Photographer Duncan Jones shares with us this award winning photo taken about a mile downlake from Stehekin,  one glassy-calm day last year. Duncan and his parents, in their identical twin Cobalt boats, look like they just belong there.  And they sort of do. Lake Chelan has been in their blood for
a long long time.

In the background is Lucerne, and just over the ridge is Domke Lake, where the Jones family have visited annually almost since Duncan was born.  Those annual visits came to a tragic halt when Fire Storm 2014 completely devastated the Domke Lake Resort and Cabins operated for  3 decades by mountain-man, Sid Burns.

Burns operated at Domke,  thanks to a special USFS use permit. With the destruction of literally everything at Domke, Burns permit was terminated, and no one knows if it will ever be renewed.

Before Sid operated Domke, he worked for the USFS at Lucerne, and became close friends with Domke’s well known caretaker, Gordon Stuart.  Gordon was 80 years old when he died in January of 1985. He had been at Domke since 1924 (61 years), as the operator of the remote camp.
Before Gordon,  trapper  A.L. Cool lived at Domke, where he rented boats to the tourists. Cool died in a cabin fire. His successor was Gordon Stuart, who carried on with trap lines,  boat rental  and cabins rentals.  To this day there are only 2 ways into Domke Lake   …. a steep hike from Lucerne, or by float plane.