You searched for 1910 Big Burn - Out There Venture https://outthereventure.com/ Mon, 27 Oct 2025 18:44:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://outthereoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/cropped-OTO_new-favicon-32x32.jpg You searched for 1910 Big Burn - Out There Venture https://outthereventure.com/ 32 32 The Day Mount St. Helens Reopened  https://outthereventure.com/mount-st-helens-reopening-1987-climbing-story/ https://outthereventure.com/mount-st-helens-reopening-1987-climbing-story/#respond Thu, 30 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://outthereventure.com/?p=58337 By Ammi Midstokke  Cover photo courtesy of Chris Ashenbrener On the morning of May 18, 1980, Chris Ashenbrener was pouring concrete on the edge of Lake Pend Oreille, far from his stomping grounds in the Cascade Range. Hours after he began, the sky began snowing ash. Ashenbrener retreated to his tent and watched as confused […]

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By Ammi Midstokke 

Cover photo courtesy of Chris Ashenbrener

On the morning of May 18, 1980, Chris Ashenbrener was pouring concrete on the edge of Lake Pend Oreille, far from his stomping grounds in the Cascade Range. Hours after he began, the sky began snowing ash. Ashenbrener retreated to his tent and watched as confused birds navigated the darkening skies, then eventually turned on the radio to hear a voice on the other side telling people to stay indoors. 

“Of course, I thought the Ruskies were coming,” Ashenbrener recalled. But it was just Mount St. Helens, making good on her recent and frequent promises. 

When St. Helens erupted in all her might, she blew out her side with such force that miles of forest around her were flattened and her once-proud summit was amputated of 1,300 feet. Fifty-seven people died, hundreds of homes and structures were lost, nearly 200 miles of road destroyed, and geological history made. 

Lawetlat’la, or Loowit, as the local Indigenous Peoples refer to her, had long been a moody mountain with evidence of prior eruptions. She is unplacated by her occasional tantrums and remains the most active volcano in the Cascade Range. When she reopened to climbers in 1987, she was one of the few volcanoes of the range Ashenbrener had not climbed. 

His interest in climbing began more than a decade earlier, though he’d say he preferred traverses to bagging peaks. After pursuing the usual path of the wayward but being maternally influenced (see: reluctant completion of a degree prior to hitchhiking around America), Ashenbrener gave up his attempts at using mind-control to get picked up by drivers and went to law school. He didn’t really intend to practice law, but meeting classmate and fellow outdoorsman, Ted Gathe, made the years of education worth it. 

The pair and various friends had been exploring the Cascade Range since the mid-1970s, when Ashenbrener moved to Spokane. Raising young families and launching their careers, most of their adventures involved cramming in as much mountain as possible somewhere between Friday and Monday, preferably with some use for their skis along the way. Mount St. Helens was no different. 

The mountain reopened to climbers in May 1987. Ashenbrener remembers it being the weekend of Bloomsday, making the decision to bail on the running race to climb instead. It was also the last weekend climbers could summit without a permit (which has been required since 1986). For the growing alpinist community of the Pacific Northwest, it was a festive affair. 

Trails had not been marked or restored, so parties were approaching from all sides. Gathe and Ashenbrener decided to begin in the lowlands, but the soft snow would slow their approach. They remedied this by bringing their Nordic skis. This got them thinking they should bring their alpine skis, too, for the descent would be long and epic. Of course, they also needed crampons, rope, ice axes, lunch, and the usual layers of mountaineering, packs, and the debris of a day out in the wild. 

They skied in through the trees and over the mushy terrain. As the slope steepened, they stashed their Nordic skis and switched to climbing boots, now only sinking to their knees. With their alpine skis and poles dangling off their packs and looking like traveling trinket salesmen, they made their clunky way across the snow.  

It was a perfect blue-sky day and the sense of celebration was real. As the men pushed toward the summit, which was now just a mile-wide rim of ice and snow, a helicopter approached them, landing nearby. It was ABC News, who had grown curious about the amount of stuff the two were schlepping up the side of a volcano and wanted to interview them for the evening news with Peter Jennings. The crew commented that the pair were the only ones carrying skis to the top. In fact, they were not.  

Mountaineering legend Kathy Phibbs also climbed the mountain that day with her skis, while wearing a red dress and a pillbox hat. Five women from Women Climbers Northwest joined her and danced the Can-Can at the top (they only made the Seattle Times). Phibbs’ pilgrimage of summits in skirts, specifically that one, sparked the annual Mother’s Day Climb on Mount St. Helens that continues to this day.

 

Photo courtesy of Chris Ashenbrener

If Ashenbrener and Gathe were more a spectacle than the broads doing Broadway on the rim, it was the accidental result of their testosterone-fueled ambition and “Grapes of Wrath laden journey,” as he refers to it. Clanking with a flea-market load of equipment, they slogged their way to the rim while questioning their life choices. Now, they had the added pressure of getting back in time to see the evening news. The crampons and the ice axes were used in a final push, but the rope stayed in the pack. 

Upon cresting the rim, the gravity of the mountain’s history struck Ashenbrener, who recalls it looked like a “mountain with the top completely sliced off with a machete.” Along the newly formed rim were dozens of climbers peering into the crater, stepping too far out onto frozen ledges and cornices. Other climbers yelled warnings at them while Ashenbrener worried for their safety. Hundreds of feet beneath them, the crater steamed. A new lava dome had already risen out of the crater’s floor. Beyond them, where her belly had split open and poured forth, nature had been decimated.  

When Mount St. Helens erupted, 24,000 megatons of thermal energy were released, 7,000 of which occurred in the initial blast. (In a morbid comparison, this is the explosive equivalent of approximately 1,600 WWII atomic bombs.) Entire swaths of forest were flattened, thousands of acres of trees left like charred toothpicks fanning away from the mountain. The rivers of lava, snow, and mud (known as lahars) carried millions of tons of debris down the Toutle and Cowlitz rivers, wiping out bridges, lumber camps, and homes along the way. Thousands of large animals were killed, entire species of small and large mammals as well as amphibians, extirpated. 

By the time Ashenbrener made it to the rim seven years after the eruption, only patches of fireweed had begun a brave return. Stretching miles before him still lay the carnage of a landscape turned shades of gray-brown. He was struck by a sense of geological fascination and wonder, by the power within the Earth to make a whole mountain disappear. 

Not wanting to miss the evening news, the men rearranged their boots into their overloaded packs and donned their skis. “Forever, I will remember the sound of clicking into our bindings and pushing off,” Ashenbrener said. “We seemingly sailed off the top, over the heads of the climbers.” It was validation of the day’s gear-slog. In turn after turn, they descended 5,000 feet of snow, from one kind of crunchy ice to softer grains until they reached their Nordic skis, quads aflame with the burden of their descent. It’s one thing to ski down a volcano; it’s another thing to do it with a pack full of 1980s climbing gear. 

The two raced back toward civilization in search of a bar with a TV on and a phone to call their families and tell them to watch the news. But that night, Jennings was busy reporting about presidential candidate Gary Hart’s tryst with Donna Rice and the men were bumped from national evening news by a woman after all.  

“We are fortunate here in the PNW,” says Ashenbrener with charming optimism. “We don’t have cyclones, typhoons, hurricanes, flash floods. We just have the Big Burn of 1910 and the volcano of 1980.” Would Ashenbrener climb the iconic route again? “No,” he said, “I don’t do things twice.” Perhaps that is because some things can only be done once.  

Ammi Midstokke lives in North Idaho, where the hills don’t explode. This season, she’ll be traveling to the Peloponnese to climb another less volatile mound of rock. 

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After the Burn  https://outthereventure.com/after-the-burn/ https://outthereventure.com/after-the-burn/#respond Tue, 08 Apr 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://outthereventure.com/?p=57694 The conservation story of the lands burned by the Great Fire of 1910   By Bri Loveall  Cover photo courtesy of The Great Burn Conservation Alliance Last spring, my family and I made our first camping trip of the season to the Lolo National Forest. At our campsite, bearberry grew in thick, low-growing clumps. A well-worn […]

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The conservation story of the lands burned by the Great Fire of 1910  

By Bri Loveall 

Cover photo courtesy of The Great Burn Conservation Alliance

Last spring, my family and I made our first camping trip of the season to the Lolo National Forest. At our campsite, bearberry grew in thick, low-growing clumps. A well-worn deer trail led us to the bank of the Clark Fork River, where thoracic bones, bleached white, lay half-buried and hidden in the sand. In the mornings, before my children could begin their early chants for pancakes and cereal and muffins, I’d find a rock or some other semi-leveled area, and, coffee in hand, just sit. Ice floes the size of hubcaps made the occasional crack, or pop, proof that they were warming, splitting, becoming accustomed to the idea of spring. Although I was only two and a half hours from the city, I felt as far away as I’d ever been.  

Photo Courtesy of Bri Loveall

The Lolo National Forest made up a sizable portion of the two-day, three-million-acre wildfire known as The Great Fire of 1910 or the Big Burn. (For size comparison, the 2014 Carlton Complex Fire in the northeast Cascades burned 256,108 acres over the course of two months.) The combination of severe drought in 1910 and a series of lightning storms created hundreds of small fires that, when met with hurricane-like winds, turned into the most destructive wildfire the U.S. has ever seen.  

For decades, the fire-ravaged land sat relatively unused. No longer a viable market for timber, it gave the landscape an opportunity to heal on its own without interference from resource extraction or other commercial development. Drawn to that forgotten wilderness, in the summer of 1971 a University of Montana student named Dale Harris bought a school bus and, with friends in tow, completed a three-week backpacking trip into the Great Burn landscape to document and research the place. Harris fell in love with the crystal-clear lakes and open ridgelines of the vast wild area. From his work, The Great Burn Conservation Alliance (GBCA) was born.   

Photo Courtesy of The Great Burn Conservation Alliance

Giving Wildlife the Room to Roam 

If you’ve spent any time recreating around the Lolo, Idaho Panhandle, Clearwater and other Inland Northwest national forests, you may have spent time inside or near the edges of the Big Burn and its 1.9 million acres of largely roadless wildlands. The area is home to a complex ecological network of plant and animal life. Rare and sensitive species like black-beaked woodpeckers, gray wolf, bull trout, Canada Lynx, wolverine, and grizzly bears all make use of the landscape’s alpine lakes and streams, dense high-mountain forests, and open meadows for daily living and movement between habitats.  

Joelle Gallaugher, stewardship coordinator for the GBCA, patrols upward of 700 miles a year (on foot) throughout the vast Great Burn landscape, monitoring trail conditions, campsites, coordinating with the forest service, and leading stewardship trips where crews work together to complete restoration projects. This job, Gallaugher says, requires an ongoing and intimate knowledge of the land. Animals like the Clearwater elk herds require land connectivity for their seasonal movements between different habitats, seeking out the higher mountain regions during summer and lower open meadows in winter. Even plants like the stark-white trilliums and bold, wild hyacinth require pollination and seed dispersal over large undisturbed areas in order to thrive.   

Photo Courtesy of The Great Burn Conservation Alliance

All forms of recreation have impacts on the land, but some have more than others, requiring more diligent management. “I do see a difference in how wildlife moves through the area,” Gallaugher tells me. For instance, mechanized use like snowmobiles, ATVs, and other ORVs can disrupt wildlife movement and native plant communities more than human-powered activities. A perfect example is the Mallard Larkins Pioneer Area, she says. Gallaugher recently surveyed the area, which is not open to motorized use. She and her team found a healthy and diverse ecosystem with no noxious weeds. Across the road, however, a spot open to vehicular use was inundated with spotted knapweed, St. John’s Wort, and other invasive plants.  

The take-home message is that when animal and plant communities have enough room and resources, without too many human-caused impacts, native plants and animals and natural processes can more easily flourish, making those roadless wild areas and the lands that connect them all the more valuable.  

Photo Courtesy of The Great Burn Conservation Alliance

The Connection Between People and Place 

U.S. public lands have seen a huge uptick in the number of recreational visitors since the pandemic, and according to Gallagher, here in the Inland Northwest, the I-90 corridor is especially susceptible to heavy use. Add to that a decrease in forest service staff dedicated to trail and facility maintenance, impact monitoring and law enforcement, and some of the surrounding lands have begun to suffer. 

Melanie Vining, executive director of Idaho Trails Association, echoed these sentiments, saying that in areas as remote and undeveloped as the Great Burn, it doesn’t take very many people to have an impact on the land. “Even when people love the land, they still have an impact on it, whether that’s positive or negative,” Vining says.  

Gallaugher and I discussed how recreating responsibly might look different depending on where you are and what you’re doing, as well as the importance of always doing your best to limit your impacts on the land when out enjoying it, whether you’re backpacking, riding a dirt bike, or driving to a trailhead. With the advocacy and stewardship work that the GBCA provides, as well as several highly recommended hikes the area has to offer, there are many ways to explore and learn to love the proposed Great Burn Wilderness Area.  

Photo Courtesy of the Great Burn Conservation Alliance

Getting Out in the Great Burn  

Gallaugher hopes to see more volunteers getting out into the Great Burn via trail work crews and stewardship trips to prepare the land and trails to handle the ever-increasing number of visitors.  

“Our stewardship trips are a great way to get involved. Activities on these volunteer trips range from trail maintenance, trail clearing, campsite impact monitoring, weed pulling, vegetation monitoring, and wildlife surveys,” she says. Throughout the trip, members of the GBCA act as guides to the land, teaching history, stewardship practices, educating about invasive plants and animals, and talking about responsible recreation.  

“Ecosystems are complex,” Vining says, “but you don’t have to be a scientist in order to learn about them.” Sometimes, it’s about doing good old-fashioned research, or learning about the interconnectedness of the land to fully appreciate and want to protect it. 

There is an important sense of ownership that comes from volunteering out in the wilds. Whether that’s through trail work or restoration projects, take the opportunity to draw a connection between yourself and the wild world around you. It is in knowing and attempting to understand a place that we begin to care for it. 

Bri Loveall is eager to go spring camping in the woods again. She is also planning to attend a GBCA stewardship project this summer.  

Check out the latest news from GBCA here.

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6 Interpretive Trails in the inland nw to Hike this Spring  https://outthereventure.com/6-inland-nw-interpretive-trails/ https://outthereventure.com/6-inland-nw-interpretive-trails/#respond Sat, 29 Mar 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://outthereventure.com/?p=57621 By James P. Johnson   Cover photo courtesy of USFS If someone puts up a sign next to a hiking trail, I’ll stop and read it. If I’ve read it before, even multiple times, I’ll still stop and read it since I’m not at the top of the rankings for reading retention.  A hiking trail with […]

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By James P. Johnson  

Cover photo courtesy of USFS

If someone puts up a sign next to a hiking trail, I’ll stop and read it. If I’ve read it before, even multiple times, I’ll still stop and read it since I’m not at the top of the rankings for reading retention. 

A hiking trail with interpretive signage is a pleasant curiosity that adds enjoyment to a hike. I’m an avid hiker and often do demanding, day-long hikes that go deep into remote areas where I don’t see another person all day. But I also like interpretive trails that are close to towns, short, and can be busy with hikers. 

That’s the case with the following hiking areas. When the rare pleasant spring day comes along, combining a scenic drive in the country with a short, informative hike and a stop for food and drink can be as fun as a grueling sun-up to sundown 20-miler, though I think most people would say the scenic drive and short hike sounds a lot more fun. 

The following hikes’ interpretive signage provides information about the unique natural and human history of the site. 

Photo courtesy of Shallan Knowles

Pioneer Park Kalispel Heritage Trail—This recently reconstructed trail, a couple miles outside Newport, Wash., has a dozen new interpretive signs that explain the archeological finds of a former Kalispel tribal encampment on the banks of the Pend Oreille River. I found the information about how traditional Native Americans lived and used the site very interesting. Despite much reading on this topic, some facts were new to me. 

Less than a half-mile long, consisting of paths and a boardwalk, the trail is within a Forest Service campground, Pioneer Park, and accessed when the campground is open, from the Friday before Memorial Day to the last Monday in September. Unless you’re camping, there’s a day use fee of $10. During the off season, an employee at the Newport Ranger Station told me locals often park at the gated entrance to walk about the campground. You may be able to do so as well as long as you don’t block the way in case access is needed. 

Photo courtesy of USFS

Pulaski Tunnel Trail—Just outside Wallace, Idaho, this well-maintained trail has a dozen fairly new signs. The first 725 feet of the trail is ADA compliant, and you’ll find several interpretive signs; however, to reach the tunnel where Pulaski and his men sheltered from fire it’s an out-and-back hike totaling 4 miles with a few short, steep sections, several bridge crossings, and 800 feet of elevation gain. The trail follows a creek at the bottom of a deep ravine and in March, may still be snow-covered, which was the case when I hiked it, thus a hiking stick or trekking poles would be helpful. 

The signage gives details about the The Big Burn, the well-known 1910 wildfire that scorched millions of acres. Led by Ed Pulaski, a Forest Service ranger, a group of firefighters made it to a mining tunnel as the uncontrolled blaze ravaged everything around them. Sheltering in the tunnel allowed 39 of the 45 men to survive. No fee or pass required to hike. 

Photo Courtesy of USFS

Waikiki Springs Natural Area—On the outskirts of Spokane along the Little Spokane River, this area gets lots of visitation. With its open ponderosa forest and southern exposure, you may find wildflowers blooming by the end of March, the earliest of all these areas. It’s about a 2-mile round trip to peruse the half dozen interpretive signs on the north side of the river. I used to live near this preserve and regularly ran there in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. The Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, with an assist by the Washington Trails Association, have since constructed more trails to go with the signs, which is a nice add-on should you opt for additional hiking. 

The site used to be a large dairy in the early 20th century. It was owned by Jay P. Graves, a wealthy landowner who donated other land for Manito Park and Whitworth University. The signage details this use as well as info about geology, wildlife, first peoples’ history, and efforts to restore the river ecosystem. A Washington State Discover pass is required for trailhead parking. 

Photo Courtesy of USFS

Log Flume Interpretive Trail—Sitting next to Highway 20 a bit more than 10 miles west of Kettle Falls, Wash., this rest stop has a half-mile, paved trail. In the early 20th Century, the Kettle Range was heavily logged, and part of a log’s journey here was via a log flume, traveling downhill, pushed by water flowing in the flume. Flume remnants can be seen along with interpretive signage explaining the history of early day logging in the Kettles. No fee or pass necessary.  

Mill Pond Historic Site—About 5 miles from Metaline Falls, Wash., near Sullivan Lake, this is the site of a dam on Sullivan Creek that was built to store water for a flume that powered a hydroelectric generation plant downstream and was removed in 2017. The drained pond has been returned to its former natural condition and updates to the Mill Pond campground, day use area, trails, and interpretive signs were completed. There are no day use fees. 

A couple miles of trails run through and around the former Mill Pond. The interpretive signs give information about the site and early Metaline Falls history. 

Mullan Trail Historical Site—Adjacent to I-90 and about 13 miles east of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, remnants of the Mullan Trail can be seen, a road constructed through what was then unsettled wilderness beginning in 1859. It ran from Fort Benton, Mont., to Fort Walla Walla, Wash. The half-mile trail is in need of a little maintenance, but the signage is still readable. Just off the exit at the top of Fourth of July Pass, the site is well-wooded, but with the freeway nearby, it’s not as quiet as the other hikes. 

Unless maintenance work is being done, these sites can be accessed year-round. Information and directions for each can be found by Googling the hike name. 

James P. Johnson has been using his running lifestyle blog,IMustRunEverywhere.com, as a construct for absurdist humor. Despite doing it since 2013, he continues to crave whatever chuckles it can elicit. 

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Inland NW Trail & Outdoor News  https://outthereventure.com/inland-nw-trail-outdoor-news-6/ https://outthereventure.com/inland-nw-trail-outdoor-news-6/#respond Tue, 16 Jul 2024 08:00:00 +0000 https://outthereventure.com/?p=55390 Cover photo courtesy of Shallan Knowles Free Outdoor Entertainment  Fundraisers  Conservation, Stewardship & Volunteer Opportunities 

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Cover photo courtesy of Shallan Knowles

Free Outdoor Entertainment 

  • Chelan-Douglas Land Trust is hosting a free Hike for Health series each month throughout the year. The mid-summer outings are at Chelan River Trail on July 20 and Stormy Creek Preserve on Aug. 17. For each event, participants can choose between a guided interpretive walk or a self-guided hike and will receive a ticket for a raffle drawing for health-centered prizes. 
  • Aug. 4 is the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act, a fee-free day for entry to all National Parks. 
  • Start indoors on Aug. 17 with a showing of the film The Big Burn at the Rex Theatre in Thompson Falls to mark the 114th anniversary of the 1910 wildfires, then follow it up with a hike on the Pulaski Trail outside Wallace on Aug. 18 with Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness. Friends of Scotchman Peaks will be offering several other free summer outings in July and August, ranging from foraging to family camping to strenuous backpack trips.  

Fundraisers 

  • Okanogan Highlands Alliance will be hosting their annual Get Lost trail race and camping weekend July 6-7. Enjoy beautiful Lost Lake and learn more about OHA on Saturday, then lace up for Sunday’s trail race with distance options of 3, 7 or 10 miles. 
  • Support Kaniksu Land Trust’s Pine Street Woods in Sandpoint at “In a Landscape — Classical Music in the Wild” the evening of Monday, July 29. Pianist Hunter Noack will play a grand piano, and the audience is encouraged to wander through Pine Street Woods while listening via wireless headphones. Tickets are $40. 
Yellow balsamroot flowers at Riverside State Park.
Photo Courtesy Shallan Knowles

Conservation, Stewardship & Volunteer Opportunities 

  • American Hiking Society is hosting a week-long volunteer vacation in the Hurricane Creek drainage of the Eagle Cap Wilderness, Aug. 10-17. Due to grant funding for this project, there is a reduced registration fee of $250 for this pack-supported backpack trip with meals and snacks provided by AHS. 
  • Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance will be hosting a volunteer work party at Jungle Hill near the Kettle Crest on July 20-21 as a portion of their Kettle Fest event. 
  • Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness will be leading several trail work projects throughout the summer, including work on their namesake trail on July 13 and an overnight trip to Star Gulch July 27-28. 
  • Hells Canyon Recreation Collaborative and Idaho Trails Association will be partnering for a project at the historic Kirkwood Ranch in Hells Canyon on July 15-17. Volunteers will receive jetboat transportation to and from the project location each day, along with materials that need to be staged for a bridge replacement project. The work will consist of helping move materials closer to the project site.  
  • Idaho Trail Association has a full summer schedule, with highlights including a Fault Lake daytrip on July 13, multi-day offerings like their Pend Oreille Divide project Aug. 15-18, and week-long adventures like their project at Heart Lake in the Mallard Larkin Pioneer Area from Aug. 4-10. See their website for the full list.  
  • Pacific Northwest Trail Association will add trail maintenance projects to the volunteer calendar throughout the summer, including unique opportunities to help pack in supplies for backcountry professional trail crews. One such opportunity is in support of the Whistler Canyon crew on Aug. 10-11. Traditional trail work events will also be available. 
  • Wallowa Mountains—Hells Canyon Trails Association will be moving trail projects to the high country for the summer season, including projects at North Fork Catherine Creek July 14-18 and North Minam Meadows Aug. 2-6.  
  • Washington Trails Association will be hosting Spokane-area daytrip projects at Mica Peak and Mount Spokane throughout the summer months, as well as backpacking trips including the Salmo Loop Aug. 1-4 and the Shedroof Divide at Shedroof Mountain Aug. 16-19.  

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Ride the Idaho Panhandle https://outthereventure.com/ride-the-idaho-panhandle/ https://outthereventure.com/ride-the-idaho-panhandle/#respond Mon, 09 Oct 2023 08:00:00 +0000 https://outthereventure.com/?p=53705 Explore all six of the trails of the Coeur d’Alenes Labor Day ushers in moderate temps and clear skies. Deciduous trees flare with color. Our bike trails are more easily traversed. And our unique eateries are over the summer rush. These are a few reasons why it’s a great time to bike and play in the Idaho […]

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Explore all six of the trails of the Coeur d’Alenes

Labor Day ushers in moderate temps and clear skies. Deciduous trees flare with color. Our bike trails are more easily traversed. And our unique eateries are over the summer rush. These are a few reasons why it’s a great time to bike and play in the Idaho Panhandle’s Silver Valley. 

The varied trails of the Coeur d’Alenes—the Hiawatha, Nor-Pac (Northern Pacific), Milwaukee Road, Olympian, Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, and the Centennial—remain open and ready for your fall visit with fall colors and local history along the way.

The incredible, downhill Route of the Hiawatha rail trail with its 10 tunnels and seven trestles takes riders from Interstate 90 smack dab into the Idaho backcountry via the St. Paul Pass tunnel (Taft Tunnel). Coursing through the Bitterroot Mountains, the “hardly have to pedal,” user-friendly path drops 1,000 vertical feet over its 15-mile length. Take the leisurely one-way downhill cycle and then a timely, on-the-trail shuttle back to the top. Or, make it an even bigger day with a round-trip pedal. The last day of the season is September 17 so don’t delay. Contact Lookout Pass for trail and shuttle passes and rental gear.

The Northern Pacific Trail (Nor-Pac) rail trail connects the Hiawatha with the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes on its non-paved, multi-use track over Lookout Pass. The Nor-Pac runs 21 miles from Taft, Mont., to Mullan, Idaho, offering more recreational seclusion and fun. Along its route, the trail passes left-behind railroad structures. Take the easy detour around the closed Borax tunnel. 

Rail-trail extensions of the Hiawatha through the East Portal (Olympian) east to St. Regis, Mont., and from Pearson (Milwaukee Road) west all the way to St. Maries, Idaho, via Avery offer more miles of backcountry biking. Uncrowded trails, primitive USFS and private campsites, and other varied lodging venues exist where deer and elk outnumber people. The Milwaukee Road is part of the Bitterroot 300 (B300), a 185-mile route that includes the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, Nor-Pac, and Hiawatha trails as well as other connectors for an unparalleled loop ride. To make the most of your B300 ride, start in historic Wallace, going clockwise to get the primary climb over Lookout Pass out of the way. Also, be sure to acquire a shuttle from St. Maries to Heyburn State Park (Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes) to avoid a precarious pedal on Idaho State Rt. 5.  

The 73-mile paved, non-motorized Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, part of the Great American Rail Trail system, crosses the Idaho Panhandle with multiple trailheads, allowing cyclists, rollerbladers and trekkers to enjoy untamed flora and fauna and small-town charm in Wallace, Harrison, Kellogg, Mullan, and Cataldo. History of our storied mining heritage—inclusive of mining wars, union uprisings, fortunes gained and lost, the Buffalo Soldiers, and the Big Burn (aka the 1910 Fire)—abounds along the trail.

Further west, the paved Centennial Trail explores Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene along its 23-mile length. Along the east end of the trail from Higgins Point, ride this recreational delight with super lake views and many historical markers, benches, and restrooms. Heading west into Coeur d’Alene, Tubbs Hill and City Park are gateways to the city’s eateries, breweries, shopping, carousel, museums, and more. Farther west the trail follows along the Spokane River into the Riverstone complex with more urban amenities before continuing on to Post Falls and the state-line junction with the Spokane River Centennial Trail.

Our North Idaho trails offer great opportunity for families, individuals and friends to experience a short visit on foot or bicycle or a multi-day cycling excursion. Take time to explore the local lodging, eateries, watering holes, and historic and cultural attractions. For fall trip ideas, inquiries, or free trail maps, contact Prime Minister Rick at Friendsofthecdatrails.org.

(Provided by Wallace, Idaho’s official Prime Minister and local trail advocate Rick Schafer.)

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Small-Town Museums of the Inland NW https://outthereventure.com/small-town-museums-of-the-inland-nw/ https://outthereventure.com/small-town-museums-of-the-inland-nw/#respond Fri, 30 Sep 2022 18:57:20 +0000 https://outthereventure.com/?p=51486 Learn fascinating history by exploring small-town museums of the Inland NW, including Davenport and Colville, WA, and Wallace, ID.

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Explore the history of the places where we play by visiting small-town museums around the Inland Northwest.

A surprising number of intriguing and entertaining small-town museums stand along the routes to the Inland Northwest’s hiking, biking and boating destinations. These museums offer the outdoor enthusiast a new perspective on the natural areas to which they travel.

The region’s human history dates back thousands of years and is inextricably tied to the natural world. Our forests, waterways, fish and wildlife have supported indigenous communities, settlers, adventurers, towns, and industries.

As a matter of fact, it would be surprising to visit anywhere in the region that does not already have a human story attached to it. Those stories, when known, add depth, meaning, and greater connection to our favorite places.

An indigenous-made sturgeon-nosed canoe.
Small-town museum: The Keller Heritage Center includes a display of a sturgeon-nosed canoe. // Photo: Tabitha Gregory.

The museums listed below are all worth a stop. Displays are arranged chronologically and in categories (think arrow heads, baskets, typewriters, household implements, and farm tools). Dioramas are packed with artifacts – sometimes to overflowing.

In addition, on the grounds of the museums below you’ll find cabins, a one-room schoolhouse, fire lookouts, sawmills, a chapel, and a full-sized 1910 house filled with original furnishings and décor.

Keep in mind that these facilities are largely operated on a shoestring budget and managed by volunteers. Small town museums typically begin with family collections and grow largely by happenstance and generosity. Exhibits and labels are crafted over decades, often by local old timers or volunteers, and reflect their own unique perspectives, interests, outlooks, and sensitivities.

Visitors may choose to view exhibits as a starting point for understanding timelines, themes, and historical figures of our region’s history, then take a deeper dive by reading some of the many well-written and researched articles and books out there.

Forested dirt trail winding through the forest.
Wolf Trails in Newport, WA. // Photo courtesy of Gayne Sears.

Pend Oreille County Museum Historical Society (Newport, Wash.)

On the way from Spokane to Schweitzer, Sandpoint, Priest Lake, and Lake Pend Oreille, this museum is operated by the Pend Oreille County Historical Society.

It includes artifacts and antiques representing the region’s lifestyles and industry including needlework, household implements, typewriters, cash registers, musical instruments, tools, machinery, and vehicles. There is also an impressive and comprehensive collection of tools used for cutting and managing ice.

Don’t miss the mockups of a sawmill, cabin, fire lookout tower, schoolhouse, and chapel, all of which are walk-in and hands-on.

The museum is located in the historic I. & W.N. Depot Building at 402 S. Washington Ave. in Newport, Wash. Admission is $5 per adult (children free), and hours are Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday 1-4 p.m., and it’s open May 28 through September 5. More info at Pochsmuseum.org.

A old vintage mining photo from 1909.
A old vintage mining photo from 1909. // Photo courtesy Western Mining History Museum.

Wallace District Mining Museum (Wallace, Idaho)

This is a great stop on trips to Lookout Pass, the Route of the Hiawatha, Silver Mountain Bike Park, Fourth of July Pass, or adventures in Montana. The museum at 509 Bank Street is operated by the Wallace District Mining Museum.

Learn about mining history of the Coeur d’Alene Mining District (particularly the large silver mines), geology, methods used for mining over the past century, women and Black miners’ contributions, and the 1910 Big Burn. Cool artifacts include a mine “bicycle.”

Admission is $5 adults with discounts for families, and the museum is open daily from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. More info at Wallaceminingmuseum.com.

Black and white vintage photo of Wallace, Idaho, after the Great Fires of 1910, with burned down buildings.
Wallace after the Great Fires of 1910. // Photo courtesy Wallace District Mining Museum Archives.

Spokane Valley Heritage Museum (Spokane Valley, Wash.)

Visit this museum in the Opportunity Township Hall building at E. 12114 Sprague Ave. as part of a day-trip to the Dishman Hills, Iller Creek, Saltese Uplands, or Antoine Peak trailheads.

Learn about namesakes of some of the area’s popular hiking destinations and natural areas; Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe; the pioneer towns of Opportunity and Spokane Bridge that were razed to make way for I-90; military, and telecommunications, railroads, and early-1900’s school- and home-life.

Don’t miss the 1899 mud shoes fabricated by Peter Morrison for his horses to wear to keep them from sinking into the mud while dredging canals that drained Saltese Lake.

Admission is $6 for adults (discounts for military, seniors, and children), and hours run Wednesday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. year-round. More info: Spokanevalleymuseum.com.

Dirt trail traversing a hillside, with yellow, orange, and purple wildflowers along the sides.
Saltese Uplands Conservation // Photo: Aaron Theisen, Courtesy of Inland Northwest Land Conservancy.

Keller Heritage Center (Colville, Wash.)

Take a tour of this museum operated by the Stevens County Historical Society on your next trip to the Colville National Forest, upper Columbia River, or Canada.

Highlights include pre-inundation Kettle Falls and the first bridge crossing the falls; clothing, tools, and implements crafted and used by early indigenous people including regalia, baskets, and arrow heads; the Hudson’s Bay Company and its trapping history; military history including the early U.S. Army installation of Fort Colville; U.S. Border Patrol; regional agricultural, mining, and timber development; Colville’s early 1900’s civic, home, and town life.

Especially cool artifacts include a photo of eels hauled out on rocks of the pre-inundation Kettle Falls, a sturgeon-nosed canoe, and a Nez Perce woven corn husk bottle.

Located at 700 N. Wynne St. in Colville, Wash., admission is $5 for adults with discounts for seniors, people with disabilities, children, and groups. Hours run daily May and September from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and June through August from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday–Thursday and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Friday–Sunday. More info at Stevenscountyhistoricalsociety.org.

ail during fall, with vibrant yellow leaves on trees.
Sullivan Lakeshore Trail, Colville National Forest. // Photo: Holly Weiler

Lincoln County Historical Museum (Davenport, Wash.)

On the way to Lake Roosevelt and the Channeled Scablands trailheads, Davenport’s small-town museum is operated by the Lincoln County Historical Society.

It includes early Native tools and implements, mammoth fossils, Pioneer Bottling Works, the story of outlaw Harry Tracy, grain farming then and now, Fort Spokane history and early 1900’s domestic life history, and railroad and bridge building. An especially cool artifact is the humongous horse-drawn thresher used to harvest crops.

Located at 600 7th Street in Davenport, Wash., suggested admission is $4 for adults and hours run June 7 for the summer from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and Sundays by appointment. More info: Lincolncountymuseums.org.

Originally published as “Exploring the History of the Places Where We Play” in the July-August 2022 print issue.

Explore nature and history on one of the biggest lakes in Washington. Photo courtesy of National Park Service
Explore nature and history on one of the biggest lakes in Washington, State. // Photo courtesy of the National Park Service

Tabitha Gregory is a former director of a local history museum and has written about local history topics for Out There. She’s the author of the non-fiction book “Valdez Rises: One Town’s Struggle for Survival After the Great Alaska Earthquake.”

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National Buffalo Soldiers Trail Under Consideration https://outthereventure.com/national-buffalo-soldiers-trail-under-consideration/ Sat, 26 Sep 2020 15:00:00 +0000 https://outthereventure.com/?p=44395 By Dave Copelan Wallace, Idaho  Largely forgotten for over a century, the story of what may be America’s greatest ever cycling adventure could finally be getting its due, courtesy of a proposed National Buffalo Soldiers Trail.  Back in 1897, U.S. Buffalo Soldiers, a group of all African American soldiers, were ordered to pedal 1,900 miles from Ft. Missoula to St. […]

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By Dave Copelan

Wallace, Idaho 

Largely forgotten for over a century, the story of what may be America’s greatest ever cycling adventure could finally be getting its due, courtesy of a proposed National Buffalo Soldiers Trail. 

Back in 1897, U.S. Buffalo Soldiers, a group of all African American soldiers, were ordered to pedal 1,900 miles from Ft. Missoula to St. Louis in full uniform, through the very worst terrain and weather on 35 lb one-speed bikes. The riders packed tents, tools, rifles, and ammo with them while settling for hard tack for meals. 

Why? Back then America’s military was looking at ways to move troops faster than marching, cheaper than horses, and nimbler than trains. Both men and gear proved up to the task, averaging nearly 50 miles a day in their 41-day transcontinental trek, earning them the nickname “the Iron Riders.” 

That largely forgotten triumph has become acutely relevant today. The pandemic is coaxing millions outside and onto bicycles. Meanwhile interest in America’s historic race relations has also increased. 

In response the National Park Service, Buffalo Soldier organizations, and area tourism and outdoor recreation interests are now in the preliminary stages of getting the Iron Riders’ epic trek recognized as part of a National Buffalo Soldiers Trail.  

Back in 1897, U.S. Buffalo Soldiers, a group of all African American soldiers, were ordered to pedal 1,900 miles from Ft. Missoula to St. Louis in full uniform, through the very worst terrain and weather on 35 lb one-speed bikes. The riders packed tents, tools, rifles, and ammo with them while settling for hard tack for meals.
Buffalo Soldiers. // Photo courtesy of Historic Wallace Chamber of Commerce.

“The Park Service talked to us about a possible National Buffalo Soldiers Trail in June,” says Wallace Idaho Chamber of Commerce spokesperson Rick Shaffer, who is also the president of the non-profit Friends of the Coeur d’Alene Trails. “Since then we’ve been working with them and other partners to get the wheels rolling on the project,” he adds. 

The connections to Wallace are considerable. The town is a decades’ long proponent of rail trail tourism and also has strong connections with Buffalo Soldiers. Units were stationed there to quell 1890s labor unrest as well as to save the town from America’s largest ever wildland fire in 1910

Last year, Wallace invited Iron Rider re-enactors to cycle the Route of the Hiawatha and the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes along with special meet-and-greet events in the city. That relationship has flowered into several joint projects, including this proposed National Buffalo Soldiers Trail.   

Where will this cooperation lead? Maybe to a coast-to-coast 4,000-mile rail trail. The Rails to Trails Conservancy announced last year that its proposed Great American Rail Trail, stretching from Puget Sound to Washington D.C., was just over halfway complete. The biggest uncompleted stretches are in Montana, Wyoming, and Nebraska—nearly the same path pedaled by Buffalo Soldiers in 1897. 

“We’re hopeful the Iron Riders’ feats will inspire policy makers to complete the Great American Rail Trail,” says Shaffer. “Since Wallace would be right on that coast to coast trail, we would welcome the chance to tell the Buffalo Soldiers’ story to folks pedaling through.” 

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The Great Fires of 1910 https://outthereventure.com/the-great-fires-of-1910/ Tue, 17 Sep 2019 15:23:13 +0000 https://outthereventure.com/?p=39750 Forty-year-old Edward Crockett Pulaski—known as “Big Ed” because he was 6 feet, 4 inches tall—was much older than his fellow U.S. Forest Service colleagues when he was hired as an assistant ranger in the summer of 1908. The Forest Service had only been established three years prior by President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt and the first […]

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Forty-year-old Edward Crockett Pulaski—known as “Big Ed” because he was 6 feet, 4 inches tall—was much older than his fellow U.S. Forest Service colleagues when he was hired as an assistant ranger in the summer of 1908. The Forest Service had only been established three years prior by President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt and the first head of the Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot. Born in Ohio, Pulaski moved to the Inland Northwest when he was only 16 years old and in search of work during the gold rush in Murray, Idaho. 

Heroic assistant forest ranger and firefighter Ed Pulaski. // Photo courtesy of Creative Commons.

Pulaski, along with other rangers and hundreds of firefighters, toiled relentlessly during the summer of the Great Fires of 1910. Multiple wildfires ravaged the drought-stricken forests in the region. His actions during the “Big Blowup” (also called the Big Burn)—when hurricane-force winds inundated the region on Aug. 20-21 and merged the fires—is what made Pulaski a genuine American hero. The blowup’s epicenter included the Coeur d’Alene and St. Joe National Forests, what is now mapped as the “southern two-thirds of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests,” according to the U.S. Forest Service. Unable to escape the firestorm, more than 80 firefighters perished. 

In Wallace, thousands of residents fled on trains summoned from Spokane to rescue them. In the forest near town, Pulaski and his firefighting crew of about 45 men were overcome by the firestorm. He led them to seek shelter in an old mineshaft tunnel. At the entrance he fought the fire with his bare hands and a wet blanket, as recounted by Pulaski in his first-person account, which was published as the winning entry in a Ranger Essay Contest years later. Flames seared his eyes and severely burned his hands and face. When panicked men tried to flee the tunnel, Pulaski threatened them at gunpoint so they’d stay. That night of Aug. 20, fire raged for five hours around the tunnel, and everyone was unconscious from smoke inhalation; five men would not survive that night.

A ranger station no longer in use sits deep in the national forest where you can still see evidence of the Great Fires of 1910, // Photo: Amy McCaffree.

When it was finally safe to leave, Pulaski, though now blinded, led them to the hospital in Wallace, where he would stay two months recovering from burns and pneumonia. Afterwards he advocated the Forest Service to pay for his crew’s hospital bills. Pulaski’s wife and daughter, Emma and Elsie, also survived the fire, having sought refuge on a rock pile of mine tailings, as Pulaski had told them to do if they needed to evacuate their home.

The following year, in 1911, in his blacksmith shop, Pulaski invented a re-design of a tool that’s now known simply as the “pulaski”—a two-bladed combo of ax and adze (grub hoe), used today by wildland firefighters.

Pulaski continued working as an assistant ranger for the Wallace district for the next 20 years. According to historian Stephen J. Pyne, in the ensuing years after the Great Fires, Pulaski oversaw recovery of the area—replanting seedlings, salvaging burned timber, and reconstructing trails and phone lines. He also tended to the graves of the fallen firefighters and advocated for memorial sites. 

Today, the Great Burn Recommended Wilderness Area is 275,000 acres of roadless wilderness in the Lolo and Nez Perce/Clearwater National Forests straddling the Montana-Idaho border. First proposed to Congress by the U.S. Forest Service more than 40 years ago, the Great Burn Conservation Alliance continues advocacy of official wilderness protection.

Today’s Great Burn proposed Wilderness Area. // Photo by Tim Faber, courtesy of Great Burn Conservation Alliance.

Historic Great Burn Sites 

  • Pulaski Tunnel Trail and Pulaski Historic Site4 miles round-trip with interpretative signs to the tunnel overlook. Trailhead located off the road to Moon Pass, less than 10 minutes outside of Wallace.
  • Ghost Cedars: Located near Avery, the Cedar Graveyardwetlands of the North Fork of the St. Joe River have large, standing dead cedars (called snags). 
  • Firefighter Memorials/Gravesites: (1) Nine Mile Cemetery, Wallace – final resting place for firefighters and townspeople who perished during the Great Burn; (2) Forest Cemetery, Coeur d’Alene – Ed and Emma Pulaski gravesites. (3) Woodlawn Cemetery, St. Maries –Firefighter memorial.
  • See “Day Trip Guide to Historic Sites in Idaho and Montana” for more info. 

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Recreation in the Silver Valley: The Local Perspective https://outthereventure.com/recreation-in-the-silver-valley-the-local-perspective/ Tue, 03 Sep 2019 20:08:27 +0000 https://outthereventure.com/?p=39560 Biking, hiking, fishing, going on historical tours—a better question may be, What isn’t there to do in the Silver Valley? Strap on your rollerblades and cruise the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes with an ice cream cone as you roll straight onto the trail from the historic town of Wallace. Ride through tunnels and over sky-high trestles […]

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Biking, hiking, fishing, going on historical tours—a better question may be, What isn’t there to do in the Silver Valley?

Strap on your rollerblades and cruise the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes with an ice cream cone as you roll straight onto the trail from the historic town of Wallace. Ride through tunnels and over sky-high trestles between forested mountain peaks on the Route of the Hiawatha. Pump up your adrenaline as you ride downhill at the Silver Mountain Resort bike park. Spend an afternoon fishing on the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alenes or hike with your pole to alpine lake and fish for trout. Pan for gold, hunt for gemstones, or take a historic tour of a local town or old mining operation.

Your time in the Silver Valley can be low-key or action-packed as you take a long weekend to explore. But, don’t take our word for it. Listen to the locals. 

Mike Domy, owner of Excelsior Cycle & Sport Shop // Photo courtesy of Debbie Domy.

Mike Domy, owner/ operator of Excelsior Cycle & Sport Shop

“For one thing, a weekend isn’t long enough,” begins Mike Domy, owner of Excelsior Cycle & Sport Shop in Kellogg, Idaho, and long-time resident of the Silver Valley, as he ponders all there is to do. Domy moved to the Silver Valley in 1983 at the height of the local depression, as Bunker Hill had recently shut down. Domy has seen the town not only recover but grow and boom into the recreation hub that it is today. A few things that made him stay include the world-class biking trails, refreshing and uncrowded mountain hikes, and stunning scenery. 

“Within a 20-mile radius of Kellogg there’s probably 20 mountain lakes. They’re just gorgeous, and there’s hardly ever anyone there, so it’s like you have your own private lake for the afternoon. You don’t have to backpack with freeze-dried foods and a tent, you just go up there for your picnic lunch and come back,” says Domy. 

The Silver Valley is also a popular biking destination for mountain and road bikers alike, and Domy’s shop rents bikes all season. He recommends the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes for road bikers, nature lovers, and families, or the dirt Hiawatha Trail for fun and easy riding. A family weekend for mountain bike lovers includes parking overnight at Silver Mountain Resort and letting kids play on the BMX track. 

Domy’s top three weekend recommendations, other than biking, include taking a scenic drive around Thompson Falls, fishing at local lakes and rivers, and spending an afternoon walking around downtown Wallace for museums, gift shops, ice cream, and more. His most favorite activity, though, might be hiking. 

“In addition to the lakes, there are mountain peaks you can hike to. I like the grittiness of it, of going up and getting firewood. Other people go up and gold pan and live the Old West style and it’s not pretentious here. You don’t have to dress like a logger or a gold-panner to go up and have a little fun at those things,” says Domy. 

Flying down Silver // Photo courtesy of Silver Mountain Bike Park.

Siobhan Ebel, Marketing Assistant at Silver Mountain Resort

“I like the small-town feel, and you’re close to everything,” says Siobhan Ebel of Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, Idaho, when she thinks of the best aspect of the Silver Valley. “I can ride my bike to work, or I can ski to my house in the winter.” The amenities and relaxed vibes are just a few of the reasons that Ebel’s made her home in Silver Valley the last few years.

Her top long weekend activities would include spending a few days at Silver Mountain Resort to mountain bike or take a scenic gondola ride. If you’re traveling with kids, the Silver Mountain Water Park is a must. She also recommends taking time to check out the local breweries and restaurants, and stroll downtown Wallace to take in the museums, go for a mine tour, or go zip lining. Catch the Brewfest on Silver Mountain in August for a live music session on top of the mountain with 22 breweries and 2 cideries, including a scenic gondola ride up and down.

General Manager Chase Sanborn and Elsie the dog // Photo from Wallace Brewing Company Facebook page.

Chase Sanborn, General Manager of Wallace Brewing

“We like to tell stories about Wallace here,” says Chase Sanborn of Wallace Brewing. And it’s no surprise—located 80 steps from The Center of the Universe (Wallace, Idaho), Wallace Brewing is surrounded by a rich mining and wild west history.

Sanborn’s ideal long weekend would start with a morning ride from Wallace to Mullan on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. Other top activities would be to ride the Hiawatha Trail, hike the Pulaski Tunnel, and go to downtown Wallace and just listen to the stories. One story he’s committed to memory is that of historic local forest ranger Ed Pulaski, who used the tunnel to survive during the 1910 forest fire when Wallace became a fire epicenter. Sanborn’s recommended reading before you explore the Silver Valley is The Big Burn by Timothy Egan.

(Sponsored Content)

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Take a Long Weekend in Silver Valley, Idaho https://outthereventure.com/take-a-long-weekend-in-silver-valley-idaho/ Tue, 16 Jul 2019 00:17:41 +0000 https://outthereventure.com/?p=38760 Located in North Idaho along the Bitterroot Mountains, the Silver Valley has an extensive Western history and has converted from the mining boom that defined it to a modern-day outdoor recreation mecca. Now, it’s easy to fill a weekend in the Silver Valley’s forested hills, from touring historic mines to checking out the local breweries, fishing, […]

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Located in North Idaho along the Bitterroot Mountains, the Silver Valley has an extensive Western history and has converted from the mining boom that defined it to a modern-day outdoor recreation mecca. Now, it’s easy to fill a weekend in the Silver Valley’s forested hills, from touring historic mines to checking out the local breweries, fishing, golfing, or exploring the trails via biking, hiking, or four-wheeling. Plan to stay three or more days and pack your vacation with unforgettable—and uncrowded—North Idaho tours and recreation. The Silver Valley may just be your new favorite long weekend destination.

The Cataldo Mission // Photo courtesy of the Coeur d’Alenes Old Mission State Park.

History 

The entire Silver Valley is rich with history of mining, logging, and intercontinental railroads. Visit Old Mission State Park, which has the oldest building in Idaho. Once you’ve seen the Cataldo Mission, head to Kellogg, Idaho. In Kellogg you can you spend hours learning about The Bunker Hill Mine and the Silver Mining Industry at the Shoshone County Mining & Smelting Museum, and take a tour of the Crystal Gold Mine. Next stop: Wallace, Idaho. The entire town of Wallace is on the Historic Register, which makes it a hot spot for those who love history. Check out the Northern Pacific Depot Museum, Oasis Bordello Museum, and Wallace Mining Museum, which are all located within walking distance of each other. During July or August, when the sun is hottest, a tour of the Sierra Silver Mine will keep you cool and engaged. With events celebrating local history and many historic sites that you can tour via bike, the Silver Valley has historic flair that will quickly establish a real sense of place.

Radio Brewing's taps
The Taps at Radio Brewing // Photo: S. Michal Bennett.

Breweries

The craft brewery scene is strong in the Silver Valley, making it easy to plan a few days that are just about beer tasting. Radio Brewing Company, based in Kellogg, Idaho, was named after the golden age of radio. They craft brews that take inspiration from the region, like the Idaho River Session, Wildcat Wire Wheat, and Golden Age Lager. Wallace Brewing Company pays homage to the local mining history, creating quality craft beers like the Center of the Universe Scotch Ale. The brewery is also home to historic photos from Wallace’s wild bordello and mining history. North Idaho Mountain Brew (housed in City Limits Brew Pub, a full service restaurant in Wallace) creates microbrews including the Baldy Blonde, the Pulaski Porter (tipping its hat to the local historic Pulaski Tunnel Trail), and Mountain Top Amber. Pair your tasting with a tour of the local history for a full Silver Valley experience. And don’t miss the Brewfest on August 17 at Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg to sample local.

Photo: Nathan Duggan Photography

Shopping

The perfect place to start your long weekend in the Silver Valley is on a Thursday evening at the Silver Valley Community Market in Kellogg City Park. Pick up a reusable community market mug, which will give you $1 off a beer purchase at the market and other discounts when you visit the businesses listed on the mug. The market includes vendors with handmade and homegrown items such as sun-catchers, woodwork, paper crafts, vintage garden markers, and local foods. While you browse, enjoy the live music offered at the community market each week as part of their summer music series. On Tuesday through Saturday in uptown Kellogg you’ll find Lisa’s Gems of the Silver Valley, a shop with a variety of local artisan goods, and Knotty Ridge Creations with locally-inspired merchandise and more. When in Wallace, visit Johnson’s Gems & Collectibles and Sol & Serre for local gifts.

Photo: Nathan Dugan Photography

Recreation 

Biking, hiking, fishing, going on historical tours—a better question may be, What isn’t there to do in the Silver Valley? Strap on your rollerblades and cruise the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes with an ice cream cone as you roll straight onto the trail from the historic town of Wallace. Ride through tunnels and over sky-high trestles between forested mountain peaks on the Route of the Hiawatha. Pump up your adrenaline as you ride downhill at the Silver Mountain Resort bike park. The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes is a great rail-to-trail riding or running option, stretching 72.3 miles between Mullan and Plummer and home to a multitude of wildlife that frequent the surrounding lakes and wetlands. Spend an afternoon fishing on the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alenes or hike with your pole to alpine lake and fish for trout. Pan for gold, hunt for gemstones, or take a historic tour of a local town or old mining operation. Your time in the Silver Valley can be low-key or action-packed. But, don’t take our word for it. Listen to the locals. 

Photo: Nathan Dugan Photography

The Local Perspective

Mike Domy, owner/ operator of Excelsior Cycle & Sport Shop

“For one thing, a weekend isn’t long enough,” begins Mike Domy, owner of Excelsior Cycle & Sport Shop in Kellogg, Idaho, and long-time resident of the Silver Valley, as he ponders all there is to do. Domy moved to the Silver Valley in 1983 at the height of the local depression, as Bunker Hill had recently shut down. Domy has seen the town not only recover but grow and boom into the recreation hub that it is today. A few things that made him stay include the world-class biking trails, refreshing and uncrowded mountain hikes, and stunning scenery. 

“Within a 20-mile radius of Kellogg there’s probably 20 mountain lakes. They’re just gorgeous, and there’s hardly ever anyone there, so it’s like you have your own private lake for the afternoon. You don’t have to backpack with freeze-dried foods and a tent, you just go up there for your picnic lunch and come back,” says Domy. 

The Silver Valley is also a popular biking destination for mountain and road bikers alike, and Domy’s shop rents bikes all season. He recommends the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes for road bikers, nature lovers, and families, or the dirt Hiawatha Trail for fun and easy riding. A family weekend for mountain bike lovers includes parking overnight at Silver Mountain Resort and letting kids play on the BMX track. 

Domy’s top three weekend recommendations, other than biking, include taking a scenic drive around Thompson Falls, fishing at local lakes and rivers, and spending an afternoon walking around downtown Wallace for museums, gift shops, ice cream, and more. His most favorite activity, though, might be hiking. 

“In addition to the lakes, there are mountain peaks you can hike to. I like the grittiness of it, of going up and getting firewood. Other people go up and gold pan and live the Old West style and it’s not pretentious here. You don’t have to dress like a logger or a gold-panner to go up and have a little fun at those things,” says Domy. 

Siobhan Ebel, Marketing Assistant at Silver Mountain Resort

“I like the small-town feel, and you’re close to everything,” says Siobhan Ebel of Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, Idaho, when she thinks of the best aspect of the Silver Valley. “I can ride my bike to work, or I can ski to my house in the winter.” The amenities and relaxed vibes are just a few of the reasons that Ebel’s made her home in Silver Valley the last few years.

Her top long weekend activities would include spending a few days at Silver Mountain Resort to mountain bike or take a scenic gondola ride. If you’re traveling with kids, the Silver Mountain Water Park is a must. She also recommends taking time to check out the local breweries and restaurants, and stroll downtown Wallace to take in the museums, go for a mine tour, or go zip lining. Catch the Brewfest on Silver Mountain in August for a live music session on top of the mountain with 22 breweries and 2 cideries, including a scenic gondola ride up and down.

Chase Sanborn, owner of Wallace Brewing

“We like to tell stories about Wallace here,” says Chase Sanborn of Wallace Brewing. And it’s no surprise—located 80 steps from The Center of the Universe (Wallace, Idaho), Wallace Brewing is surrounded by a rich mining and wild west history.

Sanborn’s ideal long weekend would start with a morning ride from Wallace to Mullan on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. Other top activities would be to ride the Hiawatha Trail, hike the Pulaski Tunnel, and go to downtown Wallace and just listen to the stories. One story he’s committed to memory is that of historic local forest ranger Ed Pulaski, who used the tunnel to survive during the 1910 forest fire when Wallace became a fire epicenter. Sanborn’s recommended reading before you explore the Silver Valley is The Big Burn by Timothy Egan.

Photo courtesy of the Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Kellogg, Idaho // Photo courtesy of the Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Dining & Where to Stay

Those small-town diners that you see in nostalgic television shows really do exist, and they’re better in real life. Check out the Hill Street Depot in Kellogg, the 1313 Club in Wallace (a historic saloon with a diverse menu), and Goose ‘N The Tree in Pinehurst, Idaho.

When you’re done playing for the day, the lodging options in the Silver Valley range from luxurious to rustic. Stay at Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg for unbeatable views and close recreation opportunities, go camping at Country Lane River Resort (located on the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River), or find a more personal vacation rental through Kellogg Vacation Rentals.

Psst. . .take advantage of the Take A Long Weekend Discount! You’ll get 20% off a stay on Thursday nights during market season at Fairbridge Inn in Kellogg. Call 208-783-1234 and mention “Long Weekend.”

Photo: Nathan Dugan Photography

Events

Plan your long weekend to line up with one of these local events for a truly unique trip!

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