@sing said
Who is judging… you or Paris?sing
Me Paris likes Six Mile Lake because of the wildlife
Hey Magooch I used to live in Lacey Washington for 11 years and traveled extensively while mostly whitewater paddling. I wonder if you ever visited Diablo Lake or Lake Ross in the north Cascades? Lake Crescent in the north Olympics? Those three are pretty spectacular. I now live in SC and certainly Jocassee is at the top! Lived near Jackson WY many years as well and Leigh Lake at the base of Mount Moran is absolutely stunning. BTW all these lakes are fantastic for paddling.
Since living in North Carolina; the prettiest one I have found here is Lake James.
The whole north side is owned by the state and has the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Linville Wilderness area as it’s back drop.
With seventy miles of shoreline there are dozens of wooded coves to explore and many little sandy beaches to pull up on for lunch or a dip
Just don’t go there on the weekends in the summer !
@yatipope said:
Hey Magooch I used to live in Lacey Washington for 11 years and traveled extensively while mostly whitewater paddling. I wonder if you ever visited Diablo Lake or Lake Ross in the north Cascades? Lake Crescent in the north Olympics? Those three are pretty spectacular. I now live in SC and certainly Jocassee is at the top! Lived near Jackson WY many years as well and Leigh Lake at the base of Mount Moran is absolutely stunning. BTW all these lakes are fantastic for paddling.
Yes, I’m s;ure I’ve seen most of the lakes in the Northwest–including the ones you mentioned. Now if you’re talking about natural lakes, it’s going to be very hard to beat Flathead lake in Montana. Of course it isn’t anything like the Great Lakes, but then, those are more like inland seas. Here in Washington, we have our share of salt water if that’s your deal, but I prefer fresh water for a number of reasons.
Most stunning lakes I have ever seen that can be reached by car are Kananaskis and Maligne Lakes, both in the Canadian Rockies.
Prettiest I have reached on foot is tiny Alpine Lake in the Sawtooth Mountains but that is an 11 mile climb up steep switchbacks. (though you can kayak across Redfish Lake in the valley below to reach the trailhead). Doubt anybody has ever kayaked it though you could hump a packraft up there if you were really determined.
Unfortunately a lot of really pretty lakes are spoiled by development and private ownership of shoreline as well as preponderance of high HP powerboats and “lake lice” (jet skis). Can’t blame people for wanting to own and play on them, but that does drop their desirability for those of us who enjoy the quiet immersion in Nature that kayaks and canoes can provide.
To be honest it is the lake I’m at during the moment. Maybe its a good sunset, maybe its when the martins are flying low over the water catching the bugs, maybe its when the gar are sitting under the lilly pads waiting… waiting…… (Lake Sampson)….maybe its cruising in the kayak through the Cyprus getting yelled at by an osprey on a nearby nest……….maybe its getting a screech from a passing eagle. ……or the readiness of a retriever to go on a retrieve.
Maybe its in the inboard rumbling down the lake with a skier on the air chair. (Lake Santa Fe)
Maybe its paddling little lake Price in the NC mountains below Grandfather mountain at 3400ft………
Its the lake at the moment. But some rivers are as big as lakes.
" If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with."
Old Soul song
Lookin’ good.
