Where is the boundary of "North Idaho"?

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by banjomike

What about them?
Steadalski gave a pretty sound reason for his definition.
Like everyone who's said so far, differences as to where the boundaries of NID exist is a matter of conjecture and more than a little dispute. But there's little seriousness in the dispute; all Idahoans are Idahoans, no matter where our homes are here.

If you want to include Clearwater and Idaho counties into yours, feel free to do so. Stadalski didn't. Opinions vary.

I was just curious as the two counties are mostly wilderness areas, and I wasn't too familiar with them, having only driven through the area many years ago.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

I was just curious as the two counties are mostly wilderness areas, and I wasn't too familiar with them, having only driven through the area many years ago.

A fair answer.

NID is as much a social and political division as it is a geographical division recently. I'm not sure what the original poster's thoughts were as to the question of boundaries.

Your reply brought in an interesting fact. Clearwater and Idaho counties are quite lightly populated in comparison to the counties within the most common boundaries of NID, so socially, I guess neither is part of NID by one definition, but is a part of NID by another definition.

I've always thought Idaho had 3 divisions, not just two; the north, the central wilderness, and the south. This division is more geographical than social, but its boundaries bleed into the social divisions of the north and south as wilderness actually takes up the most territory of our state.

Our wilderness isn't just mountains and pine trees. It includes many impassible canyons, huge lava flows, glacier rubble left from the last ice age, and a really large area of land that's inhospitable to human life.

It is possible for humans to live in our wilderness areas, but humans will not prosper and thrive in them. If humankind could prosper in those places, the places would all be inhabited today.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Silly me. Of course there is an undisputed boundary. Canada! (Sorry, couldn't help myself )

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast

Silly me. Of course there is an undisputed boundary. Canada! (Sorry, couldn't help myself )

...and also the boundaries of Washington, Oregon, and Montana.

lotsa boundaries surround NID.

[Glenview94602]

I would say North Idaho starts at the Salmon River north of Riggins. If nothing else you have to at least consider Grangeville and the Camas prarie to be part of North Central Idaho which itself is a subregion of North Idaho. I would argue that White Bird Hill is even more of a marker than Lewiston Hill. You go from the prarie (which doesn't feel much different from the Palouse) to the Salmon River /forest and beyond that to the grassland on the other side near New Meadows.

Lewiston is unquestionably part of North Idaho, but if you want to break it into NC Idaho that's fine. Clearwater, Lewis, and Idaho county (minus Riggins) are all connected to Lewiston, which is connected to the ID Palouse as well as WA.

[pnwguy2]

In my opinion north Idaho begins where the climate changes but could be based on other factors. Generally I would put the mark at about Orofino or Grangeville but some might say Moscow. I don’t think there is one right answer on this.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

In my opinion north Idaho begins where the climate changes but could be based on other factors. Generally I would put the mark at about Orofino or Grangeville but some might say Moscow. I don’t think there is one right answer on this.

I think this is where most folks would say NID begins.

I've never given the matter much thought; it's all just Idaho to me, and the boundary distinctions are is indistinct as to be almost non-existent in my mind.

I was born much farther south, so when I was young, every other place than Idaho Falls was either a short distance away or a longer distance. Looking at a map gave me no estimate of distance at all.

It wasn't until I was old enough to drive that I noticed the differences in climate between north and south. Really, once a person gets to know the state, the differences are not very large.