One organization is aiming to help forest managers recover the trees lost in one of Idaho’s most devastating fires this summer. 

On Nov. 3, the nonprofit Daughters of the American Revolution launched a fundraising campaign to raise money to help restore scorched south and central Idaho forests. 

The Wapiti Fire, which began on July 24 by a lightning strike two miles southwest of Grandjean, spanned about 130,000 acres across the Boise National Forest, Sawtooth National Forest and the Salmon-Challis National Forest. 

Coined the Pinecone Project, the funds raised will be used to hire professional tree climbers for the Sawtooth National Forest who will pick pinecones off trees to harvest mature seeds that will be used to grow and eventually replant trees back into the Sawtooth National Forest.

As of Monday, the Pinecone Project had raised a total of $11,500, including cash and check donations outside of the PayPal fundraiser, lead organizer Janice Beller said. 

Beller is the Idaho state leader of the nonprofit. Like others in the organization, she is a descendant of someone who participated in the American Revolution. Conservation is important to the organization and important to her as a fifth generation Idahoan, she told the Idaho Capital Sun. 

“Stanley is one of my favorite places in the world, and it has been in my family for years —  literally generations,” she said. “When Stanley burned this summer, it just broke my heart and really had a kind of a profound impact on many members within Daughters of the American Revolution.” 

‘We have a lot of need for seed’: Sawtooth forester says 

Beller said a member of her leadership team reached out to a Stanley forest ranger to ask how they could help restore the forest. That’s when she learned about the shortage in seeds at Lucky Peak Nursery, located off Highway 21 outside of Boise.

Nelson Mills, the timber and silviculture program manager for the Sawtooth National Forest, said his biggest challenge is that forest staff hasn’t collected enough its seeds to replenish its seed bank at Lucky Peak Nursery.

Forest service staff right now have enough seeds to cover 50 to 80 acres of trees suitable for the Stanley area at its nursery, Mills said. However, that is not nearly enough to recover the forest from the Wapiti Fire.

Mills said that wildfires are a natural part of the ecosystem, but catastrophic wildfires like the Wapiti Fire will require artificial tree restoration. Of the 130,000 acres that were burned in the Wapiti Fire, 485 acres have been identified as requiring immediate reforestation need because the seed bed was completely burnt, Mills said. When a more formal assessment is done this winter, forest staff will likely find more acres in need of seedling planting, he said.

In addition to the seed shortage, harvesting pinecones is a complicated, risky and expensive process, Mills said. 

The main way to collect pinecone seeds is by hiring professional tree climbers for $2,500 a day. Equipped with harnesses and spurred boots, they climb trees between 75 and 120 feet tall to collect pinecones at the perfect ripeness.

Timing is crucial, as ripeness varies by species and elevation, typically occurring between mid-August to mid-September, Mills said. An unripe pinecone won’t have a viable embryo, an overripe pinecone opens and releases its seeds, and pinecones that have fallen on the ground have been exposed to mold — making the seeds unsuitable for use, he said.

The pinecones are then transferred to Lucky Peak Nursery where they are tested, processed, cleaned and sown to make baby lodgepole pines, ponderosa pines and Douglas firs. 

Mills said Project Pinecone creates flexibility for foresters because it is not congressionally appropriated. If it’s not a good pinecone producing year, he said foresters can wait until the next year, or look at other species in a different area. 

“Everybody is stepping up through all phases of this reforestation issue to make a solution and grow forests back specifically in the Stanley basin that was affected by the Wapiti Fire,” Mills said. “It is an amazing collaborative effort, and I am just so thankful that people want to get together and grow a forest ecosystem.”

Fundraiser to last until spring 2025

Beller said the fundraiser will last until May, when she plans to hold a ceremony to present the funds to the Stanley community and forest officials. She said she is encouraging individuals to donate, as it is tax deductible, and people who donate more than $10 will receive a wooden magnet with the project’s logo. 

The total goal of the project is to raise $15,000, which would pay for six days of pinecone picking. 

The fundraiser is partnering with Boise Cascade, which committed to a day’s worth of pinecone picking to the project. 

“Boise Cascade’s roots run deep in the state of Idaho, and we are honored to contribute to this incredible project to help restore some of Idaho’s most cherished forest lands that were burned during the brutal fire season of summer 2024,” Boise Cascade Vice President of Human Resources and contributions committee chair Angella Broesch, told the Sun. “As one of the largest producers of wood products in North America and a leading wholesale distributor of building products in the U.S., our company is committed to contributing to responsible forestry practices and protecting our environment.”

Having surpassed the halfway point of its goal, Beller said the successful donations show how much people from Idaho and outside of Idaho care about the Stanley area.

“We’ve heard so many people say that it’s truly the heart of Idaho, and it means a great deal to them and their families,” Beller said. “So to see everybody come together and contribute even just a little to bring it back is very humbling.”

A new report on the Idaho Transportation Department’s former State Street headquarters in Boise estimates it would cost at least twice the amount of money the Idaho Legislature provided earlier this year to renovate the flood-damaged property. 

It’s not clear what happens next to the empty and contaminated property. But one thing is sure – the state did not set aside nearly enough money to get the building back in safe, usable condition for state employees.

The issue involves the Idaho Transportation Department former Boise headquarters located at 3311 W. State St. On Jan. 2, 2022, the building flooded, was contaminated with asbestos and all ITD employees working at the building were displaced, according to court and ITD records.

Mold was also detected at the property, ITD officials said.

The building, which was completed in 1961, has sat vacant since 2022. Other buildings on the 44-acre campus have been in use since the flood, state officials told the Idaho Capital Sun.

The Idaho Transportation Department board declared the State Street property “surplus property” the summer after the flood, which paved the way for the entire 44-acre campus the headquarters sits on to be sold.

But in March, the Idaho Legislature suddenly blocked the $51.7 million sale of the State Street campus to a group of developers that included Hawkins Companies, FJ Management and Pacific West Communities.

Legislators argued it would be a better deal for the taxpayers to block the sale, hold on to the State Street campus, renovate it and use it for state employees again. Legislators agreed to provide $32.5 million to renovate the building, based on a rudimentary, sight-unseen estimate provided by the Idaho Division of Public Works. The estimate from the Idaho Division of Public Works was not a full estimate and did not take into account the amount of flood damage or HVAC repairs, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. 

Then on Thursday, the Idaho Transportation Department released a new 207-page “Property Condition Assessment” report. The new report lists repair estimates ranging from $64 million to $69.4 million.

The $64 million “level 1” estimate provides the estimated cost to allow state employees to move back into a safe, secure and comfortable building that meets the same standards as a typical state office building.

The $69.4 million “level 2” estimate includes all level 1 upgrades, plus a new fire suppression sprinkler system and recommendations for an open floor plan design to allow longterm occupancy and adaptability, according to the report.

Architects and consultants with CSHQA completed the property condition assessment report that includes the $64 million and $69.4 million estimates. Notably, the assessment is not a formal repair bid, so actual renovation and repair costs could vary from the assessment.

Rep. Wendy Horman, the Idaho Falls Republican who serves as co-chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, said legislators took action based on the $32.5 million estimate provided by the Idaho Division of Public Works.

“We used the numbers that were provided to us,” Horman said in a phone interview Thursday. “So it is interesting to see such a large discrepancy between what was provided to us and acted on in good faith during the legislative session and these new numbers.”

Horman said she does not know what comes next for the ITD State Street campus. She said it will be a discussion point during the upcoming 2025 legislative session, and she expects to get to the bottom of the discrepancy between the estimates.

“It is interesting to see that nine months later we are given one (cost estimate) that is essentially double,” Horman added.

When asked what will happen next, Idaho Transportation Department officials provided the Sun with a written statement saying they will take the latest estimates to the Idaho Transportation Department board in January. ITD officials also said they will seek a building design.

“Based on current legislative direction, ITD will continue to work with (Idaho Division of Public Works) to advance the project,” the statement read. “In the current assessment, CSHQA has identified extensive repairs due to the age of the building, the flood damage and the subsequent deferred maintenance since the 2022 vacancy. A building design will provide the necessary detail to execute the rehabilitation work and provide a more accurate cost estimate. This estimate would inform ITD’s appropriation request, as needed, in future fiscal years.”

Inside of former Idaho Transportation Department Boise headquarters looks like disaster site

ITD officials allowed the Idaho Capital Sun and other local journalists to tour the inside of the flood damaged property on Thursday. 

Even three years after the flood, a damp, musty smell permeates the building.

Numerous walls, ceilings, carpets and floors show visible water damage stains.

Crews drilled dozens of holes in many of the building’s interior walls to help water escape and walls dry after water flooded down the walls and elevator shafts, ITD officials said.

Exposed electrical wiring, tangles of twisted metal and pieces of broken wood are scattered across some of the hallways. 

Chairs and desks are stacked haphazardly, and in some cases toppled in piles.
Emergency exit signs have been ripped from ceilings and dangle from loose wires.

Elevator doors are propped open.

The heat and lights only work in some parts of the building.

Despite the contaminated mess, stained ITD coffee cups still sit on some of the desks, project notes are still scribbled in red marker on whiteboards and even a few Christmas decorations from 2021 are still affixed to office doors and windows.

In short, it looks like a disaster scene.

When the would-be buyers including Hawkins Companies made the high bid for the State Street campus, they planned to demolish and build new, not renovate the flood-damaged building.

The Pacific Northwest is a region of the United States that covers the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. It is renowned worldwide for its natural beauty, with numerous iconic state and national parks sitting within it.

From the deserts of southern Idaho to the rainforests of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, the Pacific Northwest is also home to a number of lakes that are worth checking out too. Let’s look at some of the best lakeside towns you can stop at in the PNW during your next trip to the region. From accommodations with great views to idyllic swimming holes, see what gems you can visit today!

Sandpoint, Idaho

Sandpoint, located on the northern shore of Lake Pend Oreille, is one of the most popular lakeside communities in the Pacific Northwest. This town of around 10,000 residents is surrounded by the Selkirk, Cabinet, and Bitterroot mountain ranges, making for a gorgeous backdrop against the waters of the lake.

Lake Pend Oreille, the largest lake in Idaho, provides ways for visitors and residents alike to go swimming, boating, and fishing during the summer months, while its 111 miles of shoreline offer plenty of scenic spots for picnicking and hiking.

Downtown Sandpoint contains many amenities, including locally owned shops, hotels, and restaurants. The town has a focus on the arts, which is showcased at the historic Panida Theater, which hosts concerts, plays, and film screenings throughout the year. For another unique experience in the summer, visit the Sandpoint Farmers Market, where local crafts, produce, and live music can be found.

Nearby, Schweitzer Mountain Resort is a year-round destination, offering skiing in winter and hiking and mountain biking in warmer months. Trails such as Mickinnick Trail provide unbeatable views of the lake and town below.

Chelan, Washington

Chelan is a cozy town in central Washington that is nestled at the southern tip of Lake Chelan, one of the biggest lakes in the state. It is a renowned gateway to both outdoor adventure and Washington’s thriving wine region.

Lake Chelan, stretching 50 miles into the Cascade Mountains, offers ample opportunities for boating, paddleboarding, fishing, and swimming. Visitors can also explore secluded areas of the lake by taking a ferry to the remote community of Stehekin, accessible only by boat, plane, or hiking.

Downtown Chelan is a walkable area with a mix of boutiques, art galleries, and eateries, many of which serve up wines produced in the area. The town is home to over 30 wineries, many of which are perched on hillsides overlooking the lake, offering tastings with picturesque views. Tsillan Cellars and Benson Vineyards are two popular stops for wine enthusiasts.

For outdoor enthusiasts, hiking trails such as Echo Ridge will take you to some excellent lookout points over the lake and surrounding mountains. During the warmer months, Slidewaters Waterpark is a family-friendly attraction, with a great selection of slides, pools, and a lazy river.

McCall, Idaho

Situated on the shores of Payette Lake, McCall is a central Idaho town best known for its plethora of outdoor recreational activities year-round.

Payette Lake is the clear centerpiece here, providing opportunities for boating, swimming, and fishing from its shores. Public beaches, such as North Beach, make it easy to enjoy the lake’s clear waters, while guided boat tours from McCall Lake Cruises will give you a unique look at the area’s immense natural beauty.

McCall’s downtown core is compact but lively, with a nice selection of craft breweries and restaurants to make a stop or two at. Also be sure to learn more about the region at the Central Idaho Historical Museum or visit while local festivals are being held, such as the annual Winter Carnival, which features intricate ice sculptures and family-friendly activities.

You will find miles of trails in nearby Ponderosa State Park, which juts into Payette Lake and offers options for hiking, biking, and wildlife sightseeing. In the winter, Brundage Mountain Resort, located just a short drive away, provides top-notch skiing and snowboarding.

Lake Oswego, Oregon

Located just south of Portland, Lake Oswego is centered around its namesake, Oswego Lake. Giving easy access to nature for many Portlandians gives this town a unique suburban atmosphere.

Oswego Lake is privately managed but both residents and guests of the town are invited to enjoy it for activities like swimming and boating. Public spaces like George Rogers Park along the Willamette River complement the lake with hiking trails and scenic picnic spots. Nearby, Tryon Creek State Natural Area offers a network of forested trails for hiking and biking, while Iron Mountain Park provides stunning views and native wildlife.

Lake Oswego’s downtown area near the lake is very walkable and features some fun locales like the Oswego Heritage House, a museum covering the history of the area’s earliest settlers.

With its proximity to Portland and its balance of natural beauty and other attractions, Lake Oswego is a standout destination for a lakeside escape near the Pacific coast of Oregon.

Priest Lake, Idaho

Priest Lake is located in Idaho’s panhandle near the Washington border. With a small year-round population, the area thrives as a destination for some true lakeside solitude in the mountains.

Often called “Idaho’s Crown Jewel,” Priest Lake spans 19 miles and features clear waters ideal for boating and fishing. Its northern end connects to the even more secluded Upper Priest Lake, accessible only by boat or hiking trails.

The nearby community of Coolin provides a quaint hub for visitors, with a handful of shops, lodges, local eateries, and other amenities. Bishop’s Marina, for one, is an idyllic boat launch, while Priest Lake Marina across the lake offers rentals for those wanting to explore the water. Shoreline beaches like Reeder Bay and Lionhead State Park provide excellent spots for swimming and sightseeing during the day.

Hiking and biking trails also weave through the surrounding Selkirk Mountains, where birdseye views of the lake and opportunities to spot wildlife, including moose and bald eagles, can be taken advantage of.

During winter, the area transforms when it is covered in snow, with options for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling dotting the nearby forests.

Loon Lake, Washington

Loon Lake, located in northeastern Washington just north of Spokane, is a small lakeside community seated on the shores of a lake of the same name.

Spanning over 1,000 acres, Loon Lake is known for its sandy bottom and clean waters, perfect for swimming on a hot summer day. Anglers will find trout, bass, and perch thriving in its depths too, as it is an ideal environment for these kinds of sport fish.

Surrounding Loon Lake, cabin rentals and campgrounds provide options for extended stays. In town, attractions like the Loon Lake Historical Society offer insight into the area’s pioneer history.

Scenic drives and quiet forest trails nearby offer additional opportunities for exploration in the wilds in this remote corner of the state, with the surrounding Colville National Forest a popular spot for hiking.

Roslyn, Washington

Roslyn, a small town in the Cascade foothills of central Washington, is near Cle Elum Lake. With a population under 1,000, Roslyn combines its rich history as a former coal-mining community that has since become a hotbed for outdoor adventure in the mountains.

Cle Elum Lake, located just a few miles west of town, stretches across 7,600 acres, and its pristine waters draw many who own boats or simply want to lounge on its sandy shores. Speelyi Beach Day Use Area is a large public area on the southern end of the lake (the end that is closest to Rosyln).

Roslyn’s historic downtown, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, retains its late 19th-century character, and features destinations such as the Roslyn Museum. Local favorites like The Brick, Washington’s oldest operating bar, make the town a great stop for a drink and some food too.

Nearby trails in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest provide options for hiking and mountain biking, while the northern end of the lake is full of scenic campgrounds like the Cle Elum River Campground.

Detroit, Oregon

Detroit, Oregon, is a small lakeside town located just south of Portland on the shores of Detroit Lake, near the Cascade Mountains. Detroit Lake is 9 miles long and wows visitors with its deep blue waters. Many anglers come to the lake for its stocked trout and kokanee salmon too.

The town itself is home to general stores and a handful of eateries. Nearby campgrounds at the Detroit Lake State Recreation Area, cater to visitors looking to spend the night in the outdoors, as hotel options in the surrounding area are slim.

For those looking to explore beyond the lake, hiking trails such as the Stahlman Point Trail provide panoramic views of Detroit Lake and Mount Jefferson. In autumn, the surrounding forests burst into vibrant fall colors, while in spring and summer, the area blooms with wildflowers.

Enjoy a Slice of Lakeside Living in the Pacific Northwest

You don’t need a lakehouse or a cottage to enjoy lakeside living in the Pacific Northwest, all you gotta do is stay a day or two at one of these idyllic towns. Whether you’re in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, or any of the other states nearby, these easily accessible communities have a nice mix of useful amenities for visitors and residents alike and natural beauty, often with towering mountains providing a scenic backdrop. You really can’t go wrong with a visit to any of these towns if you need an escape from the city.