For many Inland Northwest anglers, winter doesn’t signal the end of steelhead season. Instead, it marks one of its most social weekends of the year. The Steelhead Expo, running January 9 through 11, 2026, brings anglers together in Lewiston, Idaho, a town long synonymous with Clearwater River steelhead and cold-weather fishing culture.

Based out of the Hells Canyon Grand Hotel, the Steelhead Expo blends time on the water with an indoor gathering focused on education, gear, and community. The event pairs a multi-day steelhead derby with a fishing expo that features seminars, demonstrations, guest speakers, and vendors centered on Northwest steelhead fishing.

“The seminars were the biggest hit last year,” says Toby Wyatt, co-founder of the expo. “People crave those seminars,” he adds.

Expo hours are scheduled to complement time on the river, with doors open Friday from noon to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The derby component runs throughout the weekend on the Clearwater and Snake rivers, encouraging anglers to fish during peak winter conditions and then reconnect indoors later in the day. Participants compete in men’s, women’s, and youth divisions, with youth anglers 15 and under able to enter for free when registered with a paid adult. All anglers must meet Idaho fishing license requirements. Catches are weighed at official weigh-in stations, with results determined by weight and length when needed.

For those traveling in, the Hells Canyon Grand Hotel serves as both lodging and event headquarters, making it easy to move between river sessions and indoor programming without added logistics. That accessibility helps keep the weekend relaxed and social, even as winter conditions shape each day’s fishing decisions.

“It’s a great venue,” says Wyatt. “Everything happens right there. It’s tournament headquarters. The weigh-ins are there. We have a wonderful brewery and live music. It’s quite the event for a fisherman.”

At its core, the Steelhead Expo reflects the shared rhythm of winter steelheading in the Clearwater country. Early mornings on cold rivers give way to afternoons spent learning, talking, and reconnecting with a community that understands why steelhead season never really ends when the snow falls.

Sponsored

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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.  

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.   

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.   

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.  

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.  

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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Even before Coeur Climbing opened its doors in the city of 50,000 residents, Post Falls offered an impressive list of outdoor recreation amenities. The Spokane River runs through the town, offering boating, paddling and swimming opportunities in the lake-like waters above Post Falls Dam and whitewater kayaking, river surfing, tubing and fishing opportunities below the dam. At the idyllic 78-acre Q’emiln Park and the adjacent community forest (500 acres) right across the river from downtown Post Falls, a beautiful swimming beach accompanies miles of hiking and biking trails. The park’s outdoor rock-climbing crags also offer extensive adventure potential for locals and visitors alike.

The real linchpin in the Post Falls outdoor community is the North Idaho Centennial Trail. Connecting Coeur d’Alene to Spokane via Post Falls and Liberty Lake, this ribbon of asphalt, created over 30 years ago, provides a beloved connection for runners, bikers, stroller pushers and walkers. For trails users, Post Falls has become a welcome hub for a coffee, meal or local brew on outings along the 23-mile, river-hugging North Idaho pathway.

Back at the grand opening for Coeur Climbing, the weather proved perfect for games, some climbing competitions, food and coffee trucks, raffle prizes, yoga demos and—the highlight—a meet and greet with the climbing legend Alan Watts. Many climbers pressed Watts to keep the stories coming from his climbing exploits at Smith Rocks and across the Northwest. He answered loads of questions with style and panache, and his presence made the grand opening an event to remember.

Coeur Climbing has a great location right off I-90 (764 Clearwater Loop Suite 101), just around the corner from Buck Knives headquarters, and offers climbing and yoga classes for all abilities and ages. The gym features classes for beginner climbers, women-only, and programs for kids. It offers bouldering, top rope, lead and auto belay climbing, as well as a designated kids’ climbing area. Take a virtual tour of the gym and learn more at Coeurclimbing.com.

Cover photo courtesy Angus Meredith

The post Coeur Climbing Company Builds on Post Falls Recreation Scene appeared first on Out There Venture.

OUTDOOR RECREATION GROUPS

Mountain Bike Trail Organizations

These organizations build and maintain Inland Northwest mountain bike trails with volunteers, and they advocate for mountain biking access on public lands. Help them clear some trails and dig some dirt or make a donation.

Evergreen East (Spokane, Wash.)

Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance – Central Chapter (Central Wash.)

Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance – Methow Chapter (Methow Valley, Wash.)

Kootenay Columbia Trail Society (Rossland, B.C.)

Lake City Trail Alliance (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)

Moscow Area Mountain Bike Association (Moscow, Idaho)

Pend Oreille Pedalers (Sandpoint, Idaho)

Hiking/Backcountry Trail Groups

Hiking and backcountry trail organizations help remove downed trees and maintain trails near major towns and in backcountry areas for hikers, equestrians, trail runners, and mountain bikers with a mostly volunteer work force. They are also often involved in the creation of new hiking trails. Lend a hand and give back to our trails!

Backcountry Horsemen Inland Empire Chapter (Spokane, Wash.)

Idaho Trails Association (North Idaho)

Methow Trails (Winthrop, Wash.)

Pacific Northwest Trail Association (Northeast WA / North Idaho / Western Montana)

Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation (Missoula, Mont.)

Wallowa Mountains Hells Canyon Trails Association (Wallowa County, Ore.)

Washington Trails Association (Spokane, Wash.)

Biking / Walking Path & Rail Trail Groups

These organizations look after our region’s incredible, long paved pathways, gravel trails and rail trails and help raise funds for improvements, maintenance, and expansions.

Ferry County Rail Trail Partners (Malo, Wash.)

Friends of the Centennial Trail (Spokane, Wash.)

Friends of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes (Wallace, Idaho)

North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)

Palouse to Cascades Trail Coalition (Spokane, Wash.)

Outdoor Clubs

These clubs don’t just climb, hike, and ride on our public lands and trails; they give back to the places where they play with hours of volunteering. Some of them provide invaluable outdoor education experiences as well.

Bower Climbing Coalition (Spokane, Wash.)

Inland Northwest Hikers

Northwest Whitewater Association (Spokane, Wash.)

Spokane Bicycle Club (Spokane, Wash.)

Spokane Mountaineers (Spokane, Wash.)

Spokane Canoe & Kayak Club (Spokane, Wash.)

SheJumps Eastern Washington & North Idaho

College/University Outdoor Programs

Eastern Washington University’s EPIC Adventures (Cheney, Wash.)

Gonzaga University’s Outdoor Pursuits (Spokane, Wash.)

North Idaho College Outdoor Pursuits (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)

University of Idaho Outdoor Program (Moscow, Idaho)

Whitworth University’s Whitworth Outdoors (Spokane, Wash.)

CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS

Land Trusts

These non-profit organizations help private landowners protect their rural farms and forests from future development with conservation easements. Some land trusts also raise funds to help purchase private land for wildlife, recreation access, and open space that they either manage themselves or transfer to public lands agencies. Support your local land trust!

Chewelah Valley Land Trust (Chewelah, Wash.)

Dishman Hills Conservancy (Spokane Valley, Wash.)

Inland Northwest Land Conservancy (Spokane, Wash.)

Kaniksu Land Trust (Sandpoint, Idaho)

Palouse Land Trust (Moscow, Idaho)

Parks/Natural Area Advocacy

Our city, county, and regional parks and natural areas don’t always have the funding needed to take care of all of the trail and park maintenance and programs. These organizations help fill that gap by raising funds and providing volunteer labor. Some even advocate on behalf of the parks, access, and wildlife.

Spokane Parks Foundation (Spokane, Wash.)

Friends of the Bluff (Spokane, Wash.)

Friends of the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge (Colville, Wash.)

Friends of the Little Spokane River Valley (Spokane, Wash.)

Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail (Sandpoint, Idaho)

Friends of Tubbs Hill (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)

Friends of Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge (Cheney, Wash.)

Riverside State Park Foundation (Spokane, Wash.)

Wildlife/Wildlands/River & Lake Conservation Groups

These non-profit organizations turn donations and volunteer time from people like you into advocacy and education for our region’s amazing public lands, wildlife, lakes and rivers. Find ones that advocate for your favorite places or critters and support them.

Spokane Audubon Society (Spokane, Wash.)

Mission: Advocate for birds and their habitats in the Inland Northwest and connect people with nature.

Conservation Northwest (staff across Washington)

Mission: Connect the big landscapes, restore iconic wildlife, and protect our natural heritage for future generations, from the Washington Coast to the British Columbia Rockies.

Friends of the Clearwater (Moscow, Idaho)

Mission: Protect the public wildlands and rivers in the Clearwater Basin of North Central Idaho through grassroots organizing, education, advocacy, and litigation.

Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness (Sandpoint, Idaho)

Mission: To make sure the rugged Scotchman Peaks roadless lands along the Idaho-Montana border are kept wild forever. 

Greater Hells Canyon Council (La Grande, Ore.)

Mission: To connect, protect, and restore the wild lands, waters, native species, and habitats of the Greater Hells Canyon Region.

Idaho Conservation League (Sandpoint, Idaho)

Mission: To create pragmatic, enduring solutions that protect and restore Idaho’s air, water, land, and wildlife.

Idaho Rivers United (Boise, Idaho)

Mission: To protect and restore the rivers of Idaho.

Kettle Range Conservation Group (Republic, Wash.)

Mission: To defend wilderness, protect biodiversity, and restore ecosystems of the Columbia River Basin.

Kootenai Environmental Alliance (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)

Mission: To conserve, protect and restore the environment of the Idaho Panhandle and the Coeur d’Alene basin.

Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment (Lapwai, Idaho)

Mission: To facilitate and organize tribal youth and adults in activities for the protection, enhancement, and promotion of mother earth and the Nimiipuu culture.

Okanogan Highlands Alliance (Tonasket, Wash.)

Mission: Encourage and support education and public participation in decisions involving our community and environment. 

Rock Creek Alliance (Sandpoint, Idaho)

Mission: To protect the water quality of the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Watershed, and to protect the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area from the proposed Rock Creek Mine.

Save Our Wild Salmon (Spokane, Wash.)

Mission: To protect and restore abundant, self-sustaining fishable populations of salmon and steelhead to the Columbia-Snake River Basin for the benefit of people and ecosystems.

Selkirk Conservation Alliance (Priest River, Idaho)

Mission: Engage the public in southern Selkirk resource and land management issues through cooperation, scientific inquiry, education, and economic diversity.

Spokane Falls Trout Unlimited (Spokane, Wash.)

Mission: To fix rivers and streams, bring people together, and make waters and communities more resilient to the effects of climate change.

Spokane River Forum (Spokane, Wash.)

Mission: To create materials, events and activities that promote regional dialogues for sustaining a healthy river system while meeting the needs of a growing population.

Spokane Riverkeeper (Spokane, Wash.)

Mission: To protect the river’s ecological health, vibrancy, and aesthetic integrity, as well as the healthy connections that communities have to the river now and into the future.

The Lands Council (Spokane, Wash.)

Mission: To preserve and revitalize Inland Northwest forests, water, and wildlife through advocacy, education, effective action, and community engagement.

Washington Native Plant Society (Eastern Washington Chapter)

Mission: To promote the appreciation and conservation of Washington’s native plants and their habitats through study, education, and advocacy.

Hunting & Fishing Wildlife Conservation Groups

These conservation organizations, largely made up of hunters and anglers, have an active presence in the Inland Northwest. All help with fish and wildlife habitat conservation projects on the ground and advocate on behalf of public lands, wildlife, and responsible hunting and fishing policy.

Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (state chapters and active local members throughout the Inland NW)

Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club (Spokane, Wash.)

Inland NW Wildlife Council (Spokane, Wash.)

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (nation-wide with local fundraisers and habitat projects)

Spokane Fly Fishers (Spokane, Wash.)

So, Whose Land Is It?

It can be super confusing to answer that question when you’re out there trying to explore your public lands. Fortunately, there are a few good websites and apps to help navigate this question:

• In Idaho: Parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/motorized-trails
• In Washington: Rco.wa.gov/reports-and-studies/public-land-inventory
• • In Oregon, state-owned only: Oregon.gov/dsl/land/pages/sli.aspx
• • In Canada: Thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/national-parks-of-canada-interactive-map
• • CalTopo has both web-based maps and a free version of its app that show a public land layer (with color coding, but lacking details).Gaia also has web-based maps and an app, but requires a subscription to access the public land layers (as well as the private lands layer, which is helpful for accessing private land that is open to the public).OnX also offers a subscription plan for both public and private land layers on its app.
  • Topo Maps+ is a Spokane-based navigation and trip planning app for hikers, hunters, skiers and snowshoers, and cyclists that has public lands layers.

Editor’s note: To be a part of the 2024 Out There Venture Public Lands issue, contact us at info@outthereventure.com.

The post Public Lands Organizations Guide 2023 appeared first on Out There Venture.

Whitewater rafting Idaho and Oregon’s Wild & Scenic rivers requires not only a permit for the most popular rivers but also patience and perseverance.

Last Valentine’s Day, a Monday, was when those who applied to run permitted rivers across the West, like me, to receive an email from Recreation.gov. Definitely not a valentine, my message read, “Hi Paul, Thank you for applying for the Middle Fork of the Salmon River Lottery 2022. The lottery drawing recently took place, and, unfortunately, your application wasn’t selected for a permit…”

I got the same message regarding my applications for the (Main) Salmon River, Oregon’s Rogue River, and the Southwest desert run on the Green River through Desolation Canyon. But I’m hardly alone it turns out. Tens of thousands of other river runners received the same jilt that their hopes of enjoying the special solitude a couple dozen permitted rivers in the West offer.

River Permit Arithmetic

Idaho’s permitted rivers include the Salmon River (Main and Middle Fork), Selway River, and Hells Canyon of the Snake River. Lotteries are administered through the Recreation.gov portal. It’s a starting point for coordinating more than just river permits. Camp spots, cabin rentals, and many, many more pursuits are covered.

If someone put in for a permit on the Main Salmon, their odds for 2021 of earning a launch were about one in 16, with 568 winners out of 8,932 lottery players. For the more coveted Middle Fork stretch of the Salmon River, it was a 1-in-19 chance with 597 in-season launches out of 11,432 applicants. Requests for numbers for Hells Canyon and Montana’s Smith River went unanswered.

And if you were chasing after arguably the crown jewel run—Idaho’s Selway River—that falls into the Mega Millions lottery category. For its 62 private party and 78 total launches over the period of May 15 to July 31, 2021, your chances are one in 174. Better put, there is a 99.4% chance that a permit applicant for the Selway will not run the challenging rapids like the Ladle, Wolf Creek, or Ham rapids (all class IV).

Despite yet another permit-less year in a decades-long drought, I cannot complain. In over 40 years of river running, I have been fortunate to run each of the six permitted rivers in the Pacific Northwest, the Smith included, and all except Hells Canyon successfully right side up.

Most have been from invites offered by other successful permit applicants, or a cancellation, except for my daughter snagging a 2008 Selway launch on the last day of permit season. Even at very skimpy flows, just 1.1 feet at the Paradise gauge, one word describes the Selway—spectacular!

A Bit of Idaho Whitewater River History

For decades prior to World War II, Idaho’s Main Salmon was a workhorse river with wooden scows plying its length top to bottom as the best means for supplying the needs of the sparsely populated region. The so-called “River of No Return” got its nickname as these boats were later dismantled following their journey, never to return to starting points like Salmon, Idaho.

Following the introduction of recreational rafting after World War II, the need to try to maintain the pristine setting of the river became necessary. Part of that protection came with inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act—the Middle Fork as an original in 1968 and Main being added in 1980. Permitting for river trips started in 1976.

River Permit Supply and Demand

The demand has only increased since as with most all recreational pursuits, and participation in whitewater rafting continues to grow rapidly.

“I think people like to blame Recreation.gov as the source of their frustration,” says Kai Allen, outdoor recreation planner from the Bureau of Land Management in Grants Pass, Oregon. “But I think the story is actually much bigger. There’s just this huge demand for incredible iconic experiences in these places, and there just aren’t very many of them.”

There are just 23 permitted rivers in the West, with a quarter of those flowing through the Pacific Northwest. Those, and all other rivers, are getting increasingly popular with recreationalists.

According to America Outdoors, which represents a variety of professional outfitters, “Overall guided rafting visitation has increased by 36% from 837,499 visits to 1,529,909 visits [2018] since data began in 1990.” Anecdotal evidence from the private boating community would likely offer a similar growth pattern when one visits their favorite river.

Inside Look at the Permit Process

For many, the big question is just how does that Wizard-of-Oz-like process go once their application has been received? Rather than try to put it in layperson language, Recreation.gov’s website offers this:

“Each lottery is randomized by shuffling all the applications using the Fisher-Yates Shuffle, which produces an unbiased and random ordering of results. We also use a Cryptographically Secure Pseudo Random Number Generator (CSPRNG) to prevent any inadvertent bias in the lottery process. These random number generators are vetted to produce random numbers that cannot be predicted based upon past outputs, and they don’t allow anyone to predict future or past numbers generated.”

Understand? Sure, it’s as clear as Spokane County’s Latah Creek at flood stage. From complex lottery process, explained above, coveted launch dates magically emerge. For 2022, on the Main Salmon, that’s June 20–Sept. 7; May 28–Sept. 3 for the Middle Fork; and May 27–Sept. 10 for Hells Canyon. Launches vary from five per day on the Snake, to seven each on the Main and Middle, with a maximum party size of 24 per launch.

Oregon’s Rogue River is also one of the original eight streams included in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. It has embraced a different means to its end result of allowing rafters down the 34 miles of its wilderness stretch west of Grants Pass.

Put in place in 1978, the Rogue’s permit system is also administered by Recreation.gov but caps its use on a person-per-day quota of 120. That’s equally split between private and commercial use for the season that runs annually from May 15 to Oct. 15 with successful applicants having their party size fit into the matrix.

A Few Northwest Wilderness River Alternatives

By now, many river runners in the region are taking a “wait until next year” approach to the prospect of a multiday wilderness rafting experience. But that need not be the case. Even though the more famous and hugely sought-after experiences might not be in the cards this year or next, if you have the necessary whitewater river skills and your own or rented gear, consider alternatives like these nonpermitted but potentially crowded opportunities:

• Deschutes River: The Deschutes (central Oregon) has two sections that include up to Class IV rapids. But it’s a major rail corridor, so a wilderness it is not, especially along its approximately 96-mile course from U.S. 26 access to the Columbia.
• Grande Ronde River: The Grande Ronde (northeast Oregon) offers multiple stretches of roadless river with Class II and a few Class III rapids over nearly 90 miles from Minam to the Snake River.
• John Day River: The John Day (eastern Oregon) forks run about 130 miles with Class II and III rapids in traditional desert canyon landscape.
• Owyhee River: The Owyhee (SE Oregon-SE Idaho) from Rome to Leslie Gulch might be one of the most remote landscapes of any wild river in the Lower 48. It’s 67 miles of high-desert (4,000 feet-plus elevation), has limited windows dictated by snowpack; however, it offers spectacular canyons featuring primarily Class III rapids.
• Lower Salmon River: The Lower Salmon (central Idaho, near Riggins) is often the alternative to jilted permit applicants. It is a true roadless experience with incredible sandy beaches and Class IV rapids.

Recommended Guidebooks

My river running addiction began when his wife bought him Oregon River Tours by John Garren back in 1979 (Garren Publishing, 1979). If you are planning multiday river trips in the region, I strongly suggest having your own library that includes Garren’s other guidebook, Idaho River Tours (Garren Publishing, revised edition 1987) and one written by Willamette Kayak & Canoe Club titled Soggy Sneakers: A Paddler’s Guide To Oregon Rivers (Mountaineers Books, 2016).

Originally published as “River Permit Arithmetic” in the May-June 2022 print issue.

Paul Delaney began his whitewater adventures over 40 years ago and now has 42 rivers and creeks on his resume. He wrote about rafting the Owyhee River in the June 2020 issue. Contact Paul at spokanerafterguy@comcast.net.

The post Rafting Idaho and Oregon’s Wild & Scenic Rivers appeared first on Out There Venture.

For decades, federal agencies and Northwest elected leaders have failed to take meaningful actions to reverse the steady declines of Snake River wild salmon and steelhead. Anglers, river advocates, and Tribes have watched these irreplaceable fish decline to a fraction of historic numbers. For many of us, it has been a slow, sustained heartbreak. 

Fisheries scientists have long told us that any effective plan to restore wild salmon and steelhead to healthy, fishable numbers must include removal of the four lower Snake River dams to allow salmon easier access into the 5,000+ miles of pristine upstream river habitat. Orca scientists also tell us that the best single action we can take to provide more Chinook salmon to starving Puget Sound orca is to restore the Snake River and its populations of spring/summer chinook. 

Proposed Columbia Basin Fund Brings New Hope for Fish and Communities 

There is hope today. Earlier this year Congressman Mike Simpson, an Idaho Republican, unveiled a bold proposal to restore salmon by removing the lower Snake dams and replacing the transportation, energy and other benefits with new investments. Called the Columbia Basin Fund, the $33.5 billion initiative calls for fundamental changes in how salmon are managed. If the price tag sounds high, consider that we’ve spent $17 billion already on measures that haven’t worked.  

Clarkston and Lewiston would be given funds for waterfront development and a technology education center. Eastern Washington would get a new National Recreation Area along a free-flowing lower Snake River, where more than 14,400 acres of land will be restored. New boat launches, campgrounds, and hiking trails would be established, a huge boon for outdoor recreation close to Spokane. 

Simpson’s proposal also supports funding for fish passage over a set of dams that completely block salmon migration today. It would support the visionary work of the Spokane and Colville Tribes to re-establish salmon above Grand Coulee Dam into rivers devoid of salmon for decades.   

Simpson’s Proposal is a Work in Progress 

Rep. Simpson released his draft as a starting point—and invited other Northwest politicians to work with him to improve it. While river advocates have applauded Simpson’s courage and genuine desire to restore salmon, his proposal is not perfect. There are serious concerns, for example, about broad restrictions on future litigation in the basin. But his approach—crafting a dam removal plan that gives all communities and stakeholders what they need to thrive—is the right one. And it has transformed discussions across the Northwest.  

With a big infrastructure bill anticipated to move forward in Congress and with President Biden in the White House, 2021 is the year to act. Support from Washington State’s Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell is essential. As senior members of a Democrat-controlled Senate, our senators are at the apex of their influence today. Now is the time to act. So far, unfortunately, they have largely ducked the issue, and Senator Cantwell recently dismissed Simpson’s proposal in the media. Criticism is fine. Inaction is not. If Cantwell and Murray have concerns with Simpson’s first cut, then we should hope they would offer improvements or come up with a new plan. 

The Clock Is Ticking for Snake River Salmon & Steelhead 

The fish can’t wait any longer. Fish returns will be bleak in 2021—some of the lowest ever. Just 8,150 wild spring Chinook are predicted to return to the Snake basin this year. Steelhead returns are likewise in steep decline. And while we celebrated three new orca calves this year, only 75 whales remain. They won’t survive without more salmon to eat. Without urgent action, we will lose them forever. 

Fortunately, political momentum is growing. While Gov. Inslee has not taken a position yet, Oregon Gov. Brown has endorsed Simpson’s effort. Eleven Columbia Basin Tribes including the Nez Perce, Yakama, Umatilla, Spokane, Colville, and Kootenai Tribes recently released a statement praising Simpson’s approach to invest in the region and restore salmon to healthy, harvestable numbers.  

The Time to Act Is Now 

What will it take to bring salmon home? In solidarity with tribes, it’s time for anglers, river advocates, business owners, and community leaders to call on our senators and other elected leaders to take decisive action. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to restore salmon abundance, invest in the Inland Northwest communities and infrastructure, honor our promises to Native American tribes, and leave a better future for generations to come.  

Right now, Senators Cantwell and Murray need to hear from you and your friends and family. Call and write them today. Ditto for Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers—let them know that you, their constituents, want real and lasting solutions for our salmon and orcas, for tribes, and for all of us. Go to wildsalmon.org for action links and to learn more about the “Columbia Basin Fund.” To view what a restored river could look like go to Tinyurl.com/snakerivervision.

Sam Mace is the Inland Northwest Director for Save Our Wild Salmon. Reach her at sam@wildsalmon.org. 

Read more stories about this issues in our archives: https://outthereventure.com/tag/save-our-wild-salmon/

[Feature photo by Josh Mills.]

The post Bold Proposal to Restore Snake River Salmon & Steelhead appeared first on Out There Venture.

The point here is, don’t let your zealous push to get to a specific place or do a particular activity blind you from the fact that it may be the wrong month, weekend, or place to experience what you’re really after. Here are some Inland Northwest trip ideas with some general direction on what you can expect and when it’s best to visit, without giving away all the secrets that you will benefit from discovering on your own.

NORTH IDAHO

Silver Valley

When you drive east on I-90 from Spokane through North Idaho, the Silver Valley extends between Fourth of July and Lookout passes and includes the towns of Kellogg and Wallace.

Best For: Mountain biking, hiking, mining history, fishing, rails-to-trails biking, and scenic drives.

Lodging/Camping: Wallace and Kellogg have the largest, most modern hotels, and there are several historic lodging options in Wallace as well. Silver Mountain Resort’s Morning Star Lodge has vacation condos that include access to the resort’s huge indoor waterpark. Camping options include private RV resorts and dispersed camping on nearby public lands, as well as several popular Forest Service campgrounds along the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River.

Top Picks

1. SVR Bike Park: New mountain bike trails and jumps above Wallace could open as early as April 30 at SVR Bike Park. At least at first, there will be a cap on the number of riders each day as things get dialed, says bike park spokesman Mitchell Bryan. “We want it to have the feel of riding with a group of your friends with all of the benefits of a professionally bike park.” Right out the gate the park will include shuttled access to an expert jumpline, a 1.9 mile intermediate-to-expert downhill race trails, a 1.9-mile beginner-to-expert flow trail, and an airbag for jump practice. Construction will continue come spring with a pump track and more trails in progress. More info at Svrgas.com.
2. Route of the Hiawatha: Mountain biking the 15-mile Route of the Hiawatha near Lookout Pass is a ride through stunning beauty and of historical significance. Ride through the Bitterroot Mountains on an old railroad line with 10 train tunnels and seven impressive trestles.
3. Silver Mountain Resort: Mountain biking, hiking, and scenic gondola rides are offered all summer long at Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg. The downhill mountain bike trails are the big draw here, attracting expert riders from across North America, but there are beginner and intermediate trails too to fit just about any rider’s ability level. In past years, Silver has also offered lessons for riders looking to build their downhill skills.
4. Historic Wallace: Check out the North Idaho mining history out of downtown Wallace where you’ll find historic buildings, museums, mine and historic site tours, and more in one of a handful of cities entirely listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Don’t miss hiking the nearby Pulaski interpretive trail, and be sure to sample the town’s excellent breweries, restaurants, and pubs.
5. Silver Streak Zip Line Tours: Fly down a mountain at Silver Streak Zip Line Tours above the town of Wallace. Choose from two different courses and 11 separate zips for some high-flying, fast-paced action.
6. Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes: Ride sections of the 73-mile, mostly-flat, paved bike trail that traverses parts of Lake Coeur d’Alene, the Coeur d’Alene River, and the forested mountains of the Idaho Panhandle.

Lake Pend Oreille

Idaho’s longest and deepest lake, Lake Pend Oreille, dominates the North Idaho landscape around Sandpoint, Idaho. The lake offers unbeatable water sports activities, with over 200-miles of shoreline, and the surrounding mountains provide lake views and miles of hiking and biking trails.

Best For: Swimming, paddling, boating, and hiking/mountain biking trails, as well as arts, culture, and excellent restaurants in Sandpoint.

Lodging/Camping: Find a wide range of lodging options in and around Sandpoint, along with plentiful public campgrounds a short drive from town. If other options are booked or you’re looking for a more rustic camping experience, look for free, dispersed campsites along Forest Service roads that lead to hiking trailheads.

Top Picks

1. Sandpoint City Beach: A popular stretch of public sand on the lake only a few minutes-walk from downtown, this 6-acre park includes protected swimming areas and grassy picnicking spots. Note that dogs are not allowed.
2. Hike & Bike: There are several trail systems for mountain biking and hiking around Sandpoint. Try local-favorite and close-to-town trails at the Syringa Trails system. Check out Pendoreillepedalers.org or Trailforks for more options and maps.
3. MTB Schweitzer: Lift-assisted mountain bike trails at Schweitzer Mountain connect with The Little Sand Creek Basin trails below the resort to create a 25-mile trail network. Schweitzer also offers scenic chairlift rides, summertime dining, and hiking trails. New trails are always in the works, so return and ride often.
4. High Country Hiking: There are enough hikes in the wild and rugged Selkirk and Cabinet mountain ranges, which create the dramatic backdrop to Lake Pend Oreille, to fill a guidebook. Try day hikes in the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness or choose the right trail from one of several real guidebooks.
5. Farragut State Park: Hike, bike, and enjoy the lake at Farragut State Park south of Sandpoint. This huge, 4,000 acres park has six campgrounds, rental cabins, and over 40 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Enjoy lake and beach access with excellent swimming spots.

Lolo Pass/Clearwater Country

40 miles southwest of Missoula, Mont., Highway 12 climbs over 5,233 foot Lolo Pass in the Bitterroot Range. Heading west from that high point, the highway follows the Lochsa and Clearwater rivers to Lewiston, Idaho, passing through a magnificent spread of public lands with seemingly endless trails and roadside historic sites.

Best For: Whitewater rafting and kayaking, hiking, camping, backpacking, summertime swimming, back road drives, wildlife viewing, history, and fishing.

Lodging/Camping: Literally surrounded by wilderness, there are few lodging options along the Highway 12 corridor, but the ones you’ll find are quite unique and enjoyable. Rent a rustic cabin at Lochsa Lodge near Lolo Pass and high-mountain hiking trails. Or head down to lower elevations near the confluence of the Selway and Lochsa rivers to find newer, larger cabins and glamping tents at River Dance Lodge or cabins, RV sites, and camping options at Three Rivers Resort. There are several public campgrounds on the Lochsa and Selway rivers and endless, free dispersed camping opportunities along Forest Service roads.

Top Picks

1. Whitewater Rafting: Rafting the wild Lochsa River during peak flows, typically in May and early June, is a recreation right of passage for Inland Northwest outdoors lovers. The rapids are no joke, so book a trip with an outfitter if you don’t have class IV whitewater skills.
2. Wilderness Hiking: Hike the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness to find solitude in this vast and beautiful national treasure. With over a million acres of land and nearly 2,000 miles of trails, it’s not hard to find the right trail. Many trails receive spotty maintenance, so try trailheads close to the highway or out of the Wilderness Gateway Campground. Phone the Forest Service for more trail info.
3. Selway River Falls: Drive to Selway Falls on the Selway River to gawk at the cascade’s beauty and then go for a hike. The falls is most dramatic in May and June but is a beautiful sight to behold anytime. Later in the summer, there are plenty of beaches and swimming spots downriver. Hikes nearby include the Selway River Trail, a mellow, meandering trail that follows the Selway River into designated wilderness (rattlesnakes can be plentiful), and the Meadow Creek Trail that climbs gently for the first three miles up a major tributary of the Selway (a more rattlesnake-free hike).
4. Historic Sights: Anyone interested in Native American and early U.S. history will enjoy exploring the miles of the Nez Perce National Historic Trail and Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail that parallels parts of US Highway 12. The Nez Perce National Historical Park near Lewiston with its visitor center, museum, and several historic sites is a must-see too.

Salmon River Canyons

The Salmon River or “River of No Return” carves through the largest block of designated wilderness in the lower 48 states and is largely inaccessible to all but permitted whitewater boaters and hardcore hikers and horse packers. Downstream surrounding the town of Riggins, Idaho, is another story. Opportunities for road-side access to the river canyons abound.

Best For: Whitewater rafting and kayaking, river paddleboarding, swimming, spring hiking, gravel riding, and fishing.

Lodging/Camping: Riggins has a number of motels and hotels as well as plenty of restaurants, stores, and other amenities. Informal camping can be found at strips of riverside public land along the Salmon up and downstream from Riggins. There are fewer developed campgrounds with RV access and services along the Big Salmon Road east of Riggins; however, RV accommodations and camping can be found at several RV parks in and around town.

Top Picks

1. Whitewater Rafting: Go whitewater rafting or kayaking on day-trip sections of the Salmon up and downstream from Riggins. If you don’t have experience boating potentially challenging class III whitewater, sign up for a guided trip. The whitewater is bigger, colder, and more thrilling in late spring and early summer and more mellow yet technical in the summer, when the blasting summer heat and refreshing river make for a magical mix of whitewater thrills, relaxing floaty sections, and endless swimming holes.
2. Gravel Riding: Grab your gravel grinder or mountain bike and ride some of the epic gravel roads around Riggins. Most of the rides are out-and-back and call for relentless climbing, although a more mellow and stunning option is to try Allison Creek Road or French Creek off of the Big Salmon Road or Slate Creek Road north of Riggins off of Hwy 95. For an epic 34-mile roundtrip gravel ride that climbs around 5,500 feet, head up the Seven Devils Road just south of Riggins. Once you reach the road’s end at Windy Saddle, it’s all downhill from there. Riders in a hurry to make it back to town or camp for happy hour can also arrange a shuttle to the top for a one-way descent. Local drivers may not be accustomed to cyclists and cell coverage is spotty so go prepared.
3. Wilderness Hiking: Hike the nearby Gospel Hump Wilderness, a mostly summer-only option, or find spring-and-summer hiking along trails in the Rapid River south of Riggins. The Seven Devils Mountains offer excellent summer hiking, although lakes along the classic 27-mile loop have become increasingly crowded. To avoid camp congestions, choose tent sites away from lakes when backpacking, day-hike sections of the loop from the trailhead, or hike the whole 27-mile loop in one long, challenging day hike.
4. Fire Lookout Hike: Take the short hike to Heaven’s Gate Lookout in the Seven Devils Mountains. At 8,429 feet, the views are stunning. The lookout has been staffed during the summer in past years and is accessible once the snow is gone from the 17-mile-long Seven Devils Road to the Windy Saddle Trailhead. Continue walking on the Boise Trail past the lookout to extend your hike.
5. River Chilling: Find your own spread of tropical-looking riverside summer beach along Hwy 95 north of Riggins or along the Big Salmon Road and enjoy excellent swimming and beach lounging come mid-summer when river flows drop and the heat feels like a hairdryer on high.

WASHINGTON

Kettle River Country

The Kettle River crosses the U.S./Canadian border several times as it flows 175-miles from its headwaters in southeast British Columbia to the Columbia River. Nearby towns of Republic, Curlew, and Kettle Falls offer tourist sites and amenities, while the river and neighboring Kettle River Range mountains provide all-season outdoor recreation and solitude.

Best For: Hiking, mountain biking, swimming, river tubing, rail-trail riding, and scenic highway drives.

Lodging/Camping: Find charming, Old West-themed hotels in downtown Republic or budget motels in Kettle Falls. With a bit of searching you can find cabins for rent, and there is no shortage of developed RV parks and campgrounds, free primitive camping areas with limited services, and dispersed campsites off Forest Service roads throughout Ferry County.

Top Picks

1. Kettle Crest Hiking: Hiking in the Kettle Range Mountains ranges from short day hikes like the Sherman Peak Loop and Columbia Mountain Loop off of Sherman Pass to multi-day backpacking trips on the Kettle Crest. High-country hiking in early-to-mid summer on the Crest can treat hikers to dramatic displays of wildflowers and sagebrush with few other hikers the farther you stray from the trailheads.
2. Rail Trail Riding: The crushed-rock surface of the hill-free Ferry County Rail Trail near Republic makes for an enjoyable ride for all ages and abilities. While the trail runs 25 miles from near the town of Republic to the Canadian border, parts of the trail are still being re-surfaced, which means most riders will want to take on shorter out-and-back sections of improved trail. To extend your ride from town, pedal the Golden Tiger Pathway to the southernmost Ferry County Rail Trail trailhead.
3. River Floating: Floating the Kettle River in a tube or kayak upstream from Curlew or downstream from the tiny town of Orient on the eastside of the Kettle Range is the best thing to do in Northeast Washington on a scorching summer day. Especially on the eastside, tubing is only safe once river flows drop mid-to-late summer. Check Americanwhitewater.org for more info and ask locals for best, legal put-in and take-out spots.
4. Mountain Biking: Mountain biking the Kettles’ mostly advanced and sometimes technical trails with loads of climbing draw a passionate, fit bunch of riders. One of the few easier (but still challenging) rides that can even be shuttled is the recently re-opened Taylor Ridge Trail accessed off of Boulder Pass. Taylor can be ridden out and back from the lower trailhead to the Crest (around 20 miles with a ton of climbing) or shuttled for an easier one-way ride from the upper trailhead that still has at least 1,000 feet of climbing. Check trail conditions before going.
5. Stonerose Fossil Site: Anyone interested in fossils should definitely spend some time splitting rocks to find real, 49-million-year-old fossils at the Stonerose Interpretive Center and Eocene Fossil Site in Republic. The center is typically open starting in April.

Pend Oreille River

The Pend Oreille River runs west from Lake Pend Oreille before turning north through Northeast Washington on its 130-mile run to the Columbia River in British Columbia. Boaters, paddlers, and wildlife flock to the river that has both reservoir-created slackwater sections and below-dam current. To the east, the Selkirk Mountains create a gorgeous, scenic backdrop to the river valley.

Best For: Paddling, boating, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, camping, scenic drives, history, wilderness, and wildlife viewing.

Lodging/Camping: You can find motel lodging in many of the small towns north of Newport, but for a unique, historic experience, check out the 110-year-old Washington Hotel in Metaline Falls that offers 14 rooms with shared bathrooms down the hall. For RV and developed tent camping, try the new Kalispel RV Resort owned by the Kalispel Tribe of Indians in Cusick. There are several Forest Service campgrounds along the river and at Sullivan Lake and plentiful free camping off of nearby national forest roads.

Top Picks

1. Water Trail Paddling: Paddle sections of the Pend Oreille River Water Trail for an up-close, human-powered tour of the river. The water trail covers 70 miles of the Pend Oreille River from Oldtown, Idaho, to Boundary Dam near the Canadian border. The trail outlines a designated route for small boats, kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards to travel down the river that includes information on access areas, points of interest, picnic stops, and campsites.
2. Salmo Priest Hikes: Take a hike in the Salmo Priest Wilderness in the far northeastern corner of Washington. Several trails traverse subalpine ridgelines with views of Priest Lake while others wind through the fern and moss-covered ancient cedar forest of this inland temperate rainforest. This is grizzly bear country so be bear aware, keep a clean camp, and carry bear spray.
3. Hike, Bike, Swim: Sullivan Lake at the north end of Pend Oreille County is no secret but you should have plenty of elbow room on a hike on the Lakeshore Trail or mountain bike ride on the Noisy Creek Trail. There are plenty of other trails to choose from nearby too. Wash off the sweat with a swim in the lake at one of the two public beaches at each end of the lake.
4. Historic Sites: There are several historic sites to see along the Pend Oreille River. The Pend Oreille River Manresa Grotto north of Usk on the Kalispel Reservation, is one of the tribe’s most sacred places. The caves there are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and can be explored via several short paths. In downtown Newport, the Pend Oreille County Historical Society and Museum with its intact pioneer cabins, an old train depot turned gift shop, and replica fire lookout is worth checking out. North in the historic mining town of Metaline Falls, just strolling through town is a walk back in time. Check out the Cutter Theater, Washington Hotel (that still welcomes guests), and several other historic buildings.
5. Fishing: The Pend Oreille River itself can offer excellent shore and boat fishing, and there are several lakes scattered about the mountains above the river valley that are also worthy of casting a line from shore or paddlecraft. Try Bead Lake, Sullivan Lake, or some of the smaller lakes to the east of the river. Note that some have gear and motor restrictions.

Lake Roosevelt

The 150-mile-long Lake Roosevelt, a reservoir created by the impoundment of the Columbia River in 1941 after the construction of Grand Coulee Dam, sprawls across Northeast Washington. From arid sagelands to pine and fir forests, the lakes scenic diversity and cultural significance is best explored by motorboat or paddlecraft.

Best For: Boating, paddling, swimming, fishing, and hiking.

Lodging/Camping: Two Rivers Resort at the confluence of the Spokane and Columbia rivers has an RV park and cabins for rent and there are VRBO options along the lake. Camping is where it’s at on Lake Roosevelt though. The National Park Service manages several campgrounds, and many enjoy the excellent boat-accessed campsites. Or consider going in on a houseboat rental with friends or family for an experience of a lifetime.

Top Picks

1. Fort Spokane Camping, History and Hiking: Mix history and lake life at Fort Spokane. Spend the day or reserve an RV or tent campsite and spend your days swimming, paddling, boating, and exploring the historical significance of this beautiful, pine-forested place. Visit the historic Fort Spokane Visitor Center and Museum to learn about the native tribes that gathered here for thousands of years to fish for salmon and the more recent history of the U.S. Army’s incursions into the area in the late 1800s. There are also three trails to explore: the easy Sentinel Trail, strenuous Bluff Trail, and moderate Beach Trail.
2. Boating & Paddling: Lake Roosevelt has 22 public boat launches where you can launch a wide range of boats, from kayaks to ski boats, as well as several private marinas. If you don’t own your own boat, you can rent one from Lake Roosevelt Adventures for a day of touring, water skiing/wakeboarding, tubing, fishing, or swimming. There is also free first-come-first-served camping along the lakeshore at designated boat-in campsites and other areas that are at least a half-mile from developed areas (be familiar with National Park Service rules for boat-in camping on Lake Roosevelt). Strong paddlers with the right gear can also paddle to a beach camp.

[Feature photo: Kettle Crest in northeast Washington, photo by Jon Jonckers.]

The post 32 Spring & Summer Inland NW Trip Ideas appeared first on Out There Venture.

Headed up the Selway River one afternoon, we skidded to a stop along the narrow gravel road after catching the sight of salmon slowly making their way upstream. I’d never seen anything like that before in the Idaho mountains, and we all stood there watching them in awe.

A few miles later, still buzzing from that rare encounter with a Northwest icon, we stopped to check out Selway Falls. At the base of the impressive falls, a couple of guys who later introduced themselves as Nez Perce Tribal members were down near the water fishing. Within a couple minutes, one of them pulled a massive salmon out of the water. He stood there along the river with mist from the falls rising behind him as he held the fish up. “A wild fish for a wild Indian,” he said grinning.

That moment, with the roaring sound of the falls pounding in our ears, I felt hopeful, like a wild salmon renaissance was afoot. Those incredible experiences were over two decades ago and the plight of Northwest salmon has tragically gotten worse.

In 2019, fewer than 4,000 wild spring chinook salmon made their way back to Idaho from the Pacific. For historical context, millions of wild fish once returned in good years. It’s realities like these that can make the situation for salmon feel hopeless at times. How could we have let such an amazing animal, such an incredible cultural and economic resource, nearly come to an end here in what was once a rich, vibrant inland salmon and steelhead fishing region? The looming prospect of extinction is an epic moral failure of our time.

Every once in a while there is a bit of news though that shines rays of hope for the future. One of those moments materialized when Idaho Representative Mike Simpson recently announced a proposal for a Columbia Basin Fund that could keep salmon from going extinct. Surprising to many, the Idaho Republican’s plan calls for breaching the four lower Snake River dams in Eastern Washington.

Scientists believe those dams are the biggest cause behind dwindling salmon and steelhead runs in the Snake River basin that includes pristine rivers in Idaho, NE Oregon and SE Washington. It would also ensure that energy, transportation, and agricultural priorities—as well as local community development projects throughout the region—were funded through $34 billion in thoughtful infrastructure investments. It includes funds for upper Columbia River fish passage as well. 

Part of the deal, which was crafted after 300 meetings with a wide range of stakeholders over three years—would also take away conservation groups’ ability to file the lawsuits they’ve been using to leverage salmon protections for the next 35 years. A lull in litigation, Simpson insists, would give a wide range of interests more certainty when making long-term economic, management, and investment decisions.  

It’s not a perfect first draft and improvements should and can be made. But Simpson’s comprehensive proposal just might be the magic mix that ends the salmon wars with a happy ending instead of extinction.

So far Simpson’s plan has support from interests with serious skin in the game, from tribes and conservationists to electric utilities and shippers. For many, Simpson’s efforts seem to be a better solution than the status quo that has spent billions of dollars on salmon recovery and management efforts while fish numbers continue to decline.            

When the Lower Snake River dams were built, there were winners and losers, and day-to-day life and business as usual changed for the good or bad for a lot of people and communities. Simpson’s efforts could flip that dynamic around by making sure we do the right thing by saving salmon for the future without leaving impacted communities and interests behind.

Check out his proposal at Simpson.house.gov. Call and email your U.S. Senators and Representatives from Washington, Idaho, and Oregon and urge them to get behind this once-in-a-lifetime proposal to save Inland Northwest salmon while we still can.

Derrick Knowles is managing editor and co-publisher. He co-edited the book Holding Common Ground: The Individual and Public Lands in the American West (Eastern Washington University Press, 2005) along with Paul Lindholdt. Previously, Derrick worked for the non-profit environmental group Conservation Northwest.

The post A Path Forward for Inland NW Salmon appeared first on Out There Venture.

1. Tag off as many hikes in one of our local hiking guidebooks as you can. Pick one up from your local, independent bookstore, like Aunties Bookstore downtown Spokane. 
2. Load up the bikes for a Sandpoint, Idaho, mountain bike trip. Check out Pendoreillepedalers.org for riding recommendations. Favorites include the Syringa Trails, Gold Hill, Bernard Peak, and trails at Schweitzer Mountain Resort and the Selkirk Recreation District Trail system below the resort. 
3. Paddle along the shore on Lake Pend Oreille from City Beach in Sandpoint. The local Outdoor Experience gear shop in town rents paddleboards and kayaks if you need them. 
4. Break out the binoculars and try to learn to identify at least 5 new bird species in your backyard or a nearby natural area. Check out Audubon.org for resources. 
5. Hike, run, or mountain bike as many of the Spokane County Conservation Areas as you can. 
6. Try all three of our nearby zipline tours: Silver Streak (Wallace), Mica Moon (Liberty Lake), and Timberline Adventures (Coeur d’ Alene). 
7. Ride sections of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, a 73-mile paved path running across the Idaho Panhandle from Plummer to Mullan. Or if you’re feeling hardcore, bike the whole thing in one day. 
8. Go swimming in your favorite swimmable lake. If it’s within hiking or biking distance, ditch the car and make it a human-powered adventure. (Explore our Lake Guide stories to find a lake near you.)
9. Try jumping out of an airplane near Ritzville, Wash. with an experienced Skydive West Plains guide once they are allowed to open back up. 
10. Break out the gravel grinder or mountain bike and ride up to Moon Pass from historic Wallace, Idaho. Explore sections of singletrack from there or just bomb back down for a beer at one of the local breweries. Want a little help with the climb? Rent an e-bike from Cogs Spokehouse in Wallace and then take on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes on a ride up to the town of Mullan or west to Kellogg. 
11. Go rafting or kayaking in Riggins, Idaho. Bring your own gear if you’re up for navigating the mostly class III rapids on the stretch of river above and below town, or sign up for a guided trip if you don’t have the river-running skills or equipment. (Check out this story from our archives, “River Town Rebirth: Riggins, Idaho.”)
12. Hike into an alpine lake in the Selkirks, Bitterroots, Cascades, or Cabinets and fish for your own dinner. 
13. Visit the Seven Devils Mountains and wilderness area near Riggins, Idaho, and camp, backpack, day hike, or visit the nearby fire lookout. Bring your mountain bike for at least one person in your group to make the long gravel road descent from the Seven Devils via bicycle on the way back down to the highway. 
14. Ride from Spokane on the paved Fish Lake Trail, then along a section of the Cheney-Spokane Road, and connect with the Columbia Plateau Trail and continue all the way into Cheney for refreshments before heading back home. Start at Fish Lake to shorten the ride. 
15. Skip the shuttle and ride both directions of the Route of the Hiawatha rail trail near Wallace.  
16. Learn to climb and start exploring the vertical world of the many amazing climbing areas scattered about Eastern Washington and North Idaho. While climber friends may be willing to teach you the ropes, you can fast-track your learning in a safe environment with a class from a guide like Inland Northwest Climbing Outfitters. 
17. Ride the relatively new Brush Lake Trail intermediate mountain bike trail near Bonners Ferry. This 5.6-mile trail was built by mountain bikers and will be good fun for most riders. 
18. Float or paddle as many sections of the Spokane River from the Idaho Stateline to Riverside State Park that you have the skills and gear to manage safely. 
19. Paddle the Spokane River from the Division Street put-in downtown and head upstream for food and drink if available from No-Li or Bangkok Thai. Fun Unlimited rents paddleboards and kayaks at the put in if you don’t have your own. 
20. Ride between Spokane and Coeur d’Alene on the Centennial Trail and stop at swimming holes along the way to keep cool. 
21. Plan an epic park or natural area picnic with friends or family maintaining social distancing.  
22. Hike or bike one of your favorite trails, find a scenic spot, and binge-read your all-time-favorite outdoor adventure/travel book or novel. 
23. While Ferry County’s Get Out Fest has sadly been canceled this year, you can still head up there to ride the 25-mile long Ferry County Rail Trail, hike or bike on the Kettle Crest, and paddle on Curlew Lake on your own. 
24. Hike into these Inland Northwest old-growth groves: Ross Creek Cedar Grove (Montana), Hobo Cedar Grove (North Idaho), DeVoto Memorial Cedar Grove (Northcentral Idaho), Roosevelt Grove of Ancient Cedars (Priest Lake, Idaho), Hanna Flats Cedar Grove (Priest Lake, Idaho), Virginia Lilly Old Growth Trail (Northcentral Washington), Big Tree Botanical Loop (Northcentral Washington). 
25. Avoid the crowds at popular fishing access sites and docks and hike (when public lands provide access) or paddle into a more remote fishing hole. 
26. Take a waterfall road trip and stop for short hikes into these cascades near Bonners Ferry: Myrtle Falls, Upper and Lower Snow Creek Falls, Copper Falls, and Smith Creek Falls. Closer to home, take the short hike into Indian Canyon Park just west of downtown Spokane, located within Palisades Park, to check out Mystic Falls, or a longer hike into Liberty Lake Regional Park to the falls above the cedar grove and switchbacks. 
27. Give some respect back to the indigenous people whose traditional lands we now recreate and live on by learning more about their culture and history. 
28. Spend a day or two biking or hiking the Empire Trails above Spirit Lake (inexpensive permit required) and paddling and fishing the lake. You can rent paddleboards, kayaks, and other gear from the Spirit Lake Rec Center at the boat launch or e-bikes from Fresh Air E-bikes.  
29. Night hike one of your favorite National Forest or Spokane County or City of Spokane trails to enjoy the stars and night sounds of nature. Download a star gazing app or hike near a pond or lake with a healthy frog population to amplify the experience. 
30. Pick up a guidebook to native plants of our region and hike your favorite nearby trails and make an effort to learn the most common shrubs and plants. 
31. Ride a section of the Palouse to Cascades Trail, a crushed-rock surface rail trail, like the highly scenic section between Rosalia and Pine City. You’ll need to complete a free online registration process before riding or hiking along this 285-mile long State Park trail that stretches across Washington. 
32. Pick up some discs at the General Store in Spokane and hike and play your pick of the region’s many public disc golf courses, such as Camp Sekani Park or High Bridge Park in Spokane or Corbin Park in Post Falls.   
33. Bummed that your favorite race got canceled or postponed? Make up your own close-to-home sufferfest and con some friends into joining you for some social distancing type 2 fun.  
34. Take an overnight bikepacking trip. Visit your local bike shop for the racks and bags you’ll need to keep the weight off your back, then pick an open campground destination a day’s ride from your house or other starting point. Find a route that incorporates as many trails or back roads as possible. Potential destinations include state park campgrounds if open, resorts/RV parks at lakes near Cheney and on Lake Roosevelt that offer camping, dispersed camping sites on National Forest land north of Coeur d’Alene, and other private campgrounds/RV parks near the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. 
35. Bike or Walk to a Farmers Market. 

Originally published as “Close to Home Summer Adventures” in the June 2020 issue.

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WASHINGTON

1. Ski Bluewood in Dayton, Wash., where the off-piste Vintner’s Ridge cat skiing opens expert terrain for only $12/day plus the $45 adult lift ticket. Then experience regional menus, local wine parings, and cooking classes during Walla Walla’s February Is For Foodies month.

2. Cross-country ski or snowmobile 5 miles into the U.S. Forest Service nightly cabin rental, Clearwater Big House, near Pomeroy, Wash. Enjoy the quiet spaces on the Umatilla National Forest where elk, bighorn sheep, mule and white-tailed deer, and coyotes amble among the snow-flocked pines and subalpine fir. Dozens of forest service cabins and fire lookouts are available to rent in the Northwest for a reasonable nightly fee. 

3. Visit Bavaria without leaving Washington at the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum and explore different ways to crack a nut. Kids can join a nutcracker hunt while discovering the importance of nuts throughout human history in the Bavarian-style village of the Cascade Range, just 2 miles from Leavenworth Ski Hill’s two rope tows, Nordic jump hill, tubing slope, and lovely log lodge. 

4. Ski with the dog on some of Methow Trails’ 40 kilometers of dog-friendly Nordic trails such as Grizzly Way, Rendezvous, and Big Valley. Dogs need a $10 daily ticket or $50 season pass to help upkeep the grooming while humans’ trail fees range according to age.

5. Take an outdoor adventure class with REI Spokane, like Avalanche Awareness and Avalanche Fundamentals at the Spokane store; or, try the Wilderness First Aid at Selkirk Lodge at Mt. Spokane State Park, where—like many recreation outlets—a Sno-Park Permit is required. 

6. Bring the ice skates to downtown Spokane’s Riverfront Park Numerica Ice Ribbon, a 650-foot iced path accompanied by fire pits and hot cocoa from SkyRibbon Café. Skate rentals available for $4.95. 

7. Explore the channeled scablands of the 18,000-acre Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, which provides winter habitat to waterfowl and mammalian wildlife among the glaciated basalt outcroppings, canyons, pine forests, meadows, and wetlands. 

IDAHO

8. Find wonder at Harriman State Park in Idaho, winter home to trumpeter swans on the open water of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. The park offers excellent birding along the 39 kilometers of groomed cross-country ski, snowshoe, and fat bike trails. Unique lodging in bunkhouse, dorms, cabins, and yurts encourage large groups to stay at the historic 11,000-acre railroad ranch. 

9. Fat bike Sandpoint, Idaho’s winter trails with a rental from Greasy Fingers Bikes N Repair, where the crew will point out in-town and on-mountain trails.

10. Squeal down 100 yards of downhill sliding aboard an inner tube at Schweitzer Mountain Resort’s Hermits Hollow Tubing Center, lit for night tubing and day sliding with a tow back to the hilltop. The winter thriller is for anyone 42 inches or taller.

11. Nordic ski from Ketchum, Idaho’s Galena Lodge into Sun Valley on some of the 200 kilometers of superbly groomed trails with the Boulder Mountains glistening above the Big Wood River. Stay at the new Limelight Hotel, which serves the best gluten-free pizza in the Gem State.

12. Go fishing with Go Fish Charters on Lake Pend Oreille for brown cutthroat, lake and rainbow trout, as well as walleye and whitefish. Winter fishing season in Idaho goes through March 31, and you can fly fish on the Clark Fork, St. Joe, St. Maries, and Moyie rivers, as well as the North Fork, Little North Fork, and mainstream Coeur d’Alene rivers.

OREGON

13. Cross-country ski at Meacham Divide Nordic Area, located in northeast Oregon. The Blue Mountain Nordic Club maintains a marked, groomed trail system. The primary trail, called Loppet, includes five loops branching off it.

14. Snowshoe or ski tour into the Wallowa Alpine Huts in the Eaglecap Wilderness Area. Amenities include yurts, a wood-fired sauna, and well-equipped kitchen. Snowmobile porter service available.

15. Admire some pups at the Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Race, the only Iditarod and Yukon Quest qualifier in Oregon, on Jan.23-25. The races are the main event, but the vet checks in Joseph are free, open to the public, and provide a good opportunity to meet the mushers and dogs. 

MONTANA AND WYOMING

16. Ice climb with Glacier Adventure Guides and learn ice-tool techniques, safety, and fun on crystalline frozen waterfalls. The experts also offer guided cross-country ski and snowshoe tours and winter camping trips in Glacier National Park. 

17. Stay in a slope-side luxury tree house at Whitefish Mountain Resort. The Snow Bear Chalets are in one of the three elevated and cozy cabins, each with private hot tub on the deck, full kitchen, and a turret bedroom. 

18. Check out Cabin Fever Days in Martin City, Hungry Horse, and Coram, Mont. The event features Barstool Ski Races where entrants fix skis to barstools and attempt to ride down a slope near Glacier National Park every mid-February, benefitting the local volunteer fire department. No training needed.

19. Ice skate Missoula’s Glacier Ice Rink where both indoor and outdoor rinks entice skaters to glide the large arena (rental skates are available); or, adventure outside on the Rattlesnake neighborhood’s Pineview Park where the local hockey association floods a portion of the park for bring-your-own-skates fun.

20. Visit Yellowstone National Park Lodges and geysers aboard an over-the-snow vehicle from Mammoth, Wyo. to Old Faithful, while the interpreter reveals history and famous thermal features and points out bison, elk, wolves, eagles, and moose.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

21. Gain Avalanche Safety Training at the Golden Alpine Holidays backcountry huts, or enjoy three to seven-day hut trips. Skiers and boarders can helicopter in to the Esplanade Range of the northern Selkirks for guided, catered, or self-guided, alpine-touring hut adventures.

22. Storm watch British-Columbia style, which includes dazzling Pacific storms barreling across the ocean while viewers are seated fireside in one of Vancouver Island’s cozy oceanfront resorts such as Nanaimo’s Yellow Point Lodge. 

23. Howl with the dogs at Candle Creek’s Dog Sled Tours at Big White Ski Resort, Mountain Man Dog Sled Adventures at Sun Peaks Resort, or Big Bear Tours of Lumby near Vernon.

24. Snowmobile part or all of the 1850s Gold Rush Trail from Kamloops to Cariboo, Williams Lake, and the historic communities of Wells and Barkerville—a 288-mile route.

25. Soak in B.C.’s famed mineral waters such as Ainsworth Hot Springs, located near Nelson along Kootenay Lake on lands first used by Ktuanxa First Nations peoples. The resort hotel offers access to the hot springs pools and cave. 

Jean Arthur writes, skis, hikes, bikes, and laughs from Bozeman. She even has the blisters to prove it, thanks to the new ski boots on her wish list.

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