3 hours up Sand Creek

I have not been kayaking as much this season, maybe biking a bit more. Yesterday I headed up Sand creek. There were not that many birds, but they were interesting. I saw eagles soaring or sitting, osprey fishing, ducks, etc. One osprey took the plunge straight down into the creek and grabbed a fish and then struggled to carry it into the trees for lunch. I did encounter a belted kingfisher in flight, looking much like this photo I found on the Internet. They are such pretty birds.

The water was fairly flat without the moderate south winds expected in the late morning. My arthritic left shoulder tired toward the 3rd hour, but was not painful. This is likely because I have not been kayaking much this season, but have continued my flexibility exercises. 

The air quality was in the moderate category. The nearest  forest fire is up near the Canadian border, but there are other fires and it is not clear which are contributing to our haze. So far it has not precluded outdoor physical exercise in the cool of morning.

A Conundrum

At age 85, I am nigh to abandoning my kayaking career. Here I am, with my favourite kayak of all time (Boreal Design Ellesmere), looking at abandonment! Well, old age must be acknowledged. But there is an attractive fly in this disagreeable ointment. In late September I may inherit a cult favourite kayak, from my dearly beloved occasional kayak partner and ski buddy. 

The kayak is a cult enthusiast's Mariner Elan. Those unaware of Mariner Kayaks should stop here and dive deep enough into the Mariner details (i.e. look at "marinerkayaks.com") and then return. The site is still maintained and is of general interest.

The Elan is intended for small paddlers. Hey, at 140 pounds that's me! But there is a problem, my feet are not small. The kayak is hostile to a foot size beyond man's US 9. I'll grab it in late September, wear small water shoes, and then decide.

The Elan was the final design produced by the Broze Brothers. There were perhaps 72 made. An original Elan might have a rear watertight hatch - although the Broze Brothers were not fond of such frippery. This particular Elan was modified by John Abercrombie of Victoria MC and has front and rear watertight hatches.

If I sell it, the proceeds will be donated to a bursary established in my friend's name to support aspiring young musicians. Alternatively, if I keep it, I will put equivalent funds into that same bursary. I don't actually have the kayak now, so this is speculative.

Back from Austria

We have returned from Austria and are once again in North Idaho. I had feared that I missed the Western Grebes as they migrate though Lake Pend Oreille, but I just recently spotted a flock of 10 on the water near Condo del Sol. I did not see the usual huge flock, so maybe this group was a remnant. The osprey are back, another of my favorite seasonal birds. Oddly, on my last trip I saw no Canada Geese. I expect I will see many on my next trip as I paddle further up Sand Creek. I should get beyond the Popsicle Stick Bridge, but probably short of the Schweitzer Cutoff Road. Getting past Marley Park will require the lake to be nearly at full pool level.
 

2026 Kayak Season Underway

After a dismal ski season, the kayak season is now underway. I will have accrued 4 kayak day trips before we leave on May 4 for Austria. The photo shows my Ellesmere, ready for its first day of the season. It's a bit further back on the rack than it should be and there is no tail rope for the short and low speed drive to City Beach where I launch.

At this point the lake water level is still about 7' below summer's full pool level. This means I need to launch at City Beach until the water level comes up another foot, maybe a week away. But by then we'll be in Austria.

The water is currently in the 45 to 49 degree range. I no longer have a dry suit so when it the water is this cold, I wear a wet suit and paddle close to shore.

This is a great time of year on Lake Pend Oreille. Because the water is not yet at full pool level, most of the boat launch ramps are not yet usable except by the smaller fishing boats. Those are typically very quiet, sometimes just drifting. I am often the only boat in sight and enjoy seeing the various waterfowl migrating through.

At this point, I have seen no Western Grebes (my favorite water bird). The flock may pass through while we are in Austria. However, I have seen many eagles, geese, buffleheads, mallards, my first pair of osprey, etc.
 

Der Winterschlaf ist vorbei

Es ist fast Zeit, mein Kajak aus dem Winterschlaf zu wecken. Der Wasserspiegel des Sees steigt schneller als erwartet und könnte innerhalb einer Woche bis zu 2056 Fuß erreichen. Dies ermöglicht das Starten von vielen Orten, darunter auch vom 3rd Avenue Pier. Ich muss unseren Mieter benachrichtigen, damit er seinen Parkplatz unter dem Carport abgeben kann. Ich werde das brauchen, weil der Kajakträger unser Auto zu hoch für die Garage macht. Vielleicht mache ich in der ersten Aprilwoche meinen ersten Kajak-Tagesausflug. Wir werden im Mai für drei Wochen in Österreich sein, was während dieser Zeit jegliches Kajakfahren ausschließt.

Katastrophe

Schweitzer schleppt sich auf das Schließungsdatum zu, das nun auf den 5. April angesetzt ist – eine Woche vor der ursprünglich erwarteten Situation. Nordski wurde bereits eingestellt. Auch die untere Ebene des Colburn Bowl wurde viel früher geschlossen. In einem normalen Skijahr ist die Sperrung nicht viel später als die Schneetiefe des Gipfels. In diesem Jahr traten jedoch Ende März kahle Stellen auf.  Das ist eine Katastrophe für viele der Mitarbeiter, die für Winterarbeit auf Schweitzer angewiesen sind.

Our Ski Season is Dying an Ugly Death

Despite a semi-recent snow dump over several days, the Schweitzer ski area has remained unattractive due to unseasonably warm temperatures. Today's early report gave a temperature in the low 40's and rain. Dirt is already showing here and there at 4700' in elevation. Nor is the forecast encouraging. The area may make it to the scheduled closing date of April 12, but maybe not. This has been a disastrous year for so many Schweitzer employees.

My wife and I have been doing more hiking than typical for this time of year - in lieu of Nordic skiing. Further, it is likely that I will awaken my kayak from hibernation earlier in April than usual.

Ski Update: I am not sure when the Schweitzer Nordic Trails closed, but they are closed now (March 23, 2026). I would guess they will not reopen this season. Ski runs with a similar exposure are no longer usable, albeit ready for planting spring crops. 

Schnee Dürre

I now declare this to be Schweitzer's worst snow drought in my ~50 years skiing here. It adversely affects both the Nordic and the alpine skiing. We are now in early February and the weather forecast for the next week or so brings no signs of relief. In particular, my latest informant tells me that dirt and rocks are plaguing the Nordic trails. Until conditions improve, I am not desperate enough to venture up to our ski area.

Some of the alpine runs have persevered and Schweitzer was able to make snow for a few days in a few places, but now warmer weather has precluded that option. This really harms the Schweitzer employees, with the area surely running with a skeleton crew. Some work at Schweitzer in the cold months and at the US Forest Service in the warmer season. With Schweitzer just scraping by and Trump assailing federal jobs, it must be dire for those in that situation.