You don't have to be here long to get the picture. We are in lake country. Not surprisingly, many blogs and writings of winter skiers attribute to the area the misnomer that we are primarily a summer resort destination. After all, when skiing down the slopes of Schweitzer Mountain, the overwhelming view is Lake Pend Oreille. Oh so wrong, my research-lacking ones. Our main tourist season and draw is winter sports. Still, summers ain't bad.
To understand our history, one must first take into account our geography. While our area is dominated by mountains, the most prominent feature is Lake Pend Oreille, with an area of 148 square miles, and 111 miles of coastline. Only Lake Tahoe, Flathead Lake in Montana, and some man-made lakes are larger. It is 65 miles long, and 1,150 feet deep in some regions (5th in the US). Fed by Clark Fork River and drained by the Pend Oreille River. It is surrounded by national forests and many small towns, including Bayview, Hope, and Sandpoint. All but the southern tip of the lake is in Bonner County, the southern tip which is home to Farragut State Park, the original home of the Farragut Naval Training Station, and the home of the NAVSEA's Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division's Acoustic Research Detachment (ARD) is in Kootenai County.
The lake is home to many species of fish including: rainbow trout, lake trout, perch, crappie, bass, walleye, whitefish and kamloops. The forests are known to have various pines, such as ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, poplar and western larch. Whitetail deer, squirrels, black bears, coyotes, elk, cougar, and bobcats are known to reside in these forests. Bald Eagles, osprey, owls, hummingbirds, hawks, woodpeckers, ducks and the mountain bluebird are seen in the skies around the lake.
It is also believed that the eastern side of the lake was in the path of the ancient Missoula Flood. This is the great event that shaped much of the Inland Empire of the Pacific Northwest. The Missoula Flood is an Ice Age event that has been featured on NOVA, and refer to the catastrophic floods that swept periodically across eastern Washington, Idaho, and Montana, and down the Columbia River Gorge at the end of the last ice age. Farragut State Park is located where the Lake Missoula Floods broke out from the end of Lake Pend Oreille.
The floods were the result of the periodic sudden rupture of the ice dam on the Clark Fork River that created Glacial Lake Missoula. After each rupture of the ice dam, the waters of the lake would rush down the Clark Fork and the Columbia River, inundating much of eastern Washington and the Willamette Valley in western Oregon. After the rupture, the ice would reform, recreating Glacial Lake Missoula once again.
Geologists estimate that the cycle of flooding and reformation of the lake lasted on average of 55 years and that the floods occurred approximately 40 times over the 2,000 year period between 15,000 and 13,000 years ago.
The other great shaping feature was the area's glaciers. The rugged mountainous beauty of this area of North Idaho was formed by these two components. For thousands of years, these two forces of nature were actively moving the landscape of North Idaho. The glacial ice sheets moved land, mountain, and water over centuries. The floods occurred over relatively shorter periods. The areas of the Lake Pend Oreille and the Clark Fork River held a dam of ice that towered over two thousand feet today's lake level. When this dam failed many times over the millennia a deluge of water was released in unimaginable proportions at speeds of 60 miles per hour and hundreds of feet deep, creating forces great enough to shape the landscape we know today from here to Portland, Oregon.
So, now that you have been edu-macated, soak up some of the cool things you can do on our bodies of water.
First there is obviously kayaking and whitewaters. Big lake and river activities include boating, sailing, boat racing, and jet skiing. Fishing is an absolute must, and while the government in a big-brotherly fashion had almost decimated the fish population many years ago by introducing tiny shrimp to the lake, the fish populations are now making gains at recovery. The Feds had done this to our lake to try and increase the lake's fish counts, but as is often the case, the opposite occurred. You can snorkel or scuba, swim or dive off of many deep dive spots. You can even watch the submarine races. Many, many establishments take advantage of the lake views, however, good, unobstructed views of the lake are becoming more expensive to buy, and you can pretty much forget finding affordable digs with lake frontage.
Lake Pend Oreille is one of the deepest lakes in the United State, and it is quiet enough for the U.S. Navy to have its submarine research facility located here. Along the lake's protected coves one can find great water skiing and wakeboarding, and camping is one of our area's favorite pass times. Prevailing southwesterly winds provide sailing enthusiasts many days of quality boating. We have many sailing regattas the entire summer, as well as poker runs, and there are talks of having some serious stiletto and cigarette boat races. Plus, if mild sailing is not your style, canvassed racing takes place many times a year.
If kayaking is your thing then you are in luck. With a lake over 65 miles long one can spend countless hours paddling along the lake. The many tributaries offer secluded paddling with a wide variety of wildlife to be found. For the whitewater enthusiasts there are numerous rivers and streams to get your heart pounding. The Moyie River, famous for its Class 5 rapids is only an hour away. The Selway and Lochsa are within easy driving distance and offer even the most seasoned kayak enthusiast a real test. The Pack River and Priest River also provide kayakers plenty of great water to play on.
When visiting Sandpoint, make it a point to rent a boat and discover why so many people have fallen in love with the area. If you're uncomfortable navigating on unknown waters, take a fishing charter or a scenic cruise. If you do decide to take a fishing charter, make sure you get plenty of rest prior to departure as this lake offers trophy rainbow trout that will challenge your skill as well as your endurance.
To learn more about all the majestic Lake Pend Oreille and all of North Idaho's pristine lakes, and to find out everything about our town, visit http://www.SandpointID.net and click the Guides Tab at the top of the page.
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