It was an adventure from the start.  On the drive out we saw a bald eagle in a field, obviously with some food.  Turning off highway 940 just past the second Waiparous Creek bridge, we passed our intended trail head and ended up at Cow Lake, supposed site of the phantom Whispering Pines Bible Camp.  We guessed you needed to pray to drive on the greasy dirt road.  Back at the right parking spot, we found it a little tricky as even our 4x4 SUVs were prone to spin and slide sideways on the slope.  We finally got parked on reasonably dry ground.
It was a fabulous warm day-- 17 degrees and shorts and bare arms were in order.  The trail (an OHV route) was mostly greasy mud and icy spots, with some dry sections. 


Brian, Ann, Teresa, Kathleen, Ron at lunch on sand dune

We arrived at the Aura Creek "sand forest" for lunch, enjoying the hot sun on the loess dune (wind-blown material carried long distances after the last glaciation).  We wandered around the sandy ridge, which gave some good views of the peaks of the Ghost River region, and had a fun run down the face of a dune.


On the Aura Creek sand dunes

Running down face of the sand dune

Phantom Crag seen from Aura Creek sand dunes

Devil's Head seen from Aura Creek sand dunes

Black Rock Mountain (lookout visible on top)

Horse Lake

Next we visited Horse Lake, named for the wild horses that frequent the area.   


Great gobs of wild horse territorial manure piles

We observed many great mounds of manure, which indicated to us that wild horses are territorial about their droppings. 


Canada geese on the ice of Horse Lake

At the lake we saw two Canada geese on the shore.  They took to the ice to avoid imagined depredations by their visitors.  In the mud nearby we noted some cougar tracks.
We were back to the cars by 4, having hiked 15 km.  Participants:  Teresa, Kathleen, Anne (two new members--welcome!), Brian, Ron, and Carl, coordinator and scribe.