Northern Idaho/Priest Lake cruising?

[stromborg]

You know how sometimes an idea pops in your head and you just have to chase it down? This week I've been considering taking Marianita on a several hour road trip across Washington State to Priest Lake. It gets mentioned now and then as a nice place and there are even a few YouTube videos of trailer-sailor types doing a bit of camp cruising. I'm thinking it might be nice to get away from the tides and currents of the Salish to lake sail for a week this summer. 2400 feet high and not too far from the Canadian border so it definitely has a May-September seasonality. Based on the fishing map I found (no NOAA charts as far as I can tell) it sure looks inviting, there are some boat-in campsites and what look to be plenty of spots to anchor out. 19 miles long, 4.4 wide so not too big but plenty of room for a small sailboat to putter around.

I've just started reaching out to see about storing the tow vehicle and trailer...one of the resort/marinas up here ought to have parking. Anybody been there? Heard good or bad things?

[TerryLL]

I've been there many times. It is a lovely long lake with the best water quality you're likely to find anywhere. Great fishing is an added bonus. Do plan on doing Upper Priest Lake, which requires a motor or a vigorous row. The trip is well worth the effort. Donn (remember Donn) fished the lake many times and spoke highly of it.

[TerryLL]

Here's a short video on the upper lake:

[NeilMB]

I think I remember a couple of duck works magazine stories on a multi lake mess about up there? I wonder if Google can find them?

[Chris-on-the-Boat]

The next lake over, Lake Pend Orielle, has marina facilities and backs onto the Rocky Mountains. It's 48 miles long and so deep it has a submarine research base.

Years ago I went by what looked like a commercial wooden boat shop at the north end of the lake. I've often wanted to take a trailerable boat and cruise along the untouched eastern shore.

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[stromborg]

Lake Pend Oreille looks interesting too though more popular (maybe for a reason) amongst the rip-around-the-lake powerboaters I've overheard than Priest Lake. I'd rather go someplace quiet and worry about running short on peanut butter and crackers than listen to jetskis and loud music.

That Upper Priest Lake area looks like just the place to get away from it all.

[jpatrick]

Would having ablative bottom paint be a restriction on this fresh water lake?

Jeff

[robertjhall1]

Lake Pend Oreille looks interesting too though more popular (maybe for a reason) amongst the rip-around-the-lake powerboaters I've overheard than Priest Lake. I'd rather go someplace quiet and worry about running short on peanut butter and crackers than listen to jetskis and loud music.

That Upper Priest Lake area looks like just the place to get away from it all.

Never boated there myself, but visited several times. It being so large, based upon what I've seen, I'd hazard to guess you'd be able to avoid most other traffic.

Also, the south end has a decent sailing component, hailing out of bayview.

There are NOAA charts available.

Priest Lake also looks quite inviting.

[bheys]

Steve, I share the same curiosity as you. How shallow is the channel between the lower and the upper portions of the lake? What are the camp/cruising possibilities of Lake Chelan (lower portion) and Flathead lake?

[TerryLL]

Lake Pend Oreille looks interesting too though more popular (maybe for a reason) amongst the rip-around-the-lake powerboaters I've overheard than Priest Lake. I'd rather go someplace quiet and worry about running short on peanut butter and crackers than listen to jetskis and loud music.

That Upper Priest Lake area looks like just the place to get away from it all.

Lake PO is definitely the place where the tourists come to play in their big noisy boats and jetskis. Priest Lake is in a different league altogether.

[stromborg]

Would having ablative bottom paint be a restriction on this fresh water lake?

Jeff

That's an excellent question. I haven't seen anything online about restrictions other than getting a $30.00 invasive species inspection/sticker before launching.

[TerryLL]

That's an excellent question. I haven't seen anything online about restrictions other than getting a $30.00 invasive species inspection/sticker before launching.

If you are coming into Idaho on Highway 2 from Spokane you will need to stop at Albeni Falls between Newport and Priest River for an inspection. Once through, you're good to go for both Priest Lake and Lake PO.

[stromborg]

What are they looking at? No flora or fauna and dry bilges?

[TerryLL]

What are they looking at? No flora or fauna and dry bilges?

Zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species. As yet, Washington staters are not considered invasive species in Idaho, but that may soon change.

Make sure your bottom is clean, the boat's bottom that is.

[Scott de M]

Anyone looking to cruise Priest Lake should contact Dan Rogers who organized the Howl at the moon cruises through Pocketyachters. I did one of his cruises on Priest Lake in my Caledonia Yawl a few years ago. It is a spectacular place. The channel to the north lake is deep enough for your average outboard motor boat. Dan is a local, all around great guy and is always looking for cruising buddies in that part of the world. Dan has a FB group called Bucket List Cruising Society - post there and Dan will set you up.

[stromborg]

Sigh
Deleted Tiktok yesterday...just in time to start up on FB?

Thanks for the lead Scott, I'll see what I can find through the Pocketyachters