The Huckleberry Priest Lake homeowner’s association was set up with a very clear goal by the original owners. The basic idea was that the association would have a

minimal impact on the lake, both physically and visually. The HOA land was originally a lumber property owned by the Diamond Match Company that was sold to a private developer in the 1980s who had a grand idea for a Selkirk Mountain ski area east of Huckleberry. When Don Barbieri and his family got wind of the plan and realized that it could not come to fruition (and that they did not want it to), the new owner was convinced to sell, and Huckleberry HOA was created to be something completely different from a destination resort. The HOA was planned to be a residential property completely in tune with the natural setting of The Selkirks and Priest Lake.

Here is what the original “Plan of Huckleberry at Priest Lake” says under the heading of Objectives:

Huckleberry at Priest Lake (Huckleberry) is a development founded on the belief that man can live and recreate in harmony with nature. Priest Lake has been termed by many to be the most pristine lake in all of Idaho. The quality and clarity of the water, the varied wildlife and the fisheries of the lake combine to offer a unique living experience with tremendous recreational opportunities.

Along with these opportunities comes a responsibility to treat the natural resources with care and respect for the benefit of present and future generations.

All aspects of the development are designed to the highest standards to ensure that any environmental impacts are minimized. The Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions which govern the design, construction, operation and use of the lands of Huckleberry at Priest Lake have been written in the spirit of allowing individuals the greatest flexibility in the development and use of their land consistent with the underlying responsibility to preserve and protect the natural resources of the area.

The most important policy is to do no harm to the lake itself. There should be no compromising of shoreline to the detriment of the lake, which means

minimal shoreline tree removal and county-driven setbacks of new construction (no boathouses). Natural shoreline runoff areas, including ponds, where there is potential for Kokanee Trout spawning, are to be preserved and undeveloped.

These shoreline policies guarantee that shoreline erosion will be minimized, as well as creating natural shade for cabins (with the positive side effect of a lower requirement for summer HVAC cooling).

Policies that minimize Huckleberry’s effect on the visual beauty of the lake include the rule of one dock for each two properties and Design Committee regulation of lakeside tree removal, which nominally limits removal to 25% of cabin shoreline. The sharing of docks limits our dock lake incursion to half of what it would be, and the tree policy makes cabins less obtrusive on boating views.

Another aspect of the Huckleberry vision is the idea that we also want the inland portion of the HOA to be enjoyed in its beautiful natural state. The trail system is a great place to hike, bike, ski, snowshoe or ride a motorized vehicle, and one can encounter many different animals while doing so. We have even officially designated large portions of our existing property as elk conservation easements in agreement with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. In these areas, we have allowed selective logging and reseeding to create areas of “elk browse” to encourage elk to frequent the easements.

In addition to the guidelines set by our planning documents, there are some unwritten Huckleberry cultural guidelines:

• Keep our night skies dark. Huckleberry has traditionally been a very low-risk area that allows people to sleep (and be away) without all-night outdoor lighting. This has given us amazing night skies with superb stargazing. Huckleberry is probably the first place for many people to actually see the dense strip of stars that is our Milky Way galaxy. If you decide you must have overnight outdoor lighting, please choose “downlighting” fixtures that are directed toward the ground.
• Keep motorized travel of the trail system reasonable. While the trail system is open to motorized vehicles from April 1 to November 1, it was never the intention for it be an ORV park. Please ride respectfully and non-aggressively. We want to avoid our trails becoming sandy rocky hazards like the hill running south from Moose Lake and the now-huge potholes at the top of the Waterline trail. (If you’re looking for a good place to open the throttle on your dirt bike or ATV, consider taking a long run up the Two Mouth logging road complex–the views are far better :-)). Also please honor the winter months of no-motor restriction on the trails–1 Nov thru 1 Apr–to allow undisturbed winter foraging for our elk and other ungulates.
• Minimize boating impacts on Huckleberry neighbors. Honor the 200 ft no-wake zone rules, motoring slowly away from and to the dock. Also, there is a lot of lake out there–if you’re moving fast or wake surfing, please choose a line well away from the residential shoreline. This protects the shore and reduces noise for people enjoying the quiet of the shoreline.

I think we all want to maintain the beautiful clarity of the Lake, which is one of the first things people notice when they first experience Priest Lake. This clarity is due to it being an ‘oligotrophic’ lake, that is, a lake with minimal organic content and nutrients. Having few nutrients available limits weed growth and bottom sedimentation; both would lead to murkier waters. It also means that there are healthy levels of oxygen in its deep waters, which provides an excellent fish environment.

All lakes tend toward eutrophication (becoming more nutrient-rich), but humans and human activity are known to quicken that process. If you love the clarity of Priest Lake, here are a few things we can all do to preserve it:

• Avoid fertilizer or weed killer use on any lakeside property, and certainly within 25 feet of the shoreline. Grass should do just fine here without fertilizer (and can act as a great runoff filtration system), but if you must use fertilizer, use it sparingly!
• Keep some natural groundcover on your shoreline and behind your beach. It can act as a filter for any runoff that occurs near the lake.
• Contact the Sewer board if you have any suspicion that your septic system may be compromised. We have alarms in place to alert us to the need for a pump-out, but our systems are getting to that age where we may see occasionally failures.

Another aspect of Huckleberry HOA living that most of us appreciate is the peace and quiet found here. We do have evening quiet hours here, and we all know how sound travels on the Lake. It’s easy to get carried away with a festive beach fire or dock conversation, but remember, your neighbors (some of whom even are working!) may be retiring earlier than you with open windows to enjoy the cool night breeze, so please be cognizant of that possibility and move your conversations indoors at a reasonable time. If someone nearby seems to have forgotten to be considerate, be gentle in reminding them—it may be that they have guests who are less aware of the expected atmosphere in Huckleberry and also unaware that their possibly private conversation is crystal clear for hundreds of yards nearby, including indoors.

Thanks for taking the time to read this–now go enjoy some Lake Time!