Each spring the wet meadows of the Pend Oreille River Valley explode with the purple-blue blooms of one the regions’ most culturally important plants, common camas. Common camas, Camissa quamash, is one of six types of camas in the lily family that range from California to British Columbia and has been an essential food source for Salish and other […]
Finding Camas Flowers Read More »
By Michael Ebinger Newport. Sandpoint. Bonner’s Ferry. Creston. Kootenay Bay. Nelson. Trail. Metaline Falls. Box Canyone Dam. Ione. Back to Newport. That was one version of the Selkirk Loop on a bike in late June-early July 2010. So how does a former bicycle racer ride with his intermediate-level wife and enjoy a cycling tour? Do it on a tandem! Britt and I discovered in 2006 that
Here are 100+ good reasons to exercise and get out of the house this spring, summer, and fall. Registering to participate in an event motivates commitment to health and fitness routines and inspires travel to other cities and regions of the Pacific Northwest. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or Strava-addicted competitor, there is something for
Inland NW Race, Ride, & Event Guide – 2020 Read More »
Head north to snowy British Columbia for the three-day Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Festival at Whitewater Ski Area and in Nelson, BC, February 21-23, 2020! This annual event is a weekend celebration of everything backcountry for everyone from beginner to expert skiers or splitboarders. Take clinics in the epic Whitewater backcountry and experience in-bounds clinics all
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Traveling north of the border for skiing, snowboarding, hot springs soaking, snowshoeing, or other winter adventures is incredibly easy and worth every kilometer of extra driving. One of the best yet often under-appreciated things about living in Spokane and North Idaho, in fact, is the proximity to interior British Columbia. This lightly-populated, vast expanse of wild mountains, valleys, lakes, and rivers; enchanting yet authentic mountain towns; and destination-worthy resorts, parks, and trails is a wonderland right next door.
Winter Adventures in British Columbia Read More »
The first thing you’ll likely notice as you approach Fernie, BC, from the south on Highway 3, is the abrupt shift in weather. Just outside of town, the highway passes through a tunnel. It’s roughly here that the broad bottomlands of the Elk River jackknife into the triangular valley in which the city sits. Locals
For many of us, our beloved winter sports kick off months in advance of the first chairlift ride or skin track climb. All around the Inland Northwest, there are more parties, swaps, ski flicks, and traditions than ever to get our minds, bodies, and gear ready for the coming snowy season. Oct. 23-Nov. 9: Warren
Pre-Season Parties, Films, & Events Read More »
It’s early evening, and my riding buddy Nat and I are pedaling toward Brokeback Ridge on the wooded slopes of Fernie Provincial Park outside Fernie, B.C. Word on the trail is Brokeback, a mile-long black-diamond luge run, is on every Fernie local’s top five list. We hear a loud crash and branches snapping. We stop.
Grizzlies and Granny Gears: Fall Mountain Biking in Fernie, B.C. Read More »
Twenty-some years ago, a small cohort of crazed cyclists skidded their way down the white silt cliffs outside Kamloops, in the Thompson-Okanagan region of south-central British Columbia. Mountain biking had just entered the Olympics; racing was ascendant. But this was something altogether different. Not since Marin County hippies bombed cruiser bikes down dirt roads some
Granddaddy of Gravity: Freeride Mountain Biking in BC’s Thompson-Okanagan Bike Parks Read More »
Celebrate the New Year all month long and into February with winter merriment around the region. These fun and unique festival events will appeal to adults, couples, and families—whether you need an excuse to get outside more, ideas for out-of-town getaways, a break from your regular weekend ski routine, or a fun opportunity to try
Party in the Snow: Inland Northwest Winter Festivals 2019 Read More »
