The Slice: A 25-way tie for first

Ballot box-stuffing and orchestrated calling campaigns last weekend threatened to make a mockery of The Slice’s Best Local Lake poll. So I’m tossing out my plan to rank Inland Northwest lakes.

Instead, I want to celebrate the appeal of several by quoting from readers’ nominations.

“What I like best about Lake Pend Oreille isn’t the swimming (45-degree water in August, brrrrr) or the fishing (hours of trolling and the best you can hope for is a fish) or perhaps even the sailing (fluky winds can frustrate even someone as accomplished as moi),” wrote Lawrence Killingsworth. “It’s the neighborhood. This is particularly true of the floating homes in Bayview. … All across America, people complain about the loss of a sense of community, but Beaver Cleaver’s neighborhood lives on at the lake.”

Dave Stone sang the praises of Lake Coeur d’Alene. “I firmly believe that there is not a more beautiful place in the world.”

Jean Rudolph stood up for Priest Lake. She said there’s no doubt it is No. 1. “By any criterion — beauty, purity, lack of development,” she wrote. “It’s changed a lot in the 70 years I’ve been going there, but it’s still the best.”

Judy Layton said Bead Lake is tops with her. Her dad bought a lot there in 1946, for $175.

She said the decades come and go, and it remains quiet and clean. “It was the best investment my dad ever made, and we will be forever grateful to him.”

Paula Suriano touted Waitts Lake. She has been going there for more than 50 years. “The lake is clean, the surroundings are secluded and woodsy, and the air is clean and refreshing.”

John May was among those voting for Lake Roosevelt as No. 1. “The scenery is spectacular, the launch sites are far superior to any at the other lakes, there is an unlimited number of places to go to ashore and find great swimming beaches,” he wrote. “I could go on and on. Were I not married and Lake Roosevelt was a woman, I’d marry her in an instant.”

Dennis DeMattia listed 15 reasons why his beloved Deer Lake should NOT receive any recognition.

For example, “It is only 45 minutes from the Y,” he wrote. “A No. 1 lake would be like a couple of hours at least.”

He concluded, “Please do not let Deer Lake be in your Top 10 list. We do not need more people trying to find us. We are very happy in our isolation.”

Lots of other lakes also received endorsements … Loon, Sacheen, Diamond, and so on. The word “heaven” was used to describe half a dozen different bodies of water.

Then, perhaps inevitably, there was this from Slice reader Ed Schaefer.

“Lakes? I thought there was just one. I have lived here 20 years, and I have never heard anyone differentiate one lake from another.”

Some things never change.

“Today’s Slice question: What memorial do you tell people they really need to see in person to appreciate?