Clear Lake Resort, Oregon

Well, it's great to be back online again with Northwest Seen. I had to take a break from the blog and decide if it was really filling a need. Apparently it is.

I just got back from a great trip to the mountains and more specifically, Clear Lake Resort in the Cascade mountain range of Oregon.

There was a little more snow on the ground than I was originally led to believe, but we had a great time nonetheless.

Clear Lake is really clear. Really clear. It's so clear that you can see the many-thousand year old trees on the bottom of the lake leftover from the volcanic eruption that created the lake, back when.

You can rent a rowboat by the hour or a full day for only $25.

There is a small diner next to the lake with decent food and a great view.

Note that the "rustic cabins" are really rustic. No bathrooms and no running water. It was a pain to trek to the shower/bathrooms down the trail from the cabin. Next time we'll be in one of the "modern" cabins.

It's a great place to get away from it all; you are surrounded by beauty. Really, what more could you want?

Don't miss Sahalie Falls just down the road. Absolutely stunning view and plenty of trails to hike.
Photo copyright 2008 Randy Hill Creative

Sandpoint, Idaho

The community of Sandpoint at an elevation just over 2,000 feet serves as the county seat of Bonner County (population 35,226 in 1999) whose economy, for more than a century, depended in large part on the lumber industry. But beginning in the late 1980s, summer and winter tourism began to grow rapidly in response to a growing awareness of the region's pleasant four-season climate which is markedly more moderate than weather typically found to the east of the Rocky Mountains. With an annual average rainfall of 33.5 inches and annual snowfall of 71.7 inches, residents and tourists experience few sub-zero days each winter while summer days rarely exceed 90-degree temperatures. The average year-round temperature is 47 degrees and there are some 125 frost-free days each year. Humidity is comparatively low, nights generally cool and summertime typically offers weeks of consecutive clear and sunny days much to the delight of boating, fishing, swimming, water skiing and hiking enthusiasts

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