Fritz to share lake stories
Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 1 month, 1 week AGO
SANDPONT — It’s a good time of year to reflect on the wilder nature of Lake Pend Oreille — and the person who can help guide the community on this journey is author Jane Fritz.
For 45 years, Fritz has explored the watery wilderness of the vast lake in her cedar canoe, built by her brother 50 years ago. Camping at primitive beaches has reinforced the wisdom and ways she learned from Kalispel tribal elders as well as provided unexpected encounters with wildlife like the common loon. Many of her adventures became the stories in her popular guidebook, "Legendary Lake Pend Oreille: Idaho’s Wilderness of Water."
“As a lover of the lake, solo canoeing and camping on our lake is what made me who I am as a person,” Fritz said. “It formed my spiritual and environmental values, my very own Thoreau experience.”
Fritz will share stories of some of the magic, mystery and intimacy from her sojourns on June 6 at the new Sandpoint Books, 321 N. Second Ave., at 2 p.m. Signed copies of her book will be available for purchase.
From Indigenous history to present day recreational sites, the book is rich with sketches about wildlife and flora, pioneer and Indigenous lore, and even poetry — all abundantly illustrated with maps, drawings and numerous photographs, including those of the legendary Ross Hall.
The third printing of the book, and an improved text, came out in late 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic squelched any book readings of the newer edition. This is the first reading and presentation that Fritz has given since then. Another presentation is planned as part of the Sandpoint Library’s “Natural Connections” on July 11.
Author Jane Fritz is a canoeist, 48-year resident, and environmental writer, radio producer and podcaster for “Voices of the Wild Earth Podcasts” available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. She is also the media director for the local nonprofit organization, The Idaho Mythweaver, and has worked in partnership with Indigenous peoples of the Columbia Plateau region for 35 years on cultural projects.