Jingle Bell 5K Run: Dress up in festive, colorful attire for this fun-run or walk on Dec. 7 at Spokane’s Riverfront Park to raise money for the Arthritis Foundation.  

Festivals & Tree Lightings: Regional events include Parade of Lights in Missoula (Dec. 7); Wallace Retro Christmas festival (Dec. 7-8 & 14-15); Holiday Fest & Tree Lighting in Pullman (Dec. 7), which includes a YMCA Kid’s Jingle Bell Fun Run; and the epic Christmas Lighting Festival in Leavenworth (Dec. 6-8, 13-15, & 20-22). 

Holiday Lights: Destinations include Manito Park’s Gaiser Conservatory  in Spokane, open Dec. 7-31 (extended dates this year); Luminaria Walk at Yakima Area Arboretum (Dec. 9-10); and Lighted Boat Parade along the Columbia River between Kennewick and Richland (Dec. 6 and 7). 

DIY moonlit fat bike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski adventure. The Cold Full Moon is December 12—also referred to as the “frost” or “long nights moon” according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.  

Christmas Tree Hunt: Cut down your own tree at a Christmas tree farm or make the hunt a National Forest backcountry adventure. Purchase a tree-cutting permit from your local U.S. Forest Service ranger office and follow regulations to harvest your own rustic fir tree. More info at fs.fed.us. (Can also harvest trees on BLM land.)

Ice Skating & Yoga at Riverfront Park: Riverfront Park Skate Ribbon is open daily, with free ice-skating lessons every Sunday, 11 a.m.-noon, and there are free yoga classes at the Pavilion on Tuesday evenings.   

Cross-country ski and fat bike in the city: When there is enough snow in Spokane and many other Inland NW towns, groomed trails may be available at select locations. In Spokane, that includes Indian Canyon Golf Course (ski only), Riverside State Park (ski and fat bike), and Dwight Merkel Park (ski and fat bike). All are free to use, except the state park requires a Discover Pass. More details at the City of Spokane website. 

Night Skiing/Snowboarding: Starting Friday, Dec. 20, Mt. Spokane’s alpine area remains opens for night skiing until 9:00 p.m. (earlier time this year), recurring Wednesdays-Saturdays through mid-March. (Note: Previous years night skiing ended at 9:30 p.m.) Sunsets and summit views of area city lights are spectacular. Other regional resorts also offer night skiing. 

Dress-up like Santa and ski/snowboard for free: On Dec. 21, Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park will host an all-day Holiday Party, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., as well as a Jingle Rails terrain park event. Anyone who dresses in a full Santa outfit receives a free lift ticket that day. Lookout Pass hosts its Santa dress-up and ski-free day on Dec. 22. 

Ski/Ride with Santa: On Dec. 23, Santa Claus will visit Schweitzer Mountain Resort to ski and ride with kids. Then on Dec. 24 he’ll fly to Lookout Pass, and also make time to visit Schweitzer on Christmas Eve for the annual kids’ balloon parade.   

New Year’s Eve Festivities: Watch (or ski in) the Torchlight Parade at Lookout Pass. Fun begins at 5 p.m. (see participation requirements online). Spokane’s Riverfront Park hosts a New Year’s Pavilion Party from 8 p.m.-midnight.

The post 11 Ways to Get Out There for the Holidays appeared first on Out There Venture.

1. As a starting point, repeat Uncle Jerry’s idea back in succinct language. Get Uncle Jerry to form an actual premise that he believes, or you can’t ever argue against it. “So if I’m understanding you correctly, you read a meme on the internet that Jane Fonda is being paid by a secret ruling class of lizard overlords, so we can’t trust anything she says, ever. And because of that, she must be wrong about hot summers existing. Is that an accurate representation of what you’re saying?”

2. Use logic, or logos, the first in the Grecian rhetorical triad. Granted, few people use logic anymore, and even fewer use it accurately. Pro tip: If you really want to impress your uncle with your elitist, upstart ways, tell him he’s making logical fallacies. The ad hominem is a particularly easy one to spot. This means Uncle Jerry is saying unflattering things about Jane Fonda instead of actually addressing what Jane Fonda is saying. In this case, you can ask him: “So even if Jane is a sellout being paid by lizards, how does that make what she’s saying untrue?”

3. The second stop along our return to Grecian rhetoric is ethos. Ethos may involve using appropriate language and actually connecting with your audience to build credibility, rather than focusing on showing off your clearly superior intellect. However, you still need to convince Uncle Jerry that you’re qualified to discuss the topic. “Gosh dang it, Uncle Jerry. You know, I used to think exactly the same thing. But then I read through 437 field experiments done by nonpartisan peer-reviewed experts, and I made this handy chart for reference. See, it’s in red, white, and blue, for America.” 

4. Use pathos, or emotional appeal. We get the word “pathetic” from this, but pathos is not necessarily telling a pitiful sob story—it is connecting with human emotion of any kind. “Uncle Jerry, Jane Fonda is so old and frail. She has all kinds of health problems. I am not one to deny her the pleasure of revolt during her last days on earth.”

5. Put everything together and personalize it as much as possible. You may notice that politicians do this all the time. Of course, politicians may just skip logos and skate by on ethos and pathos—and not exactly in a good way. You, on the other hand, can use persuasive rhetorical tools more responsibly. “Consider this, Uncle Jerry. What if I were a lizard? Just because my skin color is different, and I was born on a different planet doesn’t mean I don’t deserve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Right? My inherent rights are no different than yours, really. Plus, I’m a proven expert on the motivations of lizard aliens and Jane Fonda, and have suffered greatly due to societal ostracizing for my chosen profession.” 

The post Five Ways to Win Political Debates This Christmas appeared first on Out There Venture.

 Witnessing Santa swooshing down the slopes is just one way to experience Christmas magic (and your kids can have that opportunity again this December at local ski mountains). And there are many ways to experience the magic of winter, from the whimsical to the spiritual to natural wonders—like ice crystals glistening in the sunshine, or catching big, fluffy snowflakes on your tongue. For me, anything that inspires awe feels like magic: a dramatic sunset viewed from the summit of Mt. Spokane during night skiing; untracked powder and looking back to see my S-turn artwork; or my young son and daughter, instead of fighting, snuggling together under a blanket to watch “Polar Express.”

One of the best settings for soothing our senses is nature. Exploring a forest trail on cross-country skis or fat bike. Riding the chairlift to a mountain summit and carving your way down a black diamond. Gazing at a starry night sky. The great outdoors inspires peace of mind, and our souls need, even crave, beauty and silence. So, whatever brings you peace and joy, do more of that this season. 

Whether you celebrate Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any combination of these, the spirit of this holiday season should make our hearts grow bigger, just like what happened to the Grinch. And I’m sure we can all agree that our world needs more shared love, joy, and kindness these days. Intentional expressions of caring, generous giving and sharing—these become contagious throughout our communities. We find ourselves being more patient with everyone—the whiny child, the grumpy Boomer, the group of snowboarders sitting in the middle of a run. 

This year’s holiday guide features ideas and ways for you to find and enjoy your own winter magic, participate in joyful giving, experience new outdoor adventures, and relish this festive season. May you seize as many days as you can from what’s left in 2019; but even though the year is ending, winter is just beginning.Cheers & happy holidays! See you on the mountain! 

The post Santa in the Lift Line: Inspiring Outdoor Holiday Magic appeared first on Out There Venture.

Can rock climbing get any cuter? Recently posted on Climbing Magazine’s Facebook (photo courtesy of Peter G. Williams)

8-year-old Madeleine Williams gets my gold medal for creative incorporation of outdoor recreation with the festive holiday spirit.  Madeleine, Heidi Rose Williams (6-years-old), and her mother, Betsy Phinney, made this gingerbread climbing wall for their local climbing gym, The Source, in Vancouver, Washington. Madeleine also participates there as a member of a Climbing Club.

Happy Holidays (OTM style)!

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