This was our camp on Trapper Point, Upper Priest Lake in November of 1991. The pontoon boat on the left was for transporting the camp and storing the non perishable supplies. We had a 14 foot open boat for transportation on the lake from one trapline to another.
We trapped muskrat, beaver, mink and marten on this line. This was probably the most beautiful trapping camp site we ever had, not as productive as others but we hunted deer, and geese as well as fished for lake trout.
A large beaver taken in Upper Priest River. A nice pelt and a few bobcat baits.
One of our typical trapping camps. This is Two Mouth Cr. at the old Diamond Match logging camp site (camp 11)
Trapping the High Country of Northern Idaho
A good run, 10 marten
Part of the trapline, Upper Priest Lake frozen over. Taken from Lookout Mt, below Lookout Lk.
Looking across Distillary Bay toward Canoe Point and Lion Cr.
Taken from a part of the trap line, on the Tango Cr Rd.
A typical beaver stream for this area, this is Granite Cr.
This was our 1989 camp in the Trapper Cr. drainage of Upper Priest Lake. Note that the left end of the ridge pole is tied to a big Hemlock tree, we found out that was to be avoided latter on. There got to be about 18" of snow on the ground, and as happens in this country there were many periods of wet weather followed by freezing weather. The limbs of Hemlock have very small tightly spaced needles and will
hold tremendous amounts of snow. Well, with the thawing and freezing the snow on the limbs becomes more like solid blocks of ice. Then it started to rain, and in the middle of the night a big chunk of that frozen snow slid off of a limb above the tent, and came crashing down. When it hit the tent everyone thought the tent was coming down, and probably nearly did. It knocked the stove pipe out of stove and the tent started filling with smoke. There were several seconds of chaos before a flashlight coud be found to asses the damage. In the end no permanent damage, we just had to put the stove pipe back on the stove and air it out a bit. Then nobody could sleep for fear of another and maybe bigger chunk falling out of the tree. The rain continued until nearly all the snow was out of the trees, without another incident.
This is the same camp as above, it shows how we use 2X6s to support the sides instead of side poles.
This is our camp kitchen, three burner propane hotplate, milk crates for cupboards. Propane lantern running off of a full size tank. Notice the oven underneath the table, it sits on the wood stove and bakes biscuits, muffins, even cakes.
Here is my mom Kay Joyce in her element, the kitchen, whether at home or on the trapline you could always count on good eating. She is using that little oven to bake a cake, and the tea kettle is always on even when the oven is too.
The dining room of the camp also doubles as a desk for jotting notes and letters.
Our drying rack behind the dining table, wasn't enough some years, we also had a 3'X3' square made out of 2X4s that hung by wires from the ridge pole over the stove. Some of those days on snowshoes can be pretty wet, and even slogging through the wet brush before the snow comes gets pretty wet.
This is my "forever friend" Dick Smith, on one of his visits to the trapping camp. Even with his eyes closed I can see his lips were moving. Just kidding Dick.
Another part of the marten and cat line, Bugle Ridge. Just can't get enough of the high country.
Lookout Mt on the left Lion Head on the right, looking up Lion Cr.
Mt. Roothan looking through the trees from the top of the ridge that divides the north and south forks of Hunt Cr. This picture was taken in late winter/early spring when the snow had rained out of the trees.
Roman Nose Mt. from the Selkirk Crest.
Looking into the Hunt Lk. basin from Horton Ridge, in late winter.
