North Idaho Flightseeing: Aerial Photographs of the Selkirk Mountains
I love flightseeing. I’ve done it in Alaska a few times, over Yosemite National Park, in Kauai, and added another to the list in Northern Idaho by taking a flightseeing tour over the Selkirk Mountains outside of Bonners Ferry.
I’ll be honest, compared with the locations above, it fell somewhat flat. This may have been partly due to all the lakes being frozen or mostly frozen, as well as this part of the Selkirks not having too jagged or prominent peaks. And we’re comparing this region to some of the most stunning terrain the world has to offer.
Still, don’t get me wrong. It was gorgeous out there, and it was great to get into the air with Northern Air and explore a new region, learning about its history.
Let’s dive in and show off some of the beautiful photos from my Selkirk flightseeing trip!
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Flightseeing over the Selkirk Mountains in Northern Idaho
We had initially planned for a 6:15 a.m. flight to get nice light on the mountains. Unfortunately, the clear skies closed up, and clouds blanketed the valley. Around eight, they finally broke, and we were able to get airborne!
Once we were in the air, we headed over the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge and into the Selkirk Mountain Range. We zigged and zagged, going over the Beehive Lakes, Harrison Lake, Chimney Rock, and then heading north. You can see the general route we took with my less-than-perfect map.
In all, we flew for around 75 minutes. It was a bit longer than I expected, but we saw a significant amount of terrain, and Nicole, my pilot, was full of knowledge of the area and kept pointing out landmarks.
Photos of the Selkirk Mountains in Idaho
How much did my flight cost?
My flight was $358. Again, I’ll be transparent. It seemed a bit much for what you see, when an Alaska flight can run $375-$450. That said, this was a private flight, and I got to choose my path, which made it worthwhile to land some cool photos!
I found it worthwhile, and it expanded my understanding and knowledge of the area. Additionally, I now have photos to share with all of you, as there aren’t many professional photos available of flightseeing in Northern Idaho.
Photography Tips for the Selkirk Mountains Flightseeing Tour in North Idaho
If you’re interested in flightseeing photography, here are some tips!
- Choose a lens in the 24-105 range. I have had success with 70-200, but I’d opt for a wider lens on this trip. (Depends on what you’re going for.) For this flight, I used my 24-105 f/4 and my Canon R5.
- Shutter speed at least 1/1000 for clearer shots, but if you can go to 1/1250 or 1/1500, do it.
- Put your aperture around 5.6 and see how you like the images.
- Remember, when you look down at the ground, you’ll have less light coming in. To combat this, consider setting your Aperture or ISO to AUTO so it’ll automatically increase the light intake.
Where to stay in Bonners Ferry?
When I was there for a night, I stayed at North Haven Campground. They have RV and campsites, but I got to check out the “Luxury Tent,” aka the Glamping Wagon. It was pretty cool and I slept great. It’s also five minutes from the Bonners Ferry airport for easy access to your Selkirk flightseeing trip.
If you’re looking for a more traditional hotel, click here to view the available options and here for even more. If you want camping options, find nearby spots with HipCamp.
Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.
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