Selkirk Crest

Ahh, sunshine, warmer temperatures and more hours of daylight – summer is here! This is the time of year when all of us high-country junkies lace up our hiking boots, shoulder our backpacks and head into the mountains. With northern Boundary County bracketed by the Purcell/Cabinet Mountains on the east and the Selkirk Mountains on the west, there are numerous, awesome high peaks and beautiful lakes to explore.

If your summer plans involve some quiet time and respite from the crowds, you may want to explore one of the "trails less traveled" in the Selkirks. The trail to Cutoff Peak is a nice option for a day hike or very pleasant overnighter. Beyond the trail you can access Cutoff Lake, Smith Lake and Smith Peak.

Although there are a few different ways to access Smith and Cutoff Lakes, I prefer the route from the north, which starts with the trail to Cutoff Peak and then follows Smith Ridge. The other options involve some serious bushwhacking and require good orienteering skills. Inexperienced hikers could easily get lost and it is a long way to get help.

To get to the Cutoff Peak trail, drive 14 miles north of Bonners Ferry to the Highway 95 – Highway 1 junction and turn left onto Highway 1. Travel for about two miles to the Copeland turn off (County Road #45), turn left, and continue about four miles across the Kootenai River Valley to Westside Road. Turn right on Westside Road. There is a hairpin turn after about nine miles and the road becomes Smith Creek Road (#281). Follow Smith Creek Road for about six-and-a-half miles to the junction with Forest Road #2443 on your left. Unless this road has had some recent work done, I recommend a high clearance vehicle such as a pickup truck.

Forest Road #2443 switchbacks up to a gate where there is enough space to park a couple vehicles. Beyond the gate follow the old skid road for about a quarter mile, turn left on Trail #17 and go for about a mile, then turn right on Trail #18 to Smith Ridge. It is about a mile to the ridge and Cutoff Peak. This "skinny" trail, which indicates minimal use, is obvious and easy to follow as it travels through the woods.

In the early 1900s, Roy Hawks' fire patrol boundary ended here (cutoff) and he relinquished the area to another patrol; therefore the creek and peak were named “Cutoff.” Hawks was a long time Forest Service employee on the Bonners Ferry District. Cutoff Peak at 6,844 feet had a fire lookout tower and log cabin back then – the tower is gone, but what remains of the old cabin is still there.

There were 42 lookouts in Northern Idaho according to Alvin Flory, who worked for the U.S. Forest Service-Bonners Ferry District starting in 1931 on the Deer Creek fire, then seasonally until 1942 when he became the Alternate Ranger. In 1952 he moved into the Fire Control Officer position until he retired in 1970. He comments in The History of Boundary County, “Over fifty head of mules and horses in pack strings were needed to service the look-outs at one time.… There were no roads at the time into these peaks.”

Ray Kresek, author of “Fire Lookouts of the Northwest” notes that initially many lookouts were a ladder nailed to a tree or one with spikes pounded into the trunk. Tree lookouts evolved into cupola style buildings, many built by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) in the 1930s. Cutoff and Smith Peaks had cupola lookouts.

Although the pack strings created trails to most of the lookouts, there is no trail to Smith Peak. From Cutoff Peak head south along Smith Ridge to access Smith Peak (7,653 feet), Smith Lake, Cutoff Lake. Smith Peak was used as a fire lookout starting in 1925 (structures are gone now), and is a benchmark peak for the Kaniksu National Forest. These topographic features were named to acknowledge the Smith family that homesteaded in the Kootenai River Valley in the late 1800s. Sam Smith, one of the original homesteaders, ran stagecoaches from Lake Pend Oreille to Canada from 1891 through 1899.

As you move south along Smith Ridge, you have the opportunity to take in some awesome views in all directions. Cutoff Lake will come into view on your right as you crest the second ridge point. Continue down the ridge point to a small saddle, you will be just above the lake – about two miles from Cutoff Peak. From here you must find your own path down, across a boulder field, for about half a mile to the lake.

If you want to continue on to Smith Lake, remain on the ridge and hike up the next ridge point on the far side of the saddle (a bit more substantial than the previous two). Once you crest the ridge point, keep moving along the ridge and Smith Lake will come into view on your left. Again there is no easy way down to the lake so you just have to take whatever route suits you - it's about a half of mile from the ridge down to the lake.

Smith Peak is not far from here. Head in a southwesterly direction to the next substantial ridge point (7,303 feet) and maneuver your way along this point, or just below, to reach the north ridge of Smith Peak. Before rock-hopping your way to the summit you will enjoy some horizontal travel through open park-like habitat that includes beautiful granite pools.

Bring your fishing gear and try your luck at the lakes. If you plan to stay overnight, there are a few good spots to pitch a tent at both lakes or along the ridge. Although I didn’t see any bear sign during my last visit, this is bear country, so proper food storage is a must. Bear spray is also recommended. Additionally, it is always a good idea to carry a topographic map and compass, or GPS unit, when heading out to the back country. A Google Earth photo is a good idea to have handy too.

So, whether you are staying the night or savoring a quiet day, now that you’re here, relax and enjoy the view.

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