Not every winter day in the Inland Northwest is a snow day. In those in-between stretches—when the valleys are bare but the mountains are white—lower-elevation trails close to town can be the perfect fit: less driving, fewer variables, and easy to fit in a hike while it’s still light out. Here are several reliable, close-to-town […]
The Best Winter Hikes Near Spokane and Coeur d’Alene Read More »
Winter hiking at lower elevations in northern climates doesn’t require an expedition mindset, but you should definitely prepare and bring the essentials. Avid winter hikers and organizations like the Washington Trails Association always emphasize that winter risks often come from small oversights, not dramatic mistakes. What to Wear Winter Hiking Start with layers that are
Winter Hiking Essentials to Stay Safe and Comfortable on the Trail Read More »
Reading nature’s snowy signatures By Karie Lee Knoke Winter transforms the landscape into a blank canvas. Fresh snow covers the ground, softening every edge and silencing the world. But for those who know where to look, this quiet season reveals a secret language. Tracks, trails and signs left by animals going on about their lives.
Wintertime Animal Tracking Read More »
By Jon Jonckers Cover photo courtesy of Jon Jonckers First published in 1987, “100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest” became an instant success. The popular guide is one of four guidebooks published by Rich Landers, an award-winning outdoors writer and avid outdoorsman best known for his long career at The Spokesman-Review. For more than 40
About “100 Hikes” Author Rich Landers Read More »
Cover photo courtesy of Methow Cycle and Sport By Justin Short Riverside State Park offers some excellent terrain when it’s time to roll the fatties, so I haven’t been in the habit of driving anywhere when there’s snow in town, but I figured it was time to give the (Almost) Annual Methow Fatbike Festival in
Methow Fatbike Meetup: Winter Riding in Winthrop Read More »
Hike of the Month By Holly Weiler Cover photo courtesy of Holly Weiler Mount Spokane State Park transitions to a winter wonderland each December as the alpine ski area opens for the season, grooming begins on the vast Nordic trail system and all of the summer hiking trails not touched by those two systems become
Mount Spokane State Park Trail 260 Snowshoe Guide and Winter Access Tips Read More »
Inland NW Trail & Outdoor News By Holly Weiler Cover photo courtesy of Lara Gricar Outdoor Reminders Free Outdoor-themed Entertainment Fundraisers, Contests and Events Stewardship, Conservation, and Volunteer Opportunities
Winter Trail Access, Free Ski Days, Gear Swaps and Inland NW Outdoor Events Read More »
Cover photo courtesy of Lisa Laughlin Stories connect us. That’s nothing new. But I’ve been thinking about the way stories connect us to place, specifically outdoor places, and the use of telling stories that are anchored in the natural world. When I’m outside, it usually starts with movement. Stories unravel as I walk with a
The Stories of Outdoor Spaces Read More »
Featured image courtesy of Nils Larsen and Altai Skis Plan Your Winter Escape to Backcountry Ski, Snowshoe, Cross-Country Ski, or Fat Bike on the Trails around Republic, Wa. The small northeast Washington town of Republic, surrounded by mountains, trails and several Sno-Parks, is the kind of place where close-to-town winter adventures come steeped in solitude
Where to Ski and snowshoe around republic, wa. Read More »
Four ways to ski in one rad mountain town By Melissa Thompstone Cover photo courtesy of BJ Reid and Tourism Rossland Planning your dream ski vacation shouldn’t feel like work—we do enough of that already. Luckily, Rossland, British Columbia, Canada makes it easy, so you don’t have to choose between untouched lines, chairlift laps or
Rossland, B.C.’s Winter Playground Read More »
