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Bald Eagles at Lake Coeur d'Alene, a new record has already been set!

12/6/2017

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One of our favorite ways to get outside during the winter is to head over to the Wolf Lodge area of eastern lake Coeur d'Alene to watch the eagles.  What's exciting is that this year is already a record breaking year, with over 300 eagles already counted at the start of December - still a couple weeks from the normal peak time period.

Every year from Thanksgiving to the end of the year, dozens of Bald Eagles congregate in the area to feed on the dying salmon that have finished spawning in the lake.  These salmon, called Kokanee, are red salmon that became trapped in the lake when the dam was put in.  They survived the entrapment but no longer make their journey to the ocean, which accounts for their much smaller size compared to their oceanic brethren.
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They spawn in the lake and then die, providing a veritable feast for scavengers as they head into the depths of winter. 

If you are familiar with this area, Higgens Point is one of the more accessible and popular viewing areas.  Or, head to the Wolf Lodge exit on I-90 and take Hwy 97 south along the shore of the lake.  Any of the parking areas and viewpoints in this area of the lake can provide a place  to see these stunning birds, but if you are interested in a map and even a video to help you find the best spots, then the Spokesman Review's Outdoors Blog has some great information that you can find by following this link.
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Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap

10/19/2016

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It's that time of year again - time to start thinking about skiing!  So far it looks like we are getting the La Nina weather patterns that some had predicted, because we have had one wet storm after another so far this fall.  There is already snow starting to pile up in the mountains, and chances are there will be much more to come.

Skiing is a great outdoor winter activity, but it does not come cheap.  Every fall we share some of the best ways we have found to save money, and the first one on the list is the Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap. 
Picture of Mt Spokane Skiing, Mt Spokane Ski Swap
This is a chance to pick up used gear at bargain prices, and it is the largest event of its kind in the entire region.  It is coming up in just 10 days over October 29-30th at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center.  So, if you are looking to find good deals on some equipment for your family, check out their website for more information: http://skipatrolskiswap.com/
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Eagle viewing at Coeur d'Alene Lake's Wolf Lodge Bay

11/30/2015

 

by Harley McAllister

Each year as the seasons change to winter, the kokanee spawn in Coeur d'Alene lake and the bald eagles congregate for the feast.

Best of all, this all takes place in an area that is very accessible to anyone, and the birds are so plentiful and close that it is easy to see good numbers of these huge birds and capture some good photos.
Eagle perched in a tree in the Wolf Lodge Bay area of Coeur d'Alene Lake
Eagles are plentiful this time of year in certain areas of Cd'A Lake
It is only a 10 minute drive from downtown Cd'A to Higgens point, the best place to go.  The birds are a little more active in the mornings when they are hungry coming off of the nighttime, but we often just go during the warmest part of the days and still see plenty of birds flying.  You are basically guaranteed to see multiple eagles even if you just stick to the paved path of about half a mile/15 minute walk.

If you are a little more adventurous you can head on some of the gravel/dirt trails and get a closer look.  From the parking lot you will walk the paved bike trail toward Higgens point, and about 30 yards past the statue of the photographer two paths will veer off to the right of the main trail, effectively giving you three options (staying on the paved trail or two to the right).  The far right trail leads down to the beach and the docks, but the middle trial contours the side of the hill at an elevation that offers up close views of the eagles perched in the pine trees.

Here is a link to a BLM website that has bird count information, directions to the main viewing areas, and other good information.  This is a great opportunity for up close wildlife viewing of an iconic bird, and even after many years we never tire of going.  The peak time is just a couple weeks away and there are already 40+ mature eagles in the area - so what are you waiting for?  Go. Outside. Now.

Our Favorite Kids Rafting Trip in Idaho!

8/1/2015

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By Abby McAllister
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We love the Lower Salmon River and try to float it every year.  For some hard-core rafting enthusiasts it doesn't make the list but we love it for many reasons.  We love that we don't need to draw a permit in order to be on a multi-day whitewater river.  Although we put in to the permit draws for the Middle Fork of the Salmon, the Main Salmon, Hells Canyon and even on occasion the Selway, we don't always draw one of those.  When we don't draw one of the harder to get permits we can still have a great multi-day trip on the Lower Salmon.

We also love this river because the water and air temperatures are great for kids.  The air temps can get pretty hot down in the canyon but you always have water to cool off with-whether that's with a swim, water gun fight, cliff jump or kamikaze run down the beach and into the water, you can always cool off.  It is rare that any of us are cold while rafting the Lower Salmon.

We love the nature of the whitewater on this trip too.  There is plenty of big splashy fun but not too many dangerous consequences for mistakes.  Don't get me wrong, we are always careful.  Every one of us wears a PFD while on the water, calm or rapid.  We always scout the rapid if anyone is nervous and we always have a rescue plan in place.  That said, the consequences on this river tend to be pretty minor so we feel free to let our kids stretch their wings and fly a bit!

When it is time to get off the river we love the white sand beaches.  There are many other more remote riverside campsites on other rivers but none rival the sandy fun found on the Lower Salmon.  Our kids can't wait to get out buckets, shovels, trucks, sticks, rocks, and anything they can find to spend the afternoon moving the sand all around.  They are our own Army Corps of Engineers!  White sand also makes for a very comfortable night for the older members of our group who don't sleep as well on the ground as we used to.

If you are looking for some fun in the sun and on the water, a trip down the Lower Salmon should be on your list.  There are many guide companies who can take you if you can't go on your own.  If a raft trip isn't possible for you there are some very fun jet boat tours out of Lewiston, ID that give you a chance to have some fun and get some speed too.  We often get a chance to hang out with day tripping jet boaters at Cherry Creek falls and they always look like they are having a wonderful time too.  A quick google search will set you up with lots of options.
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Weekend at Heyburn State Park and Biking the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene

4/21/2015

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By Abby McAllister
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We recently took the chance to check out Heyburn State Park in Idaho which is only 1 hour from our home in Spokane Valley, WA.  We've done some exploring around that area but never taken the time to camp out there.  After this weekend, I'm sure glad we finally took the time.  Heyburn State Park is the oldest state park in the Pacific Northwest and it is well worth a visit.  Here are some of the things we loved about it, shared in the hope of inspiring you to get your kids out in beautiful Idaho!
Let me start out with the campground itself.  Nestled in the trees on a hillside rising above Coeur d'Alene Lake is Hawley's Landing campground.  Boasting a horeshoe pit, it's own dock, showers, flush toilets, 42 electrical hook-up sites and 10 tent sites, this campground is a sweet little spot.  There are a few other overnight stay options (info here) but I'm just going to review Hawley's for now.  Even though the campground is just off the "main" road, it seemed much more remote.  Instead of car noise, we heard the honking of geese and the chatter of other waterfowl.  It felt private and close to nature.  

The sites themselves were well spaced, clean and each had a level spot for your tent, chairs, a picnic table and fire pit.  There were water spigots scattered around in most areas to make for easy access to potable water.  We were camped in the loop that was the farthest up the hill, the furthest from the lake.  Still, it only took moments to walk down to the waterfront where our kids enjoyed throwing rocks in the water, walking out on the docks, and trying to identify waterfowl from sight and sound.  Oh, and all those trees make for great hammock hanging!
Visitor center at the entrance to Hawley's landing campground
Entering campground
mom and baby getting hot chocolate ready
example of tent site near waterfront
Evening view of the dock area
sunset from the dock
sunrise from camp
Hammock time!
One of the main attractions of the campground for many people is it's proximity to the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.  The Friends of the CDA Trail have this to say about it: "The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes bike path follows the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way from Mullan, a mountain mining town near the Montana border, to Plummer, a town on the prairie near the Washington border. More than 71 miles of paved path takes you from high mountain splendor, through the historic Silver Valley, into the chain lakes region, along the shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene, over the Chatcolet Bridge to Heyburn State Park, and finally climbs to the Palouse prairie: an adventure for the entire family!"  Now we only did the section from the parking area near the Chatcolet Bridge to Harrison, ID but we agree that it is fun for the whole family!  

You can get on the trail right out of Hawley's Landing campground but we chose to shave off two miles each way by driving the bikes to the parking area in Chatcolet.  From there we headed out on the path toward an intimidating looking bridge.  Because the path is along a former train route it is mostly flat.  This bridge is the only part that deviated from the norm.  It is intimidating to approach but it was constructed with an ingenious method of rises and rests that make it managable.  If you find it to be too steep to ride, you can always dismount and walk to the top.  Other than that it is smooth sailing along the banks of the beautiful Lake CDA.  We rode the approximately 7 miles to Harrison on a gorgeous, sunny early spring day.  The promis of an ice cream stop in Harrison spurred us on when we felt tired (mostly that just refers to me, as my boys never seem to tire out!).  


parking area in Chatcolet
Nice paved trail makes riding easy for young and old
Riding along the shores of beautiful Lake CDA
Peaceful and Private
Views from the top of the bridge
Bridge structure
More lake views
water to all sides!
Wildlife, like these deer, is abundant
After a delightful stop for ice cream in a waterfront shop in Harrison, we mounted up and rode back to camp.  On the way back we rode all the way back to camp in order to stop and check out an interpretive  boardwalk marsh trail.  This is located where the creek enters the lake just to the west of the campground.  There is a blind for viewing waterfowl and the boardwalk goes out further with some interpretive signs along the way. 
To summarize:  Hawley's Landing in Heyburn State Park (Idaho) is a great place to take your kids camping.  Attractions like water, docks, bike paths, grassy play areas, wildlife, waterfowl, and nice campsites make this a place your kids will enjoy.  And we all know, when the kids are having fun, mom and dad can relax and have fun too!
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    Authors

    Harley & Abby McAllister
    We are an adventurous husband and wife duo who drag our 4 feral kids outside with us as often as we can stand it!  Maybe, just maybe, our adventures will help inspire you! 

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