Kayaks loaded, gear packed, coffee brewed, excitement building and then we double checked the marine forecast! Unfortunately, it was not good. The weatherman was predicting heavy winds for Howe Sound, so we decided to change our plans and head inland to explore one of the many lakes on our list.
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| Baker Lake Hydroelectric Project |
After much debate, we decided upon Lake Shannon, in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. This freshwater lake is a man made reservoir located near Concrete, Washington and bordering the
North Cascades National Park. Public access to the lake is provided by
Puget Sound Energy
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| Boat launch at Shannon Lake...gentle, gravel and free! |
The lake is quite beautiful, and on a sunny day (or so we were told), provides an excellent view of Mount Baker. Although, we were not treated to sun, we did enjoy exploring the shoreline and many coves along the way as we paddled around the lake. It was incredibly peaceful, as we were the only paddlers on the water and there were only two other motor boats on the entire lake. They were both out fishing for Kokanee...not much luck from what we could tell.
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| Small streams and run off feed the lake |
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| "Ghostly" looking stumps give the lake a spooky feel |
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| Lunch time - water levels were quite high so there weren't many places to pull out. |
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| Maze of roots |
Lake Shannon is part of the Baker River Hydroelectric project. Evidence of logging and of course the area being dammed is everywhere, yet Mother Nature bravely fights to take back control. The abandoned stumps have become nursery trees, and the Osprey are returning to nest in
nest structures that have been established along the shorelines.
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| Man made nest structures put in place for Osprey nesting sites |
We were fortunate to observe a pair of Osprey in their nest or "nest structure". We tried to stay far enough away as to not disturb them, and were lucky enough to be treated later in the day to quite an air show.
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| Osprey soar above |
The day came to an end far too quickly and before we knew it the time had come to head back to the boat launch. Shannon Lake proved to be an easy, relaxing, rejuvenating paddle.....highly recommended day trip!
Giggle of the Day:
...can you guess where we stopped?
Map and Route Tips:
The access road to the boat launch is a primitive, gravel single lane road. The road is in good condition, but you must drive carefully.
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#kayak #necky #washingtonstate #discoveroutdoors #fishing
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