16 1/2 Mile Camp Cd'A River

16 ½ Mile Camp has always been one of our favorite camp sites on the Coeur d’Alene River, our stay this weekend proved once again why we like it. The site is set back off the road where the river bends and flows along the base of the mountains. The clear cold water sweeps along a rock face and then down creating a deep pool where a creek pours off the rocks meeting the river. We step out of our camper and look directly at the steep mountain face the river running directly below.

This trip to add to the beauty, we got real close to nature. On the drive up we spotted a moose in one of the backwaters created by the high water. This spotting foreshadowed the weekend’s nature encounters. Our first sighting was about a half mile up river from our camp. In the field next to the road I spotted an elk standing broad side and took the picture posted. About a hundred yards further on was a moose standing in the slack water by the road. I told Linda about the game I spotted, and so we set out each evening and most mornings to look for more critters.

On Friday, Linda spotted the moose when she was running and that evening when we went walking we spotted it again. On that walk we spotted ten elk and the moose along with the biggest beaver we have ever seen. Most of these animals were close and seemed to not be too spooked by our presence.

Back at the camper that evening we were eating dinner and heard Kobi growl. He didn’t bark, just a low throaty growl. We looked out of the camper and there was a moose walking along the river on the shore about ten yards away. It wasn’t in a hurry, it just sauntered by. I grabbed my camera and we walked up to the road and up to the clearing where I took some photos as the moose strolled by.

We went to bed and in the morning we got up and were eating breakfast. Once again Kobi was growling. We stepped out of the camper and there was another moose walking across the river on the far bank. It walked down a few yards, stopped and nibbled on a bush and then crossed the river and walked into our camp. We had Kobi settled down and I grabbed the camera. I was able to get the camera, but it was low on batteries and I was only able to get several shots. The moose wandered into the thicket and it continued to eat. Kobi settled down and we went back to eat our breakfast.

The rest of our time up on the river was a mixture of Jeep trips, fly fishing, mosquitoes, great meals and cribbage. We had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed everything we did. On the way home, about a mile from our house, a coyote walked across the road in front of us. He was in no hurry. We counted up the game we spotted; ten elk, four moose, a beaver, one rabbit, a couple whitetail deer and an unconcerned coyote.