The Perfect Picture

I realized when looking back over my posts that this post was not published.  So here it is

Hailey and I set out, ready for adventure on a rainy day 

We had three goals that morning.

1.   Find Petit Lake
2.   Get an awesome picture of Chimney Rock
3.   Pick enough huckleberries to make huckleberry pancakes
 

 

My Navigator takes her job seriously.

We set out looking for a tiny lake in Northeast Washington that I had camped at many years ago called Petit Lake.  The tiny lake is located on the Washington - Idaho border in the rugged mountains west of Priest Lake.  We asked about Petit Lake at the ranger station and discovered the road to the lake had been changed. So we received directions that sounded like 'to go past the road marked Petit Lake and take another one to the left and go several miles...
Let's just say the directions left a lot to be desired. 

We found the road marked to Petit Lake closed so we drove past as instructed.  The next road we encountered had 2 spurs to follow.  (This was not covered in the instructions per the ranger)  So off we went went feeling somewhat less confident that we were on our way....

We drove up and up and up. 

The huckleberries were sparce.

The views were incredible.

The distant mountains were mesmerizing.

 

I was easily distracted by the views.  It became hard to focus on our missions.


We continued
           up and
                 up and
                            up.

By now I was certain we had missed Petit Lake and the lake would have to wait for another day, the huckleberries were tiny and sparse so, our primary focus became getting the perfect picture of Chimney Rock.

Chimney Rock is a Priest Lake Landmark.  When driving through the heavily forested road to Priest Lake, you are denied lookouts and vistas to gain a visual feel of the land.  You are afforded views of the river and land with trees so dense little light that speckles to the ground.  And then you see it.....
An opening with light coming through, framing a view of the lake with Chimney Rock in the  distant background.

You know you have arrived.
You are at Priest Lake.

I have felt the excitement every time I arrived at Priest Lake.

So I wanted the Perfect Picture.
I had to have it.

My Mission was  now solitary.

First glimpses of Chimney Rock

I knew I could do better!

Here Chimney Rock is lost in the foreground

Yet there is always another corner, another view.

The lighting was not the best on this day.  But here is our best shot.....

Chimney Rock in all it's Glory

It had been a wonderful day of navigating, exploring and having fun together.

Our disappointment in not finding enough huckleberries for pancakes was short-lived.

  On the way home we stopped at Nordman and they had huckleberry pancakes.  Yep, the perfect ending to our journey!

We had our Happy Trails...... Wishing your own Happy Trails.