This area, popular with trail users of all kinds, but known for its downhill mountain biking, has been under threat of development for decades, with local advocates like Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance – Eastern Washington Chapter working tirelessly to keep trails open.

The final property, officially purchased by the County in October 2021, secures dozens of popular mountain biking trails. A total of 160 acres in the Beacon Hill/Camp Sekani area have been purchased by the County in seven transactions over two years.

In addition to Evergreen East’s financial support, Washington Recreation and Conservation Office funding, and advocacy from organizations like Spokane Parks & Recreation, Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, and Avista, these trails will remain open to the public in perpetuity.

The success of this project is thanks in no small part to Spokane County Parks Special Projects Manager Paul Knowles, who stuck with the land deals to the end, creating a better future for the local outdoor community.

While this is cause for celebration, there is still much work to do to protect the trails in the Beacon Hill area. Several popular trails still exist on private land, and are therefore in danger of development.

To learn more, or get involved, contact Chris Conley, chris@evergreeneast.org.

Mountain biking trails at Beacon Hill: (top two photos) Spokane’s Biking Betties group. // Photo by Jane Patten, courtesy Biking Betties; (bottom row) Spokane mountain biker and OTO contributor Skye Schillhammer. // Photos courtesy Skye Schillhammer.

Read more stories about mountain biking in the OTO archives.

The post More Land Protected At Beacon Hill for Mountain Biking appeared first on Out There Venture.

As an artist and Spokane native, I am endlessly inspired by the beauty of our local landscapes. To sit beside an alpine lake and watch the sunbeams kiss the mountains, to slumber amongst giants in an old growth forest . . . such places, just beyond our doorstep, are breathtaking.

I was raised on the trails, mountains, and lakes of our surrounding area and took my son for his first backpacking trip at the age of seven. After my son graduated this year, being an empty-nester and not even 40 got my wheels turning. There’s a big old beautiful world out there waiting for me to explore and paint!

I converted an old Chevy van into an art studio on wheels and decided to immerse myself in the wild places that offer me such inspiration. I set out to explore every inch of the Northwest.

Admittedly, that’s an impossible task. With millions of acres of public lands, from state parks, national forests, and wilderness areas to BLM, DNR, and county and city park land, I feel like a kid in a candy store. The Northwest has it all: vibrant colors, moody atmosphere, rich textures, and curious wildlife. The opportunities for adventure and beauty are endless.

I strive to create works of art that capture the places I visit and people I meet. But my deepest goal is to capture that feeling of love for the great outdoors with my paintings.

I paint not with brushes like most artists but instead by using my fingers and hands. You will often find mountain landscapes, vibrant sunsets, hikers, bikers, paddleboarders, and wildlife in my paintings. These works, in which I’m literally elbow deep in paint, are expressions of pure love, passion, and admiration for the outdoors.

The trails and public lands I’ve been visiting offer me such inspiration that I decided it was time to give something back. I began doing volunteer trail work with Washington Trails Association, and then after riding the trails at Beacon/Camp Sekani, I knew I wanted to paint a mural there.

I worked with Evergreen East and Spokane Parks & Rec to get permission for the painting, which ended up being on the garage door at the entrance to the park. Inspired by an image by Spokane photographer Aaron Theisen, I painted a vibrant, explosive piece depicting one of our local riders, Alex Anderson, sending it into the sunset. [Editor’s note: Theisen is also an OTO contributor.]

The mural at Beacon was my first public work of art, and while there painting, I was inspired by all of the people out enjoying the trails. This 46-mile trail system is one of the largest in the state and has rides for all abilities.

Unfortunately, much of Beacon’s epic trail system is still on privately owned land. Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance has been working with the public lands agencies that manage the land as well as some private land owners to raise the funds needed to acquire some of the properties that many of the trails pass through.

If they succeed, their efforts will combine what are now four separate chunks of park land into one large park and trail system that will be protected for generations of riders and trail users.

To learn more about Evergreen’s efforts to make Beacon public or to make a donation, visit www.evergreeneast.org/trails/campsekanibeaconhill.

The author’s backpacking gear, new mural at Camp Sekani, and mobile art studio. // Photos courtesy Christina Deubel.

Christina Deubel is a Spokane artist currently traveling around the Northwest in her van. You can find more of her work by following her on social media at @mnttidings or on her website Mountaintidings.com.

For more art-related stories, visit the OTO archives.

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The recent round of nominations for Spokane County Park’s Conservation Futures program additions received eight applicants. A public meeting to present the nominations and discuss the process for determining which of the properties was held via Zoom on September 9th. Find updates, see survey results, and the latest news about Conservation Futures at Spokanecounty.org.

National Public Lands Day

Get outside and play (for free!) on National Public Lands Day, September 25! Discover Passes will not be required for day-use at Washington State Parks, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife lands, and Department of Natural Resources lands all day.

Sept. 25 is also a National Parks fee-free day and a good time to plan a road trip to Mount Rainier or Glacier National Park.

Public Comments Sought on Fees & Rec Site Changes

The Colville National Forest is considering some fee additions and increases at several recreation sites across the 1.1-million acre northeast Washington forest. The complete list of locations and public comment information is available through September 30 on the agency’s website.

Some notable highlights include a proposal to include the recently restored Salmo Mountain Fire Lookout on the cabin rental reservation system, as well as the Frater Lake warming cabin.

Run for the Woods

The Kaniksu Land Trust will be hosting a fall fundraiser trail run event at Pine Street Woods in Sandpoint on October 9. All of the event proceeds from this first Run for the Woods will benefit the trust, so come run for a good cause!  

Volunteer Trail Projects

Lend a hand on one of these upcoming trail projects. If you can’t make it, remember to check out these refurbished trails once they are finished:

• Idaho Trails Association will be hosting project days in North Idaho this fall, including at Parker Ridge and Chimney Rock (Idahotrailsassocation.org).
• Washington Trails Association will be continuing work on Mount Spokane projects through September, then transitioning to trail improvements within Spokane County Parks. Look for a fall grand opening to the new trailhead and trail at Etter Ranch at the south end of Antoine Peak. Other project sites include Hauser Conservation Area and Slavin Ranch (Wta.org).
• Friends of Scotchman Peak Wilderness will be hosting a National Public Lands Day project at Goat Mountain on September 25 (Scotchmanpeaks.org).
• Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance is continuing work on the new trail 290 at Mount Spokane with approximately 0.5 mile remaining. Once snow returns, the focus will turn to a reroute of one of the steepest sections of the Edith Hansen Trail at Liberty Lake Regional Park (Evergreeneast.org).
• Blue Mountains Land Trust will be hosting a weekend project at Camp Wooten State Park with camping and meals included for a nominal fee, September 24-26 (Bmlt.org).

Holly Weiler is a long-time contributor to Out There Venture who plans to spend her fall finding gold in the nearby hills (larch season!).

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Evergreen offers a low student-to-instructor ratio to make time for personalized feedback and instruction. Knowledgeable instructors break down and demonstrate each skill before progressing onto practice and drills. And each class includes trail riding so that students can try out what they are learning as class progresses.

Classes include MTB Foundations, Technical Descending, Foundations in the Air, Advanced Cornering, and more. There are co-ed, women-only, and kids’ classes too.

Evergreen East members get a discount on class registration, so be sure to sign up and pay your membership dues before registering. By being a member of Evergreen, you are supporting mountain bike trail building, maintenance, and advocacy right here in the Inland Northwest.

New this year, riders who may not have the budget to pay for a clinic can apply for a scholarship to help cover the clinic cost at Evergreenmtb.org/scholarship.

For clinic details, visit Evergreeneast.org/2021-class-schedule-sign-up or email info@evergreeneast.org.

[Photos courtesy of Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance.]

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MTB Trail Hero Bill Kinzel 

By Melinda Larson

A typical pre-ride checklist for a mountain bike trip includes staples such as a helmet, water, and snacks. For Bill Kinzel, that list also includes a hand saw and a trash bag. Kinzel is a volunteer whose efforts are well known and appreciated by local land managers and fellow trail users. He has already worked nearly 400 hours this year on our region’s trails clearing downed trees and brush and much more.  

Spokane County Parks special projects manager, Paul Knowles, put Kinzel’s recent contributions into perspective. “In the time of COVID, it’s been humbling to see trail volunteers like Bill continue to put in an incredible amount of their own personal time to improving and building out our community’s trail system.”  

Chris Conley, president of Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance, also praises Kinzel and others like him. “These trail heroes are working countless hours, often in remote locations by themselves because they possess a passion for keeping these areas accessible for all forms of recreation.”  

Kinzel became involved with Evergreen by participating in dig days at Spokane-area trail networks. He believes that the outdoors are a truly transcendent place. “A place to clear your mind and a place where time becomes irrelevant,” he says. “I believe as humans time is our most valuable resource and when you can go to a place where time is no longer a factor it really can make a positive impact on your life, your mental wellbeing, and your outlook.”  

When asked what motivates him to volunteer, Kinzel explains it’s “the opportunity to make a local impact, get others involved, and see a direct visible result from my work which benefits the trails and the communities in which we live.” Trails, he says, “provide recreational and outdoor health opportunities for all users.” Bill’s advice for other mountain bikers: “The best way to get involved is to become a member of Evergreen and come out to one of our monthly trail committee meetings or trail maintenance events which we promote on social media channels.” 

When not out working on trails, you might find Kinzel riding his favorite stretch of singletrack, Mount Spokane State Park’s Trail 140. 

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“In mountain biking you can really set your own level of fun. It’s a way to get out in nature and play as an adult,” says Penny Schwyn co-founder of the Biking Betties women’s riding group, based out of The Bike Hub in Spokane. Women age 15 to 65, and older, enjoy group rides on local trail networks, such as Beacon Hill and Saltese Flats.  

Schwyn, 59, started mountain biking in her 30s—her husband did it and it looked fun. After a few years, she took a riding class. “It was life changing because I understood the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ to riding a mountain bike,” she says. “It taught me skills so I could be confident, and then I started having more fun.”

Now Schwyn is on the coaching team for Evergreen East, the Spokane chapter of Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance.  

Biking Betties’ member Jane Patten, 37, started mountain biking 6 years ago. She appreciates how the sport provides challenges suitable for all riding styles and intensity levels, from leisure double-track rides to “lung-burning cardio on massive climbs,” she says—with technical descents and jumps optional. She tries to get more women to participate in local MTB races.

“I think as a beginner the thought of doing a race can be pretty intimidating,” she says. It was the encouragement of local pro-racer Jaime Reese—co-founder of Biking Betties—who inspired Patten to try racing.

“After my first enduro race I was immediately hooked. The experience was so much more than just the race—it was seeing how much you can push yourself, building a camaraderie with old and new friends as you learn the course, and just having fun and living in the moment,” says Patten.

“Now so many us of inspire each other and are constantly encouraging each of us to try new events. The Wednesday Night cross-country races out at Riverside State Park is a great weekly series during May and June that’s not as technical as races out at Beacon if you’re looking to build confidence and ease yourself into the racing scene. These races will definitely help your endurance and cardio” 

Leigh Bowe, 38, a professional enduro mountain bike racer since 2015, joined Biking Betties after moving to Spokane from Colorado about two years ago. She started mountain biking in 2006 while still in the military.

“I had just returned from a year-long deployment to Baghdad, Iraq, and I was looking for a way to experience some adrenaline and be healthy outside,” says Bowe.

Last fall, she competed in Smoke ‘n’ Fire 400, in Boise, which inspired her to do Cross Washington (XWA) this May—a 700-mile self-supported, mostly off-road bikepacking ride from the Pacific coast to the Washington-Idaho border. 

All women are welcome to join the Biking Betties—check out its Facebook page for group ride events.

Originally published in the March 2020 print issue.

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If you’re a fan of the incredible trails at Beacon Hill and Camp Sekani, don’t miss this annual party to raise funds in support of the final stage of the Make Beacon Public campaign. Evergreen East’s Spring Kickoff Movie and Fundraiser, held this year on March 29 at the Washington Cracker Company Building downtown Spokane, is a great chance for the region’s mountain biking community to come together for an important cause. Evergreen East members have been working on protecting Beacon’s trail system for over a decade, and now is the time to show public support for a plan to work with local land owners and public lands agencies to protect much of the trail system and connect existing blocks of public land into one larger park. Festivities include food, beer, wine, and a silent auction, as well as a premier of the mountain bike movie “Return to Earth” by Anthill Films. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the event may sell out so don’t delay. Tickets available for $15 online. More info at Evergreeneast.org.

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