A gem on Vancouver Island

This picture looks like it could have been taken in one of the coastal fjords of BC...or maybe on an inland lake, like Chelan or something in the Alps. But in fact, this scene is on an island. This is Buttle Lake in Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island. The lake is actually artificial...a dam was built in the 1950s to create it as a source of hydro power. It is not often that humans improve a natural setting, but this may be one of the rare cases. Strathcona is a great place. There are mountains over 7000 feet high with loads of beautiful alpine wilderness, including many natural lakes. There are waterfalls, rushing streams, and, most of the time, not many people. At almost 1000 square miles, the park occupies about 8 percent of the island.

Vancouver Island is kind of a neat mini-continent. In 12,000 square miles, you have lush coastal forests; rugged, snowy mountains in the middle of the island; and a drier, sunny eastern shore with fantastic views of the massive mountains on the mainland. There are bustling cities and howling wilderness. Rainfall ranges from less than 30 inches a year to over 150. Snow is rare in the lowlands, but copious in the high country. It's a great place to explore. Yes, much of the island is one big tree farm, but Strathcona represents a large chunk of it that is preserved. The trees grow like mad here; they harvest a new batch every 30 years or so.