Pear Lake

Thought this would look good with the WordPress snowflakes too. Pear Lake is found along the Idaho/Montana border in the Evans Gulch roadless area about five miles up the trail from Thompson Pass, past Blossom Lake and Upper Blossom Lake. Photo taken on 7/23/12.

Our roadless National Forest land.

This past week the United States Supreme Court denied the state of Wyoming’s petition to review the Roadless Area Conservation Rule case bringing very good news for the millions of Americans who appreciate and want to protect the nation’s 58 million acres of pristine roadless forest land. The Roadless Rule affects all Americans because it protects land in our National Forests, land that is owned by ALL Americans, not just those in the states where the land lies. Press release by The Wilderness Society

Following are a few photos showing land that is not protected by the rule and then a few of National Forest land that is protected.

Smiley Creek area

Todd Springs area

Todd Springs area

Todd Springs area

Todd Springs area

In the Evans Gulch Roadless area

Photo taken from Seven Point Mountain in the Cataract Roadless area

Photo taken from Seven Point Mountain in the Cataract Roadless area

Pear Lake in the Evans Gulch Roadless area

Pear Lake in the Evans Gulch Roadless area

Evans Lake (3) – The Flowers

Somewhat unusual for that part of the Coeur d’Alene Mountains in summer, there were only a few flowers in bloom, perhaps because of the hot, dry conditions this summer.

Indian-Pipe, Monotropa uniflora, a Saprophytic perennial

Update:

In a comment, I mentioned the thought that due to the rather mysterious aura of the Indian Pipes, there must be some Indian legends about them. Linda from The Task at Hand has given me permission to include the following legend which she received from a friend:

“According to legend, a long time ago, before selfishness came into the world, the Cherokee people were happy sharing the hunting and fishing places with their neighbors. All this changed when Selfishness came into the world and man began to quarrel. The Cherokee Indians quarreled with tribes on the east. Finally the chiefs of several tribes met in council to try to settle the dispute. They smoked the pipe and continued to quarrel for seven days and seven nights. This displeased the Great Spirit because people are not supposed to smoke the pipe until they make peace. As he looked upon the old men with heads bowed, he decided to do something to remind people to smoke the pipe only at the time they make peace.

The Great Spirit turned the old men into greyish flowers now called ~Indian Pipes~ and he made them grow where friends and relatives had quarreled. He made the smoke hang over these mountains until all the people all over the world learn to live together in peace.”

Thanks Linda!

Rattlesnake Plantain, Goodyera oblongifolia, an Orchid

Indian Hellebore, Veratrum viride, a member of the Lily family

Scouler’s St. Johnswort, Norton’s St. Johnswort, Hypericum scouleri

Self-Heal, Prunella vulgaris, Mint family

Hooded Ladies’-tresses, Spiranthes romanzoffiana, an Orchid

Evans Lake (2) – The Lake

While studying the USFS map prior to a previous hike to Blossom Lakes and Pear Lake in the Evans Gulch Roadless Area, I also studied the area around Evans Lake which sits just below the high ridge separating Idaho and Montana a few miles east of Pear Lake and made a mental note that I would like to go there some time. Not long after, a hiking friend mentioned it as a possible trip and I jumped at it.

August 15, 2012 USFS Trail 696. Elevation at trail head ~ 3500 ft. Elevation at Evans Lake 5500 ft.

For the most part the day was dark and the forest was dark and therefore I didn’t take pictures along the trail even though it is a beautiful trail with some very nice switchbacks just before the lake. I had been cleared recently, but I think by an outfitter because he cut his initials on some of the larger cuts with his chain saw.

Like so many of the mountain lakes in this area the first views of them from the trail are from above.

Evans Lake (1)

On August 15th a friend and I hiked to Evans Lake in the Evans Lake Roadless Area, and a half mile or so above the trail head came across this old Cedar stump which still stands as a lonely and rather obscure piece of the history of the area. Its girth is around four feet and the springboard notches in it can still easily be seen. (Loggers in those days cut springboard notches into which they could insert springboards which then could be used as platforms, allowing the loggers to stand and use their cross-cut saws to cut higher-up the base of the tree where the trunk is narrower.)

In the later part of the 1800’s gold strikes in the Coeur d’Alene Mountains of eastern Idaho were attracting miners from all over the west. In 1883-1884 a road was built up Prospect Creek from the present day town of Thompson Falls Montana which sits beside the Clark Fork of the Columbia River to the foot of the Montana-Idaho divide as access to those Idaho mines. Along that road at Evans Creek, a way-station called Mountain House was built to accommodate those who travelled that road, but it burned in the late 1880s and was not rebuilt. My guess is that this tree was cut and used in the building of that house.

Pear Lake ~ Evan’s Gulch Roadless Area (8)

Pear Lake