[page 1] [page 2] [page 3] [page 4] [page 5] [page 6]
[Next Page >]
The Strathcona Park Hikes
Extra Images and Details
On these six pages, you'll find an in-depth spread of pictures covering our two days' worth of adventuring in Strathcona Provincial Park. If you liked what you saw in the main narrative, then spend a few minutes looking at all of the extra images contained here. Extra images that were not in the main narrative are indicated by a color around the image.

Stratchcona Provincial park covers a good chunk of central Vancouver Island. There are two main access points: one near Comox, and the other via a highway that bisects the north part of the park (highway 28). It is this northern area that we visited.

We stayed at the Buttle Lake Campground, which is located along Highway 28 where it crosses north of Buttle Lake / South of Campbell Lake.

Buttle Lake Campground
Jenn, Pu and I set up at a wonderful quiet campspot at the Buttle Lake Campground in Strathcona Provincial Park [enlarge]
Buttle Lake Campground Trail
A shot of the excellently constructed short trails in the Buttle Lake Campground. This one leads from the Campground to the shores of Buttle Lake. [enlarge]
The picture above shows the excellent path leading practically from our campspot to a scenic view looking south to Buttle Lake. Jenn and Pu had a brief dip in the lake.

Buttle Lake
This beautiful view (albeit a bit marred by the tree stumps in the foreground) is from the very north end of Buttle Lake, looking south. [enlarge]
Dinnertime
A shot of us cooking dinner at the Buttle Lake Campground. [enlarge]
Not a puzzle
This sign says 'Puzzle Mountain'. However, as near as I can tell, it isn't actually pointing to Puzzle Mountain! Instead, it is pointing to Wolf Mountain. [enlarge]
Our trailhead for our attempt on Puzzle Mountain was the Elk River trail, which you can see pictured below. This trail is one of the primary ones in the park (and one of the few, as well). The trail is very well marked and maintained, especially so in the first few kilometres, less so towards the end at Landslide Lake.

The Elk River Trail
This is the start of the Elk River Trail, one of the very few maintained trails in Strathcona Provincial Park. The trail provides access into one of the most mountainous areas in the park. [enlarge]
Elk River Trailhead sign closeup
A closeup of the Elk River Trail's trailhead sign. [enlarge]
Beautiful old-growth trail
The Elk River Trail starts off very nicely graded, and wanders through beautiful old-growth forest. [enlarge]
Sun-dappled beauty
A view along a particularly sun-dapped stretch of the Elk River Trail. [enlarge]
A wonderful path
This shot is taken about a kilometre in from the trailhead. The trail is still a beautiful soft, easy trail. [enlarge]
Well-built switchbacks
A shot of some of the well-built switchbacks on a section of the Elk River trail about 1 kilometre in from the trailhead. [enlarge]
courtesy PChen
Root for Pu
Pu is quite taken with the roots and stumps he finds on the Elk Lake Trail. Here's the first of many. [enlarge]
Sentinels of the wild
Huge, stately old-growth trees stand pillar-like along the Elk River Trail. [enlarge]
Fungus and Footpath
Some pretty-looking Mushrooms grow on the ancient trees along the Elk River Trail. [enlarge]
courtesy PChen
Streaky Bark
Another of Pu's closeup Stump and Root show. [enlarge]
Colorful Funghi
I quite liked the colorful fringes of this growth on this old log. [enlarge]
courtesy PChen
Jagged Profile
A neat flat-on view of a jagged tree stump. [enlarge]
Rougher but still pretty
Further in, the Elk River trail gets rougher, but still winds through beautiful forest. [enlarge]
courtesy PChen
Pu's view of same
Another view of the trail-goes-through-log spot. [enlarge]
courtesy PChen
Andrew takes a break
Andrew takes a break along the Elk River Trail. [enlarge]
Bridge on Elk River Trail
One of the many footbridges that the Elk River Trail uses to cross side drainages. [enlarge]
A spider's web
Taken along the Elk River Trail in Strathcona Provincial Park. [enlarge]
Opening up
As we near the end of the Elk River Trail near Landslide Lake, the terrain starts to open up a bit. [enlarge]
Elkhorn from the West
A view of Elkhorn Mountain from the Elk River Valley (i.e. a view from the west). [enlarge]
[page 1] [page 2] [page 3] [page 4] [page 5] [page 6]
[Next Page >]

[ 2005 Vancouver Island Home page | The Main Story | Family & Friends | Vancouver | Gabriola Island | Mt Arrowsmith | Strathcona Park | Maps, Graphs | GPS Data ]

Send feedback or leave comments (note: comments in message board below are separate from those in above message board)
(4 messages)
(last message posted on Sun. Jun. 19, 23:45 EDT 2011 by Bill M)
Web Page & Design Copyright 2001-2024 by Andrew Lavigne. (Privacy Policy)