The weather after crossing the Rockies to KGPI was rainier but still fine for flying, so we took a short detour a little to the Northwest.
2491 Green to Blue
The idea was that we might enjoy new scenery along the valley up to Eureka and then back down through Kootenai National Forest along Lake Koocanusa where the Kootenay River meets the Libby Dam. But blue smoke was still dulling the green so near Stryker we turned toward Libby. We still saw interesting shapes straight down where the smoke doesn’t show as much, like this artistic feature.
2534 Green Scream
I couldn’t recall whether William Clark had left his legendary expedition with Lewis to explore the Clark Fork and may have stood on those rocks below the Noxon Rapids Dam.
2570 Noxon Rapids Dam
We stretched our brief flight across the North tip of Idaho by heading to Sandpoint for fuel, and the river mouth on Lake Pend Oreille was beautiful.
2579 Lake Pend Oreille
We passed North of Spokane, and on the way to our turn into the I-90 mountain pass at Ellensburg we saw what looked like a plume of smoke from a new fire. After passing it near Wellpinit we could see that it was wind-blown ash from a large recent fire that had crossed the Spokane River at Cayuse Cove.
2628 Green, Ash, River
More smoky but interesting miles later we passed the welcoming sentinel of Mt. Rainier, for more fun with family and friends in the Seattle area.
2692 Mt. Rainier
John & Anne Wiley 
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