piranha | buttle lake trip

yesterday, even though i wasn't feeling 100% yet, we really wanted to get out of the house and go somewhere new. since we've lived here for a while, that usually means at least a 2 hour trip one way. i'd already been eyeing routes into strathcona park, so we quickly decided to go that way even if we weren't gonna actually hike, but just make an exploratory trip.

so we went up north to campbell river, and then east towards gold river, but turned off hwy 28 at buttle narrows and took the westmin road along buttle lake. we got as far as the karst creek campground before it got too late to continue. stopped in campbell river on the way back because they have a new hungarian restaurant, the goulash bowl -- solid peasant fare; great homemade egg noodles. got home just before midnight; not bad for being lamers who didn't leave the house until 15:30.

strathcona is BC's oldest provincial park. most of it is alpine wilderness. the island's highest mountain (the golden hinde, 2200m) and canada's highest waterfall (della falls, 440m) are located within strathcona. it is beyond words gorgeous.

	view south from the buttle narrows bridge most beautiful view of the trip, though not as imposing as some. the buttle lake campground is nearby; i want to stay here some time. it's a good area from which to base one's hikes if one wants to go into the main section of strathcona.
spiffy geology once i've read the yorath geology book i'll know which rocks these are. :)
	in the clouds looking up to the right of westmin rd on the way back.
centaurea some knapweed or another. they looked nice at the day use area of karst creek, but i am afraid they're an aggressive invader. next time, more pictures to aid identification.
	view southwest from karst creek day use area some day i want to be hiking up there.