Paddling on Calcite Creek

Perfect weather for a trip, low humidity, light breeze, some cloud just the right temperature for a canoe trip.

Paul Trudel and I started about 10:00 AM at Highway 560 at the mouth of Calcite Creek where it flows into Lost Lake. It didn't take long to get to the first little rapids which we paddled and pushed our way up and into Calcite Lake. This lake is surrounded with rock cliffs on both the east and west shore, some of the areas are vertical and rise about 40 feet or more above the water. Evidence of old mining is found along the way. After leaving the south end of the lake we started to run into small rapids which we lined the canoe up, altogether there were 4 sets. Finally we came to a set of rapids that were filled with blowdowns and logs that had floated in and blocked the passage, we made our way over this to find even more blockage in the way. This was the end of the trip for today, maybe another time we would get past this. It was all ready after 12:00PM so it was time to go back.

Of all the sets of rapids we run through 2 of them, these were the straight chutes with a clear and open center.

On the way back we stopped at a waterfall we could hear but not see from the lake, this turned into quite a find. The water came down the cliff from a couple of little lakes high on the top of the cliff and run down through cracks and crevasses toward the lake. In one spot the water went under a large shelf of rock which you could get right underneath. It appeared that the water and rock had scoured a large bowl shaped area below this. It will be good to go back and see it next spring when the flow is really heavy. Pictures tomorrow.

We finally got back about 2:00PM to the landing but not without seeing an osprey carrying a large fish flying around us, we suspect there was a nest nearby.