Cover photo courtesy of WDFW

Looking for a great place to get outside and explore? The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) manages more than 1 million acres of public lands and over 450 water access areas statewide. As stewards of Washington’s natural places, WDFW protects these lands and waters for wildlife and human populations while providing hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation opportunities.  

In Eastern Washington, there are almost 150,000 acres of WDFW-managed lands. Closest to Spokane is the Rustler’s Gulch Unit of the Sherman Creek Wildlife Area. It features streams, lakes and conifer forests, and offers hiking, biking, horseback riding and wildlife watching. The Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area in Lincoln County is almost 21,000 acres of channeled scablands, shrub-steppe habitat, and lakes. Mule deer hunting is the main draw, complemented by mountain biking and stunning scenery. 

In Southeast Washington, there are almost 79,000 acres of WDFW-managed lands that provide spectacular views, great fishing, prolific wildlife and hiking opportunities. Heller Bar Access Area, part of the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area along the Snake River, is a popular launch spot for powerboats heading into Hells Canyon, the Grande Ronde or Salmon rivers. 

While enjoying these lands, remember that a Discover Pass or WDFW Vehicle Access Pass is required and please respect other wildlife area visitors. Whether hunting, birding, or doing other outdoor activities, each visitor cares deeply about the wildlife and habitat of that area. There are other WDFW-managed lands in Eastern Washington, including the LeClerc, W.T. Wooten, and Revere wildlife areas. More information on those and others is at Wdfw.wa.gov/lands. 

The post Get Outdoors on WDFW Public Lands   appeared first on Out There Venture.

Cover photo courtesy of Jon Jonckers

Long days, cool waters and mountain trails—summer in the Inland Northwest is pure magic. Whether you’re chasing adrenaline or searching for serenity, you’ll find the right outdoor adventure to match your mood in this year’s roundup of summer adventure ideas.

 

Tube or Paddle the Lower Spokane River 
Nothing beats floating the Spokane River on an inflatable tube on a toasty summer day. The water is cool and the rapids are relatively tame on a float from Peaceful Valley downstream from downtown to the take out at T.J. Meenach Bridge, which avoids expert-only rapids farther down river (life jackets required). 

Local river guide and outfitter FLOW Adventures makes this classic Spokane float even easier and more enjoyable with tube rentals and a shuttle service. FLOW also rents cooler tubes for keeping your lunch and refreshments cold. Take your time to stop to look for crawdads, chill on a beach and soak up the slow summer pace of our beautiful urban river. 

Visit the Historic Kettle Falls Historical Center 
Learn about the fur trade and Native American history at the Kettle Falls Historical Center. The area, once a major trading hub, offers exhibits and a rich history of both settlers and Native Americans that gives insight into the area’s past. It’s a great way to experience both history and natural beauty in one spot. The nearby Sherman Creek Wildlife Area offers several hiking trail options to make this a history and hiking trip. 

Ride a Section of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes 
Spanning 73 miles through Idaho’s Silver Valley, the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes is a flat, paved trail with many trailheads to plan a ride of whatever distance your group is up for. This incredible trail includes options for swimming in Lake Coeur d’Alene on the public beach in Harrison, grabbing a bite to eat in one of several towns and viewing wildlife along the trail.  

Explore the Ross Creek Cedars 
Take a walk through one of the few remaining old-growth cedar forests in the region. Located in Montana’s Cabinet Mountains, the towering trees are a wonder to experience up close. A short loop takes hikers past informative signs where you can learn about the role old-growth forests play in the natural world. 

Raft the Clark Fork River 
The Clark Fork River offers thrilling Class III rapids only a couple of hours from Spokane, making it a perfect adrenaline-packed day on the water. Experienced rafters with their own gear should definitely get to know this Class II and III whitewater run through stunning canyons. If you aren’t set up for rafting on your own, book a guided trip with ROW Adventures to safely experience this wild and incredibly scenic whitewater. Guides will share their knowledge about the river canyon and wildlife and find the best swimming spots to cool off between rapids.  

Hunt for Real Fossils at Stonerose Fossil Site in Republic, WA 
The Stonerose Interpretive Center and Eocene Fossil Site allows visitors to split rocks and search for fossils while learning about the prehistoric past of the region. The site is rich in ancient plant fossils, making it a great destination for geology lovers and families alike. Dig your own fossils, explore the interpretive center, and discover the ancient history that shaped the land. Don’t miss the free interpretive center where you can learn all about the fossils you’ll be searching for. 

Try Mountain Biking at Riverside State Park 
Riverside State Park near downtown Spokane offers a wide range of mountain biking trails for riders of all abilities and is one of the most beginner-friendly trail systems in the Inland Northwest. The forgiving trails are perfect for trying mountain biking for the first time or getting kids introduced to singletrack riding. Trails wind for miles through pine forests and along the Spokane River and basalt cliffsides with plenty of mostly-flat trails that take it easy on lungs and legs.  

Go Fishing at Fish Lake Regional Park 
If you live near downtown Spokane, Fish Lake Regional Park near Cheney is a quiet, quick fishing getaway. Only electric boat motors are allowed, which lends to the peaceful vibe on the water that makes this 43-acre lake popular with paddlers and small boats. Landlubbers also have plenty of shoreline to explore while fishing for brook, tiger and rainbow trout among other species. The paved Columbia Plateau Trail passes above the lake and, with the exception of a several mile trail gap between the lake and Spokane, the Fish Lake Trail provides a scenic, paved option for biking to the lake for your angling outing.  

Kayak the Little Spokane River 
The Little Spokane River, known for its calm waters and largely wild shoreline, is a peaceful paddling option for kayakers and paddle boarders, especially since floating the river in tubes as well as swimming and consuming alcohol are not allowed. Paddle through the serene landscape, passing by acres of conservation and park lands that moose, elk, deer and other wildlife call home. It’s a great way to connect with nature and slow down summer. Simplify your float by taking advantage of the Spokane Parks and Recreation river shuttle. 

Learn about Downtown Spokane History on a Walking Tour 
Step back in time with a guided walking tour of some of Spokane’s little-known history and other hidden sites with Wander Spokane. Choose from different themed tours and discover the city’s rich history and beautiful trails and urban wild areas. From historic buildings to significant landmarks, tours offer a deeper understanding of Spokane’s heritage with some tours making stops at craft eateries, breweries and wine-tasting spots.  

Hike the Dishman Hills in Spokane Valley 
Choose from an extensive network of trails that lead hikers through diverse ecosystems, including ponds and wetlands, forests and grasslands. It’s an easy in-town option for a full-day hike with a picnic, or short evening or morning loop hike suitable for all abilities and ages. The area’s tranquility and beauty on the edge of the city makes a hike here feel like a wilderness experience without the long drive. The Dishman Hills Conservancy hosts regular guided hikes and other events where you can learn about this incredible urban wildland. 

Bike the Columbia Plateau Trail 
The full length of the Columbia Plateau Trail stretches 130 miles from Pasco to Cheney, offering scenic views of the surrounding channeled scablands past lakes, wetlands, forests and grasslands. Start your ride in Cheney for an out-and-back pedal, passing through a portion of Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, or arrange a shuttle from one of several trailheads to see more of this crushed-rock rail trail. Time your ride in the morning or evening for the best chance at viewing birds and other wildlife including moose and elk.  

Bike the Route of the Hiawatha  
A must-ride route that should be on everyone’s bucket list, the 15-mile Route of the Hiawatha near Lookout Pass passes through tunnels and over trestle bridges in Idaho’s Bitterroot Mountains. The trail offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and interpretive signs to learn about the history of the trail and nearby communities. It’s also a relatively easy ride with a shuttle option, making it suitable for families and groups of mixed fitness and physical ability. Trail passes are required for the Hiawatha and can be purchased online with shuttles or at Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area, where you can also rent bikes and other gear for the ride. Headlamps required.  

Pedal the Rails on a RailRider Tour 
This unique and active tour involves pedaling retired railroad tracks on a railbike near Metaline Falls in Northeast Washington. Travel through scenic areas that were once only traversed by trains. Tours typically sell out in the summer months, so plan ahead or book a fall trip. 

Go Birdwatching at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge 
Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge near Cheney is a prime spot for birdwatching, with diverse habitats supporting a variety of wildlife. In the summer months, many birds can be observed near ponds and lakes on the 17,000-acre refuge. There are several short trails and wildlife viewing areas along the auto-tour loop with signage. 

Explore the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge Auto-Tour Loop 
The Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge near Colville, Wash., has a 10-mile auto-tour loop that tours through diverse forest habitats. Drive or bike the loop with stops for short hikes and to read the interpretive signs. Morning and evening outings are best for wildlife viewing. There are some excellent riverside campsites too. Gravel bikers and bikepackers can connect additional forest roads for longer day rides or bikepacking adventures. 

Rent a Kayak, Sailboat, or Paddleboard on Lake Coeur d’Alene 
Rent the paddle craft of your choice right on the beach from the North Idaho College-run Sunspot at Ya-Keehn-Um Beach in Coeur d’Alene. Paddle along the lakeshore for a unique view of downtown Coeur d’Alene or explore the waters where the lake and Spokane River meet.  

Bike the Kettle River Heritage Trail in Grand Forks, B.C. 
This super scenic 17k trail just north of the border from Washington follows the path of a historic railroad between Grand Forks and Christina Lake. The rustic crushed rock trail passes through forest and grassland, including the Gilpin Grasslands Provincial Park. Bring your swim suit for a dip or two in the Kettle River. Be sure to check out the spectacular Cascade Gorge Falls near Christina Lake as part of your trip. 

Kayak the Coeur d’Alene River Chain Lakes  

Paddle through a series of interconnected lakes with a good chance of seeing moose and many types of birds. Launch in Harrison, Idaho, and explore multiple connected lakes along the Coeur d’Alene River. 

Stargaze at Steptoe Butte State Park 

Rising nearly 1,000 feet above the rolling Palouse hills, stargazing in the Inland Northwest doesn’t get much better than Steptoe Butte. Drive to the summit at dusk, spread out a blanket and witness the Milky Way spread across the dark sky. The minimal light pollution and 360-degree views make this one of the region’s premier stargazing locations, especially during meteor showers. 

Rock Climb, Paddle or Swim at Q’emiln Park in Post Falls 

Q’emiln Park offers over 40 established rock-climbing routes on its quality granite walls. With options for beginners to experienced climbers, the park provides a perfect introduction to outdoor climbing in a beautiful setting along the Spokane River. After your climb, or if you don’t rock climb, cool off with a swim at the park’s beach or launch your paddleboard or kayak for a serene paddle on the still waters of this section of the Spokane River behind Post Falls Dam. Bring your bike and pedal across the bridge into town for a craft beer or bite to eat in downtown Post Falls. 

Stand-Up Paddleboard on Medical Lake 

Just west of Spokane, Medical Lake provides a perfect setting for stand-up paddleboarding with its calm waters and no-wake policy. The lake’s compact size makes it ideal for beginners, while more experienced paddlers can explore the entire perimeter. Early morning paddling offers the best chance to see local wildlife and enjoy glassy water conditions. 

Hike or Mountain Bike the Trails at 4th of July Pass Near Coeur d’Alene 

Located between Coeur d’Alene and Kellogg right off of I-90, this mellow trail system includes miles of rolling trails on decommissioned forest roads that are used for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. A great option for families or those looking for a close-to-town forest escape.   

Explore the Sullivan Lake Trail 

Sullivan Lake near Metaline Falls, Wash., offers a gorgeous 8.2-mile round-trip trail along the east side of the mostly undeveloped lake in the Colville National Forest. The lake is clean, clear and great for swimming at a few spots along the trail and at the campground beaches at both ends of the trail.  

Go for a Gravel Ride in the Channeled Scablands  

Explore the unique landscape of the channeled scablands on hundreds of miles of gravel roads southwest of Spokane. These quiet, lightly traveled backroads wind through dramatic coulees, past pothole lakes and across rolling farm and ranch lands. Create your own route linking up sections of gravel road with paved-road stretches by starting in Spokane for a longer ride or the college town of Cheney for more manageable options.  

Go Geocaching in Riverside State Park 

Embark on a modern-day treasure hunt in one of Washington’s largest state parks. There are plenty of geocaches hidden in Riverside to keep you busy searching using GPS coordinates. This family-friendly activity combines hiking with problem-solving and can be tailored to any fitness level, from short walks to longer day-hikes. Get started at Geocaching.com. 

Bike the Old Spiral Highway Near Lewiston, Idaho 

Experience a cycling challenge with spectacular views on the Old Spiral Highway near Lewiston, Idaho. This historic road climbs 2,000 feet via dozens of curves and switchbacks, offering increasingly panoramic vistas of the Snake River and surrounding landscape. The 7.3-mile ascent is a favorite among local cyclists looking to test their climbing legs. 

Canoe or Kayak the Lower Pack River 

This section of the Pack River near Sandpoint in the summer is a gentle float suitable for beginners and families. Expect a peaceful paddle through forest and wetlands with frequent wildlife encounters. The slow current and multiple access points make it easy to plan trips of various lengths. 

Go Gold Panning  
This summer, try your luck at recreational gold panning in North Idaho. Pick up a basic gold pan and classifier to screen out large rocks and grab a shovel. No permit is needed for most public lands, but always check current rules and avoid disturbing sensitive aquatic areas. A great option is the privately-owned Eagle City Park gold panning area near Wallace, Idaho. A fee is required to pan this former gold mining hotspot.  

Challenge Yourself on Mica Moon’s Aerial Park 

If you’re craving a treetop thrill, Mica Moon’s aerial park tucked in the mountains near Liberty Lake, Wash., is packed with swinging bridges, balance lines, and ninja-style elements to test your balance and agility. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure course perfect for families and groups of friends. Mica Moon also offers tours on its nine ziplines. 

RV Camp Where It’s Truly Wild 

Tucked into the quiet wilds of Northeast Washington, the Wilds RV Campground is where solitude seekers and outdoor lovers find their sweet spot. This remote private campground offers dispersed-style RV and campervan sites, meaning no shoulder-to-shoulder parking—so you can enjoy the stars and the sounds of the forest. Basecamp here for day trips to nearby Colville National Forest trails and lakes.  

Ride Silver Mountain Bike Park 
Silver Mountain Bike Park turns gravity into your best friend. Load your bike on the gondola, climb 3,400 feet without breaking a sweat, then drop into over 30 miles of trails ranging from beginner-friendly green trails to rooty, rowdy blues and blacks with plenty of jumps and features to challenge yourself.  

Take a Scenic Gondola Ride and a Hike at Silver Mountain 

The gondola at Silver Mountain Resort is North America’s longest, floating you quietly above the trees and canyons for expansive views of Idaho’s Silver Valley. At the top, stretch your legs with a high-country hike and hunt for huckleberries.  
 

The post 100+ Summer Adventures  appeared first on Out There Venture.

Cover photo courtesy of Lisa Laughlin

The 21,000-acres of public wildlife habitat that makes up the Swanson Lakes Wildlife area in the channeled scablands of the Columbia Plateau is a shrub-steppe ecosystem that is dominated by sagebrush and dotted with mesic grasslands, wetlands, potholes, and ponds. The area provides excellent habitat for upland game birds; various species of songbirds, raptors, reptiles, amphibians; and mule deer. Several Washington State at-risk species also call the area home. One of the most critical is the sharp-tailed grouse. It’s a special place and one of the last of its kind on the Columbia Plateau. 

In less than 36 hours over Labor Day weekend in 2020, the Whitney Road fire, fueled by 40 to 50 mile per hour winds, burned huge portions of the Swanson Lakes area, transforming all of that wildlife habitat into a moonscape of dust and ash. In response, members from Pheasants Forever Spokane chapter 800 and Spokane Audubon Society came together with WDFW Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area manager Mike Finch to develop plans to restore part of the burned area near Z Lake. Soon, a native tree and shrub planting project on a 22,500 square foot plot came together. The goal was to create a critically needed winter food source for the sharp-tailed grouse, as well as thermal and escape cover for pheasants, valley quail, and the other wildlife.   

Two days before the restoration project, WDFW rototilled the site, and Pheasants Forever volunteers with the help of WDFW employees laid out 2,000 feet of landscape fabric where the shrubs would be placed to help reduce weed intrusion and retain soil moisture in the harsh, dry growing conditions. On May 11, 2024, multiple groups with diverse passions were able to find common ground around restoring some of the habitat that burned four years back. Eight different species were planted by volunteers, including 700 water birch, aspen, serviceberry, and other native shrubs. The volunteers also installed 70 ten-foot t-posts to secure 750 feet of barrier fencing to keep deer and porcupine from browsing and raise the rate of plant survival. The project may have been only a 22,500 square foot area, but the impact that it will have on the habitat biodiversity over time is immense. For more info about the project, visit  pf800.org (JD Ennis) 

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Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, nestled within the unique Channeled Scablands of Eastern Washington, offers a spectacular array of outdoor recreational opportunities that are sure to delight nature enthusiasts. Visitors can explore miles of scenic trails perfect for hiking, birdwatching, and wildlife photography.  

The refuge, established as a haven for migratory birds, is home to a rich variety of species, making it a prime spot for both amateur and seasoned birdwatchers. Other native wildlife such as moose, elk, otters, and beavers all call the refuge home. Recreation is limited to a 3,300-acre Public Use Area, with the remaining acreage preserved for wildlife. Visitors are encouraged to explore the refuge’s several trails, which wind through wetlands, grasslands, pine forests, and riparian habitats. Whether you’re looking for an energetic outing or a peaceful retreat, Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge provides a serene oasis for all outdoor enthusiasts. 

Located near Cheney and Spokane, Wash., Turnbull is one of over 500 National Wildlife Refuges, the largest system of public lands and waters in the world. Walk for the Wild is a time to celebrate our commitment to deepening human connections with nature and to protecting the thriving ecosystems on which we depend. Join your local community to raise awareness and support of National Wildlife Refuges and their partners while we strive to get people moving a distance of 5K in nature in conjunction with National Wildlife Refuge Week, the second week of October. The goal this year is to get 100 people to participate in the Walk for the Wild who have never been to the Refuge and raise $5,000.00. We invite you to walk, volunteer, and/or donate to this fundraiser at Turnbull NWR! 

Participate in the 5k on Oct. 12, 2024, at 26010 South Smith Road, Cheney, Wash. The 5K walk on Refuge trails is free to participate. Start at the Refuge Headquarters to get a map and progress card to gather stamps along your walk. You can plan your start time for your convenience any time between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the Saturday of the event. 

We invite you to also find out more about the work and programs of the Refuge and the Friends of Turnbull group, visit the Nature Store, and consider supporting the important work of providing habitat for wildlife at Turnbull NWR. 

Sponsored

The post Walk for the Wild 5K at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, Oct. 12  appeared first on Out There Venture.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT 

Bikepacking is a method of recreation that entails riding your bicycle loaded with all of your camp gear across potentially wild terrain to get to and from a predetermined campsite. “The Packfiller Podcast” host and creator Pat Bulger went on his first bikepacking trip last summer, and he did not fall in love. Pat’s “against bikepacking” argument has been met with a spirited rebuttal from Out There’s “Everyday Cyclist” columnist, Justin Short. Read on for a “pro backpacking” argument from cyclist and regular contributor Carol Corbin, who ultimately would choose bikepacking again and again. Carefully review these arguments and make an educated decision on whether bikepacking should be your next great summer adventure. 

AGAINST ARGUMENT: A Cyclist’s first Bikepacking Trip 

By Pat Bulger 

Freedom to explore. At one with nature. Off the grid. Simple. These are just a few of the comments I regularly hear from cyclists who have entered the world of bikepacking. Long gone are the days of “tourists” who would load pound after pound of camping gear, clothing, and personal items onto their bike to slowly, arduously, pedal to some chosen destination to sleep on the ground and painfully do so again the next day. Bikes are lighter. Camping gear is packable and efficient. Bike bags are waterproof, rugged, and creatively designed. Bikepacking is here to stay.  

Then why do I dislike it the way a school librarian dislikes childhood joy? Last summer, I assigned myself the task of an overnight bikepacking trip. I had already purchased most of the equipment needed on, well, let’s be honest here, some random evenings with a glass of adult beverage and an open shopping web browser. The destination was decided upon as a “medium” distance to test everything out, stay the night, experience the “joy,” and pedal home the next day. The destination, beautiful Lake Benewah, was just outside of St. Maries, Idaho, about 45-50 miles each way depending on the route loaded into my GPS.  

Fast forward two days later, in 98-degree heat, on a rear flat tire that I had no energy to change for the last three miles, massive heat exhaustion, a sore back and neck from the “sleeping pad” I endured, GPS mistakes, and, I have to say that bikepacking can, well, take a hike.  

Here are my reasons why I’ll take a pass on bikepacking.  

1. I ride my bike for the feeling that I experienced as a child. The feeling of flying. The wind in my face. The speed. Bikepacking, as a close friend once said to me, is “like you’re a bird who’s had their wings clipped.” A fully-loaded bike with all of my gear was over 50 pounds. Fifty! Why not just give me a classic Schwinn Varsity with rubbing brakes?! Getting out of the saddle to climb, accelerate, or even relieve sit bone pressure was impossible, and maintaining any type of momentum was akin to pedaling with flat tires in tapioca pudding.  
 

2. Camping is great. Heck, even tent camping is great. But, after four hours in the saddle maintaining a scant 14 mph, I would have happily traded for a subpar hotel and a pizza place. Every time I moved the next morning I emitted verbal sounds that could only be described as “old man grunts.” This being said, I do have to attest to the great food and coffee options that have been made available to those adventuring out into the woods. Give me a proper RV and day trips from a campsite instead, please.  
 

3. Once arriving at your destination, there is little chance of obtaining any extra provisions. My wonderful camp host informed me that, should I want to grab some cold beverages or additional snacks, my closest option was a “short 17-mile drive” away. Yeah, I wasn’t about to add 34 miles to my adventure.  

I now fully understand why many bikepacking social media groups I follow tend to have a multitude of equipment for sale. Anyone want to buy some bike bags? 

AGAINST REBUTTLE: “Hold Your Horses, Pat” 

By Justin Short  

Don’t go selling your bikepacking gear just yet—we haven’t even been on an overnight adventure together. But before we go, we’ve got to talk about your route. I think you learned the hard way why you should never ever under any circumstances go bikepacking in the Palouse during the dog days of summer. There’s no amount of water you can carry that won’t be instantly vaporized along with all of the moisture in your body in that treeless hellscape.  

Heyburn State Park is a lovely destination, though, and there’s a much better way to get there when the Palouse has reached the temperature of the sun. Ride out the Centennial Trail to Coeur d’Alene; you’ll probably carry enough speed coasting from the South Hill to get halfway there. Get a good cup of coffee and a devastating pastry at the Bakery by the Lake, then make your way over the saddle to the far side of the lake for a delightfully scenic pedal to Beauty Bay Campground, where you’ll refill water bottles from the crusty old cast iron pump with the most delicious and refreshing water sipped by anyone ever.  

Okay, the climb over Caribou Ridge is a ball-buster, but it’s a cool, shady ball-buster. Ride the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes down to Harrison, jump in the lake, get some ice cream, and then stock up on the much longed-for provisions, such as fizzy beverages and snacks for the return trip. You’re 11 miles from camp.  

And that brings me to my next point: never take directions from the camp host. I’ve listened to a well-intentioned camp host pour over my map for a half hour about some scenic route I needed to take; the map was upside down. Your host obviously wanted you killed if they recommended the 17-mile ride into St. Maries. Never mind the bike, that road is terrifying to drive in a semi. If you’re needing the services of a major metro area, Plummer, Idaho, is much closer, and the entire ride is on the bike trail.   

“Crunchy old man back” is a thing with which I am well acquainted. All I can say is, experiment with air pressure. My wife carries an inflatable body pillow and a feather pillow with her now, and I hear far less grumbling from her side of the tent these days.  

Finally, 14 mph is slow?!! That is literally flying by bikepacking standards. If I ever hit a double-digit average speed, it’s like 10 or 11 mph, tops. And I don’t even want to know how much my bike weighs when it’s loaded, but it’s a lot closer to ALL THE POUNDS than 50 pounds.  

So, let’s set a date during the fair weather for a fun and easy overnighter with the Gravel Braintrustees. I promise, there won’t be much bushwhacking, but one of us will definitely make you laugh so hard you’ll shoot fizzy electrolyte water out of your nostrils. 

FOR ARGUMENT: “People and Puffy Pants” 

By Carol Corbin 

It was only 37 miles, and mostly flat, but after only four “base-building” rides in the last three months, it was a relief to be out of the saddle. My tent, pad, and sleeping bag were set up for the night with clean, warm socks and a cozy base layer. As my travel companions gathered deadfall for a campfire, I wriggled into my puffy pants and was engulfed in warmth. But not just physical warmth. A soul warmth. A warmth that comes from a physically demanding day fading into a magical, starlit night. 

When I discovered bikepacking half a dozen years ago, it combined two things I love the most about being outside. Pedaling a bicycle and having everything I need to survive–and sometimes even be comfortable–in whatever level of wilderness in which I might find myself. Since that first ride with my five-year-old on the Palouse to Cascades Trail, I’ve spent many nights in tents, my faithful gravel bike outside, my dusty Revelate bags crowding around me, and another day in the saddle awaiting when I wake up. 

Over the years, I’ve come to know intimately that bikepacking is hard. Really hard. Throw-my-bike-off-the-side-of-a-mountain hard. On nearly every trip, there is at least one moment when I cry out in anguish, “Why can’t I be indoorsy?!” And yet, I still go. This particular trip, my puffy pants accompanied me on my fifth annual “Fishtrap Shakedown,” where a few intrepid bikepackers pedal from our front doors in Spokane to the “wilderness” of Fishtrap Recreation Area in the channeled scablands for an overnight review of just what this activity requires. 

“Why are you doing this?” For every time I’ve been asked this question by others, I’ve probably asked it of myself at least twice. And it’s hard to put into words. The meditative process of making a packing list, and then assembling dusty, trail-worn and intimately familiar gear, is blissful! As I press sleeping bag and tent into compression bags, zip headlamp and powerbank into a frame pack, and carefully tuck a fuel canister into my steel cup, cushioning it with a wool beanie, I picture myself reveling in the simplicities of life away from . . . everything. Everything but my tent, my bike, my people, and, ultimately myself. 

Through the years, my most memorable and empowering experiences have been bike-based. As have many of my closest friendships, and most memorable transient ones. From Melinda and Sue, my ride-or-dies for years, to Jean, who shared a Canadian campsite with us one night in July on her way to Mexico, these are friends whom I can suffer with, laugh with, cry in front of, and maybe even share a freeze-dried pasta meal with at the end of even the roughest trail days. 

Bikepacking strips away everything that isn’t essential. Not just things like furniture and climate-control, but personal insecurities, body image issues, work and family stressors. When I’m making camp after a long day in the saddle, it’s when I feel the most alive, the most connected, and the most, well, me. 

One doesn’t have to look far to find the cons of bikepacking. There is very little comfort and ease. The trail rarely ends in a cold beverage and a hot meal. There’s cold and wet, hot and dry. Mechanical failures, forgotten niceties and necessities, and no easy outs. Sunburns, bug bites, bear encounters, blocked trails, wet feet, cold fingers, cramped legs . . . the list goes on. There are a thousand reasons not to load up your bike and pedal into the wilds. 

But that warmth of the puffy pants and the friends who are the same kind of crazy as me? I’ll pedal a helluva lot farther than 37 miles for that. 

FOR ARGUMENT: “Bikepacking Magic” 

By Eric Deady 

Bikepacking can mean many things to many people, but for me, the best way to describe it is “transformative.” I have seen magic happen on bikepacking trips. The kind of magic that gives you a warm-fuzzy feeling and forces you to look within for its cause. I have seen nervous wrecks transformed into the kind of peaceful pedalers that we all wish we could be. I have seen bodies and minds transformed in ways that beg the question, why can’t I always feel this good?  

You could chalk it up to endorphins, dopamine, and a soup of brain chemicals, and you would be right to credit our biology for some of it. But not all. There is a magic that I have only been able to see and feel on bike trips that can sustain me for months or even years with its power, and it always leaves me yearning for more.  

So, you want some of that magic, eh? All you need to do is go take it! It’s there waiting for you on the top of mountains after a grueling climb. It’s there when your fingers threaten to stop working from the cold of a long, wet descent. It’s there whispering to you from the trees and rivers and clouds and dirt. It’s there when you least expect it and will always leave you a better person.  

You don’t need much to start bikepacking. Bikepacking, in its most basic form, is a person on a bicycle carrying their own camping gear, food and personal items, usually off of paved roads. How that happens, and with whom, is up to you. Of course, there are some things that can make your journey more comfortable, or less traumatic, but it’s all on a scale, and if we wanted easy, we would get in our cars and drive.  

Get the bike that’s comfortable to ride, and make sure it’s tuned, lubed, and loved. Plan a route that sounds fun, or challenging, or beautiful, and get that route onto your phone or GPS. Pack a backpack, or panniers, stuff sacks, or even burlap sacks full of whatever you might need for the time you’ll be out and start pedaling. Keep your senses alert, and your body in tune.  Be safe and smile. No matter what happens, you will find magic.  

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By James P. Johnson

When I saw this hardcover book on the store shelf, there was no doubt I’d buy it. Eastern Washington’s landscape and the floods that ravaged it during the last ice age intrigues me, and I’ve seen the results while hiking thousands of miles over the years. So many places I’ve visited are pictured in the book.

I recognized the author’s name, a Spokane journalist with a long history of writing about Northwest topics, including in Out There. He details the huge resistance to geologist Harlan Bretz’s explanation of massive floods being responsible for the channeled scablands of Eastern Washington. Bretz’s theories were not met with mere disagreement—he was excoriated, and a dark cloud was placed over him by geologists and scholars. It took years for his theories to be recognized as truths. Connor also explains how physical features of our landscape, first detailed by Bretz, were created by the floodwaters.

Connor also details his personal crisis which eventually led to the book. One morning his wife informed him she wanted a divorce. Not long after the excruciating process, he fell in love again, only to be sat down and told by his new love that she was marrying another man. A dark period followed in tandem with a truth he’d been covering up—fear of being alone without a romantic partner. Resolving to work on himself, he sought therapy by exploring Washington’s scablands.

 These compelling narratives make a nice pairing to the many, full-page photographs of our unique landscape.

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In this issue, many of our writers addressed the topic of the late autumn shoulder season and how to survive (and thrive). There’s also writing from the ski and snowboard junkies who breathe new life at the first frost, no matter how far away the first snow may be. (I’ve thought a lot about not being one of those snow-obsessed athletes the last few winters. It seems like a mental superpower for winter to be your favorite season.) I recently experienced a wave of dread when I remembered the singletrack trails I’d come to love this year would soon be slicked with compact snow and ice. But, as I read over the content for this coming issue, I found a refreshing perspective.

Think of the coming season as an exhale. No matter if you stay physically very active, your body is tuned to the slowing of the season. The dulling of the landscape as grasses turn and branches become bare. The absence of the thrum of insects and lawnmowers. The earlier arrival of dusk. There is beauty and healing to be found in the respite as the natural world settles for winter.

Our writers covered topics like the physical benefits of long, slow distance running and the neurological reset that can be achieved with structured breathing. There are arguments for the lost art of walking in the woods, making your own elderberry syrup (a popular immune-booster in my house with a preschool-aged son), and considering the difference between beauty and the sublime when nature shows her harsh side. Learn how to throw a winter solstice party with your friends to celebrate the darkest day of the year this December, rather than dread it.

These quiet moments don’t mean you should give up getting outside. You absolutely should bundle up and experience all that shoulder season has to offer, pelting rain or not. In my experience, there’s nothing quite as cleansing as standing in an open landscape as a lung-sweeping wind pushes past. (Check out our feature on low-elevation hikes in the channeled scablands for an experience like this.) And then, of course, you can indulge in the stoke about the coming snow: our winter weather predictions, favorite new gear and ski resort experiences, and some one-liners you can keep in mind as you hit the mountain to begin a new season.

This trail runner will be trying to apply the theory of long, slow distance (with headlamp) to multiple aspects of her life and trying not to resent the ice. I’ll be serving up elderberry syrup every week. And I’ve promised a friend I’ll learn to Nordic ski.

Lisa Laughlin, Managing Editor

Cover photo courtesy Lisa Laughlin

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When I moved to Spokane in 2010, I heard a lot about the ice-age floods. In fact, unsolicited information about the Pleistocene Megafloods would materialize in my life with annoying frequency: on signage along the river, tourist brochures, my kids’ elementary school classrooms. Everywhere I turned, someone seemed to be tapping my shoulder, hey, have you heard about the floods?

Yes! I finally wanted to scream. A series of ginormous floods swept across the state some 15,000 years ago, draining ancient Lake Missoula, confusing geologists, stripping the land of soil, yada yada. I get it! Can we stop talking about it now?

I avoided flood-talk for about a decade until I started canoeing on the Spokane River, which turned me on to the aquifer, which got me interested in geology, which led me back to the floods. Recently, I caught myself bringing up the floods in casual conversation: Did you know that scientists have found landforms on Mars that resemble those found in Eastern Washington?

Now a flood enthusiast, I can’t think of a more compelling story of the Inland NW. If you haven’t explored the channeled scablands, or if you’re just looking for a beautiful and desolate place to hike this fall or winter, the channeled scablands southeast of Spokane offer open vistas, rock outcroppings, hidden lakes, and habitat for the region’s most charismatic fauna, including migrating tundra swans, moose, porcupine, coyote, foxes, and ducks and geese.

Below are three low-elevation hikes that will impress you with geologic anomalies, long views, and stark beauty. Each hike is paired with a diverting side-trip to a more colorful, human-scale point of interest.

Stubblefield Trail at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge

Distance: 5.6 miles, roundtrip

Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge sits on the eastern edge of the channeled scablands where floodwaters gouged deep sloughs into the basalt bedrock, leaving behind pothole lakes and shallow wetlands that provide a wonderous and diverse habitat for birds and plants. The Stubblefield Trail is the longest loop trail in the public-access portion of the refuge and well worth a visit.

From refuge headquarters, follow the gravel road known as the “headquarters trail.” When the road forks, go clockwise around a loop that leads across an open prairie of exposed rock mounds known as “mima mounds,” past Stubblefield Lake, a habitat-rich oasis in the otherwise arid shrub-steppe, and past another small lake before looping back to the headquarters trail. 

Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge is open between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. from November to April. Entry is free. 

Side trip to EWU/Cheney

After hiking in Turnbull, drive back to Cheney and take a walking or driving tour of Eastern Washington University with its bucolic campus buildings, red-turf football field, and inexpensive dining spots. Local favorites for lunch include the Mason Jar (coffee and homemade sandwiches) and Bene’s (eggs benedict, 10 different ways).

Fishtrap Lake Trail

Distance: 4.0 to 9.1 miles, roundtrip

Fishtrap Lake was one of many lakes trenched by the cataclysmic floods. Its long, ragged shape angles southwest, in the direction of floodwater. For hikers, the lake provides a scenic backdrop on two hiking loops that together make 9.1 miles of non-motorized trail. Visitors can choose to walk or bike (the area is also open to equestrians) the 4.0-mile north loop or the 5.1-mile south loop, or both in a figure-eight pattern. Each trail passes through shrub-steppe, grassland, wetlands, and aspen groves. Near the lake, visitors can glimpse several geologic kolk craters, which were formed by tornado-like columns of water that bore perfectly round craters into the rock.

From Interstate 90, take Exit 254, and then travel east for 1.75 miles to the public land access points. Parking is available at both north and south trailheads. Do not park at the Fishtrap Lake Resort.

Side trip to Way Out West

If you haven’t visited this bizarre plaza of outdoor sculptural disarray, it’s the perfect antidote to the barren emptiness of the scablands. Here, you’ll find recycled metal mariachi bands, pot-smoking aliens, sun-bathing cows, and larger-than-life bugling elk.

Towell Falls Trail at Escure Ranch

Distance: 6.4 miles, roundtrip

Escure Ranch was once a 14,000-acre sheep and (later) cattle ranch that’s now owned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The ranch encircles a section of Rock Creek, including a small, stair-stepping waterfall known as Towell Falls. To reach the falls, hikers can follow an old ranch road that parallels Rock Creek for about a mile. The trail then climbs a low saddle that provides views of the valley and winds past a basalt outcrop—a giant battleship of land eroded on both sides by floodwater—through aspen groves and native bunchgrass prairie.

The ranch is located 25 miles south of I-90 at the town of Sprague (Exit 245). From Sprague, follow Highway 23 south for 12.2 miles; turn right onto Davis Road, staying right at the “y”. After 7 miles, turn left onto Jordan Knott Road. Look for the BLM access road in 2.1 miles.

Side Trip to Dave’s Truck Collection

On your way back through Sprague, drive down B Street and check out Dave Jones’ collection of old farm trucks. Most of the trucks date back to the 1940s and 1950s and were used to haul grain, fertilizer, and hay. Only some of them are operable, but their colorful, rounded shapes offer a picturesque glimpse into Lincoln County’s farming history.

​Heidi Lasher became an ice-age floods aficionado in 2020, when she started dragging her family into the channeled scablands for hikes, canoe outings, and “short drives.” Now, she goes into the scablands by herself. They remind her how beautiful and resilient life is, even in the aftermath of mind-boggling disaster.

Cover Photo Courtesy of Heidi Lasher

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The name “Soap Lake” comes from the soap-like lather resulting from the sodium bicarbonate in the water as it laps at the shoreline. Soap Lake was formed as the Channeled Scablands were scoured out thousands of years ago by the Great Missoula Flood. Long before white settlers moved into the region, the area was known as Smokiam (pronounced “smoak-eye-um” or “smoak-eem”), loosely translating to “healing waters.” According to a 2012 article in The Wenatchee World, “For 11,000 years the people of what is now known as the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation used the body of water as an important gathering place and a place of traditional healing.”

For non-indigenous visitors, the healing of the mud and water of the lake has taken at least two forms. Previously, the lower level of mineral-dense water was hauled up from the depths for therapeutic “deep sea baths.” More commonly, visitors cover themselves in mud from the lake and let it dry on their skin, leaching impurities from the body.

While mineral density in the lake is 20 percent greater than sea water, the one mineral that seemingly matters most is ichthyol (ammonium bituminosulfonate), once a salve for just about anything that ailed anybody. Following World War I, many veterans came seeking treatment for Buerger’s disease, a constriction of blood flow in hands and feet resulting in pain and sometimes gangrene. Many suffering from eczema and other skin ailments sought, and still seek, relief in the lake’s mud. Following the First World War, there were eight sanitariums and countless tents housing visitors seeking the healing salve of the lake.

The first effort to profit from these healing waters was the 1905 opening of the Siloam Sanitarium, named for the pools of what some consider the original site of Jerusalem. The sanitarium hosted those seeking healing for nearly every malady. More travelers followed from near and far. The invention of Sulfa drugs and antibiotics in the early 20th century put a damper on the mud and water treatments. The spas offering them dwindled and closed, leaving the city we know today.

There’s more to Soap Lake than the lake. As the gateway to the Grand Coulee, visitors can explore the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail leading to Dry Falls. Then there is the “world’s worst golf course,” the Lava Links, where one news report advises avoiding a sun that will be “pukin’ hot.” Whenever you play, the par-three course is free. There’s also an 18-hole course for real golf. Kovach describes Soap Lake as a vibrant, committed community. That vibrancy and commitment has long supported the Masquer Theater that opened in 1979, the oldest in Grant County. There is an emerging arts district, resorts and spas, pubs, restaurants, thrift stores, and galleries. But if it’s the healing waters you seek, you can just sit in the lake, enjoying the expanse of the desert, twiddling your toes in the mud. //

Bradley Bleck loves revisiting many of the lesser-known parts of the Inland Northwest in search of rekindled childhood memories, both real and, in the language of AI, hallucinated. He last wrote about Waterton Lakes and NA beer for the May 2023 issue of OTO.

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The deep, clear lakes scattered around the Spokane region provide fascinating evidence of the unique geologic history of the Inland Northwest. The stories they carry are rich enough for myth or legend: massive ice sheets, lost glaciers, churning floods, and fresh flows of groundwater from underground rivers and aquifers. 

Geologist Bruce Bjornstad has devoted years of research and field work to the study of the cataclysmic Missoula Floods that shaped many of the local landscapes. “Out in the scablands of southeast Washington,” he says, “Medical Lake and Sprague Lake—those are fed by groundwater exclusively. There are actually no streams or rivers flowing in.” He describes how the floods carried huge amounts of rushing water and debris that, “scoured out big holes in the basalt. The places where these floods scoured below the water table are now filled with lakes.”

According to Bjornstad, as many as 100 such floods occurred over a few thousand years toward the end of the last ice age, when the Cordilleran ice sheet covered a large part of the Pacific Northwest. During this period, ice repeatedly blocked the Clark Fork River, creating a dam up to 30 miles wide and 4,000 feet thick that blocked the river’s flow. Water from the resulting lake periodically overpowered the ice dam by flowing under it or by permeating and breaking up the ice.

In one of his many lectures, Central Washington University geologist Nick Zentner says that at its top speed, water from Glacial Lake Missoula moved at 70-80 miles per hour, and for multiple days following the breaking up of the ice dam, flowed at a rate of 500 million cubic feet per second—10 times the flow of all the rivers of the world combined.

Idaho’s Rathdrum Prairie sits directly downstream of the outburst area for the Missoula floods. “When the glacial dam broke,” Bjornstad says, “the rushing water dropped so much sediment that it raised the level of the Rathdrum Prairie and blocked tributaries,” damming streams and preventing accumulating water from escaping. This phenomenon created today’s Coeur d’Alene, Liberty, Twin, Newman, Hauser, Hayden and Spirit lakes, all of which are fed from rivers and streams that drain down from surrounding highlands and feed the prolific Rathdrum Prairie-Spokane Aquifer below.

Lake Pend Oreille, the fifth deepest lake in the Unites States, was formed by a combination of grinding ice and floodwater. According to Bjornstad, a lobe of the ice sheet crept down from the Purcell trench (a long, glaciated valley extending from British Columbia into North Idaho), carving a deep trough where the lake rests today. The Clark Fork River, formerly dammed with ice during the Missoula flood period, now feeds Lake Pend Oreille, along with the Pack River.

Bjornstad says a second ice lobe carved out and filled Priest Lake, which is bordered by a buildup of sediment at its southern end unrelated to the Missoula floods. “At the extreme front end of the glacier that carved out Priest Lake, the ice started melting back and dropped a huge amount of sediment, which formed a natural dam. This type of sediment is called a glacial moraine.”

Bjornstad says “there are lots of natural lakes in this area. They’ve formed in a lot of ways, including erosion from the Missoula Floods, glaciers, as well as damming and filling of water behind glacial moraines.” He says floods made the biggest contribution by creating many scour holes and troughs that lakes now occupy. Today these depressions receive water from rivers, streams and groundwater. Still other lakes, like Lake Roosevelt and Long Lake along the Spokane River, are recent lakes created by man-made dams immediately downstream. Banks Lake is also a modern, man-made lake created by the pumping of irrigation water 500 ft above Lake Roosevelt into the upper Grand Coulee.

When asked where one might find other lakes and landscapes similar to those in the Inland Northwest, Bjornstad says: nowhere. “What we have here is unique worldwide. It’s one of a kind. We find evidence elsewhere to suggest the story of perhaps a single large Ice Age flood, but nothing on the scale of what we see from these repeated Missoula floods.”

For more local geology, check out Bruce Bjornstad’s books (available at Auntie’s Bookstore): “On the Trail of the Ice Age Floods: A Geological Field Guide to the Mid-Columbia Basin,” and “On the Trail of the Ice Age Floods—The Northern Reaches: A Geological Field Guide to Northern Idaho and the Channeled Scabland.” //

Olivia Dugenet is a frequent contributor to Out There Venture. This summer, she will be sleeping on the shores of at least eight different lakes and rivers in remote sections of Wyoming, Montana and British Columbia.

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