Idaho, Montana, and Oregon - August 2022

Frank, thanks for all the nice comments! Occidental agrees with the Felwort. Thanks! I'm still working on confirming that. Julie and I quickly noticed it along lakeshores and we did not recall seeing it before, even with our many trips into the White Clouds.

Casa Escarlata Robles Too said:
Nice trip.The I phone tells me the flower is a Felwart.
Your fish are fantastic.I am so envious.

Always enjoy your trips into the Montana area.
Frank
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Thanks Frank with the Iphone tip.

Casa Escarlata Robles Too said:
The I phone 13 has a feature on photos.When you take a picture and go to edit there is a "I" icon.
If you click on it in most cases it will let you search info.Don't know if that works on every object
you take a picture of,but I have used it mostly for plants/flowers.
Also it may be a feature on other I phone models and other phone platforms.

It has been very useful.
Frank
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Kilts might make a nice option for wet wading while fly fishing. We missed the dog herding demonstrations this year at the Celtic Festival. We just couldn't get away from the skillets. Yes, the cutthroats were sure showing off their beauty!

Casa Escarlata Robles Too said:
Monte another great trip.Why didn't we see you in kilts?
The Celtic games looked like a lot of friendly fun.

Your fish catch this trip was way about other times.
Those cuts sure are beautiful.

Thanks for taking the time to let us ride along.
Frank
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Vic Harder said:
incredible.... Makes me want to follow in your footsteps! (might not make it past the Muir kitchen though!)
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You are very kind, Vic! Thank you. The kitchen is pretty fantastic at the Dutchoven Farm and B&B!

goinoregon said:
i see in part 3, that you returned to the imnaha river. i am pretty sure i can guess what you ended up catching ! and if so, great for you! i was thinking of going back that way, but opted for different stream. i now see that the upper imnaha canyon has a pretty good fire near it... ugh.
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Greg, I've just posted up Part Four with the fishing story about the Imnaha. Pretty good guess! Yes, the Nebo Fire took off just on the north side of the upper Imnaha when we left. Several other fires in the Wallowas are now going.
 
kmcintyre said:
I'm pretty sure I know where/what lake you were at and glad you had a great time! Looks like you missed all the smoke we are having now :-(

I've been meaning to get to the Imnaha to chase some bull trout. I'd be curious to know how the drive in is and how far up you went? Oh, I see the report now...
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Thanks kmcintyre! The smoke was bad one morning on our first stay in the White Clouds. It, indeed changed right after we left. Changed here at home too. The road to the upper Imnaha is two lanes and paved almost to the end. Watch out for pothole surprises!

Occidental said:
Very nice report, that area of Idaho (emanating from the White Clouds) is my favorite in the entire world. The lakes are so pretty and you can see for miles. Might help that I started my career in forestry there...

Did you ever solve the flower mystery? It does appear to be a marsh felwort based on my limited ID - 5 petals in that area doesn't leave a lot to choose from, although I couldn't see the leaf arrangement.
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Occidental, thanks for the nice comment! The White Clouds are sure stunning and we could (and maybe will) return again and again. Also, thanks for the ID on the flower. I'm still looking to confirm as I commented to Frank earlier. I cropped the flower photos so will look to see if I caught the leaves.
 
Ted said:
Now you know why the Teds show up in many of the Ski3pins reports. And often we do follow in their footsteps if we aren't with them. They have taught us so much, shown us incredible sights, and they are just darn good company.
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Ted, you are extraordinarily kind! Thank you. :)
 
Foy said:
In addition to having had an epic two days of fly fishing, you have written an epic trip report. Thanks SO MUCH for the efforts to present it.

It brings good memories of epic catch and release days fishing for 28-40" rockfish (aka striped bass) in Chesapeake Bay from around 1995-2007 when the rockfishing was HOT.

Foy
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Foy, thanks for the nice comment, we appreciate it! Fishing sure can be fun! :)

Casa Escarlata Robles Too said:
Man they are some awesome fish. What a way to end your trip.
Thanks for the 4 part trip.Another great voyage.

I fished Bowman Lk. in Glacier NP for Bull Trout. No luck though.
Great to see the ones you caught.
Frank
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Thanks Frank! Time to get your fly rod out? :)
 
It was a hoot having the Ski3Pins at the house, and our thanks to Julie and Monte for the meal in downtown Haines. Where we were entertained by the most un-likely local as he exited the Haines Steak House. Dressed like a Miami attorney, with tan to compliment the silk floral shirt, he claimed to have killed a man right there on the sidewalk. He then corrected himself to say he was responsible for the sign about the murder, but no one knows for certain. I was tempted to say “You ain’t from around here, are you?”, but the specter of immediate over cologned violence had me worried. I refrained.


It was fun, but come on back, we need to eat at the steakhouse next time. After all, the world can be divided into two parts…

those who have dined at the Haines Steakhouse, and those unfortunate folks who haven’t.
 
Loved riding along. This was definitely a great trip. Thanks for sharing. I must say, I have a pretty good grin going. Fun read and amazing pictures. At least your fish stories have living proof [emoji846] JD
 
Wandering Sagebrush said:
It was a hoot having the Ski3Pins at the house, and our thanks to Julie and Monte for the meal in downtown Haines. Where we were entertained by the most un-likely local as he exited the Haines Steak House. Dressed like a Miami attorney, with tan to compliment the silk floral shirt, he claimed to have killed a man right there on the sidewalk. He then corrected himself to say he was responsible for the sign about the murder, but no one knows for certain. I was tempted to say “You ain’t from around here, are you?”, but the specter of immediate over cologned violence had me worried. I refrained.


It was fun, but come on back, we need to eat at the steakhouse next time. After all, the world can be divided into two parts…

those who have dined at the Haines Steakhouse, and those unfortunate folks who haven’t.
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Thanks Mr. Sage! I sense you'd like to chow down on some quality charbroiled red meat amid a classic western ambience; if I'm allowed to use ambience in the same sentence as western. We're game. You'll just have to guarantee the aforementioned Miami attorney is absent from the establishment.

Haines Steakhouse
 
longhorn1 said:
Loved riding along. This was definitely a great trip. Thanks for sharing. I must say, I have a pretty good grin going. Fun read and amazing pictures. At least your fish stories have living proof [emoji846] JD
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Glad I got you grinning, JD! :)
 
ski3pin said:
Thanks Mr. Sage! I sense you'd like to chow down on some quality charbroiled red meat amid a classic western ambience; if I'm allowed to use ambience in the same sentence as western. We're game. You'll just have to guarantee the aforementioned Miami attorney is absent from the establishment.

Haines Steakhouse
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It’s a deal…
 
Casa Escarlata Robles Too said:
Nice trip.The I phone tells me the flower is a Felwart.
Your fish are fantastic.I am so envious.

Always enjoy your trips into the Montana area.
Frank
Click to expand...

Occidental said:
Very nice report, that area of Idaho (emanating from the White Clouds) is my favorite in the entire world. The lakes are so pretty and you can see for miles. Might help that I started my career in forestry there...

Did you ever solve the flower mystery? It does appear to be a marsh felwort based on my limited ID - 5 petals in that area doesn't leave a lot to choose from, although I couldn't see the leaf arrangement.
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I did some searching and I believe it is a Star Gentian (Swertia perennis). Here's a link - Star Gentian


My photo from Idaho




Idaho-Oregon-Aug2022-038-copy.webp
 
Mr. Ski3pin, Having worked for the forest service in the late 70's as a seasonal aide to the fisheries biologist on the SNRA, we hiked to and surveyed (fish sampling) numerous lakes in the area. As such, we sought out the names of lakes that are unnamed on the quads. Your story prompted me to drag out my old quads and I had written in long ago that the lakes of your Shangri La are Thunder (lower lake) and Lightning (upper lake). I had the pleasure of meeting Dave Lee several times passing through the 4th of July Wilderness Ranger Station. I always look forward to your interesting trip reports. Been lurking here for 14 years.
 
Hag Man said:
Mr. Ski3pin, Having worked for the forest service in the late 70's as a seasonal aide to the fisheries biologist on the SNRA, we hiked to and surveyed (fish sampling) numerous lakes in the area. As such, we sought out the names of lakes that are unnamed on the quads. Your story prompted me to drag out my old quads and I had written in long ago that the lakes of your Shangri La are Thunder (lower lake) and Lightning (upper lake). I had the pleasure of meeting Dave Lee several times passing through the 4th of July Wilderness Ranger Station. I always look forward to your interesting trip reports. Been lurking here for 14 years.
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Hag Man, thanks so much for the kind comment, we appreciate it! Yup, you've found the local names. Margaret Fuller also mentions them in her guidebook. A friend was Sawtooth District Ranger years ago. His Resource Officer (also administered the special use permits for the ski areas) was the first to tell me to go into the White Clouds, said is was better than the Sawtooths. I had previously met him as he was a workshop sessions instructor when I attended National Avalanche School. This was after David Lee passed away. I suspect he was quite a unique person. We have stood on the summit of D. O. Lee Peak twice. It is amazing to tie into local knowledge and lore. :)

It is such a great area.
 
hey monte. did you happen to catch any other types of trout on the imnaha? i was on the lower deschutes last week and caught a small mouth bass.... which is too bad.
 
goinoregon said:
hey monte. did you happen to catch any other types of trout on the imnaha? i was on the lower deschutes last week and caught a small mouth bass.... which is too bad.
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No, I did not. I was surprised I did not see or connect with any smaller trout when I fished with nymph and dry flies.
 
ski3pin said:
No, I did not. I was surprised I did not see or connect with any smaller trout when I fished with nymph and dry flies.
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hmmm, maybe those bulls take care of the smaller trout? i know there are good populations of bulls up in SE british columbia, and i am pretty sure they also have good/great cutthroat fishing...
 
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