Scotchman Peaks Archives - Out There Venture

Trailhead News: Public Hikes, Conservation Futures, & No-Fee Park Days

Holly Weiler — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 00:00:26 +0000

Welcome to The Trailhead, where we share important information about trails and outdoor recreation around the Inland Northwest!

Recreation visits spike

The data is in, and confirms recreational visits to United States Forest Service lands saw a huge jump in 2020. Dispersed recreation sites and Wilderness Areas saw the largest spike in visitors, with an increase of 25% over the previous year. The information comes from National Visitor Use Monitoring data. Hiking/walking is the top recreational activity, with 48.8% of visitors participating. “Viewing Natural Features” comes in as a close second with 44.4%.

Great American Outdoors Act proposed projects for 2022 announced

In our region, highlights include bridge replacements within the Colville National Forest and funds for addressing deferred maintenance needs on the Elkhorn Crest National Scenic Trail and within the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.

Spokane County’s Conservation Futures Program accepting property nominations

The most recent round of nominations to Spokane County Park’s Conservation Futures funding program is open through July 31. Properties are currently being nominated for consideration for inclusion in the program. Once the nominations close, a public meeting will be held in early September to gather input on the nominations, which will be ranked by Spokane County Parks’ Land Evaluation Committee later this fall.

Scotchman Peaks // Photo: Aaron Theisen

Free public hikes in the Scotchman Peaks

Check out the website for Friends of Scotchman Peak Wilderness for their free summer hiking series on “Family Fun in the Forest.” There are several family-friendly hikes in the series in July and August, along with strenuous hike offerings for those looking for a more challenging hike. These hikes are sure to fill up, so register soon!

How to score free access to Washington State Parks

August 25 is a free entry day at all Washington State Parks.

If you or someone you know is on a tight budget, remember that many public libraries also have Discover Passes available for check-out with a library card. Spokane County Library District has 22 “Check out Washington” backpacks available by reservation too. The backpacks include a Discover Pass, binoculars, and several field guides. Patrons may use the pass for seven days of exploration at any Washington State Park.

You can also earn a free one-year Discover Pass through state parks volunteerism: Washington Trails Association, Spokane Nordic Ski Association, and Evergreen East will all be hosting volunteer trailwork events at Mount Spokane State Park this summer.

Find the schedule for upcoming volunteer days at each nonprofit’s website.

Riverside State Park // Photo: Shallan Knowles

Palouse Falls State Park. // Photo: Amy McCaffree

Mt. Spokane State Park // Photo: Bradley Bleck

Riverside State Park // Photo: Hank Greer

Steamboat Rock State Park // Photo: Aaron Theisen

Free days at Glacier National Park

Two fee-free days are planned in August at Glacier National Park. The first is August 4, the one year anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act, and the second is August 25, the National Park Service birthday.

Glacier National Park. // Photo: Amy McCaffree

Holly Weiler writes The Trailhead column in each issue of Out There. During July and August she will be splitting her time between the garden and wilderness as she leads trail work crews into the Salmo Priest for Washington Trails Association.

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Friends of Scotchman Peaks Winter Hike Series begins on Sunday, Jan. 6

Out There Venture — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 01:09:45 +0000

Eighth Annual FSPW hike series offers education and winter walks for all fitness levels

Winter hikers enjoy the sun and a huge view from Scotchman Peak.

Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness announced their 8^th annual winter hike series, an even dozen chances to get out into the beautiful landscape of the proposed wilderness on the Montana/Idaho border east of Sandpoint. From easy travels on snow-covered roads to gnarly ascents of some of the Scotchmans’ iconic peaks, the FSPW hike series has something for almost all levels of winter travelers. The first hike of the season, in fact, is an easy to moderate walk along Lightning Creek to Regal Creek this Sunday, January 6. FSPW executive director Phil Hough will lead this foray. Sign up by writing to him at phil@scotchmanpeaks.org

Included in the winter series are hikes that are the field components of classes on tracking and winter ecology. The classes are led by wildlife biologist and researcher Brian Baxter, who has 36 years of experience in many different aspects of outdoor research and teaching. Baxter, who also leads classes for the Glacier institute, will teach about tracking on January 12 and lead a winter ecology class on February 23. Classroom components are held at the Heron Community Center in Heron, Montana, 40 miles east of Sandpoint.

A moderate level hike to a stunningly beautiful place is the snowshoe hike to Ross Creek Cedars slated for February 8. If you want a strenuous outing with great views and a summit as your reward, try the Star Peak snowshoe/ski on March 30.

“We try to put hikes out there that a whole variety of people can enjoy,” says FSPW program coordinator Sandy Compton. “Winter is an incredibly different time to be in the woods and on the mountains. Things quiet down and that white blanket on the world completely changes the view and the experience.”

To learn more about the FSPW hike series, write to trails@scotchmanpeaks.org or visit the hiking page at http://www.scotchmanpeaks.org/hiking/current-hiking-schedule/

The Ross Creek Cedars are a favorite and beautiful destination for an FSPW hike

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Scotchman Peaks Event

Out There Venture — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:49:20 +0000

Wanna keep Idaho wild? Check out this press release for an event this weekend:

Wild Idaho North! “KEEPING NORTH IDAHO NATURAL” Saturday, October 4,
2008, Sandpoint

Sponsored by Idaho Conservation League, call 208-265-9565 for
information or www.wildidaho.org, reservations required.

Come visit with experts in conservation, planning and natural
resources about how we can protect our natural areas as North Idaho
grows.

______________

· The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness in partnership with Jim
Quinn at the Timberstand Gallery in Sandpoint and Kally Thurman at the
Outskirts Gallery in Hope, ID, will host two dozen artists at the 1st
Annual Scotchman Plein Air Paint Out & Art Sale Oct 9-11th, 2008. Our
regional artists will take brush and palette to Nature as they capture
on canvas the magical colors and lights of Fall that abound in our
local wilderness.

On Friday morning Oct 10th starting at 9AM, the public will be invited
to observe the painters in action at the Jenkins on Elliot Bay (follow
Sagle Rd to Camp Bay Rd. Turn right and follow the signs). Completed
plein air art will be available for purchase on Friday, Oct 10th, from
5-8PM at the Timberstand Gallery at 3rd and Cedar in Sandpoint
(208-263-7748). A second art sale will be held in historic Hope, ID,
(12 miles from Sandpoint on Hwy 200) at the Outskirts Gallery located
in the Hope Market Café from 2-7PM (208-264-5379). Art purchases will
help ensure the legacy of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness for our
future generations.

___________

· Global Warming Speaker Series. Friends of the Scotchman Peaks
Wilderness will sponsor a presentation on wilderness and climate
change Tuesday October 28th at 6 p.m. at the East Bonner County
Library. Thomas H. Deluca, a senior forest ecologist with The
Wilderness Society, will present Adapting to Climate Change: The
Importance of Wilderness in an Uncertain World as part of a series on
the regional impacts of climate change and ways to tackle the
challenge. For more information, contact Carol Jenkins at 208-265-9204

news.replies@scotchmanpeaks.org • Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness

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