August 16-19, 2013 Priest Lake, Idaho

Priest Lake Idaho is about 30 miles from the Canadian border in the Idaho panhandle. The weather has been perfect, in the high 70’s, low 80’s during the day and down into the 50’s at night.

Upper priest Lake is connected to the lower lake with a river called the Thorofare, not much elevation change and hardly any current. Here is a photo of the upper lake and part of the Thorofare. It is undeveloped and wild.  The map shows both lakes. The Thorofare itself  is about 2 miles long.We have paddled up it before. The put in has about a 1/4 portage to it. We finally got this kayak cart to haul the boats. It is worth it’s weight in gold. Much easier.

This first trip I went alone. John injured his back and is resting to let it heal. It was kind of cloudy so the light was not good. I went up Elk creek, a connecting stream to the Thorofare. Dead tree stumps turn into islands of foliage. the banks are covered with lush growth. There is deep dark forest on both sides.

Flowers growing on a downed tree. I got back and John was smoking chicken and veges for dinner.

There were scattered showers, so when I went to the lake I found this rainbow on the lower lake.

Priest Lake.  John came back again with me on Monday to boat it. At the beginning of Elk creek you have to haul the boat over a fallen tree.

The water is so clear you can see John floating over his shadow.

We ate lunch on a nice beach in the sun with a big swimming hole.

The main channel of the Thorofare is deeper and  the banks have deep dark forest. It is grizzly bear habitat up here. Tomorrow is the full moon, but this looks pretty close.