I made the suggestion to start our loop in the direction that would have us going south along the ridge, so that the views would get better as we went. So the first half of our hike was going north on the opposite shore of the lake, starting at the south beach.
At the north end of the lake was a small building reminding us that the lake is part of our hydro power generation. There's an underground tunnel connecting Buntzen Lake to nearby Lake Coquitlam (on the other side of the other ridge) and transferring water through the tunnel generates power for us.
After lots of uphills we started passing the designated views. Unfortunately, in the decades since the trail was created, trees that must have been quite small at the time (after logging probably) have grown to obscure many of the ten views. Here is one of the better ones, looking across the inlet to Mount Seymour.
This was the last and best of the views - number 1, as we were going backwards. You can see the arm of Belcarra, Deep Cove, and in the hazy distance, all of Vancouver and the mountains of Vancouver Island behind it.
The hike took us about six hours. I didn't know it at the time but my friends weren't just showing me the trail; they were my minders for the day.
I'd known that Margo had planned a special birthday dinner for me (a few days early, but she and Sarah will be on a road trip on the actual day). My friends had dinner plans but I invited them to hang out for a bit and have a shower. When we arrived there were a lot of balloons on the floor. I was later informed there was one for every one of my years. (That's a decent amount of rubber.) Sarah made this yellow one just for me. She claims the two bits on top are devil horns but they look like ears to me.
As my friends kept hanging around, the penny dropped: this was their dinner destination too, and a houseful of other friends were joining us later. Their job was to keep me out of the way so Margo and Sarah could prepare. It was a lovely surprise and had been planned weeks in advance.
Lots of interesting drinks were carried in, including craft beers brought from Portland and Vancouver Island that are probably not available locally, plus light wines. We blended margaritas later. We snacked on veggies and chips and great homemade dips, then grilled burgers and corn, enjoying them with potato and quinoa salads. Margo had made an amazing cake as well.
I am really appreciative to have such thoughtful and supportive family and friends. It's true wealth.
