Alpine Lake In Idaho Ideal For Youth Group Day-Hike
Q: Our church youth group is looking for a fall day-hike destination to a remote alpine lake, preferably within a two-hour drive from Spokane. The staff would like to make the hike an educational as well as spiritual experience, so we’ll need to know whom to contact for natural history and geologic information. Any recommendations? - K. L., Spokane.
A: I would suggest a hike to the glacier-carved Lower Stevens Lake near Mullan, Idaho. It is a beautiful alpine lake basin filled with fall colors in October. The scenery is truly inspirational.
The lake mirrors the craggy granite cliffs, and the steep hillsides are scarred by repeated avalanches. Battered by wind-blown snow and ice, the conifers are poised like falling dominos. Heavy snows have taken their toll, and the shoreline is littered with piles of driftwood.
The Stevens Lake Trail is also known as East Fork Willow Creek Trail No. 165 because it traverses the eastern slope of Willow Creek and follows the East Fork of Willow Creek up to Lower Stevens Lake. The trail climbs about 1,500 feet in elevation over a distance of 2-1/2 miles. The steep trail rises through thick stands of conifers and passes waterfalls as it snakes its way up to Lower Stevens Lake.
Information sources:
For specific directions to the trailhead, safety precautions and general information on the natural history of the area, call the Wallace Ranger District, (208) 752-1221.
Q: I will be visiting family in Bonners Ferry and don’t want to stay at a typical, impersonal motel. Can you recommend a nice place with a warm, friendly ambience? - L. P., Pullman.
A: I believe the Bonners Ferry Log Inn (208-267-3986) will satisfy your desires. This motel is unlike any I have seen in the Inland Northwest. It is styled more like a bed and breakfast. The building architecture uses natural logs, which gives a feeling of being in someone’s home or at a mountain lodge setting.
Each room is custom-designed with handcrafted log furniture and decorative art. There are lace curtains and lace trim on the hand-quilted bedspreads. The cozy lobby is filled with handmade crafts from local artists, and courtesy hot beverages are served in the lobby.
The motel is located two miles north of the Kootenai River Bridge on Highway 95. Winter rates begin at $46, (includes taxes), based on double occupancy.
Information sources:
For more accommodation choices, call the Bonners Ferry Chamber of Commerce, (208) 267-5922.
Q: We are history buffs and would like to visit some Montana museums as we travel to Glacier National Park for a fall trip. This will be our first trip to western Montana. Can you suggest some possible historic stops along the major highways leading to the park? - B. F. and G. F., Spokane.
A: A good route is Interstate 90 to Missoula, then north on U.S. Highway 93 to Kalispell, then east on U.S. Highway 2 to the west entrance of the park. There are several historical points of interest and museums along this route.
Because you will be traveling in late fall, you should call ahead to determine the off-season hours of operation.
Ninemile Remount Depot and Ranger Station, (406) 626-5201, off I-90 at Ninemile exit, 22 miles west of Missoula. A historic staging depot for pack animals and firefighters who worked in the Northern Rockies during the 1930s and 1940s.
Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, (406) 728-3476. Located at Fort Missoula, a short distance off U.S. 93 South (Brooks Street) on the western edge of Missoula. One of its most noteworthy items is the display recognizing the Army’s 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps stationed at the fort in 1896.
St. Ignatius Mission, (406) 745-2768, about one-quarter mile off U.S. 93 in St. Ignatius. The mission was founded by Jesuit priests in 1854. There are 58 impressive frescos and murals on the walls and ceilings, which were painted by an Italian Jesuit priest/ cook, who had no formal art schooling.
The People’s Center, (406) 675-2700, the west side of U.S. 93 on the north edge of Pablo. This museum preserves and promotes the Salish and Kootenai Indian cultures.
Polson-Flathead Historical Museum, (406) 883-3049, in Polson on Main Street. Displays depict the pioneering life in the Flathead Valley in the late 1800s.
Miracle of America Museum, (406) 883-6804, in Polson on U.S. 93. It is the largest museum in western Montana and features thousands of artifacts and memorabilia of America’s history.
Conrad Mansion, (406) 755-2166, on Fourth Street East and Woodland Avenue in Kalispell. The luxurious Norman-style mansion was built in 1895, and is filled with original period furnishings of the Conrad family.
Information sources:
On western Montana’s historic points-of-interest, recreation and accommodations: Glacier Country Regional Tourism Commission, (406) 756-7128 or (800) 338-5072, and Flathead Convention and Visitors Association, (406) 756-9091 or (800) 543-3105. xxxx
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