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Gibson Lake

Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park is straight up in the mountains from Kokanee Creek Provincial Park. It is a long bumpety bump drive to get there through many kilometers of industrial demonstration forest. There was a warning that the road was not for low-clearance vehicles nor for the faint of heart. We took it slow since the boats were still on the roof of the truck and we did not want them to get jostled around too much. It was fortuitous that the boats were with us as the road ended rather abruptly at a beautiful high mountain lake – the kind that we generally think we have to hike many miles to see. We had intended to go for a hike to another lake but with spectacular Gibson Lake before us it seemed like the only thing to do was get the boats down and go for a paddle. And you know, Ken had his fishing tackle with him so he was sure to wet a line. He enjoyed catching cutthroat trout that he promptly released. I poked around the edges of the lake and found a Solitary Sandpiper in addition to the more common Spotted Sandpipers and I was surprised to find a Great Blue Heron. I just don’t expect to find them at an elevation of 6000′. I imagine it was migrating and maybe it was young too. I watched it hunt – poking its long bill into nooks and crannies – and it often came up with a bite to eat but I could not see what it was catching.

Finally we had enough of the water and thought we ought to check out the trail. It was 4.5 kilometers to the next lake so we put on our packs and started up. The mosquitoes were horrific. And it was late in the afternoon – already 4:00 – and we did not have more food so after a couple k of enjoying the views and the wildflowers, we turned back and returned to camp.

But the most interesting part of the visit may have been seeing cars surrounded by chicken wire! We both have lots of experience at trailheads and had never seen such a sight.

What on earth?
That explains it
How many beautiful places has my boat seen
GBH profile
Great Blue Heron preening
This butterfly was hungry for salt
Such an interesting stride
Heron hunting
Heron in the woods
Cutthroat
Do you think he enjoys this?
Fishin fool
View from my boat
Monkeyflower next to the lake
Pointed at a snow field
Fireweed along the trail
Fireweed
That’s as far as we got.
A long-stemmed buttercup
So pretty and dramatic
View from the trail

Kokanee Creek Provincial Park

We stayed three nights at Kokanee Creek while we visited Nelson and also Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. It is located on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake – a large body of water that reminds me of the reservoirs on the Columbia River. It may be historically part of a natural lake however it is now held back by a dam and dike system. Ken learned that it is known for very large trout or kokanee (landlocked) salmon. He fished two or three times and got one bite but was not able to bring it up to the kayak. I paddled across the lake early one morning when it was perfectly still and enjoyed the feeling of big water. It’s been a long time since I’ve paddled anything besides small lakes. But then the ski boats started up and they are a bit nerve-wracking from the low exposure of a sea kayak.

Kokanee Creek drains out of the Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park and is a pretty stream where the kokanee salmon go to spawn. We were a bit early to see them. Seeing lots of Osprey around, we figured that it would not be long til the fish went upstream. I spent some time wading in the creek trying to get the ‘perfect’ moving water photo. It probably still eludes me.

 

Some people have prayer flags at their campsite. We had drying towels
West Arm looking north
Looking south
Gnome afloat
Looking up Kokanee Creek towards Kokanee Glacier Park

 

Common Loons at Lost Lake

I have been visiting Lost Lake for many years and always it is the Common Loons that fill me with awe. Loons do not find much good breeding habitat in Washington and this lake has been a draw for one pair for as long as I’ve been visiting. Every year there is a nest and it has occasionally failed. Sometimes Bald Eagles snatch the young birds when they are out of the nest but still small. Last year the eagles got one. This year it looks like both young birds have survived, so far. They are growing fast with a diet of fish provided by their parents. They need to grow fast in order to migrate to bigger water for the long cold winter.

I photographed these birds from my boat, not paddling too close but waiting for the birds to get closer to me as I drifted. These birds are often observed from boats and the shore. They are also well-studied with researchers banding the young birds as soon as they are old enough.

 

One adult and both young
Sleeping young bird
This young bird displays bling – a band used to research the birds to learn more about where they go when they migrate.

 

Road Trip

Ken and I are recently back from a road trip that took us to NE Washington and SE British Columbia. As you might imagine, I made lots of images on this trip. We started at our favorite camping spot – Lost Lake in the Okanogan Highlands. We left home in the midst of a dramatic thunder and lightning storm and were a little nervous about fires, with good reason.

Once a person crosses the Okanogan and heads east into the next mountain range, they are approaching the edge of the Rockies and the habitats – the plants and animals – begin to change from what we observe here on the east flanks of the North Cascades. It’s fun to go a short distance and be in such a different place.

Lost Lake is also like a place that time has forgotten. The campground is an old CCC facility, built in the 40’s. There is no electronic communication. Boats on the lake go slow without high-powered engines. It is one of the few places in Washington where not-so-common Common Loons nest. They will be featured in another post. People walk and ride bikes; they say ‘hi’ and are happy to see you. Well, that’s been our experience. The campground host said that during the previous weekend that was not the case. Good thing we missed that! The Okanogan Highlands Alliance has worked to preserve the wetland at the far end of the lake from development and encroachment of cattle grazing. They have also been creating some interpretive trails near the wetland and in the upland section.

From Lost Lake we headed towards the far northeast corner of Washington – planning to stay near a border crossing so we could get an early start on our trip to BC. We aimed for Sullivan Lake but it was busy and the weather was pretty exciting with strong winds and thunder and lightning. A short drive further north took us to the Millpond campground. It was smaller and quieter and suited us for the night.

 

Lightning-caused fire near Riverside, above Omak
Lost Lake
We had some rain
And a campfire every night
Homemade pico de gallo with chips for an appetizer
camp coffee
Lily pads
Catching fish
One of several brook trout out of Lost Lake
Old CCC building
Rainy afternoon drive on a road we’d never driven before
Rocky Mountain juniper?
Badger hole?
It went to a tremendous viewpoint above Bonaparte Lake and Creek
Looking down the creek at the next rainy downpour
Don’t you think we ought to go now?
All the makings for spring rolls
Nasturtium spring rolls
Getting the trout ready to cook in the campfire
One of my favorite things to do
Reflection
The real thing
Lost Lake
Lost Lake
Lost Lake
The Okanogan Highlands Alliance has installed some new interpretive signs on their trails
There are a few old docks for the private cabins that line one side of the lake
No ATV’s! That’s a good thing.
Which part is real?
Lost Lake is perfect for people-powered boats
Late season flowers with pollinators
This scary guy was in the truck
Shorebirds on Maryann Creek near Chesaw
Oh yeah, I can’t get enough of this
Common Loon
Crystal Falls, the smallest state park, located east of Colville
Sullivan Creek. It feeds into the Millpond
Fly fishing
In this creek he caught, and released, a brown trout
Millpond at sunset
And a view of it from a trail that goes above the pond
The mouth of Sullivan Creek

 

Wildflower Walking

Kim and I hiked up to the top of Tiffany Mountain and then around it, crossing Whistler and Honeymoon Pass and then around Tiffany Lake before leaving the trail at Tiffany Springs Campground where we had left my car in the morning. Ken had generously shuttled us from there to the Freezeout Pass trailhead before going fly fishing. The temperature was comfortably cool most of the day; clouds built up with the threat of thunder storms. Luckily the storms did not materialize.

Most of this area was burned in the 2006 Tripod wildfire. Many people would look at this now and see nothing but dead trees. However the grasses and forbs and shrubs are thriving. Wildflowers are abundant and vibrant this month. In wetter areas we found young aspens and willows – perfect habitat for moose and other animals.

 

The trail begins by climbing steeply up from Freezeout. Fireweed blooms in the understory
Ken started up the trail with us
The first glimpse of Tiffany Mountain from the trail
It’s a gorgeous route through the flowers
Red paintbrush
A dried up puffball
More gorgeous meandering
The view from the top. Tiffany Lake and Little Tiffany Lake
Looking down at Salmon Creek. Later we walked up that valley to get to Honeymoon Pass.
And looking down towards Winthrop
Fabulous delicate rock gardens on top of 8200′ Tiffany Mountain
Walking through another field of wildflowers
We saw lots of these butterflies
Cool rock formations
Whistler Basin after we crossed Whistler Pass
Geum sp
These were common on the east side of the mountain and nowhere else.
The trail goes sidehill on the east side before dropping into Salmon Creek
Oh yeah, I liked these.
Geum sp
Geum sp
Geum sp
You can see Honeymoon Pass in the distance
In the creek bottom, it seemed like we went a long time in the wrong direction but finally after crossing the creek, we found the burned sign that said we were headed towards Tiffany Lake.
Can you see the trail through all that lush undergrowth? There are orange diamonds on the snags, marking the way. Sometimes those snags fall.
Woodpecker holes
Looking back UP at Tiffany Mountain where had been just an hour or so before.
Almost to Honeymoon Pass, looking down Salmon Creek
Columbine
A glimpse of Tiffany Lake on the other side of Honeymoon Pass
The end of the trail