Koocanusa Lake of Many Faces - Montana

This week we took a trip over to Lake Koocanusa. Actually, it is not a lake but a man made reservoir. Libby dam, built in 1972, blocks the free flow of the Kootenai River forming a narrow lake that runs 90 miles, 42 miles of which are in British Columbia.

The reservoir was a joint project with Canada and that is how it got it's name. The water flowing into the lake is from the Canadian Kootenay River and flows out to the American Kootenai River. So, you get Koo for the Kootenay(ai), Can for Canada and USA; Koocanusa. Ok, I just learned something. The name actually came from a local woman who won a contest for coming up with it.

LAKE KOOCANUSA

There are many outdoor recreation opportunities at the Koocanusa. There are a number of campgrounds, some improved some primitive, and fishing is pretty good. Most local people go for the kocanee salmon. You can find a listing of campsites and boat launches here. You see what you might catch here here. Because of it's relatively isolated location almost any time of the year you'll have to lake nearly to yourself.

A DIFFERENT KOOCANUA

The reason I call the Koocanusa the lake of many faces is because depending on the day and time you go it always looks different. The water can look like the tropics or it can be dark and brooding. If you are a photographer this affords endless opportunities to try and capture something special. It was exactly at this time OF year that I got my one really special photograph HEAVENLY EYE.


KOOCANUSA SUNSET

This is the time of year when the lake is drained down to allow for the spring runoff from the Canadian Rockies. The low water exposes some interesting landscapes.

KOOCANUSA SHORELINE

WALK ALONG THE BEACH

If you go to the tiny berg of Rexford (pop. 149) you can find an RV Park boat access and hiking opportunities. There is a really nice little trail that follows along the bluff overlooking the lake. For a really good workout you can walk for miles on the sandy shore but you have to come at low tide so to speak.

Speaking of sand I took this photo of the sand and no, the sand isn't really blue I used a filter to give that effect. I'm a little daffy over the patterns in nature. To my eye there are just plain pretty.


Blue Sand by Kinsey Barnard

So, there you have it, Lake Koocanusa. If you looking to get away from the madding crowd you can certainly do it here.

©Kinsey Barnard Photography

Florence to Gold Beach

We have bid fond farewell to Florence. It was a glorious day. The sun was out and the driving was easy ... or so it seemed to me.

We got into Gold Beach in time to take a walk and catch the sunset. The beaches here are beautiful and the sunset was too. There were lots of fishing boats going out for the evening and in one of these photos you can see a lonely trawler in the sunset.

Really looking forward to exploring a new location!

Ooops! I seem to have loaded the same photo twice and I'm not sure how to get rid of it so pardon me!

© Kinsey Barnard Photography

Cannon Beach, Ecola Park, Stormy Weather!

Yesterday, it was really stormy. We drove down the coast a ways but it got so foggy we couldn't see our nose in front of our face so we turned back. We found out the road to Ecola Park was finally open and headed there but, it was raining and the wind was blowing so hard we could hardly stand up. My beautiful fluffy tail was bent flat on my back, I kid you not. This was some serious wind. We finally threw in the towel and returned to Clementine.

It rained like crazy most of the night. You shoulda heard it on Clementine's roof. Sounded like somebody pouring buckets of nails on our head. Sheesh, hard for me to get my beauty sleep!

Things looked a little better this morning. It seemed like there was a break in the storm. We headed on over to Ecola Park again. It certainly was no sun shiny day but at least the wind had calmed down. We took the trail to Indian Beach. It's about 1.5 miles to the beach through a rain forest. Rain forests, of course do nothing for me but mom loves it. I could tell the elk had been through the night before and that got my attention. While mom gawked I tracked.

From Ecola we headed south again and got as far as Mo's. Which is a place supposed to be good for clam chowder. You'll have to ask mom how it was. I was left in the car as usual. I'm always getting left in the car at chow time. I wonder how comes is that?! How come they don't have restaurants dog's can go in?! I've got good table manners!

After mom, no doubt, made a pig of herself we headed north up the coast as it looked less socked in. We drove over to see the biggest Sitka Spruce in the US but it was kind of a yawner. The poor old thing has seen better days I should imagine. After the Spruce we headed up to Seaside. Mom stopped at the aquarium there but once again I got left in the car. Must not have been much cuz she wasn't gone very long.

After the aquarium we continued north and stopped in at Cullaby Lake. There wasn't a single soul there. We walked around and enjoyed the setting with just a few mallards for company. By this time mom had had enough for one day so we headed back to Clementine.

Until next time .....
LAKOTA SUNRISE

©Kinsey Barnard