 2011


As we left, we decided that it would be best to take Powerhouse Rd back to South beach as it would be a bit faster and might let us see new sights. I'm glad we did. There wasn't much of a view from the service road, but we did encounter a lovely waterfall very close to the road. Of course, we stopped to take pictures. I'm glad we went at this time of year as I'm sure this would only be a trickle in the dryer summer months.
From Buntzen Lake, Jan 15, 2011


I wish I had seen the other half of the trail, but this was a nice hike and will entice me to see what waits on the west side. Check out the rest of the pictures here

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