Friends of our family have always raved about the Kokanus area and the wonders of nature. They have a property near Lake Kookanus and use it as a retreat to escape from the daily stress of work and responsibility. We are somewhat jealous of their escape and would no longer like to have the same thing.
Although we were invited to join them many times, we simply did not take the time to go with them to witness this land of mountains, crystal clear water and natural beauty. But this time we took them to our offer and go to their holiday property in Kokanus.
I wanted to do my due diligence in the area that we were going to explore and experience in the next couple of days. Of course, we could just pack our bags, but because of my inquiring nature, it was important for me to know something in the area.
Lake Kokanusas main function
For me, the water on my doorstep is gorgeous, clean; especially if you live on the prairie. I wanted to know hard facts about natural beauty that I was going to plunge into.
The Kawkawa Lake is 90 miles long and is supported by a huge dam called the Libby Dam, which is only 16 miles from the city of Libby. The main function of the dam is to provide hydroelectric power; which in my eyes is green energy. Thumbs up for green energy!
The dam was a joint project between the United States and Canada in 1972 to provide protection against floods and hydropower. The problem of the Kootenai River should have been solved, since every spring the river would cause uncontrolled flooding in Montana, Idaho and British Columbia. Who would have thought that this river could do so much damage?
Where did this name come from?
At first I had problems remembering how to spell Koocanusa, but then I just broke the word into three parts. This is exactly what the founder of the name did. It all started with a contest on the appointment of the Libby reservoir. The winner came up with a simple formula and picked up the first three letters of the KOOtenai river, and then took the first three letters of Canada and the United States. So, you have this Koo + can + usa; Koocanusa. It is easy to remember and easy to remember.
I like little facts like this, and I don’t like anything else so people know what I learned!
Arrive at Riverside
Our friends have a so-called cabin in a unit in Riverside, Kookanusa. I had no idea what to expect, the term “cabin” sounds small and rustic, the term “subproject” sounded like a mob. I thought what the hell; This is a free weekend away from the pressure of life.
We travel from Calgary to the American side of Kookanus, which takes us only 3.5 hours. When I saw the natural beauty, the mountains and, of course, the crystal clear lake, my heart slipped; I was delighted. We arrived at the Riverside basement building in Kookanus, and each property was secluded and private and within walking distance of the lake. The houses were nothing, as I imagined, they were spacious and charming.
My next thought was, is there a lot for sale in Koocanusa?
