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Tag Archives: camping

Chopaka Lake

Ken and I and the dogs were camping last week. It was good to get away from computers and electronic communication and enjoy time spent in nature. We kayaked, Ken fished, the dogs swam and jumped in lakes and we hiked and looked at wildflowers and birds. We enjoyed food cooked in the campfire, drank good wine and had a fine time!

Chopaka Lake is nearly to Canada in Okanogan County and sits at about 3000′ elevation. The landscape around it varies from riparian to shrub-steppe to forest and 7000′ Chopaka Mountain rises steeply behind it. The road to Chopaka is relatively steep and it seems daunting to some folks but we had no trouble pulling our little camping trailer up the grade. There are two small adjacent campgrounds – one run by the state DNR and the other by the federal BLM; both free. We were surprised and dismayed on Sunday afternoon to find every site full and we lucked out when two fellows left a site right on the lake! We laid claim to it immediately.

Chopaka is fly fishing only with a limit of one fish per day and it could easily have been a setting for a Cabela’s catalog photo shoot! Anglers had all the cool gear and clothes for the occasion. We probably stood out in the crowd (such as it was) with our own renditions of outdoor stuff. There was a great selection of boats also – some handmade. The dogs were delighted to have a lake in our front yard. Despite the campgrounds being full, it was a very quiet place. Folks were resptful of others and friendly too.

Looking back at Loomis as we drove to Chopaka Lake
And the view of Palmer Lake as we drove to Chopaka
Lakefront campsite
Light rain falling
The tiny marina in front of our campsite
Intrepid anglers stay out in the rain
Old man’s bear or Geum sp
Old man’s bear or Geum sp
Death camas
Lush green this month
A handmade boat on Chopaka Lake
A camper next to us brought us this wine saying that his group had drank quite a bit of during their stay and now it was time to go and did we want it. Heck yes. It was very good. Turns out, it is his winery. Good wine. Thanks Dave.
male Redhead
male Redhead
Four males pursue one female Redhead
Spotted Sandpipers were everywhere
Barrow’s Goldeneye male
Barrow’s Goldeneye male
Ruddy Duck males
Ruddy Duck
Ruddy Ducks are cute!
The view back to camp
Potentilla?
Barrow’s Goldeneye family
Bitterroot
Tent caterpillars
Hiking above the lake
Buckwheat sp
Another potentilla?
Chopaka Lake is pretty large – over 5000 acres.
Thompson’s paintbrush
Ken and Sky talk about sticks
Luna in the lush green grass
How many times did she do this?
Luna has her own style
Shake
Morning on the lake
These two Barrow’s Goldeneyes seem to be taking their time.
A pair of Barn Swallows attempted to build a nest under our canopy despite our attempts to discourage them.
This looks like a Bald Eagle nest and there were eagles in that vicinity but I never saw them on the nest
Great goldeneye habitat! They nest in tree cavities.
Where else would you be at that time of day?
Taking a break from the nest.
Penstemon hanging in great bunches from rocks over the lake.
babies
Got her ducks in a row.
And in a bunch.

And that’s just the first two days of our camping trip!

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

 

Summertime Camping

Ken and I packed the dogs and the trailer and headed up to Lost Lake this week. It was a great escape from the heat and computers and cell phones and a chance to listen to the loons and play in the water and sit around the campfire. Ken fished. I paddled my boat. The dogs swam. We slept in. It was nice.

 

Nice brook trout

 

Common Loons nest on Lost Lake (watch for more loon photos in an upcoming post)

 

Lots of dragonflies

 

Still a few wildflowers blooming

 

an aster

 

Morning light

 

camp coffee

 

This old dock has seen better days

 

Many, many squirrels to drive Luna crazy

 

We always eat well while camping

 

Brook trout cooked en papillote

 

Typical scene in the Okanogan Highlands near Molsen

 

Ken found this leech in Sidley Lake. I’ve never seen one before. He thinks they are native.

 

The leech with a friendly dragonfly

 

Sam in Sidley Lake. This old dog does better in the water than on land.

 

Luna’s ‘wet’ look

 

We visited the old ghost town at Molsen. This is an old printing press.

 

Water lillies and cattails at Lost Lake

 

Lost Lake is one of my favorite places.

June Camping Trip

Life’s been busy recently and I’ve had little time for personal work. Couple that with an aching back and I’ve just not had anything recent to post.

Last week I got away with a friend for a few days of (car) camping in the Okanogan Highlands and the Sinlahekin valley. We planned  some serious birding adventures and were not disappointed. By the end of four days we had seen 114 species and along the way, we saw a few other things as well.

 

The Okanogan Highlands clouds are always spectacular

 

And then there’s litter

 

Lost Lake, where we stayed for two nights. One of my all time favorite camping spots.

 

Dog at the Chesaw Store

 

Phone booth at the Chesaw Store.

This area is so close to Canada that if you have your cell phone on, it will connect to Canadian cell towers and your bill will show extra and possibly unexpected charges.

 

Molson is an old ghost town between Oroville and Chesaw

 

 

Camp coffee

 

Camp site in the Sinlahekin valley

I have a few photos of birds to share and will get them posted soon.

 

 

Lost Lake in the Okanogan Highlands

Ken and I had a nice getaway to Lost Lake in the Okanogan Highlands last weekend. While the weather was not perfect, it was never too cold or wet and we had a great time. A nice lady stayed with our dogs so we were able to kayak, fish, ride bikes and just have a relaxing time at this gem of a place. For me, it is sort of like ‘On Golden Pond’ with nesting loons, a quiet lake surrounded by forest, some camps, and a few cabins nestled along the edge.