For generations, Tribal Nations have cared for forests, grasslands, and rivers in ways that sustained both people and ecosystems. Today, as wildfires intensify and ecosystems strain under the weight of a changing climate, that wisdom is proving indispensable. Across the country, Tribes are stepping up as full partners in the stewardship of public lands, often filling gaps left by federal agencies stretched too thin. 

One tool for this collaboration is the Tribal Forest Protection Act (TFPA), which allows Tribes to initiate projects on neighboring federal lands. The Kalispel Tribe’s TFPA projects are examples of blending traditional knowledge with modern science to restore forest health, reduce dangerous fuel loads and ensure the land remains resilient for generations to come. In short, it’s about conservation that’s proactive, not reactive. 

But these efforts come at a time when the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the agency responsible for managing much of the nation’s public forest land, is facing major headwinds. With reductions in force and budget cuts in natural resource management, the agency has fewer staff and fewer dollars to address the rising threats of wildfire, invasive species, and drought-driven stress on forests. 

That’s where co-stewardship comes in. By partnering with Tribes, the USFS and other agencies don’t just gain extra capacity; they gain centuries of place-based knowledge about fire, water and ecosystems. For Tribes, these partnerships represent more than just contracts or projects. They are a continuation of cultural responsibilities: to keep forests thriving, to maintain balance and to pass on healthy lands to the next generation. 

Yes, the budget challenges are real. But this is not a story of scarcity; it’s one of opportunity. Tribal Nations are ready and able to lead in sustainable forestry, from fuels-reduction projects that protect communities from catastrophic fire to habitat restoration that safeguards fish and wildlife. Our Sx^wuytn Kaniksu Connections Trail Project (a TFPA project) proves what’s possible when federal and Tribal partners work side by side. 

If we are serious about confronting the challenges facing America’s forests, we need to lean into these partnerships. That means honoring Tribal leadership, expanding co-stewardship agreements and ensuring that cutting budgets at the federal level does not create a landscape that is unable to support its people. 

Because in the end, what’s at stake isn’t just budgets or agencies; it’s the health of forests, the safety of communities and the legacy we leave for future generations. On that front, Tribes are showing us the way forward. 

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Ty Brown’s “Along the Little Spokane River: A Sense of Place” is his third book examining Inland Northwest history. “Along the Little Spokane” tells the stories of the families, farms, mills, camps, and resorts that populated the waterway. 

The book is broken into three sections: The Headwaters, the Heart of the River, and Meeting the Spokane. The Headwaters follows the river and its stories as it flows from the West Fork headwaters of Sacheen Lake and the main fork near Penrith and Newport to Colbert Road. The Heart of the River flows from Colbert to Dartford with Meeting the Spokane winding to the confluence with the “Big” Spokane at Spokane House.  

Brown provides the history behind many of the names in the region, from the namesakes of the Aubrey White and Rutter Parkways and the Herbert Dart family of “Dart’s Ford,” now Dartford, to Glen Tana, Wandermere, and Montvale. The stories behind the Colbert Saloon and more than a few train wrecks are sure to engage readers. 

Accentuating these tales are scores of pictures that bring to life the region’s history in a way that words alone cannot. Readers will see hockey teams and recreational skaters at Silas Cook’s ice rink, company picnics, throngs of cyclists in front of the Wandermere Lake bathhouse, and many of the grand houses situated along the river. My favorite shows hundreds of cars parked at the base of a ski jump, watching a 1933 ski jumping tournament near what is now the Kalispel Golf and Country Club.  

One thing I would have liked to have seen more of is stories involving the local tribes. While there are some images and mentions, the native story is secondary to that of the White settlers and deserves a closer look. Perhaps Brown will go there next.  

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Twenty-plus years ago, I was a seasonal wildlife biologist, conducting surveys to threatened species in proposed timber harvest units. Many national forest districts rely on seasonal staff, as I was, to conduct fish and cultural resource surveys, mend fences and maintain the vast road networks that wind to some of our favorite places.  

This year, the U.S. Forest Service is facing a half billion-dollar budget cut from their requested amount. This will likely have a large impact on us, the user groups. To adjust to this financial shortfall, the Forest Service has announced that it will not hire, other than firefighter workforce, any temporary season staff for 2025. Although it isn’t yet clear how many positions this will affect, in 2024 the Forest Service had more than 2,500 seasonal temporary job spots. 

Many of these positions are the ones that interact with the public the most. Think of the seasonal trail crews that clear miles of trail each season, the recreation staff that make sure that campgrounds are clean and vault toilets are sanitary, and the climbing and backcountry rangers that patrol some of the most scenic areas (e.g. making sure the Enchantments are not being loved to death). These positions are also key to gaining experience and building the workforce of the forest service, and many are worried that without these positions the agency will lose the next generation of employees.  

The forest service is taking actions to address this budget issue. Across the country, they have converted nearly 1,300 non-fire temporary (known as 1039 hires) employees to permanent status. The agency will maintain its 11,300-strong fire fighting force too. But there are concerns on agency related blogs and newsletters that this is signaling an agency-wide reduction in work force. Adding to that concern is the unknowns with the incoming administration and the Department of Government Efficiency.  

We may be less affected regionally than other areas. Tribes in the region are working on lending a hand and having more engagement on their ancestral lands. Both the Colville Confederated Tribes and Kalispel Tribe have a Tribal Forest Protection Act (TFPA) agreement with the Colville National Forest. The Kalispel finalized an agreement that will increase the capacity to do a variety of work with the Pend Oreille watershed of the Colville. A focus of many of these potential projects will be aquatic and forest restoration. These TFPA’s bring increased capacity by utilizing tribal biologists, foresters, and engineers to complete projects on forest service property.  

Regional national forests have also been working to address the staffing issue. The Idaho Panhandle National Forest was able to convert 18 temporary, seasonal positions to full-time. The Colville National Forest hired 45 non-fire temporary employees in 2024, and they were able to convert 21 of those positions to full-time. As was reported in the last issue of this magazine, programs like the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center have grown robust enough and have a close partnership with its NGO arm to not feel the financial hit to their program. Both of these forests already rely on the NGO partners to do a lot of their trail maintenance, including the Washington Trails Association, Backcountry Horseman, Evergreen East, Idaho Trails association, and other organizations. 

Other forests might not be so lucky to have a strong volunteer base, so it might be time to grab a shovel and lend a hand. 

Adam Gebauer will be hitting the skin track as often as possible and trying to train for his second half marathon this spring. 

The post Forest Service Budget Cut  appeared first on Out There Venture.

Eastern Washington’s largest ski area with 7 lifts and 2,325 acres of terrain near Chewelah, Wash. 

Lifts: 7 

Vertical: 1,851 

Acres: 2,325  

Summits: 2 

Number of Runs: 90 

Nordic Center: Included with day ticket or pass 

Operating Schedule: 7 days a week by Dec. 13 through mid-April (as conditions allow). 

Save Big on the Fall Season Pass Sale Through Nov. 15 

Score big savings on 49° North’s fall season pass sale through Nov. 15! On top of unlimited skiing and snowboarding, you get access to heavily discounted lift tickets at several other ski areas across the Northwest and even across the border in Canada, plus free access to 49’s groomed Nordic trails! 

49° North/Silver Mountain Combo Pass 

A Combo Pass gives you unlimited access to both ski areas. That’s a combined 3,925 acres, 14 lifts, 170 trails, 4 summits, and 4,051′ of vertical to ski or ride all season long. 

Lift Ticket Deals 

One of the easiest ways to save at 49° North is buying lift tickets in advance! Just go online and choose the date you want to visit to see all the deals and options. It’s best to line up your tickets at home as not all cell phones have service on the mountain. Take a screen shot or print your receipt and then pick up your lift tickets at the main lodge or at the yurt at the bottom of the Sunrise Basin. Lift tickets ordered online can be redeemed at the new ticket kiosk at the far-left ticket window using the barcode from your lift ticket purchase.  

What’s New for the 2024/25 Season 

On the heels of adding the Northern Spirit Express high-speed quad in 2021, Eastern Washington’s largest ski area has been busy maintaining and grooming the slopes this summer. They’ve been busy brush cutting and are hopeful for an early season opening. 49° North is also stoked to announce a brand new PistenBully winch cat to increase grooming capacity this season, especially on the steeper slopes, which is a nice addition to their extensive snowmaking system.  

The new sprung structure building that opened last season has also been in full construction mode as it is transformed into the new Experience Center. This center will house all rental and performance demo gear, the Snowsports School, and tuning and repair operations, hopefully by opening day. The new Experience Center will offer a smoother and more efficient process to get out on the snow, so you can learn to ski or snowboard quicker and with less hassle. 49° North has also upgraded its rental and demo fleet, offering the latest, greatest skis and boards for demo, including local, handmade skis from Sneva MFG. 

Ski & Stay Savings at 49° North 

This season, lift ticket discounts will be offered for those who choose less driving and more time on the mountain by staying with a local lodging provider! Check out the new Mistequa Hotel, located in Chewelah next to the Chewelah Casino and featuring spacious modern rooms, ski lockers, an indoor pool, and a new on-site restaurant with walking access to the casino. Lift ticket deals are also offered for guests at other area lodging options this season. More info at ski49n.com. 

Snowsports School: Programs for Everyone 

First-time skiers or snowboarders of all ages, as well as experienced shredders looking to improve on their abilities, will find a lesson or multi-day program that fits their needs and schedule at 49° North.  

“We’ve got some of the most talented, caring, and dedicated instructors in the Northwest and incredible terrain for people to learn and have that first on-snow experience,” says 49’s Rick Brown. The ski area offers huge terrain variety, with plenty of beginner slopes along with more challenging runs for building skills at an affordable price, he says. 49° North also offers a great partnership with regional schools who want to integrate skiing and snowboarding into their school or home school programs. Educators can reach out to the resort for more info.  

Honoring Native American Culture 

Together with members of the Kalispell and Spokane Tribes and other partners, 49° North will be unveiling an upgrade to the popular animal character signs stashed out in the woods off to the right at the top of the Payday beginner lift, which happens to be some of the best ski trails for new skiers and snowboarders, says Brown. The animal signs, which have long provided notable meet-up locations for parents and kids, have been replaced with new versions of familiar animal characters that have their names marked in the native Salish dialect of both Tribes as well as in English, with handy pronunciation assistance to help skiers say the Salish words correctly.  

Plan Ahead for Your Favorite Events 

• Warren Miller Film Tour: Nov. 23 

• Wintersportsfest at the Nordic Center: Jan. 15  

• Women of Winter Ski & Snowboard Clinic Series: Jan. 24, Feb. 28, & March 14 

• Nordic Family Weekend: Feb. 1-2 

• Skijoring Race Event: Feb. 1-2 

• Chewelah Winter Fest & 49 Rail Jam: Feb. 8 

• Skijoring with Dogs at the Nordic Center: March 1 

• Telebration Telemark Skiing Event: March 16  

• Jaeger’s Park Party: Late March (date TBA) 

• Hawaiian Days and Slush Cup pond skim: Late March (date TBA) 

Sponsored by SNWR and 49 Degrees North

The post SKI LOCAL: 49 Degrees North Mountain Resort   appeared first on Out There Venture.

Cover photo courtesy of Holly Weiler

Indian Creek Community Forest boasts a relatively new trail system that is perfect for the shoulder season in northeast Washington. The 410-acre property is owned and operated by the Kalispel Tribe and is adjacent to the USFS Geophysical trail system, so visitors have their choice of trail access depending on seasonal conditions. So long as the weather is cooperating and the snow is not too deep, hikers can park in the main Indian Creek Community Forest parking lot to access the trail system, which is adjacent to the Arboretum Loop Trail but provides connection to the rest of the trails within the property. As the snow begins to pile up later into the winter season, the property can also be accessed from the Geophysical Trail System next door (SnoPark permit required from Dec. 1-March 30).  

A good introduction to the Community Forest is the Arboretum Trail, which consists of a relatively flat half-mile loop that includes interpretive signage about native trees and shrubs that can be found on the property. Especially if starting at the west parking lot, consider this the best warm-up hike! Afterward, continue past the main Community Forest office building toward Indian Creek. The trail will reach a junction where the east section serves as the connection point toward the Geophysical Trail System, the alternate starting point in the event of snowy conditions. The west section leads to the crossing of Indian Creek and then continues an approximately mile-long loop on the upper west portion of the property where the Kalispel Tribe operates a demonstration forest highlighting different forest treatments for wildfire severity reduction and forest health. It’s a lovely self-guided tour in the off-season, but those who would like to know more can also watch for events hosted at the Community Forest in the summer. Indian Creek is open to hikers, snowshoers, and skiers only (no bikes and no horses, regardless of season).  

Getting There: Indian Creek Community Forest is located on Indian Creek Road approximately 1 mile east of the intersection with LeClec Road. There is a dedicated parking lot at the Community Forest entrance, but, once snow arrives, the trail system also connects to the Geophysical SnoPark lot at the other end of Indian Creek Road, approximately 1 mile west of the intersection with Bead Lake Road. 

Holly Weiler is the Eastern Washington region senior coordinator for Washington Trails Association and is eagerly anticipating a snowy winter with many snowshoe and ski adventures! 

The post Hike of the Month: Indian Creek Community Forest  appeared first on Out There Venture.

This fall, as you are enjoying the numerous recreation opportunities that our public lands have to offer, don’t forget to take a moment to acknowledge the people who have inhabited this beautiful place long before European colonization. Indigenous residents, such as the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, have survived in harmony with the natural resources this landscape produced and were not just passive occupants of this place. They were actively shaping this land. One of the tools used to modify the land was fire. 

Wildfire is an incredibly scary thing. In today’s world, we don’t have a lot of room for wildfire based on how we have built into the Wildland-Urban Interface, which has increased conflict and suppression needs. Not so long ago, fire wasn’t suppressed as it is today and in fact, it was often encouraged. Fires were carefully set to manage the land for specific species of plants and animals, to clear travel corridors, to hunt game, and for other important uses. 

Local Tribes are once again taking an active role in the management of their aboriginal homelands. Through federal legislation like the Tribal Forest Protection Act and Good Neighbor Authority, Tribes are engaging in co-stewardship of the places they historically occupied. By working with their partners at the state and federal levels, Tribes can bring indigenous ecological knowledge to the table when setting priorities for land management.  

These are exciting times in the world of public land management. It is a massive undertaking to conserve our natural resources, but through collaboration, we can truly accomplish more. Just remember that the wild places we cherish do not exist by accident. Land managers have been active stewards of these places since time immemorial.  

To learn more about the Kalispel Tribe and its efforts to protect and preserve our natural landscapes, please visit Knrd.org. 

Sponsored

The post Aboriginal Lands and Fire  appeared first on Out There Venture.

By Adam Gebauer 

When I was asked to write about the progress the five tribal nations of the Upper Columbia have made over the last 20 years in supporting fish, wildlife, and forests in this region, I knew it was going to be a daunting task. For well over a decade now, I have been working alongside the natural resource departments of these tribes on small subsets of these issues and have seen firsthand the vast breadth and depth of projects that each tribe has tackled. Their projects range from work to rehabilitate land directly on their reservation, working within their traditional territories (including Canada), to working collaboratively to restore salmon across their historic range.  

Over the last 20 years, these tribes have bolstered their natural resource programs and created plans to support habitat protection on their reservations. The Spokane Tribe, for example, has a land management plan that supports wildlife habitat, including designating areas for restoration, areas of no timber harvest, and places to limit development. They have also set water quality standards accepted by the EPA to maintain fishable, drinkable, and swimmable levels in all water leaving and entering the reservation.   

A goal of the 12 tribes of the Colville Reservation is to reintroduce the full subset of wildlife species that existed before western colonization. This is not only to allow these species to fulfill their ecological niche but also to provide tribal members opportunities for subsistence hunting. Along with the Yakama Nation, the Colville has introduced pronghorn to shrub steppe habitat. These populations have moved off the respective reservations and are breeding and occupying habitat throughout Central Washington. The Colville also reintroduced big horn sheep, are working to establish a breeding population of lynx along the Kettle Crest, and have recently released wood bison onto the reservation.  

The Couer d’Alene Tribe has taken a lead role in the management of Lake Coeur d’Alene.  Along with water quality issues, they have showed proof of concept that invasive northern pike suppression leads to increased trout populations. They have acquired land for habitat protection and restoration, including purchasing and/or trade of around 15 miles of the headwaters of Hangman Creek. Recently, the tribe purchased land in Spokane along Hangman where they plan to have a rearing area for chinook salmon. 

The Kootenai Tribe on the Idaho Panhandle are working to restore 55 miles of riparian habitat along the Kootenai River system. They have been working to increase populations of endangered Kootenai white sturgeon and burbot, a popular sport fish. In 2017, they built a hatchery that supports both fish—the first burbot hatchery in the nation—and in January 2019 burbot fishing opportunities were open to the public.  

The Kalispel Tribe has acquired and is working to restore an additional 5,000 acres of wildlife habitat and has restored the hydrologic floodplain processes to 3,000 acres within their traditional lands of the Pend Oreille waterways. They are working with the managing agencies for three dams along the Pend Oreille River — Boundary, Box, and Albeni Falls — to install fish passage. Two of these projects are in place and the Albeni project will be under bid in 2025. They are also working with different agencies including Seattle City Light, Pend Oreille County Public Utilities, the Colville National Forest, Trout Unlimited, and even The Lands Council (my employer) to restore habitat for the threatened bull trout and endemic cutthroat trout across the watershed. To bolster habitat for these fish, they installed a cold-water syphon at Sullivan Lake, which has lowered the temperature of Sullivan Creek by an average 6 degrees Celsius. They are also trying to replicate this to lower the temperature of Priest River.  

The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and the Kalispel Tribe have a small land mass, so as much as they work on their reservation lands, they also conduct much of their habitat work on public lands within their ancestral territory. Both tribes have been working with Canadian agencies, including the Arrow Lakes Society, to restore the Selkirk Mountain Caribou herd to its historic range into the Southern Selkirks. They are also active on the interagency grizzly bear recovery task force, trying to restore genetically viable populations of this key species to the Selkirk and Yaak recovery zones. 

Both the Colville and the Kalispel have leveraged the Tribal Forest Protection Act (TFPA) to conduct projects on the Colville National Forest. The Colville Tribe engaged in the Sanpoil project in Ferry County to reduce wildfire potential along the reservation boundary. The Kalispel was integral in the Trail Project, which spans six watersheds in Pend Oreille County and focuses on forest health, wildfire fuels reduction close to population centers, and improved recreation. Along with conducting prescribed burns on their forest land, the five nations are also reestablishing the practice of cultural burning, which, along with supporting forest health, can have specific objectives such as increasing huckleberry habitat or camas fields. 

One of the most culturally significant and biggest lifts is the reintroduction of salmon to their historic waterways in the upper Columbia River above Chief Joesph and Grand Coulee Dams. The nations, particularly the Coeur d’Alene, Spokane, and Colville, are in the second of three phases of a decades-long fight to bring salmon back. The current phase is studying the habitat suitability of the spring Chinook in their natal waters as well as the reservoir of Lake Roosevelt. Tribes are looking at the ability of these fish to spawn successfully in main stem and tributary waters.  The tribes have released adult fish into streams such as the Sanpoil, Little Spokane, Hangman, and the Spokane and have found that these fish have been able to create redds (fish nests) in the sand and gravel. Another part of the study is looking at movement and survival of juvenile fish within Lake Roosevelt and through the dams, to the ocean and hopefully back again. These young fish need cold, swift, oxygen-rich water to make it to the ocean, and the reservoirs behind the dams make this challenging. One of the key aspects of this project is determining ways to bring salmon back while maintaining the current hydroelectric operation of the Columbia and Spokane Rivers. 

This is only a small subset of all the work that these tribes have been able to accomplish in our region over the las 20 years.  They are the forefront of actions to make our landscapes more climate resilient, habitats healthier, and waters cleaner. As is often quoted in tribal culture, they are looking seven generations in the past and seven generations into the future. 

Adam Gebauer has been slipping and sliding in some local creeks while helping the Spokane Tribe collect data on trout and future salmon habitat. He is passing miles on the trails while enjoying the fall colors. 

The post Regional Tribes Take the Lead on Fish, Wildlife, & Habitat Restoration Across Their Ancestral Lands  appeared first on Out There Venture.

In September 2004, I was a relatively new teacher trying to land that elusive continuing contract at one of our local school districts. Most of my free time was spent running on local trails, but that fall I joined my first volunteer trail work crew at the urging of a friend. It’s fun to look back at that moment now, as it took a lot of convincing to get me to join that initial crew; 20 years later I’ve left the indoor classroom behind and trail building and maintenance are the main subjects I teach. I consider myself fortunate to have an insider’s view on some of the processes that lead to our region’s fantastic recreation opportunities. 

Conservation Futures Parks Expand 

One of the best recreation ideas for the Spokane area has actually been around for 30 years now, and it helps explain why some of my favorite local trail systems didn’t yet exist in 2004. It was 1994 when Spokane County voted in favor of a Conservation Futures tax and began to build the fund that would ultimately lead to some of the best close-in parks in our region. By 2004, nineteen properties had been secured through this funding source; today there have been over 50 acquisitions and park expansions, with nearly 10,000 acres protected for future generations. 

The Conservation Futures program serves multiple purposes: from protecting larger areas of open space from development, to providing wildlife habitat and migration corridors and connectivity, to creating recreational opportunities for nonmotorized activities. In the early days of the program, the “trails” a visitor might be able to expect were generally leftover from whatever the original use of the property was. Iller Creek was already public land in 2004, but the trail system at the time was a holdover from old logging operations and the bulldozer fire lines from Firestorm ’91. The majority of my personal backyard favorite, Antoine Peak, was acquired in three phases from 2007 to 2011. It took a few extra years to establish a true parking lot for both the east and west sides (with a third parking area added for Etter Ranch in 2021), and the trails consisted of logging skid and haul roads, along with the summit road for access to the communications towers. 

Most land managers don’t have staff with singletrack trail layout and design training, and even when they do, it can be a lengthy process to work through property acquisition to trail plan development, followed by acquiring necessary permits, and then final layout, design, and build. It can take a long time to transition a property from double track roads designed to skid trees to single-track trails designed for nonmotorized multi-use recreation. In the case of Iller Creek, the work was done gradually and retroactively, starting with the steepest and most heavily eroded sections. Some double track sections will likely always be a holdover on most conservation area properties, but thanks to the efforts of several local trail organizations, our trail systems have been gradually transformed to include more user-friendly and sustainable singletrack trails that have been purpose-built to minimize erosion damage while maximizing views, user safety, and fun. 

By the time Spokane County Parks acquired the Phillips Creek property in Spokane Valley’s Ponderosa neighborhood in 2018, the planning process had shifted significantly through lessons learned in earlier projects. Within the first year of ownership, and before the property was open to the public, County staff was holding public meetings to gather information, working through permitting for a new trailhead, and meeting with regional nonprofit organizations to develop a trail plan. By 2019 the trail plan was finalized, and work was able to begin in 2020; by the time the trailhead opened to the public that fall, the Flying L trail was already complete through the behind-the-scenes work of volunteers with the Dishman Hills Conservancy, Spokane Mountaineers, Washington Trails Association, and Evergreen East. 

Community Forests & Open Space Protection 

For areas that don’t have a Conservation Futures fund available to help grow conservation and recreation areas, land trusts and community forests are on the rise as a means of securing popular recreation sites close to towns in our region, through grassroots fundraising along with state and federal grant programs. What ultimately happens with the land and the types of recreation available to the public can vary from site to site and are at the discretion of the community group that manages the forest.  

Indian Creek Community Forest northwest of Newport was created in 2012 and is managed by the Kalispel Tribe of Indians. The trail development process for this site mirrored the later planning processes of Spokane Conservation Futures properties, with public meetings to gather community input, and a management plan focused on a light recreation touch and offering more education opportunities through scheduled forest health workshops. The site is open to hikers, snowshoers, and skiers, but closed to bike and equestrian use.  

Sandpoint’s Pine Street Woods was acquired in 2019 and is managed by the Kaniksu Land Trust for a wider variety of nonmotorized use. Equestrians are discouraged but not banned (due to lack of parking for horse trailers), and dogs are allowed off-leash with voice control except for a short period during the early summer to help protect young fawns.  

Gold Hill Community Forest near Chewelah was acquired by the Chewelah Valley Land Trust in 2021, and the trail system was designed with mountain biking in mind. Teanaway Community Forest near Cle Elum is the largest in Washington at over 50,000 acres, a recently completed trail plan that is in the process of being implemented, and even boasts several Department of Natural Resources-run campgrounds that are first-come/first-served with a Discover Pass. 

National Forest Trails & Access 

Our region’s National Forests are also figuring out new ways to both maintain existing trail systems and expand recreation opportunities when possible. But a common theme for most public lands, and especially for the United States Forest Service (USFS), is a lack of funding to help make trail improvements and additions a reality. According to a 2023 report on all USFS lands, trails are facing a maintenance backlog of over $237 million with an additional $62 million in deferred maintenance for trail bridges. Funding made available through the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) has helped and will continue to do so through at least 2025 when the funding runs out unless Congress votes to continue the program.  

While GAOA funding is helping to tackle the big-ticket items in the USFS deferred maintenance backlog, it is primarily the regional nonprofits chipping away at the annual maintenance needs. Both the Idaho Panhandle National Forest and the Umatilla National Forest have staff trail maintenance crews, but the Colville National Forest (CNF) does not. If you happen to run into a trail crew in the backcountry on the CNF this summer, chances are they are with Backcountry Horsemen of Washington, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, Pacific Northwest Trail Association, or Washington Trails Association. Using a combination of USFS funding along with grants and private donations, and leveraging this funding through recruitment of volunteers, nonprofit partnerships have become one of the main ways annual maintenance is accomplished. For the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, Idaho Trails Association serves in a similar capacity, as does Trailkeepers of Oregon to the south. 

If you’re ready to get involved as our regional land managers begin to write the next chapter, there are many opportunities to dig into this work. Sign up for the email lists and press releases, attend the public meetings, provide public comment, write letters of support for grant applications, and become a member of your favorite regional nonprofit(s). Our region’s trails will continue to improve through the next 20 years through the help of recreationists, no major career change necessary unless you dive in a little too deeply like I did!  

Holly Weiler is a long-time recreationist who now helps build and maintain some of our region’s favorite trails through her work with Washington Trails Association. 

The post A 20-Year Evolution of Local Trails & Natural Areas  appeared first on Out There Venture.

Cover photo courtesy of Alana Livingston

By now, you have no doubt heard of the Indigenous Eats Restaurant through its many deserving accolades, which include USA Today’s 10 Best New Restaurants this year, most unique menu in Best in BID Awards, Best New Restaurant 2023 and Best Taco 2024 in the Best of Inlander Readers’ Poll.  

Indigenous Eats is serving up Native American comfort food that intertwines the idea of traditional and contemporary culture meeting at the table. The main vessel for this relationship is Indian Frybread. Frybread is a delicious, perfectly-golden, deep-fried, pillowy, light dough (cue angelic music). The menu utilizes many Indigenous foods represented by familiar dishes. 

For the Hunter taco, the frybread is topped with black beans, shredded cheese, chunks of tomato, onion and shredded lettuce. Then, ground local bison seasoned strongly with sage (a sacred herb used historically for ceremonies and many health benefits) is added and topped with pickled jalapeño, tomatillo salsa and a sour cream drizzle. The ground bison is sourced from a Kalispell Tribe owned business, and Indigenous Eats hopes to source as many ingredients from local tribe-owned businesses as possible. 

The Hunter Taco is nothing short of perfection. Deliciously seasoned, layers of flavor and textures are nostalgic in their own rite. Frybread can be served with sweet or savory toppings or used as buns in things like burgers or handhelds. Whatever your preference, I recommend you try some frybread as soon as possible! At Indigenous Eats, you can experience a culturally-significant food of the first peoples with a modern twist after recreating on native land.   

The post Indian Frybread Taco: The Hunter  appeared first on Out There Venture.

Remember when we were kids, and you’d meet another kid? It was as though, “Hey, I’m a kid. You’re a kid. Let’s go play!” And then you’d play all day until it was dark and your mom would yell out the door that it was time to come home. “But it’s not even dark,” you’d say, “it’s adult dark!” I think bikes give us permission to be in touch with our inner little kid like that. That might be why it’s so easy to make friends with other riders.

Recently, I was walking around Kalispell, Montana, and popped into the bike shop on a whim. I handed a guy some Gravel Braintrust stickers, and he said, “Hey, you’re Seth Truu’s buddy, aren’t you?” Seth had been touring through our region last year and stayed with us for a week before continuing on. Next thing you know, the guy at the bike shop was rummaging around in the back to find a shop bike for me to join them on that night’s group ride. Before I knew it, we were zooming around in the woods on bikes, had a fire by the river, saw a dead cow, one guy crashed and popped his finger like a ketchup packet, and we stayed out until we would have heard mom calling. That’s a bike moment right there.

Over post-ride burgers and fizzy beverages, I was invited to an annual invitational fat bike overnighter from Kalispell to the town of Hot Springs, Montana, that was coming up in a few weeks, called the Chili Cino. You can always count on at least one or two goofballs in our cycling community to join an adventure of this sort, so on the appointed day, Anthony and I found ourselves loading bikes on Sarah’s truck at an absurd hour for the 4-hour drive to Kalispell.

We arrived at the start of the ride, where 50 or so fat bikers were chomping at the bit to get rolling. I said hi to a few friends and they shoved off down the snowy trail a good half hour before we were ready to roll, but roll we soon did. I left my tires at a firm pressure for snow, but still rather soft for the bare pavement we found ourselves riding on when the bike lane ended a mile later. The road climbed gradually, meandering up a very picturesque and ever-narrowing valley. Our trio soon arrived at the top of the snowy pass, piling on layers and zipping zippers for a bone-chilling 9-mile descent to the valley floor 2,000 feet below. My hands froze solid up to my armpits, but there was a feed zone with chili and chicken soup just a few rolling miles ahead and we were all thawed out by the time we got there. We were last out of the feed zone, but I later got to ride with my new friend David who was riding with his teenage daughter. These multigenerational teams always warm the cockles of my heart.

The last hill came and went, and we found ourselves meandering around town. One of the riders was setting up his tent in a campground next to our hotel. “This nut job is camping in this weather,” I thought quietly. Little did I know this was the one and only Eric Deady, organizer of the Winter Bikepacking Seminar mentioned in the last issue’s EDC column.

Hot Springs is a bizarre place, to put it mildly. If you’ve never been there, imaging an entire town where everyone is so relaxed they’re almost completely non-functional. There used to be a woman who walked through the streets with a cordless phone shouting people’s names, because there’s no phone signal there and that’s how you reach people in Hot Springs. She tracked me down one night.

Syme’s Hotel was the destination for a good hot soak; stories of the weird legends of Hot Springs were shared in the “lobster pot,” the hottest of the soaking pools there. The revelry continued at a party house where bathrobe-bedecked bikers laughed with one another while enjoying more chili and fizzy beverages, and I got to watch my friends make new friends too. Tales were told about the year it was -40°f at the start, and 34 people showed up to ride in that stuff hoping it would warm up to zero by noon. It didn’t. And that’s the most memorable Chili Cino for those goofballs. Myself, I only considered this nonsense because of the relatively mild weather forecast. “The temperature usually hovers around 5° for this thing,” one of the regulars informed me.

Having soaked, socialized, and snoozed, the next order of business was breakfast. One of the gang from the lobster pot had said, “Syme’s Hotel has a great breakfast if you keep your metabolism high and your expectations low.” Once again, Syme’s was overrun with bikers, most of whom had already gone for a morning soak, and breakfast there was the final magical ingredient in my recovery from the 50-mile slog over the mountain the day before. I only had to do it one more time in the opposite direction, and I would feel strangely better than before. A colder, snowier mountain was waiting for us in the distance, making our return trip pleasantly winter wonderland’ier.

As one bike moment bleeds into the next, I was whirling around the mosh pit at the Dropkick Murphys show at Spokane Tribe Casino in February, when I bumped into Edwin, a dude I had met at the previously re-mentioned Winter Bikepacking Seminar, and plans were made to get lost in the woods on bikes until we hear mom calling. It never ends. 

OTO writer Justin Short formed the Gravel Braintrust to knit together the greater cycling community. If you encounter him somewhere OUT THERE, he’ll probably give you one of the aforementioned stickers. Hopefully the website will be up by the time you read this.

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