Sandpoint Magazine - Winter 2022

WINTER 2022

INSIDE:

Schweitzer

Magazine winter 2022

for the

SNOW Experiencing Winter,

Sandpoint Style

PANIDA REDUX

Theater looks to the future

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DOUBLE THE FUN

The Shook Twins talk music

ICE, ICE, BABY

Area skaters ready to lace up

10/29/21 12:02 PM

www.TSSIR.com

Anytime Info

For recorded information or to speak to the listing agent, call 208.449.0071 and use the 4-digit property code.

www.theBuckQuarterRanch.com Cusick, WA ATI #1462 $19,000,000

www.LochHavenEstate.com Sagle, Idaho ATI #1564 $9,900,000

www.LakePendOreilleWaterfrontHome.com Sagle, Idaho ATI #1446 $6,950,000

www.GlengaryWaterfront.com Sagle, Idaho ATI #1239 $3,950,000

www.CapeOfArtLoop.com Hope, Idaho ATI#1588 $2,695,000

www.HomeAtForeverView.com Sagle, Idaho ATI# 1463 $1,895,000

www.AboveHopeEstates.com Hope, Idaho ATI# 1287 Starting at $950,000

Cindy Bond, Associate Broker, GRI, CRS www.CindyBond.com cindy.bond@sothebysrealty.com 208.255.8360

www.HopeLakeviewHome.com Hope, Idaho ATI# 1077 $1,395,000

www.HopeWaterviewProperties.com

www.AntlerPointLot.com Hope, Idaho ATI #1497 $254,900

www.ChestnutStreetLots.com Sandpoint, Idaho ATI #1261 Starting at $149,500

Antler Point, Hope, Idaho ATI#1020 Starting at $239,000

, Associate Broker, GRI, CRS 208.255.8270

www.TSSIR.com

106 Jaclin Way

Iconic Lake Pend Oreille waterfront estate on .63 acres with 365 feet of private shoreline. Steel frame construction topped with copper parapets reflect the surrounding mountains. Stunning views from every room and thoughtful and professional design elements inside and out punctuate this exquisite property.

78 Jaclin Way

Waterfront living at its best. Featuring 4 bedrooms and 4 full baths, this home offers many other features as well that make this home unique. Private, grandfathered boathouse has room for large boat and jet skis, plus private sandy beach.

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99 Jaclin Way

Create a legacy waterfront property that will last for generations. This 1.14 acre parcel is primed for you to build your waterfront dream. This property is a blank canvas on which to create your inspiration. A dock, a boathouse or home and shop whatever would best fit your dream and desire this property will handle.

S ing d Pen

1167 Janish Dr.

This gorgeous custom home with stunning views is tucked into the hillside with a remote feel though you are only minutes from town. 5+ treed acres and finished landscaping give this home a natural north woods feel. Custom stone work, fine finishes and new appliances add to this home’s appeal.

ale

335 Coyote Song

Beautiful home on 30 private acres is a must see. Large primary suite with walk-in closet, double headed shower and dual vanity and large jetted tub is only the start of the unique features of this home. Large barn with multiple bays for equipment storage and more is tremendous. Surrounded by large parcels and backed up by over 700 acres of timber co. ground.

Lot 12 Poulin Dr.

Beautiful lake front property with unobstructed views of Lake Pend Oreille, Sandpoint and Schweitzer Mtn Resort. This lot is a blank canvas to come and bring your dream and design to make this property truly one of a kind. Only 6 miles to town or a 10 minute boat ride to downtown public docks for shopping, dining and entertainment

Dedicated To The Extraordinary The Exceptional And The Unique.

Chris Chambers www.ExtraordinaryIdaho.com 208-290-2500 chris.chambers@sothebysrealty.com 200 Main, Sandpoint, Idaho

© MMVII Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Claude Monet’s “Marine View With a Sunset,” used with permission. Sotheby’s International Realty® is a licensed trademark to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated, Except Offices Owned And Operated By NRT Incorporated. Sandpoint office: 208-263-5101, 200 Main Street, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

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WESTERN PROVISIONS DESIGNED IN MONTANA

AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT

8307 E. Trent Spokane, WA 509.922.1090

15228 N. Newport Hwy Mead, WA 509.465.8100

1147 W Broadway Moses Lake, WA 509.765.9231

1150 S. Main Street Colville, WA 509.684.1444

1227 Koala Omak, WA 509.422.9840

477181 N. Hwy 95 Ponderay, ID 208.255.5757

170 E Kathleen Ave Coeur d’Alene, ID 208.666.0506

2981 Thain Grade Lewiston, ID 208.746.1368

north40.com

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Stay. Play. Getaway.

Sandpoint’s finest vacation home rentals

Headwall townhomes on Schweitzer mountain

For those that seek an exceptional life.

Stay and play in the best homes in Sandpoint. We offer a wide selection of luxury properties, from ski-in/out mountain homes to premier waterfront estates. Each home is fully appointed and exceptionally clean. Concierge services, boat & paddle board rentals and more! Book direct and save fees from online travel sites: www.StaySandpoint.com

www.StaySandpoint.com Local, professional vacation & long term rentals | Full service property management 101 N. First Street, Ste 2, Sandpoint • www.StaySandpoint.com • 208-263-1212

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Charlie Parrish 208-290-1501

Becky Freeland 208-290-5628

Charesse Moore 208-255-6060

Kathy Robinson 208-255-9690

Maddie Gill 208-597-3955

John Dibble 208-290-1101

Brian Jacobs 208-610-3188

Courtney Nova 208-290-7264

Chelsea Nova 208-304-8979

Ron Nova 208-304-2007

Danny Strauss 208-290-2946

Kris Kingsland 208-290-1509

Luke Webster 208-255-8597

Ben Geanetta 208-589-6290

William Mitchell 206-390-2751

“Top producing Independent Real Estate firm for the past 37 years!”

www.Evergreen-Realty.com // www.SchweitzerMountain.com 321 North First Avenue, Sandpoint, ID Toll Free 800.829.6370 // Office 208.263.6370 // Fax 208.263.3959 Evergreen Realty is pleased to sponsor our local Habitat for Humanity

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features 58

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32 35 39 43 47 52 55 58

PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: THE PANIDA IS SPORTING NEW NEON. PHOTO BY FOSTER CLINE. ICE SKATING AN AREA FAVE. PHOTO

BY DOUG MARSHALL. SHOWSHOEING A SPORT FOR ALL AGES. PHOTO BY REBECCA SANCHEZ. A POWDER HOUND PIZZA FAVORITE, THOR’S HAMMER. COURTESY PHOTO. ARTIST RENDERING OF SCHWEITZER’S NEW ADDITION, THE HUMBIRD HOTEL.

Schweitzer’s avalanche dog to the rescue

fresh air

Nordic club opportunities

creative spark

Meet photographer Hayley Weatherstone

Providing hope

Foundation supports Bonner General Health

I was there

Locals who witnessed history as it was made

Roll for initiative

Role-playing games see resurgance

Hitchin’ a ride

SPOT bus provides convenience, ease

the citizens’ stage

Panida gears up for its next 100 years

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65

the amazing annie

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ice ice baby

Sandpoint ice rink comes closer to reality

If the (Snowshoe) Fits

Snowshoeing opens up wintertime nature

trail to the iditarod Locals pursue mushing team

pile. dig. dream.

Snowcaving an exciting winter adventure

SANDPOINT MAGAZINE W I N T E R 2022, VOL. 33, NO. 1

On the cover:

Carsen Gentes enjoys a moment of Zen in the mountains despite cousin Miles Wheatcroft soaring overhead. Owen Page looks on in this photo by Woods Wheatcroft.

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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departments

contents

10 almanac 21

calendar

25 interview: the shook twins 49 Pictured in History: The cherry special 60 history mystery: A peculiar peacock 75 Photo Essay: night lights

ONE OF THE PUBLISHER’S FABULOUS SELF PORTRAITS FROM THE 2020 RIDING SEASON.

96 marketwatch

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

It’s somewhat of a pastime among locals to size up the new arrivals we meet and make a judgement: Will this person stick here?

Although long-timers love it here in various ways, it’s not always an easy place to live.

Winters are long, and days are short. Good jobs can be hard to find. It’s a small town, with fewer shops and amenities than cities.

But one thing we have in spades is the wild, wonderful out-of-doors. There aren’t many locales in the world that can outbeauty this place of rivers, lakes, mountains, and forests. And our surpassing natural environment provides a wealth of outdoor activities.

So my standard question for those newly arrived is usually, “Do you like to ski or ride?”

If they say yes, chances are they will find this place to their liking—because winter becomes something fun. And it’s not just about going downhill at Schweitzer: Nordic skiing, snowmobiling, snow shoeing, ice skating, fat-tire biking, even icefishing all provide a season of rich and unique experiences.

Of course, there are many who aren’t outdoor types but find other rewarding niches here. Burrow into our outsized arts and entertainment, culinary, and civic events scenes and you may be amazed at how big a small-town culture can be.

This issue of Sandpoint Magazine will help you explore the many facets of winter, Sandpoint style. So get out there. Or in there, as the case may be. And make Winter ‘22 one to remember.

- CB

Publisher Chris Bessler COO Jeff Lagges Editor Trish Gannon Assistant Editor Beth Hawkins Advertising Director Clint Nicholson Art Director Pamela Larson Design Team Nicole Rios, Robin Levy Social Media Laura Walsh, Jenifer Caudle, Emmett Jones Office Manager Susan Otis IT Manager Ethan Roberts Sales Mitchell Fullerton

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99 natives and newcomers 105 winter guide 123 dining guide 128 Sandpoint of view

REAL ESTATE 78 the humbird hotel

Schweitzer welcomes history at newest project

81 a helping hand

Local contractor finds joy supporting community

85 p riced out

Housing crisis sparks community action

91 good wood

Misty Mountain Furniture turns 30

EATS & DRINKS 110 cozy up to winter

Indulge in fresh-baked goodness

115 Checking in Area eateries deal with difficult times 117 powder hound returns Pizza place reopens after fire 118 there’s a new wine in town Cabin View Winery opens

Contributors: Rachael Baker, Cameron Barnes, Tom Chasse, Foster Cline, Kristen Cohen, Sandy Compton, Tim Corcoran, Amanda Duarte, Mary Franzel, Paul Glasser, Dann Hall, Ross Hall, Fiona Hicks, Pete Hicks, Veronica Holyfield, Cate Huisman, Patty Hutchens, Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey, Alyssa Korol, Oriana Korol, Marianne Love, Emilie McGrath, Doug Marshall, Ben Olson, Rick Price, Brandon Puckett, Cameron Rasmusson, Rebecca Sanchez, Carrie Scozzaro, Nataya Thompson, Hayley Weatherstone, Woods Wheatcroft.

Sandpoint Magazine is published twice yearly, in May and November, by: Keokee Co. Publishing, Inc. 405 Church St., Sandpoint, ID 83864 208-263-3573 • www.keokee.com Printed in USA by Century Publishing, Post Falls, Idaho. ©2022 by Keokee Co. Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Subscriptions: $12 per year, payable in advance. Subscribe at www.

SandpointMagazine.com.

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LOCAL EXPERTS WITH GLOBAL REACH

Kent Anderson

Kelly Armstrong

Paul Bauman

Heather Bouse

Steve Carlson

Coral Edwards

Bobby G

Audra Gabica

Nathan Hester

Cindy Hunter

Stefane Johnston

Julie Parker

Shari Keelin

Laura Kimball

Elizabeth Kitelinger

Lacey Shirah

Randy & Darla

Dave Wilson

Jeff Woodall

Jenna Miller

Jean Tillotson

Rachel Nordgaarden Ciara Normandeau

Triston Wilkerson

Karin Willroth

Serving North Idaho For Over 50 Years!

WATERFRONT | SCHWEITZER PROPERTIES | RANCHES | CONDOS | VACANT LAND

202 South First Ave Downtown Sandpoint

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208-263-6802 cbsandpoint.com

166 Village Ln #201A Schweitzer Mountain

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n o rt h we st ca ri bo u Almanac

Recalling Our

Lost Cari C

aribou were once abundant in the Idaho panhandle; they were a source of food, clothing, and shelter both to indigenous people and to the first crusty miners who came through on their way north to the gold fields of British Columbia. Local legend tells of a prospector who spent an entire winter at what would become the Continental Mine, eating, wearing, and sheltering himself with nothing but caribou meat and hides.

These animals roamed much of the northern tier of the U.S. until the late 19th century. The relatively low human populations of what would become Bonner and Boundary counties enabled them to last considerably longer here. They spent much of the year high in the Selkirks, their large feet helping them to stay on the surface of the snow and reach lichens— their favorite food—high on trees.

But as logging and winter recreation brought more humans into the mountains even in winter, the number of caribou dropped precipitously.

Several attempts to increase the herd failed. The last few animals were captured in January of 2019 and taken to British Columbia, where their species continues to thrive.

While our local caribou have faded into the past, a pair of University of Idaho students has created a sort of digital memory of them called Storying Extinction: Responding to the Loss of North Idaho’s Mountain Caribou, at www.sptmag.com/caribou.

The site includes news stories about the caribou and interviews with locals who have seen them. Footage from game cameras captures the other species that remain in what was once caribou habitat. A map plots the location of each story and video. Whether you remember seeing the caribou or just wish you had, a visit provides an opportunity to reminisce about an animal that we can no longer claim is native to North Idaho.

by Cate Huisman

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ribou

AT LEFT: CARIBOU ARE DISTINGUISHED BY THEIR ANTLERS AND WHITE NECK RUFF. PHOTO BY ALAIN CARON, LICENSED UNDER CC BY 4.0. AT TOP: A WOODLAND CARIBOU IN THE SOUTHERN SELKIRKS. PHOTO

BY STEVE FOREST, LICENSED UNDER CC BY 2.0. ABOVE: CARIBOU ARE ABUNDANT IN DENALI NATIONAL PARK. PHOTO BY PAUL HABERSTROH, LICENSED UNDER CC BY 4.0.

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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Almanac

faststik democratizes ski wax

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SCOTT BARKSDALE’S LOVE OF SKIING LED TO HIS DEVELOPMENT OF FASTSTIK. COURTESY PHOTO.

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nce you feel the difference, there’s no going back.

That’s the promise of FastStik, a ski wax product developed by North Idaho local Scott Barksdale and produced in Kootenai near the former Coldwater Creek campus. FastStik takes the guesswork out of ski and snowboard waxing.

What was once a time-consuming and tedious chore is now as easy as a few swipes.

“This tube replaces about five traditional waxes with one wax and no tools,” said Barksdale.

According to Barksdale, 90 percent of skiers and snowboarders don’t wax their equipment. That’s probably because it’s a giant pain. Traditional, paraffin-based waxes require a bevy of tools, application skill, and maintenance time. They also produce substantial waste as wax is scraped off skis and thrown away.

By comparison, FastStik takes the guesswork out of ski waxing. A microfilm polymer blend contained in a tube the size of a cigarette lighter, one stick of FastStik rolls onto ski and board surfaces instantly and can wax more than 100 pairs of alpine skis. And while paraffin waxes come in many variations for differing winter conditions, FastStik only needs two formulas: one designed for 32 to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit and another for 32 to 50 degrees. The warm-condition formula is perfect for flying down the sometimes slushy, dirty snow that can frustrate those with unwaxed equipment.

Barksdale’s experiment with ski waxes began several years ago, leading to the original FastStik formula. From there, the next couple years were all about setting up the branding, marketing, and business plan. Now FastStik is readily available at www.faststik.com, and it’s making a splash among powderhounds and ski technicians alike.

“Parents and coaches are always trying to figure out how to make their kids’ skis fast, but the reality is that only one guy has the time and ability to do that,” said Barksdale. “My goal was to make a product that anyone could use and immediately feel the difference.”

by Cameron Rasmusson

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faststik ski wax + native land digital

A Digital Approach to Native Land

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ne way of getting to know Sandpoint and its environs is to consider those who have lived here in the past. A Canadian nonprofit, Native Land Digital—Our Home on Native Land (www.native-land.ca) has created an online map that aids in this endeavor. It shows the locations of indigenous territories in many parts of the world.

Because the map does not show state and national boundaries, the easiest way to find Sandpoint is to look for the familiar fishhook/question mark shape of Lake Pend Oreille. Zooming in reveals that Kalispel and Coeur d’Alene people lived here before we did, with the Coeur d’Alene mainly to the south and the Kalispel to the north and west, and up the Clark Fork River, with both groups using the lake itself.

Labels on the map show the tribes’ names in their native languages, as well as the common names by which they are known now. Different map overlays can be turned on and off to show languages and treaties. The map’s creators caution that “sourcing data on indigenous territories is a delicate process,” and links to the tribes’ websites enable users to learn more directly from indigenous sources.

Mike Lithgow, information and outreach coordinator for the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, notes that geographic information systems such as the one represented by this map provide a powerful method for understanding cultural relationships from different viewpoints: “This is an interesting tool, and the special relationships as depicted in the map really give you a different perspective of how indigenous people occupied the lands.”

by Cate Huisman

WWW.ALPINESHOPSANDPOINT.COM

KALISPEL TRIBE PADDLERS MAKE THEIR ANNUAL “REMEMBER THE WATER” CANOE JOURNEY DOWN LAKE PEND OREILLE FROM THE MOUTH OF THE CLARK FORK RIVER TO THE KALISPEL RESERVATION NEAR IONE, WASH., WITH A STOP AT SANDPOINT CITY BEACH. ALL THIS IS PART OF THEIR ANCESTRAL HOMELAND. PHOTO BY CHRIS BESSLER.

Schweitzer Mountain in the Village 208.255.1660

Downtown Sandpoint 213 Church St 208.263.5157

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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An offbeat museum off the beaten path

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A MOUNTED RACK SHOWS A DEFORMITY IN A LEFT ANTLER. PHOTO BY CATE HUISMAN.

ut in the country north of Bonners Ferry, the Slow Cheetah Skeleton Museum is a one-of-a-kind institution that provides visitors with a unique perspective on wildlife in North Idaho and elsewhere. Named for an animal whose remains might have made it into the museum (the slow cheetah is the one that gets caught and ends up in an exhibit), the museum includes skeletons of moose, bears, wolves, and even the caribou that have recently become extinct in North Idaho.

While most of the skeletons are from typical, disease-free animals, an unusual aspect of this collection is that it also includes specimens that provide a glimpse into how nature reacts when something goes wrong.

A deer skull seems to be skewed sideways—it was compressed in the womb of its mother before it was born. A mounted rack shows a deformity in a left antler caused by an injury to the right side of the body. A pair of moose antlers is covered with what appear to be cotton balls; these are the result of a hormone deficiency that might have been caused by a wound. Infestation with parasites might cause an antler to grow in a spiral.

Nate Hart, the museum’s owner, has been interested in animals and skeletons since he was a kid. His family is accustomed to finding carcasses awaiting treatment next to the pizza in the freezer, and he admits that “there’s a fine line between being the bone guy and the weird guy.” Wherever he is along that continuum, he is a well-informed curator who hosts visitors with many intriguing tales about the collection.

Learn more at www.slowcheetahskeletons.org.

-Cate Huisman

First in Fashion

Visit us downtown and pamper yourself with unique, carefully chosen apparel collections and accessories to complement you and your contemporary lifestyle.

326 North First Avenue, Sandpoint a 208.263.0712 www.EvesLeaves.com 14

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off beat museum + 7b crop swap

garden bounty For those in need

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esponding to the need she saw in the community, Sandpoint’s Tia Hawks decided there was something she could do. In 2019, she established a nonprofit to distribute healthy produce to at least five families, no matter their size, each week. “I started CropSwap so my children will always have a way to understand the power of kindness and the importance of giving back to their community. They are blessed with so much, I didn’t want them to grow up not knowing that there are others out there that aren’t as fortunate.” They know now. In 2019, almost 1,000 people received the nonprofit’s support and, Hawks said, “... this year we were able to surpass that before the holiday season.”

Up ‘til now, 7B CropSwap has been solely the effort of Hawks, her husband, and her two children. “They love putting baskets together and helping others that need help with healthy groceries or [who] aren’t able to garden that season,” she said. “7B CropSwap has brought us a lot of happiness. We have enjoyed helping the community as a family and brainstorming new ideas for the future.”

Like most ventures that address a real need, “It’s taken off a lot quicker than we expected and it’s taken a lot of hard work,” she said, especially after they expanded their efforts with a Bonners Ferry CropSwap, delivering food on Tuesdays to Bonners Ferry as well.

7B CropSwap delivers harvest baskets of healthy produce to five families, no matter their size, each week, plus they provide five Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for families in need. The nonprofit gives pumpkins to children at Halloween, and also holds a Mother’s Day raffle. In order to expand their efforts, the nonprofit established a website (at www.7bcropswap.com) and a Facebook page, and are inviting the community to donate either extra garden produce or cash to help the cause.

-Trish Gannon

HAWKS’ CHILDREN HELP IN PUTTING HARVEST BASKETS TOGETHER. COURTESY PHOTO.

LOVE TO SMILE

Same Day Crowns • No Temporaries Implants • Invisalign Smile Makeovers • Veneers TMJ • Headache Treatments Sleep Apnea • Snoring Therapies

phone 208.265.4558 fax 208.263.5721 2025 West Pine Street Sandpoint, ID www.SandpointDentists.com

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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Almanac

Selle Valley school provides middle school alternative

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ixteen years ago, Stacy Happell taught 10 preschoolers in the basement of her parents’ ranch house.

Since then, her role has expanded from preschool teacher to educator/director of the popular Selle Valley Carden School, which she founded in 2007 with her sister Melissa Peck on a portion of her family’s V Bar X Ranch off Selle Road.

This year 64 students from preschool to 8th grade receive instruction from five teachers on a rural campus.

SVCS is a country school based on Christian principles, guided by the Carden academic philosophy, and enhanced by rural, recreational, and cultural opportunities.

As a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, the school receives support from special projects, tuition, grants, donations, and significant in-kind work from parents and volunteers.

Happell’s childhood on her parents’ ranch planted the seed for the school.

“As I continued through my early education classes in college, I realized that living on a ranch gifted me with so many experi-

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ences and stories that no one else in my classes could imagine,” Happell recalls. “I found people intrigued by what my childhood entailed, and even as adults, they wished they could experience some of what I did.”

This realization led to a turning point where Happell knew she wanted to work with children and that “it was my turn to share that with them ... I mean, who ever says their best experiences or memories are those made while sitting inside?”

The original “little red school house,” once known as Selle Valley Bright Beginnings, serves as centerpiece for a campus of classrooms, even one in a barn, which is designated for agricultural learning.

“Our large campus allows for hands-on learning of forestry, ecology, natural resources, farming, gardening, and natural problem solving,” Happell said.

This year, the school added another bright blue classroom unit to accommodate its first-ever combination class of seventh and eighth graders, taught by longtime local educator Jeanne Warwick.

“I feel like we are the luckiest people in the whole world to get

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selle valley middle school

FAIR

2022

BONNER COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS

FACING PAGE: A GROUP OF YOUNGER STUDENTS AT THE SELLE VALLEY CARDEN SCHOOL. ABOVE: SIGNS POINT VISITORS WHERE TO GO. PHOTOS BY MARIANNE LOVE.

to have class at SVCS on the farm!” said Warwick, owner of a small beef operation. “It really is a dream come true as I start my 14th year of teaching.”

Besides their varied but rigorous classroom curriculum, Warwick said 13 “lovely 7th and 8th graders” experience days “packed with learning outside and utilizing the wonderful classroom Stacy has built in the barn.” Add to that weekly skiing at Schweitzer, participating in Invent Idaho, Future City, and the Idaho State Forestry contest, and it’s no wonder there’s a waiting list for the school.

“The hardest part for me is to have to tell people we don’t have room,” Happell said. “It is humbling to know that Selle Valley Carden School has had such a positive impact on so many children and families.”

Even with added challenges that go along with growth, Happell welcomes the magic of each new day. “I love that our students love coming to school, love learning,” she said, “and, most of all, I love that every day is a new adventure at school.”

-Marianne Love

Award Winning

Fair Rodeo Award Winning Fair Demo Derby Bull Riding 4-H Events International Fjord Show Striker’s Soccer

PRCA Rodeo Motocross Events 2 Day Christmas Fair Horse Show & Gaming Events Livestock Auction

Bonner General Foundation (BGH) Heart Ball Gun & Horn Show

32 RV SITES AVAILABLE

www.reserveamerica.com/explore/

BONNER COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS

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4203 N. BOYER SANDPOINT, ID

www.BONNERCOUNTYFAIR.com SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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Almanac

NOTEWORTHY mini-doc features dann hall

The Idaho Film Company released a short documentary— a mini-doc—of longtime local Dann Hall, who owns Hallans Gallery on First Avenue in downtown Sandpoint, and curates his father Ross Hall’s collection of historic photos. Learn what it was like to grow up in Sandpoint at www.sptmag.com/dann.

festival returns with a bang

The Festival at Sandpoint saw a triumphant return to Sandpoint’s War Memorial Field after a difficult 2020 season that saw a loss of staff, a lawsuit against the city regarding citizens’ right to carry (which flew in the face of artist contracts that required no firearms on the field), and the cancellation of the entire season due to COVID-19.

The 2021 season began July 29 and ran through August 8 and featured such artists as Jake Owen, Keb’ Mo’, Gladys Knight, and the Spokane Symphony. Fan favorite REO Speed-

PHOTOS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: DANN HALL IS FEATURED IN A NEW MINI-DOC. MOUNTAIN TRADERS OPENS IN ELMIRA. THE FOUR SISTERS WERE FEATURED ON EPISODE 12 OF LAY ME DOWN. THE CLARK FORK DRIFTYARD CLOSES FOR WINTER. COURTESY PHOTOS.

wagon had to cancel at the last minute due to COVID-19 exposure but disco legends The Village People wowed the crowd. By season’s end it was clear the Festival was back with a bang.

Season passes for 2022 are now on sale at www.festivalatsandpoint.com.

MickDuff’s recognized

Like most area restaurants, MickDuff’s struggled with staffing issues during 2021, but that didn’t stop the restaurant and brewery from being recognized on many fronts. In June, Preservation Idaho presented owners Mickey and Duffy Mahoney with the Orchid Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation, acknowledging the duo’s work on restoring Sandpoint’s original Federal Building. In September, it was the North American Brewer’s Association, at the 2021 International Beer Awards, that was singling the pair out as they earned a gold medal for their Irish Redhead beer. It was the second gold medal for the

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Irish-style red ale. Mack Deibel, brewer for the company, was also honored with the first Spirit of the Industry award.

new store for elmira

After long being closed, the Elmira Store is now open again.

Located on Highway 95 in Elmira, the store has a new name— Mountain Traders—and includes a gift shop featuring local products, a consignment store, plus self-serve Wood’s Smokies and a dining area. Visit their Facebook page to learn more.

Lay Me Down Podcast

Locals Pete and Fiona Hicks have launched a new podcast featuring local and international artists. With music, stories, and poetry, the podcast focuses on peace and rest. Learn more at www.laymedownpodcast.com or listen with your favorite podcast provider.

Clark Fork Driftyard

The driftyard access site between Hope and Clark Fork will be closed for the winter, through April 15, 2022, while habitat restoration work is being done.

Habitat restoration in the Clark Fork Delta has been underway since 2012, with the goal of protecting and improving riparian wetland habitats. The area is important habitat for birds, fish, and wildlife.

Border reopens

After almost 19 months of closure, the U.S./Canada border has fully reopened to vaccinated travelers. Although vaccinated U.S. residents have been able to cross into Canada for visits, our Canadian neighbors were not allowed in the U.S. until early November. Historically, visitors from Canada have been an important source of revenue for Bonner County businesses.

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EVENTS

winter 2022

calendar of

CHECK WWW.SANDPOINTONLINE.COM FOR AN UPDATED CALENDAR

AS THE PANDEMIC PERSISTS, SANDPOINT’S WINTER EVENTS CALENDAR CONTINUES TO UPDATE. FOR THE VERY LATEST INFORMATION, CHECK THE WWW.SANDPOINTONLINE.COM EVENTS CALENDAR (UPDATED WEEKLY). *ANNUAL EVENTS NOT YET SCHEDULED/CONFIRMED AS OF PRESSTIME

NOVEMBER

19 Barrio Manouche. See POAC calendar, page 22.

20-21 Christmas Craft Fair. Bonner County Fairgrounds hosts Sandpoint’s finest Christmas market, featuring local handmade crafts, vendors, unique gifts, treats, coffee, delicious food, “Santa’s Workshop” kid’s activities, and Christmas fun! Free admission. www.bonnercountyfair.com.

20-24, 26-28 K&K Thanksgiving Fishing Derby. Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club’s annual fall fishing contest. Put on your long johns and come join this exciting event! www.lpoic.org 26 Schweitzer Opening Day. Ski and ride at Schweitzer, opening for the winter season (dependent on weather conditions). www.schweitzer.com.

26 Downtown Tree Lighting and Santa’s Arrival. Festive family fun at Jeff Jones Town Square.

27 Shook Twins ‘Giving Thanks’ Concert. In the Panida, featuring Sandpoint natives Katelyn and Laurie Shook. (See story page 25)

DECEMBER

9-11 Tour of Trees ‘Take 2.’ Once again, Kinderhaven holds a Tour of Trees event this year due to community health concerns. Pick up an official map available at the downtown headquarters location, 113 Main St. (corner of Main and Second), then head out and tour the trees! Bids may also be placed for tabletop trees, gift baskets, and wreaths. Bidding ends Dec. 11. www.kinderhavensandpoint.com.

11 Brittany Jean Winter Concert.

Panida Theater hosts performance at 7 p.m. www.panida.org.

16 A Danceworks Christmas. Panida Theater hosts recital at 6:30 p.m. www.

Panida.org.

18 Jazzy Nutcracker. Panida Theater hosts performance at 5:30 p.m. www. panida.org.

23 Festivus. Panida Theater hosts event at 7 p.m. www.panida.org.

23-24 Ski with Santa. Catch Santa on the slopes with Mrs. Claus at Schweitzer—they’ll be cruising around several beginner and intermediate runs and passing out candy to good girls and boys, so be on the lookout! www.schweitzer.com 31 New Year’s Eve Parties. At Schweitzer and in town. *Schweitzer Community Day. Schweitzer benefit for local charities. www.schweitzer.com

JANUARY

14-17 MLK Weekend. Spend the holiday weekend at Schweitzer, and look forward to great skiing along with the Northern Lights Fireworks show, and much more. www.schweitzer.com.

21-23 Banff Mountain Film Festival.

Annual outdoor film festival returns to the Panida Theater, with screenings at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 6 p.m.

Sunday. Each night features different films. www.panida.org.

28 Toyota Ski Free Friday. Bring your Toyota, Scion, or Lexus to Schweitzer and get one free lift ticket for the day. www.schweitzer.com.

29-30 This Winter Night. See POAC calendar, page 22. *Winter Trails Day. Snowshoe and Nordic ski event at Schweitzer. www.schweitzer.com.

FEBRUARY

18 Living Voices. See POAC calendar, page 22.

18-21 Presidents’ Weekend Celebration. Schweitzer is the place to be for the holiday weekend, with the Sunday night Coca-Cola “Let It Glow” fireworks show. www.schweitzer.com. *Starlight Racing on NASTAR. Friday night racing at Schweitzer. www.schweitzer.com

*Sandpoint Winter Carnival. Sandpoint celebrates the season that brings recreation and family fun to our area, including a downtown parade. www.sandpointwintercarnival.com; www.schweitzer.com.

MARCH

4-5 The Follies. Angels Over Sandpoint’s wild and crazy fundraiser at the Panida, featuring the theme ‘Studio 54—The ‘70s.’

Tickets go on sale Groundhog Day. Get the latest info at www.angelsoversandpoint.org.

5 PAFE Mega Demo Day. Try out new gear all day long! Join Schweitzer as they raise money for Panhandle Alliance for Education while getting to sample 2023’s newest skis and boards. www.schweitzer.com.

18 Paul Beaubrun. See POAC calendar, page 22. *2,400 Feet of Schweitzer. Topto-bottom giant slalom fundraiser at Schweitzer Mountain Resort benefits cystinosis research. www.schweitzer.com

APRIL

23 Missoula Children’s Theater: Rumpelstiltskin. See POAC calendar, page 22.

23-May 1 K&K Spring Fishing Derby.

Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club holds their annual fishing derby on Lake Pend Oreille. www.lpoic.org *Schpring Finale and Rotary Ducky Derby. Celebrate the end of a great season at Schweitzer Mountain Resort. www.schweitzer.com.

MAY

May 19: Brubeck Brothers Quartet.

See POAC calendar, page 22. *Lost in the ’50s. Retro celebration with parades, car displays, dances, and concerts. www.sandpoint.org/lostin50s or Lost50s@Facebook.

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2021/ 2022

POAC

See complete, up-to-the-minute calendars at www.sandpointonline.com

performing arts series The Pend Oreille Arts Council holds its first full season of live performances since the COVID-19 pandemic cut short the 2019-2020 season. Featuring eclectic performances ranging from flamenco fusion and classic jazz to live theater and local dance, all take place onstage at the historic Panida Theater.

november 19: barrio manouche This San Francisco-based acoustic ensemble performs a

repertoire of original compositions, taking audiences on a magical journey with their unique fusion of cultures and musical backgrounds. With latest collaborations including French Flamenco dancer Fanny Ara, Brazilian dancer Emaye Ama Mizani, as well as Colombian singer Iván Rondón, Barrio Manouche offers

barrio manouche

an auditory and visual feast like no other. At 7:30 p.m.

january 29-30: this winter night POAC partners with Allegro Dance Studio and Suzuki String Academy for a special evening of music and dance pairings inspired by winter themes. At 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. on Sunday.

february 18: Living voices

POAC’s popular theatrical partnership with Living Voices is back with a production of “Through the Eyes of a Friend,”

living voices

the enduring, inspiring story of Anne Frank told from a unique perspective. At 7 p.m.

march 18: paul Beaubrun

New York-based singer-songwriter Paul Beaubrun was born into the legendary musical family behind Boukman Eksperyans, one of Haiti’s most famous bands. Beaubrun has made a name for himself as a solo artist thanks to two stellar albums under his own name and through collaborations with artists like Jackson Browne and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. At 7:30 p.m.

april 23: missoula children’s theater: rumplestiltskin paul beaubrun

Join the Missoula Children’s Theatre and over 50 local

students as they bring to life this spirited fairytale. An original musical adaptation, Rumpelstiltskin is sure to please audiences of all ages. At 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

may 19: brubeck brothers quartet An exciting jazz quartet featuring the gifted sons of

legendary jazz musician Dave Brubeck—Dan Brubeck on drums and Chris Brubeck on bass and trombone, who carry on the family name of one of America’s most accomplished musical families and are joined by guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb. The Quartet’s last CD, LifeTimes, made the Top 10 list on the Jazz Week radio charts. At 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are available at the POAC Office, 110 Main

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from folk to funk An interview with the Shook Twins

by Ben Olson

F

rom their humble beginnings singing in Sandpoint High School choir to sharing festival stages with some of the biggest names in music, Sandpoint’s Katelyn and Laurie Shook have taken their band Shook Twins from a fun artistic hobby to a full-time way of life. Sitting down at their family property, Laurie and Katelyn shared some thoughts on what it has been like playing in a band during a pandemic, influential periods in their life, and what the future holds for their band.

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PREVIOUS PAGE: KATELYN AND LAURIE SHOOK ARE FULL OF ENTHUSIASM FOR THEIR FUTURE IN MUSIC. PHOTO BY RACHAEL BAKER. ABOVE: LAURIE (LEFT) AND KATELYN (RIGHT), ARE ACCOMPLISHED MUSICIANS. PHOTO BY KRISTEN COHEN. NEXT PAGE: THE TWINS WERE MUSICAL PERFORMERS AT AN EARLY AGE. COURTESY PHOTO.

SM:: Can you tell me what it was like weathering the pandemic as a full time band that tours a good portion of the year?

Laurie: We actually went into 2020 wanting to take a huge break, so it kind of worked out for us.

Katelyn: We were pretty burned out touring full time, and we told our whole team—the management and the agency— that we wanted to take a break. Especially because of my wedding, which was supposed to be in 2020.

L: Yeah, we’re actually pretty big homebodies, so it was nice to take a break.

What was it you needed a break from?

K: The grind of the road. It’s just really hard. It wears on you.

It wears on our bodies mostly. As we’re getting older it hurts physically, and it wears on our relationships mentally. I was starting to feel a little disconnected with our audience. I wasn’t as happy as I wanted to be.

L: We end up doing a lot of work because we don’t tour with a tour manager. So that was a big part of it. The level that we were touring, which is like the “medium font Sprinter Size” tour as we call it, it just takes a lot of logistics and planning and that’s what I was specifically over, because I just wanted to be in the band and just show up and do the art. We had to do so much of the other stuff. The pandemic gave us a chance to regroup and 26

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realize what we really want, which was to just try to select the shows that bring us joy.

You’ve lived and played music together for most of your lives. This year you took a break, living in separate cities.

What brought that on and was it healthy to be apart for the first major portion of your lives?

L: It was very healthy.

K: I think when I moved back home to Sandpoint in June 2020 I was feeling a little lost. I was about to get married and I think we needed to separate a little bit. We’ve never lived apart for 37 years and we worked together all the time and we started realizing that maybe we needed to figure out what our own lives are. Moving home was really hard. Subconsciously it just sort of creeped in. It wasn’t like, “Oh my god, I don’t live with Laurie anymore, I’m freaking out.” It was like a slow depression movement, like “Oh god, I don’t know who I am without Laurie.”

So we’ve been doing a lot of work around it actually, and we know that time and space apart is what’s going to cure it. Laurie loves to be home, too, and we both love to be around our parents and their rad properties, so it’s really hard for us to separate.

That’s the reason why we’ve spent 37 years within arms’ reach of each other. We like to be doing the same thing in the same

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Yeah, I think we got a little more weird, a little more dirty. I appreciated the Portland city grime on our music.

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place at the same time.

L: And neither of us are going to deny the other happiness, and we also have the same best friends. We’ve really made it very difficult for ourselves, haven’t we?

How important is the crowd in making a great show?

L: The crowd is huge for us. Such a big deal.

K: Also lighting. And the space.

L: I think it’s equal parts. The venue and atmosphere that the venue provides, to me, dictates how the energy of the audience goes for the night.

K: When we started doing shows again, people were really hungry and grateful, but they were also really chatty and excited to see each other, so we were preparing ourselves for that, because that can get to us sometimes.

What’s your ideal crowd?

L: That’s tough, because we play soft, SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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t h e s h o o k tw i ns interview quiet, pretty, sweet songs, but we also play groovy songs that we want people to dance to.

K: We want the hoots!

L: Definitely want the hoots and laughter. We want people to feel comfortable in their own skin and feel excited and vocal and expressive, but when they’re caught by our lyrics or the feeling of the music, we want them to absorb it.

You’ve collaborated with a lot of great musicians over the years. Who are some of your favorites?

K: My favorite is collaborating with Gregory Alan Isakov.

Anytime we were on stage with him was super magical. His shows are just magical. The audience is quickly falling in love all night, that’s what it feels like. When we toured with him, several times he’d have us come on stage and sing a song with him. My favorite of all time was just us three singing at Red Rocks. We opened for him and Ani DiFranco at Red Rocks and it was the best.

L: Career wise and life wise, it was the best.

K: Gregory knew how much we loved Ani and he just really wanted to make our dreams come true, so he asked us to open-open, and we got to meet Ani and we’ve developed a relationship. She’s so awesome. So that night we sang Gregory’s song, “She Always Takes it Black,” just the three of us to Red

Rocks and you could hear a pin drop and there were 9,500 people there.

L: One of my favorite collabs is John Craigie. Every time we play shows together it’s family reunion vibes. We play Sandpoint with him mostly these days, and I just love his songs so much and the way we’ve crafted parts around them. I love how we all sound together. He’s just our best friend.

K: Yeah, me too. Equal.

the show at the Whiskey Jack Venue was one of the best I’ve seen you do in a while.

What was your original vision for this venue, and how has that changed?

L: Last year we applied for a conditional use permit, which would allow us to have multiple events out here—weddings, retreats, reunions, maybe some concerts—and I put the max capacity at 500 which was a stupid move, because now that we’ve had a show out here it was definitely not 500. We don’t want that. People kind of freaked out. The neighbors really didn’t like the idea. … The conditions of approval were also really high ... it would be an impetus to change that quaint, perfect, shitty little bridge [on our road], and that’s not what we’re going for. We don’t want to change this area at all, and that’s what the neighbors were upset about. It was frustrating because we wanted to say, “Don’t you know us? We’ve grown

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THE SHOOK TWINS IN PERFORMANCE AT DENVER’S LEVITT PAVILLION (LEFT TO RIGHT) NIKO SLICE (GUITAR), LAURIE SHOOK (BANJO), DARREN GARVEY (DRUMS), KATELYN SHOOK (GUITAR), AND ABER MILLER (KEYS/ BASS). PHOTO BY VERONICA HOLYFIELD.

up here. We just want to share this with our neighbors.” But if they weren’t into it, it totally negated the whole thing. So during that process the planner told us as a property owner you’re allowed to host an event for up to 400 people without a permit. So we’re going to check in with the neighbors and see how it felt for them. We really care about what the neighbors think and don’t want to piss anybody off, so we want to just

put on one or two shows per summer, and maybe a wedding here and there, but very minimal events. … The most beautiful part of that show for me was being on that stage we built with our family and friends who helped so much. We built this amphitheater and stairs and my mom did most of the steps out there, and it’s just so rewarding to see all the work we did. We need more lighting though—somebody fell in the pond.

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t h e s h o o k tw i ns interview How did moving to Portland influence your music moving forward?

K: In Sandpoint times we were way more folky and nature-y, very cheesy, and then Portland gave us a little more edge. We started going to shows and seeing more indie rock bands and that’s where we focused in on tone. We became obsessed with tone. And that’s when Niko joined the band and that was a huge change, he really changed our sound with his electric guitar vibes and his tones and weirdness.

L: Yeah, I think we got a little more weird, a little more dirty.

I appreciated the Portland city grime on our music.

K: Portland rubbed off over time and changed our sound a lot. All the friends we’ve met along the way and their influences on us has totally rubbed off.

What’s something about each of you that not many people know?

K: Well, I almost died three times.

L: Yeah, she had three near death surgeries.

K: In my body, not because of accidents or anything. My own body has turned against me three times. My appendix burst when I was 4, I had a blood clot when I was 18 that lived in me for 6 months, so I was a ticking time bomb, and I had a

bowel resection surgery last summer. Six inches were taken out of my small intestine. I just woke up one day and had a stomach ache. … I’m realizing how traumatic it is. I’m a healthy woman, and to know that can happen to you for no reason is terrifying.

So that’s scary. But I’m still alive, can’t get me down, body.

L: What’s mine? I’m becoming kind of a handy-woman. I started learning a bunch of stuff about being a handy-woman.

K: She can saw, she can screw! We’re actually inside a bunkhouse that she built, also kinda me and mom helped.

L: I don’t just play banjo!

What does the future hold for touring?

K: We’re not chomping at the bit. We just had two shows cancel because of COVID. We still are very hesitant. We haven’t been dealing with it too much because we didn’t have much booked. The whole moral dilemma falls on the artists way more than it should. We’re not anxious to deal with touring during a pandemic. It’s not what we want. … Luckily we got two PPP loans for our company and we’re feeling okay. We want to just slowly do shows we really love and bring us joy at first, but I’m going to start a family soon, so who knows? We’re just taking it slow.

L: We’re just going to see what happens tomorrow.

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how did open mic at the Downtown Crossing in the mid 2000s affect your decision to pursue music full time?

L: It defined us. What was it, 2005? That time, our crew of friends, all of us vagrants, artists, and poets, that open mic at Downtown Crossing started it all for us. That was when we took a break from college. We came back to figure out what to do.

K: The open mic was this magical place, this padded little safety net of all of our friends that encouraged us to impress each other.

Was choir sort of your gateway drug to wanting to play music full time?

L: Yeah, I think it was. When we were in choir, I never thought, “I’m going to be on stage and write my own music.” I never thought that in high school. But the gateway moment for me at least was that choir performance we did for Spring Fling when I beatboxed and we did “Killing Me Softly.” I had just learned to beatbox from this Mormon a cappella group that was touring through. They were called The Standards and they came to the school as like an anti-drug kind of assembly vibe.

K: Yeah, the Mormon a cappella group trying to convince people not to do drugs. It was totally a “Saved by the Bell” episode.

L: But the beatboxer dude was trying to give examples and teach a bunch of choir girls how to beatbox, and I was one of

them. He called me up in front of the assembly and the school and I beatboxed for like 10 seconds and almost peed my pants, and it was so cool and everyone loved it, so I was super into it.

Later, after we did “Killing Me Softly,” everyone loved it and we got a standing ovation and I was like, “Okay, I can do this.”

K: That was senior year.

L: Then we went to college and music just started happening after we graduated. Our first gig was in 2004. We moved to Virginia, and we played at a place called O’Charlie’s, which was some stupid chain, but they paid us $300 and it was a threehour gig. When we started to do our Winery gig, they asked us how much we wanted and we said, “How about $300?” and they said, “Uhh, how about $75?” and we just said, “Okay, that checks out.” But in choir with Jon Brownell, that’s where we learned harmonies and did scales every day and learned the basics of the voice. I always feel like a mediocre instrumentalist, when we compare ourselves to other peers that are shredding.

K: Our vocals are definitely our main instrument though.

I think of it like we became fluent in a language, harmony-wise, because you don’t even think about it, you just sing the harmony.

Some people ask us to teach them how to harmonize and we say “I don’t know, you just do it.” Just hear the counter part harmony for years and years every day. It’s like a foreign language.

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ngannie

by Cate Huisman

O

f all the skilled and competent employees on Schweitzer’s ski patrol, one stands out: Annie, the avalanche dog. She is the quintessence of professionalism.

Annie has the perfect mix of outgoing personality and self-control. Passing dogs might bring a quick turn of her head, but she does not break stride walking with her handler. When told to sit or lie down, she waits patiently for whatever her job brings next. Smart, good-looking, and poised, Annie is the kind of employee any ski area would dream of.

She is an ideal public relations dog, too—eager to engage with the admirers who walk up to her for a pet or a quick snuggle as she tours the village. Already famous at the age of 6, she was the cover dog for one of the last issues of the late, lamented River Journal in March 2017, and she was featured on ABC News that same spring.

A yellow American field Labrador, Annie came to Schweitzer from Colorado with her human partner, Jeff Thompson, who is also her main handler. Jeff notes that a lot of different breeds can work well as avalanche dogs: “What matters is that they need to be good in cold weather and like to find things.” She’s relatively small for her breed. “Normal size is fine, but the smaller the better,” said Jeff. At 45 to 50 pounds, “Annie is just about right; I can ski with her on my shoulders.”

A dog’s sense of smell is thousands of times more acute than a human’s, and this is what makes dogs so valuable in finding buried skiers or riders. How quickly Annie can find a person depends on a lot of factors, including the size of the avalanche and the weather. But she will always be much faster than any human. Under optimal conditions, she might find a victim within a few minutes. But it might also take hours. Chances of survival are highest within the first 15 minutes, but if a buried victim has created an air pocket around their face, they can survive much longer.

Annie is trained to look for any human scent under the snow. In winter, she practices every day looking for buried clothing. As often as possible, she practices finding actual buried humans as well. (While patrollers often volunteer for this

human duty, Schweitzer is always on the lookout for anyone willing to be buried.) Daily workouts may also include working with other members of her avalanche rescue team, or reviewing her skills at riding a chairlift, a snowmobile, or her handler’s shoulders. Summertime training includes obedience and confidence drills, as well as plenty of activity to stay in shape.

An additional aspect of her job is helping to train her canine colleagues, Murphy and Abbey, and their handlers. Jeff hopes to have enough trained dogs and handlers to have two dogs on duty whenever the resort is open, so that one of them can always have a day off while the other two are stationed at the high points of the ski area—at the Sky House or at the top of one of the chairs. From there, they can be rapidly deployed as needed in the area, or even be picked up by chopper and dropped into the backcountry.

Annie’s presence alone helps raise avalanche awareness among Schweitzer guests. With the growth in numbers of backcountry and sidecountry skiers and riders, this has become a greater imperative. In addition to being a ski patroller and dog handler, Jeff is executive director of the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center. Enrollment in IPAC’s avalanche training courses has grown hugely since Annie’s arrival (although this growth probably cannot be attributed entirely to her influence).

Before Jeff and Annie came to Schweitzer, they worked at Beaver Creek Resort, where Jeff helped to develop a program (Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment, or C-RAD) that works with dogs and humans to train teams for avalanche search and rescue in the mountains there. Now, Jeff hopes to develop a similar program for the Inland Northwest.

He and Annie and Schweitzer’s other dogs and handlers already serve as resources for other ski areas. Annie and Abbey have both traveled to Silver Mountain to train with its new avalanche dog, a black lab named Roger, and Abbey has been to Whitefish to train with their dogs. “It’s really good for the dogs to ‘get off campus,’” said Jeff. “They encounter a whole different set of smells and situations.”

When Annie’s ski patrol harness comes off, she knows she can relax. She often hangs out in the patrol room in the baseSandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT SANDPOINT M MA AGGA AZZIIN NEE SandpointMagazine.com

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f PHOTO, PREVIOUS PAGE: JEFF THOMPSON IS ABLE TO SKI WITH ANNIE ON HIS SHOULDERS. THIS PAGE, TOP: ABBEY AND ANNIE RACE ACROSS THE SNOW. LEFT: ANNIE FINDS A BURIED VOLUNTEER IN THE SNOW. PHOTOS COURTESY SCHWEITZER.

ment of the Lakeview Lodge when she is not on duty. Although she is usually kept on a leash, on occasion she has left the lodge independently and mingled with her fans in the village. Given her fabulous social skills, she’s an effective ambassador for avalanche awareness even when she’s not at work.

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ou in the

fresh air

Nordic club offers opportunities for area youth

by Rick Price

A

fter the third time she fell, Lily, a third grader, new to cross-country skiing, took off her skinny skis and tossed them into Pine Street Woods, feeling defeated. A patient volunteer helped her retrieve her gear and get them hooked back on to her boots.

By the end of her hour-and-a-half of skiing during a class field trip, she was the last one back to the lodge, feeling exhilarated after doing one extra loop with a friend. The memories created in the school program are one part of the reason the Sandpoint Nordic Club is doing its snow dance.

The Sandpoint Nordic Club is ready for winter and growing to better meet the community’s needs. Since partnering with the Kaniksu Land Trust and building the Pine Street Woods Outdoor Recreation Center two winters ago, its programming, staffing, membership, trails, and equipment continue to expand to keep people outside and moving throughout our snowy season.

The Nordic Club built and maintains seven kilometers of beginner-friendly trails in the woods and meadows of Pine Street Woods that are groomed for classic and skate skiing as conditions are met.

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“

We live in a ski town and twothirds of our youth have never been on any kind of skis.

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PHOTO, PREVIOUS PAGE: FIRST-TIME SKIERS ARE STARTING TO GET THE SWING OF THINGS DURING A SCHOOL OUTING WITH THE NORDIC CLUB AT PINE STREET WOODS. COURTESY PHOTO. ABOVE: CROSS COUNTRY SKIING WITH A VIEW AT SCHWEITZER. PHOTO BY DOUG MARSHALL.

The Rental Center offers daily and weekly rentals of both classic and skate Nordic skiing equipment at affordable prices. Seasonal equipment rentals are available for Nordic Club members. They also rent snowshoes.

The Rental Center, inside the Outdoor Recreation Center, is open during weekends at Pine Street Woods when there is enough snow to groom the trails.

We live in a ski town and two-thirds of our youth have never been on any kind of skis. The Sandpoint Nordic Club is working to change this. Offerings of the club include a youth league that has grown to over 60 kids who ski after school during January and February. Small groups get out with seasoned coaches to improve their skills, get some exercise, and just have fun on skis. The club’s Nordic Race Team is made up of about a dozen dedicated young athletes who work on conditioning all year long, practice daily through the winter, and travel to compete at snowy venues throughout the western states.

Two years ago, the Nordic Club was excited to start a new school program. This program enabled some 600 kids from throughout Bonner County, one classroom at a time, to get outside and up to the woods skiing, many for the first time. This is especially exciting during this COVID-19 time as fresh air is missing

for many of our youth.

For adults, the club offers lessons and clinics to sharpen Nordic skills. Already on the schedule, the club’s Learn to Ski Days, for adults and families, include rentals and lessons for new skiers. Additional clinics and lessons for both skate and classic skiing will be available throughout the winter.

The club is always looking for volunteers.

Experienced skiers who help weekdays with the school program, skiing with kids, find the days fun and rewarding for all.

All the club’s work has been done with generous support from their over 500 members, along with several local foundations, including the Community Assistance League, the Equinox Foundation, and the Wishnick Foundation.

Whether you are an experienced crosscountry skier looking to up your game or volunteer, a parent looking to keep your kids active in the winter, or just curious to find out what Nordic skiing is all about, the Sandpoint Nordic Club is ready to help. The Nordic Club works hard to keep its website up-to-date with current information on trail conditions, programs, upcoming activities, and rental center hours.

Learn more at www.sandpointnordic.com.

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creative

spark

The developing career of photographic artist Hayley Weatherstone

by Carrie Scozzaro

W

hen science fiction master Ray Bradbury reflected on what sparked his prolific writing career—he worked into his 90s—he noted that while a youngster, a carnival entertainer touched him on the nose with an electrified sword, lighting up his imagination and drive. For Bonners Ferry artist Hayley Weatherstone, that spark was darkroom photography.

“Fairbanks was ‘the’ moment for me,” said Weatherstone, who attended several colleges for journalism, including University of Alaska. “I fell in love with all the chemicals, processes, and artistry that go into developing your own pictures and ideas.”

Weatherstone’s first exposure to photography was during a high school yearbook class in Boise, Idaho, after which she pursued journalism at University of Western Washington. She excelled there, yet her heart was elsewhere—in Alaska, where she was born to a vast and varied landscape that had imprinted itself on her psyche.

While at University of Alaska, Weatherstone found a supportive mentor in photographer and instructor Jason Lazarus.

“I was blown away, especially with how much she gravi-

tated to more difficult subject matter,” said Lazarus, who was equally impressed with Weatherstone’s commitment not only to photographic processes but also photography as an art form.

When Weatherstone made the difficult decision to return to Western Washington University, Lazarus steered her toward some of his colleagues there. And he is thrilled that Weatherstone continues to make art, he said.

“The best thing a teacher can see is a student actively using the talent they have after graduation,” said Lazarus, whose curriculum incorporated studying a range of photographers, what he calls ‘photographic lineage.’

For Weatherstone, two photographers resonated: Jerry Uelsmann and Scott Mutter, both pioneers of analog (versus digital) black-and-white photomontage techniques. Weatherstone points to their influence on her surrealist compositions.

An image of grazing cows in a field dotted with hay bales and wind turbines, for example, is a photomontage of Boundary County landscapes. Another composite of a powerplant rising above snow-covered mountains is an older image Weatherstone took while living in Alaska and later hand-colored with watercolor.

More recent work includes the night sky, and a combination SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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PHOTO PREVIOUS PAGE: WEATHERSTONE’S AQUARIUM SERIES WAS INSPIRED BY AUTHOR RAY BRADBURY’S SCIENCE FICTION. THIS PAGE, ABOVE TOP: AN EXAMPLE OF WEATHERSTONE’S “PAINTING WITH LIGHT.” ABOVE: WEATHERSTONE IS MOST AT HOME WITH A CAMERA IN HAND. TOP RIGHT: WEATHERSTONE INVESTED IN WATERPROOF CAMERAS IN ORDER TO CAPTURE WATER’S ESSENCE. COURTESY PHOTOS.

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of exposure times and editing to achieve the desired look. For an image of a purple tree against a night sky with turquoise and green clouds, Weatherstone used a technique known as “painting with light,” which involves projecting light onto a surface or moving a light source while the camera shutter is open.

Weatherstone’s drive to experiment got a boost at Western Washington University. She switched from journalism to studio art with a concentration in photography, although she has also explored drawing, painting, ceramics, even glassblowing.

“I suppose going to school for studio art, the nice part for me was getting the ability to be exposed to other types of art and getting to learn and practice in a creative environment,” she said.

Another influence is science fiction, especially Ray Bradbury, said Weatherstone, whose work has both a narrative

and otherworldly feel, like her aquarium series. Intrigued by the play of light, shape, and shadow inside the tanks she saw while working at a pet store, Weatherstone built her own aquarium in her apartment and photographed its contents from all angles.

“Wouldn’t that be wonderful if you could create your own environment and change it?” asked Weatherstone, who is also fascinated with water in general.

A trip to Bellingham, Washington and a class assignment to do one photo a day prompted an ongoing series on water.

Not content to photograph the waves from shore, Weatherstone swam into them, eventually investing in waterproof cameras to capture the essence of water.

She likes the idea of using water to reframe the discussion about landscapes, but also using water as a subject in itself, said Weatherstone, whose jaunts now include the Moyie River near her home

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“

I fell in love with all the chemicals, processes, and artistry that go into developing your own pictures, and ideas. in Bonners Ferry. Sometimes she’ll tie the camera into her hair and take photos while floating. Other times she’ll get as close as she can to rushing water—she likes the falls at Snow Creek and Copper Creek—to capture what she describes as the “velvety movement” of the water. “[My water photography] started with the intention of doing something with beach litter and pollution and evolved into showcasing the unique, delicate, and fleeting form of water and the movement of it,” said Weatherstone.

Above all, she said, she’s drawn to capturing time passing.

Lately she has also been experimenting with star photography and night scenes.

“I like to pick out things I’m not necessarily good at but that others have done, and then master it,” she said.

See more at www.Instagram.com/ weatherstonehayley

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Hope Hometown Health Grants Provide

Foundation a fount of support for BGH

by Patty Hutchens

A

s this small North Idaho community continues to grow, so do the healthcare needs of its residents. Our hometown hospital, Bonner General Health, is a nonprofit hospital, and not, as many assume, a county hospital that’s fully supported by tax dollars.

As such, it may not always be able to afford capital expenditures for equipment or other items the hospital may need.

That is where Bonner General Health Foundation is a vital part of the hospital’s success.

Since the Bonner General Health Foundation was reestablished in November of 2007, its volunteer board has worked to raise money and awareness for the needs of this rural area and to be a philanthropic supporter of Bonner General Health.

“As a nonprofit hospital, Bonner General Health’s operating budget may not always allow for purchasing the latest technology,” said Justin Dick, president of Bonner General Health Foundation. “That is where the foundation steps up to raise significant funds to ensure that residents of Sandpoint and beyond can attend to many of their medical needs without having to travel to Coeur d’Alene or Spokane.”

Through hosting fundraisers, events, and various campaigns throughout the year, the foundation receives funds to be distributed to BGH to meet the greatest need.

Over the years some of those needs have included the recent emergency department remodel, equipment for the ophthalmology clinic and the ear, nose, and throat clinic, and the purchase of an orthopedic surgical table.

While the foundation has raised over $1 million since 2007, its most significant success has come over the course of the last few years.

“We have a dedicated board made up of individuals from various sectors in our community,” said Erin Binnall, director of marketing and community development for both Bonner General Health and the foundation. “They have stepped up and helped to raise not only money but awareness as to the hospital’s needs.”

Over the past year, as hospitals around the world have struggled with the financial impact of a global pandemic, the foundation has brainstormed on how it can make an even more significant impact on the hospital, its staff, and patients.

“Our Annual Heart Ball raises money for certain largescale needs,” said Board Member and Heart Ball Chair Georgia SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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b o n n e r g e neral healt h features Simmons. “Last year, we raised a record $200,000 to help in the remodel and upgrade of the emergency department, which was fabulous. But there are also many other needs among the various departments in the hospital where we can help out.”

They came up with the concept of in-house grants for which department managers could apply. “Our Hometown Health Grant program was presented to the managers of each department in July, and they are all very enthusiastic about the prospect of having some of their needs met by these grants,” said Lisa Moline, a member of the board and the grant committee.

For its initial grant cycle, the available funds are $30,000.

The group hopes to grow that to $100,000 per year eventually.

Community Development Coordinator Molly Behrens stated that to enable more grants to a more significant number of departments, the committee set financial limits to various grants. “Minor equipment grants may be awarded up to $2,500 while capital equipment grants may be up to $10,000,” said Behrens. Other categories include education grants up to $5,000 and community outreach programs also up to $5,000.

The grant applications are required to outline the project’s scope by addressing its anticipated benefits. Applicants must explain how their proposal would achieve results in at least one of the following categories: improve patient quality or safety; enhance patient experience and/or staff satisfaction; provide cost savings; or generate additional revenue.

“Sustainability of the project is also a factor as we evaluate

each application,” said Simmons.

Bryce Cordle, RN, BSN is the unit nurse manager for the medical-surgical unit at Bonner General Health. The challenges that have come with COVID-19 have been huge, but he is proud of his staff and how they have coped.

“Dealing with a new virus that is affecting the health of so many people has been an incredible challenge. Keeping up with changes as we continue to learn the idiosyncrasies of COVID-19 has been difficult,” said Cordle. “It is so important for everyone to understand that we are in this war, actively engaged with the enemy every day, and the rules of engagement are being rewritten constantly as we learn more information about a novel virus.”

Cordle said the BGH Foundation has been a blessing over the years, and the Hometown Health grants will benefit many.

“I imagine we will apply for everything from new equipment to upgraded building space renovations, as long as we are able to meet the parameters of the grant,” said Cordle, adding that it is difficult to understate the impact of better, more modern equipment. “So many things can make a difference in our ability to provide great care for our patients or care for our employees.”

Cordle appreciates that the foundation understands the financial challenges associated with operating a small, nonprofit, critical access hospital. “They have been an awesome bridge between BGH and our community, raising funds for so many different projects. I really think that the foundation is committed to helping us in any way that it can. I know that patients are

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positively affected by that commitment every single day.”

Kim Bledsoe agrees. As a clinic manager, Bledsoe said the Hometown Health grants provide an added funding opportunity that opens the door to go after the resources or ideas they didn’t think were possible before as the budget may not allow for it. “It’s exciting to think of all the possibilities,” said Bledsoe, adding that the foundation is a morale booster for the Bonner General Health family.

“It provides an event [the Heart Ball] that employees can feel a part of and experience its success, as well as the community— bringing our hospital into the hearts of our citizens. It also gives a sense that we are not alone.”

Bledsoe said that her department needs many things, and the Hometown Health grants will go a long way to support those needs or desires.

“We are always looking at ways to improve patient care and how to do our jobs as efficiently as possible. For example, we would like to bring our clinics into a modern format utilizing an application for patient reminders, forms, and recall notifications via text that would improve patient participation, streamline our processes, and allow for more energy to go towards highervalue work,” said Bledsoe.

With a vision to be a trustworthy steward of resources and goodwill to enable Bonner General Health to provide the highest quality of health care to the Sandpoint community and beyond, Bonner General Health Foundation supports the hospital and endeavors to enhance the quality of life for those who entrust

PHOTO, OPENING PAGE: MEMBERS OF THE CURRENT BOARD OF THE BONNER GENERAL HEALTH FOUNDATION ARE (LEFT TO RIGHT): BACK ROW, AMBER GILDERSLEEVE, BRITTANY JACOBSON, JUSTIN DICK, STEPHANIE AITKEN AND LISA MOLINE. FRONT ROW, GEORGIA SIMMONS, GRANT SIMMONS, PATTY HUTCHENS AND DR. TOM LAWRENCE. NOT PICTURED—MARGI GUNTER. PHOTO BY CHRIS BESSLER. ABOVE: THE SAME DAY SURGICAL TEAM RECEIVED A GRANT TO PURCHASE AN EYE BED FOR PATIENTS NEEDING CATARACT SURGERY OR PEDIATRIC DENTAL RESTORATIONS. OTHER GRANT RECIPIENTS INCLUDE THE MEDICAL/SURGICAL TEAM, THE PHYSICAL THERAPY DEPARTMENT, FAMILY PRACTICE STAFF, AND THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. PHOTO BY PATTY HUTCHENS.

their care to Bonner General Health.

“The foundation is here for us, and in today’s world, that means so much,” said Bledsoe.

Learn more at www.bonnergeneral.org/bgh-give-now. Author Patty Hutchens serves on the board of the foundation.

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‘i was there’ As told to Sandy Compton

Karen Bowers and the Charles Manson trial In 1970, Karen was studying acting at UCLA and was invited by a fellow student to play a part in his graduate thesis film about cult leader Charles Manson. She accepted. She wound up at Manson’s trial for murder, and things got a bit strange.

“Before I went to the trial I was in a student movie at UCLA about Manson and “the girls.” I was playing Sharon Tate.

“Some of the murders had taken place near a place I frequented, Sespe Hot Springs. While the trial was taking place, I went to the hot springs. It was hard to get to, and when I arrived, there was only one other car. I walked to the largest pond.

Two people were sitting in it, and they invited me to join them.

“One person and I soon realized we knew each other. He was Ron Hughes, Leslie Van Houten’s lawyer (Van Houten was a Manson co-defendant). He and my then husband, Terry Timmins, were in law school at UCLA together. He invited me to attend the trial.

“That week, Ron and his assistant picked me up at home and we drove to the courthouse, smoking weed on the way. We were pretty high when we entered the building. The public was not allowed in, but I was with one of the defense lawyers,

so there was no problem. The body check by the women cops was extremely thorough, though.

“Once in the courtroom, I sat on the defendants’ side. Besides female ABOVE: KAREN BOWERS, WHO reporters, I was the only woman in WAS INVITED TO ATTEND A PORTION OF CHARLES the room until ‘the girls’ entered (coMANSON’S TRIAL. PHOTO BY defendants Van Houten, Susan AtSANDY COMPTON. kins, and Patricia Krenwinkel). They began waving and throwing kisses my way. When Manson came into the room, he gave me that evil glare seen in all the photos of him.

“The prosecution’s side of the room was filled with newspaper people and paparazzi, who were constantly flashing pictures of me and asking each other, ‘Who’s she?’

“It was an experience like no other.”

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i was t h e r e features

Marjolein Groot Nibbelink and the Honduras coup

TOP LEFT: HONDURAN SOLDIERS DURING THE 2009 COUP. LICENSED UNDER CC BY 4.0. TOP RIGHT: NIBBELINK IN HONDURAS. COURTESY PHOTO. ABOVE: NIBBELINK TODAY. PHOTO BY SANDY COMPTON.

Were you, or someone you know, a witness to history in the making? We’d love to hear your story. Email us at editor@keokee.com

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It’s a tradition for many young adults to see something of the world before entering into adulthood. But when traveling in South America, a tourist might just run into a coup.

“I entered Honduras just after the coup of 2009 (at age 21). Getting to the border was easy, but there was no one at the border station and I had to look for a long time to get a (passport) stamp. Everyone looked at me with surprise that I wanted to enter.

“I didn’t know it, but a demonstration was being organized against the ousting of President Zelaya. He had tried to rewrite the constitution, but Honduras’ Supreme Court said he couldn’t and action should be taken. Instead of bringing him to court, though, the military pulled him out of bed in his pajamas, stuck him on a plane, and just dropped him off in Costa Rica. That was when the constitutional crisis really took off. There was a lot of intimidation of journalists, roadblocks, military stops. It was very serious.

“It seemed normal in the tourist towns, but I needed to get to the capital, Tegucigalpa. Things became more difficult. The bus I rode was stopped regularly and men had to get out and be searched. At first, I got up to go out as well, but the women told me to sit back down. They were only searching the men.

“Finding a way out of Tegucigalpa involved taxiing around dark streets after curfew with military frequently asking me what I was trying to do. The bus stations told me the borders were shut because the President was trying to get back in. But I got the last seat on a small aircraft going to El Salvador and Costa Rica.

“It was an early flight. When I tried to find a taxi, a soldier helped me by stopping a taxi and ordering the driver to take me to the airport. The driver was very nervous about that, because white people—especially journalists—were being targeted.

“Six days after I flew out of Tegucigalpa was the biggest demonstration in decades in Honduras. 70,000 people showed up to protest the coup, and it was violently dispersed.”

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pi ct ured i n hi story

The Wreck of the Cherry Special

by Emmett Jones

S

eventy years ago, a train wreck near Athol on the Bonner/Kootenai county border led to a delicious treat for the area, but also an enduring mystery. As the Sandpoint News-Bulletin reported in June 1941, an eastbound Northern Pacific train derailed, leading to the deaths of C.F. Reeves, an engineer, and C.A. Parks, a fireman, both from Spokane, in spectacular fashion. The true spectacle, however, which attracted attention from people states away, was the destruction of some of the locomotive’s nine refrigerator cars, which were loaded down with cherries.

Fresh fruit scattered all over the tracks—which were located about two miles from the highway—leading to the photo above.

As Ross Hall originally captioned, “everyone in the area had cherry pie that week.” Even intact refrigerator cars were not off-limits, as enterprising locals quickly plundered them for cherries.

However, area entrepreneurs weren’t content to just bake cherry pies.

When a local farmer first reported news of the wreck on Friday, June 13, the resulting rush led to a significant traffic problem as curious onlookers flooded the scene for the next three days. That Sunday, law enforcement officers reported thousands of cars bearing license plates from Idaho and beyond, turning the rough, narrow road leading to the tracks through a farmer’s field into something resembling a well-packed, twolane highway. Those who were first to make their way to the wreck turned the scattered cherries into an impromptu market,

PHOTO BY ROSS HALL. USED WITH PERMISSION HALLANS GALLERY

selling them to onlookers who had arrived too late to stake their own claims. No word exists on how Northern Pacific officials reacted to their cargo being resold.

In 2006, Alan Robinson, of Sandpoint, recalled the scene around the wreck. He was eight years old at the time, and traveled to the derailment with his uncle and older brother.

“I remember the very bumpy, dusty driving on the makeshift road from Highway 95,” he said, in an interview with the Bonner County History Museum. Robinson also noted “numerous people” milling around the wreck.

Not all of those numerous people were aspiring cherry salesmen. A team of investigators from Northern Pacific hurried out to examine the crash, but they had their work cut out for them.

The wreckage was strewn over a large part of the rail company’s right-of-way. The locomotive itself lay on its side 50 feet from the tracks, but its sand dome—a container which sat on top of the engine and sprinkled sand through pipes to the rails in order to aid in traction—was 50 feet away from the rest of the engine.

While Reeves’ body was found a mere 10 feet away from the wreck, the unfortunate Parks was flung almost 150 feet.

Investigators 70 years ago had no answers for the crash, though they noted the wreck was one of the worst the area had seen in years. Thankfully, the derailment was not deadly for everyone involved. Two brakemen, J.A. McKinnon and Carl Moore, both escaped injury, as did the conductor, Walter Tompkins. Unfortunately, none of them seemed to have the answers to the sudden and tragic derailment of the Cherry Special.

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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ro l l p l ay i n g games features

for roll

initiative

Role-playing games come to the tabletop

by Cameron Rasmusson

T

he musty dungeon unfolds before you, its darkness straining against your meager torchlight.

Rancid odors wafting from the shadows speak to the dangers that lay ahead. It could be a pack of goblins, or a roving orc warband, or maybe something worse.

Gripping your sword hilt, you glance at your companions.

You’ve come a long way, but retrieving the magical artifact from the back of this dank, forgotten crypt could be your deadliest challenge yet.

Of course, you’re not in a crypt—you’re sitting at your friend’s kitchen table. Rather than a sword hilt, your hand grasps a cold beer. It’s wintertime, and snow is falling outside the patio’s glass doors. For all intents and purposes, however, you’re in another world.

That’s the beauty of tabletop gaming. Perhaps more than any other interactive medium, it taps the power of imagination to transport its players anywhere they can envision. And the fact that you can’t do it alone makes it all the more immersive.

“With tabletop games, there is so much you can do, so many things you can experience, and so many places you can go,” said Sandpoint resident and RPG veteran Steven Hammond.

Tabletop games have been around for centuries. But tabletop role-playing games? Those are a more recent invention.

Pioneered in 1974 by Gary Gygax and Dave Armenson with the original Dungeons & Dragons, tabletop RPGs are riding the swell of a surge in popularity. More people than ever are living second lives as dwarven clerics, elven rangers, and gnomish wizards. North Idaho is no exception.

“The visibility has never been higher, the popularity has never been higher, and the game’s accessibility has never been so easy,” said Hammond.

Essentially, a tabletop RPG is a gamification of communal storytelling. Since the mid-’70s, game designers have published

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thousands of RPG rule systems ranging from the simple to the prohibitively complex. Most RPG systems require players to create their own character—complete with a plethora of stats that determine their strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. The players then embark on an adventure guided by a referee known as a game master or dungeon master (a GM or DM for short), who throws traps, monsters, puzzles, and other challenges their way. Multi-sided dice add a random element to the mix, determining the degree to which players succeed or fail at the actions they attempt.

A tabletop campaign’s GM is its guiding soul. They plan the overarching narrative, the combat encounters, and the non-player characters the party encounters throughout the adventure. But the decisions characters make in response to the GM’s prompting can send the narrative in an entirely unexpected direction. It’s a synthesis of creative planning, improvisation, and randomization that produces unpredictable, novel, and community-created stories.

Hammond knows exactly how dynamic the game can be.

And for good reason. As a writer for Paizo, a tabletop RPG publisher behind the game system Pathfinder, Hammond’s job is to imagine all the ways players might want to experience the game, and then deliver them those experiences.

“You have to think about what kind of resources you’ll give your players to use,” Hammond said. “Give them too much and they’ll breeze right through it.”

An RPG fan since age 11, much of Hammond’s writing work centers on modules. These pre-packaged adventures give GMs a ready-made game complete with a narrative, non-player characters, combat encounters, and treasure troves. According to Hammond, a good module works to enhance a GM’s creativity.

His writing sets the tone that a great GM can bring alive with some gusto and improvisation.

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PHOTO, PREVIOUS PAGE, RED DIE BY HOPSANDYEAST. ABOVE: GAME MASTER ANDREW SORG DISCUSSES A GAME WITH MAURICIO ARIAS. PHOTO BY AMANDA DUARTE.

“It’s how you become immersed in the setting,” Hammond said. “As a writer, I can give as flowery or vague a description as I find necessary, and the GM can skip or paraphrase whole sections according to text instructions.”

Hammond’s first published module is called “Reaver’s Roar,” an adventure that sends players on a treasure hunt in a dilapidated cathedral inhabited by a monster straight out of the movie “Alien.”

Players must flee from the monster, learning along the way how to disempower it and turn the hunter into the hunted.

Since then, Hammond has contributed to several Paizo books. His latest work, supplements for Pathfinder’s new Second-Edition system entitled “Lost Omens: The Grand Bazaar” and “Guns and Gears,” came out this fall.

There is a booming market for tabletop RPGs. According to The Guardian, Dungeons & Dragons alone now boasts more than 40 million players. What once was stereotypically viewed as a nerdy pastime for the socially awkward is now lauded by celebrities like Vin Diesel, Joe Manganiello, and Stephen Colbert.

There are many reasons for the ascent of RPGs. For one thing, market leader Dungeons & Dragons’ Fifth Edition is the most accessible version of the game yet, tossing aside archaic, complicated rules for a streamlined, elegant game that still embraces player creativity. For another, web series like “Critical Role,” which broadcast an RPG campaign week by week, are enormously popular, racking up millions of views each season.

And thanks to Internet platforms like Roll20, players no longer have to be in the same room, instead joining each other around a virtual game table.

As technology (not to mention the global developments of 2020) makes society more distant and lonely, there’s something beautiful about joining together with friends and family for an evening of communal storytelling. After all, there are some things in life that are too good to be experienced alone.

“Cooperative stories are as old as time itself,” Hammond said.

“They fill a fundamental role in the human experience. When you turn storytelling into a group activity, it’s an opportunity to challenge yourself, learn about yourself, and grow closer to the people around you.”

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Hitchin’ a

Ride

SPOT bus provides convenience, ease

by Sandy Compton

Y

ou’re headed for Schweitzer from Sandpoint. The car is all snug in the garage (or snowed in) and you don’t feel like digging it out. Make your way to a SPOT stop and catch a bus—for free. SelkirkPend Oreille Transit routes run from Dover to Kootenai (Green Line) and, in winter, from Sandpoint to the Schweitzer lot at the Red Barn (Blue Line). In the non-ski seasons, the Blue Line turn-around is at the fairgrounds on Boyer.

You can ride the Blue Line to the Red Barn, catch a SPOT bus to the mountain and be delivered to the resort’s “front door” in less than an hour. The Blue Line starts running at 6:24 am.

If you are a first chair addict, you can be on the mountain by 7:30. No parking hassles, no fuel expense, no need to even pay attention except to the schedule times. For free!

Green line riders take a bit longer to get to Schweitzer. The wait at transfer stations—Division and Oak, Third and Oak, Third

and Alder in Sandpoint; Bonner Mall and Walmart—averages 25 minutes. But, large parking lots at Bonner Mall, Walmart, and the Red Barn make a ride up the mountain a reasonable and prudent goal. (Pro tip: Get off the Green Line at Sixth and Oak at 7:03, grab a cuppa at Evans Brothers, say “Hi,” to friends, meander over to the Blue Line stop at Pine and Boyer and catch a northbound at 7:28 and still be on the mountain by 8:30.)

A complete round trip on either line is one hour, with 19 Blue Line stops and 21 on the Green Line.

Seven days a week, 12 hours a day This is the winter issue of Sandpoint Magazine, but SPOT is on the job year-round. SPOT also operates a door-to-door van service from Bonners Ferry to Sandpoint twice a week and a similar “demand” system in the Sandpoint area for folks unable to get to a bus stop without assistance. The buses are also SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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s p ot b us features

equipped with wheelchair lifts and bike racks.

SPOT began service in Sandpoint, Kootenai, and Ponderay in 2011, which has essentially stayed the same since. But, in 2018, Schweitzer and SPOT collaborated on a big grant, allowing SPOT to purchase buses and hire drivers to establish a mountain route. This provides free rides to the resort for all comers every half hour on winter weekends, on a slightly lighter schedule during the week, and during Schweitzer special events like Fall Fest.

Riding the bus is fun—and entertaining. The buses are clean, comfy, and in good repair. The drivers are helpful and friendly.

Driver Karen Bishop even has fans. She has worked for SPOT three times, and is now a trainer for new drivers on both routes.

At the end of August, she had 5,369 hours driving SPOT buses.

“I could make better money driving truck,” she confessed, “but my riders want me to keep driving.” Bishop pointed out a woman on a bike. “There’s one of my winter riders. She rides her bike in the summer.”

SPOT passengers give it two thumbs up

PHOTO, PREVIOUS PAGE: THE SPOT BUS PROVIDES CONVENIENT ACCESS TO MANY AREAS IN TOWN, BUT IF YOUR JOURNEY ALSO INCLUDES A BIKE RIDE EITHER TO OR FROM A STOP, SPOT CAN ACCOMMODATE TRANSPORTING YOUR BIKE, AS WELL. THIS PAGE, TOP: SPOT DRIVER KAREN BISHOP IS A FAVORITE WITH MANY LOCAL PASSENGERS. ABOVE: SPOT HAS MANY CONVENIENT PICKUP/DROP OFF LOCATIONS AROUND TOWN. LOOK FOR THE CIRCULAR SIGN THAT MARKS A STOP. PHOTOS BY CAMERON BARNES.

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Passenger Karen Vassalo says at one time, Bishop painted her nails green or blue to keep her riders informed about which route they were on. Now she wears appropriately colored shirts.

“I’m not really sure what route I’m on,” Vasallo said, “but I know I’m going to Walmart. I think we are really blessed to have the service we do.”

Vasallo tells stories demonstrating the casual efficiency of SPOT. “Once, a woman was all worried because she missed her stop. The driver just drove around the block. One of the drivers would sometimes stop at Joel’s for a burrito.”

High school students use SPOT to get to school and other purposes. Recently graduated Logan Knight uses the bus about once a week. “I don’t have a car, and it’s cheaper than having one. I can walk or bike to most places to town, but it’s easier to take the bus to Walmart. I have friends who ride the bus. A lot of people my age who don’t have a car do.”

Jase Cuccio moved here from “out east.” From the fairgrounds stop, he takes advantage of the bus’s bike rack several times a week. “I bring my bike so I can ride home if the bus has stopped running, but sometimes I catch the bus both ways. I’ve been all over the country, and this system is great. It’s kind of the essence of a small town.”

Panhandle Special Needs offers clients a class on riding the bus, teaching them where the stops are and what the schedule is.

Bishop said that graduates are somewhat proprietary. “A young gal who recently took the class told me I was two minutes late.”

SPOT schedules are somewhat demand- and traffic-driven, but the time never varies too far. For a dependable commute or just a fun ride around town, SPOT is spot on. And, it’s free!

See schedules and rates at www.spotbus.org

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Pa n i da t h e at er features

The Citizens’

Stage

Approaching 100, Panida Theater gears up for its next century

by Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey

L

ike many historic buildings that have stood the test of time thanks to the love and care of a community, Sandpoint’s nearly 100-year-old Panida Theater is beautiful. However, it isn’t only aesthetic qualities that elevate a location to beloved status—it’s the memories that are made there.

Susan Bates-Harbuck, Laurel Wagers, and Jane Evans understood this, and launched a fundraising effort in 1985 to buy the failing theater for the community. The three women—dubbed the Panida Moms—were successful in their efforts, raising the $75,000 down payment in just three months. By November 1996, the Panida Moms ceremoniously burned a copy of the mortgage on stage. It was then that the citizens owned the Panida, and have ever since.

Bates-Harbuck recalls being in the quiet theater with Wagers during the height of the effort.

“When we were working so hard to save it, we would both just stand in the empty auditorium and feel all the energy from past performances and audiences and get reinspired,” she said.

The Panida—opened in 1927 and named for the PANhandle of IDAho—has seen its fair share of hardship, with the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic being a major setback since March 2020.

“The Board is continually wrestling with how to determine what the most prudent avenue is to protect our staff, volunteers, and patrons, support our medical providers, and still offer arts and entertainment to our loyal and beloved theater-going community,” said current Panida Vice Chair Tari Pardini. “It is a constant challenge.”

Still, 2021 has been a milestone year for the Panida, highlighted by the hiring of a new managing director—Veronica Knowlton—in September (see sidebar for more), as well as successful efforts to repair and clean the theater’s marquee.

Panida Board Secretary Foster Cline led the fundraising effort for the marquee project, but doesn’t want any of the credit. He said that generous community members—along with the Innovia, Equinox, and Confidence foundations—were prompt and enthusiastic supporters of the effort.

“Everybody knows that the Panida lights up First Avenue and is a beacon,” he said. “People have great memories of times they’ve had at the Panida.”

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THE PANIDA THEATER’S IMPRESSIVE SPANISH MISSION INTERIOR. PHOTO COURTESY ALLERGALE DESIGN

Just as they did nearly four decades ago, the fond memories of past Panida events fuel the community’s hopes for the future.

The current board is exploring ways to expand the existing lobby, better utilize the neighboring Little Theater auditorium space (purchased in 2003), and fund large maintenance projects.

“The problem is that both of those buildings are 100-year-old buildings,” Cline said of both the Panida and Little Theater, “and making those kinds of changes is a million dollar undertaking that has to be done in phases.”

However, with the Panida’s 100th birthday fast approaching, there seems to be a renewed push for preservation and enhancement. Cline said he has faith that the broader community will continue to step up for the theater.

“Deep down inside, in people’s souls, they want a place where they can be creative and show other people their creations, whether it’s a play or a story or a lecture or talking together, discussing a classic movie,” he said, noting that the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic has made that need for connection even more prevalent.

“People want to interact, and they may want that more on a subliminal level than they even realize. People need people, and that’s what the Panida is about.”

Part of ensuring that the theater remains a lively facet of the

Be a Panida Citizen Here's how to get involved

HELP LEAD The Panida is seeking qualified individuals who can commit time and talent to its board.

VOLUNTEER The lifeblood that helps with everything from concessions to cleaning and maintenance.

JOIN Become a member by making a recurring donation, crucial funding the Panida can count on.

DONATE As the Panida approaches its 100th anniversary, a major century fund campaign is forming. Stay tuned.

Find out more information at www.panida.org

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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Pa P a n i da th eat er features

A Peculiar... Peacock?

E

ver since 1927, audiences have been marveling at the splendor of Sandpoint’s Panida Theater. In the early 20th century the Spanish Mission style of architecture was enjoying a revival and the Panida is an excellent example of that type. Outside the tile roof, stucco walls, six arched balcony windows, and wrought iron lanterns call to mind the California missions that inspired the style. Step inside and see the tiled fountain, the shellacked parchment lampshades suspended from the ceiling, and on each side of the stage the three balconies that once housed the mighty theater organ.

Along the walls of the main auditorium admire the six slightly recessed alcoves featuring Moorish style murals of peacocks, a coat of arms, and elaborate curlicues.

But wait, does one of the birds look less like an elegant crested bird and more like a vomiting vulture? There must be a story behind that, and there is one.

Fast forward from 1927 to June 1, 1942. A fire started in the Jones Tailor and Dry Cleaning shop on First Avenue that destroyed two buildings and heavily damaged two more, including the Club Cafe, now the Panida Little Theater. The Panida itself did not burn, but suffered water damage from the fight to douse the flames next door.

By 1965 the plaster had eroded away from half of one of the murals on the north wall. Enter Heber J. Trunell, master plasterer and amateur cartoonist.

The masonry was the easy part and Trunell soon had that looking like new.

When he asked Mayor Floyd Gray, who owned the theater at the time, who he had in mind to repaint the mural, Gray told him to go ahead and try his hand at it.

Trunell, who had a family that ended up totalling 17 to support, needed the work, so why not? He soon realized that matching the peacocks and coats of arms, not to mention the curlicues, was harder than he thought. So he turned his creative side loose, and neither Gray nor the theater-going public seemed to mind.

Maybe it was too dark for most to notice. Maybe Gray had a good sense of humor. Maybe the next time you are at a show, take a look at the mural closest to stage right and decide for yourself what you think of “Trunell’s chicken.”

by Susan Bates-Harbuck The History Mystery is a recurring feature provided in coordination with the Bonner County History Museum. www.bonnercountyhistory.org

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community is keeping an active board, finding volunteers for committees, and providing a variety of entertainment to attract audiences.

“We need our community to continue to support our efforts,” Pardini said. “This includes financial support for the ongoing projects, as well as supporting the commitment and decision-making of the board and staff. We need people of all ages to become involved in the theater in whatever capacity works for them. We realize everyone isn’t necessarily ready or wishing to join the board, but becoming a theater volunteer or joining one of our committees is a great help. The board encourages and welcomes involvement and feedback from our community. We listen.”

Pardini is also optimistic that the gatherings that make the theater so special will once again pack the house.

“I look forward to a time when the theater again becomes the living room of the community,” Pardini said. “Where neighbors can meet and mingle over a glass of wine or beer, share a bag of popcorn, and discuss the current film or event with friends—both old and newly acquainted.”

There’s no shortage of new friends to be made in Sandpoint. As more and more people relocate to the area, Bates-Harbuck said she hopes the theater “continues to find a place in the hearts of all the people who walk through the doors.”

“I hope the new people learn more of its history, what a place it occupies in our lives,” she continued. “Happily married couples started their romance in the balcony, kids went to matinees while their parents shopped, so many people have performed on the stage to such appreciative audiences. I hope people who have recently moved here can build up their own memories of great times at the theater.”

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THIS PAGE, LEFT: THE PANIDA’S NEW, NEON-LIT MARQUEE. ABOVE: NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR VERONICA KNOWLTON. BOTH PHOTOS BY FOSTER CLINE.

An interview with Veronica Knowlton Get to know the Panida’s new managing director

V

eronica Knowlton is bringing her extensive event management experience at both the Alameda County Fairgrounds and North Idaho State Fair to the 7B, officially taking the helm as managing director of the Panida Theater in September 2021.

We caught up with the new managing director, and learned that with ambition, enthusiasm, and an appreciation for longstanding community traditions, Knowlton is excited to guide the Panida into its next phase as a Sandpoint staple.

Why did you decide to apply for the Panida job?

In third grade, I wanted to be the first girl on Mars. You know, boys had been to the moon, no one had been to Mars, so why not make it myself? That sense of exploration and curiosity coupled with working for an excellent group at Alameda County Fairgrounds has continually fostered this [desire for] leadership roles. I set a goal for myself two years ago: Wouldn’t it be fun to be CEO by 30 or 35? While I don’t necessarily always hold myself to timelines because life happens—you have to give yourself a little grace—when the managing director position came available I said, ‘Well, that’s kind of what I wanted to work towards—a more leadership position with an organization.’ How fun and cool would that be, to do that before my 30th birthday? I was hired the week after my 28th birthday, so I’m doing pretty good.

What is a short-term goal you have for the theater?

In the first six months I would like to round out our event calendar. We’ve had quite a few clients impacted by COVID-19 and our capacity [limits], so I’m really looking forward to forging good community relations to solidify our event calendar through the end of 2022. I could drone on about the million maintenance and facilities projects that come with inheriting a 100-year-old building, but really my top priority is founding good working relationships with all the members of the community. The Panida is beloved in Sandpoint, and I felt that love and energy throughout the entire interview process.

What is a long-term goal you have for the theater?

The Panida was opened in 1927, which leaves us roughly five years to plan a 100th birthday party. The last few weeks I’ve been brainstorming about what that celebration looks like. Additionally, we have tossed around ideas about remodeling the downstairs lobby and how to better use the Little Theater. I love the Spanish Mission style of the theater and I love that it’s an old building, but I want to make it lively and friendly for generations to enjoy it.

Is there anything you would like to say directly to the community?

I can’t wait to meet them. It’s been really fun to meet people, and they’re excited to meet me, and they can’t wait to tell me their favorite memory of the theater. I’ve met so many people just this week who have said, ‘This is the first stage I ever performed on,’ or ‘I remember my grandmother watching me perform in the Nutcracker for Christmas.’ I’m just really excited to immerse myself in the Sandpoint community. You guys have been so welcoming and enthusiastic to greet me. I hope to reciprocate that.

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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ice ice

i c e s k at i n g FEATURES

“

Our goal is not to leave any kid out, and money should not be a barrier.

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Baby ce

SANDPOINT COMMUNITY ICE RINK IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO A HOME

by Carrie Scozzaro

H

er favorite memories of her father involve ice skating on the pond near her Wisconsin home more than 40 years ago, said Iris Harrison, who carried her love of skating to Sandpoint in 1996.

Harrison keeps those feelings of gliding across the ice alive every time the ice freezes over enough to skate; times fewer and farther between in the past few years due to exceedingly unpredictable weather.

When the weather is just right, said Harrison, she and her family head out to where 100 to 150 people might gather—the slough west of Travers Park or off Third Street Pier—playing pickup hockey, free skating, or even scooting across the ice in a chair.

“Of course, when you’re skating outside, it’s fleeting,” said Harrison, who knows that skating on a frozen body of water requires vigilance, especially where cleared snow has accumulated and possibly melted, weakening the ice.

“You don’t realize how much ice is flexible,” she said, and was especially excited to hear about a group trying to pull together an enclosed community rink.

“To me, the treasure of a rink here in town is something for the kids to do after school, in the winter, in the dark,” she said. An enclosed rink would expand the skating season, as outdoor skating in the area is generally limited to just one or two months a year.

Robert Pierce agrees.

“Regardless of where you grow up, sports are part of the American way,” said Pierce, who founded the Sandpoint Hockey Association and is an avid outdoorsman.

“But if you live in an area where the weather prevents outside sports year-round, then you don’t realize the importance of creating those all-weather sports opportunities,” said Pierce, who grew up in Moscow, and has lived in Sandpoint 30 years.

A rink would provide healthy, constructive activities for children after school, he added, especially for kids and their families through the five to six months of gray skies, rain, and slush typical of a Northwest winter and early spring.

Kids and families aren’t the only beneficiaries, said Pierce, whose day job is tending to dogs, cats, and whatever critters people bring into North Idaho Animal Hospital.

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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PREVIOUS PAGE: KELLY KIETZMAN AND CARA JOHNSON ENJOY A LITTLE “CHILL” TIME ON “THE COUCH” DURING THE VALENTINE’S DAY COLD SNAP OF 2021. PHOTO BY WOODS WHEATCROFT. ABOVE: RENDERING OF A POSSIBLE ICE RINK TO BE BUILT AT THE FAIRGROUNDS. RIGHT: A BUDDING YOUNG SKATER ON THE ICE. PHOTO BY FIONA HICKS.

A community rink is good for businesses, which is good for the community as a whole, he said, noting that Sandpoint Ice did extensive data-gathering over the years to develop their model.

Boundary County’s ice arena, which is located at the county fairgrounds, is run by the city’s parks and recreation department. Frontier Ice Arena in Coeur d’Alene, which offers public sessions on Tuesdays, is a nonprofit run by Kootenai Youth Recreation Organization, which took over and enclosed the former open-air facility, and is packed with activities from broomball to figure skating to skate parties. Coeur d’Alene on Ice, meanwhile, worked with the city’s Parks and Rec department to build an open-air rink in McEuen Park. And Spokane, Washington has two facilities: the Eagles Ice Arena—home of the Spokane Braves junior hockey league—and the Numerica ice “ribbon” in Riverfront Park.

People in the region, it seems, are eager to put blade to ice.

Having a dedicated and well-maintained space means being able to host events. That, said Pierce, filters out into the community, and complements existing entities, such as Schweitzer Mountain Resort.

Pierce is probably the most visible face of a group trying for nearly 20 years to build a community rink, which involves three phases: securing a location, raising the necessary funds to construct the facility, and building the facility.

The group, which recently launched www.SandpointIce. org and has set up office space in the new EnvisionCenter, has secured a home for the rink: the Bonner County Fairgrounds.

“We have full support from all three Commissioners and see the value an ice rink will have for our community, both for young and old alike along with the economic shot in the arm it will bring,” said Dan McDonald, Bonner County Commissioner for District 3. A memorandum of understanding between the group and the county commissioners, which projects a rink built at the fairgrounds, was passed in the fall.

With a site, said Pierce, they can address the cost of building

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such a facility, which will rely partially on donations and sponsors, two of which are already on board—literally. Schweitzer CEO Tom Chasse and Washington Trust Bank’s Eric Paull serve on the Sandpoint Ice board. Jim Zuberbuhler, associate vice president and financial advisor with D.A. Davidson, and CEO of Kaniksu Land Trust, will spearhead fundraising.

A super-cool ice arena isn’t cheap. Pierce estimates that to get kids on the ice as quickly as possible, they’d need $4 million to fund such things as the ice plant itself, finishing the fairgrounds building, and creating a warm area for people to put on and take off skates. Double that amount will make the place more amenable, including locker rooms, spectator stands, and concessions.

“Our goal is not to leave any kid out, and money should not be a barrier,” said Pierce. “As I tell people, we need to do ‘well’ before we can do ‘good,’ meaning, we need to structure a successful business model to ensure we can pay a decent wage to the employees, keep equipment clean and functional, and set aside money for repairs and maintenance.”

Financial support may even come from the city, as the fairgrounds is located within city limits.

Pierce is so passionate about the project, he’s stepped away from his veterinary practice to focus on the rink.

“I promise that in five years, nobody will understand how we ever lived without a community ice facility.”

Ponderay resident Tim Wilson, a supporter of Sandpoint on Ice, is putting time in to see an ice rink—albeit an outdoor one—in the area even sooner. His proposal this fall to the city of Ponderay for an outdoor rink in the city was well received, and the city has pledged $50,000 to the project. “There’s a lot of support,” said Mayor Steve Geiger. The rink will be located at the city’s Field of Dreams, with construction to begin in spring.

(Learn more at www.niicearena.com.)

Pierce, for one, couldn’t be happier. “We’re all pulling on the same rope,” he said. “This goes to show, we really want an ice rink in this area.”

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(Snow) Snow If the

shoe fits...

Snowshoeing opens up winter explorations

by Cameron Rasmusson

R

ebecca Sanchez isn’t one to give up her hiking season easily.

An outdoor enthusiast and longtime North Idaho resident, she’s done her best to pass on her love of nature to her kids. That’s easy enough in the summertime, when a bevy of local trails are waiting to be explored by anyone with an adventurous spirit. But once the snow starts flying, that adds a complication or two.

Fortunately, Sanchez learned 11 or 12 years ago, before her

kids came around, that there’s rarely a reason to stay indoors for long. That’s when she started looking into snowshoeing as an addition to her roster of wintertime activities. Over a decade later, she’s still hitting trails, this time with her children along for the ride.

“It definitely feels different than hiking because of the elements, but it’s also exciting to get out there in the peace and quiet,” Sanchez said.

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It definitely feels different than hiking because of the elements, but it’s also exciting to get out there in the peace and quiet.

its natural beauty and outdoor recreation, the groups organized around various activities are seeing a surge in interest.

Snowshoeing is no different. And each season, more and more newcomers are taking interest in the prospect of seeing the snow-covered vistas of the Inland Northwest.

“Snowshoeing can be a little slow-going, but it’s a great way to get outside in the winter,” said Jim Mellen, a local who has been exploring both summertime and wintertime North Idaho for decades.

Snowshoes have been an essential tool in navigating wintertime terrain for millennia. Native American cultures perfected the pre-modern design, and in the 19th century, trappers and fur traders used them to gather the pelts that fueled their trade.

While modern materials and design trends differ today, the basic snowshoe concept remains the same. They consist of a wide framework that distributes body weight over a larger area. This prevents the “post-holing” that a person would typically experience walking through deep snow. Snowshoe designs often feature latticework or holes to prevent snow accumulation, and they attach to the feet via bindings.

Given the rich tradition of snowshoeing spanning hundreds of worldwide cultures, it can be a great way to connect with the roots of an area. And there is no shortage of places to explore.

When conditions are right, the experience can be magical.

“One great thing about snowshoeing is that it can get you

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above the clouds,” said Sanchez. “Some days you look out your window, see the clouds and get discouraged. But when you get above them, it’s a whole different world.”

Some of the most popular areas within the region to explore include Pine Street Woods, Schweitzer, Round Lake, Gold Hill, and Mickinnick Trail. Mellen said the latter is especially appealing for snowshoeing, since it’s uniquely suited for that style of wintertime hiking.

“You wouldn’t want to ski it, because it’s just too steep,” he said. “You get some decent views further down, too, so you don’t have to climb up as high.”

Other areas, like Lightning Creek and Trestle Creek, are also great for a wintertime expedition. But experienced snowshoers caution newcomers to be mindful of the other hobbyists who will share the trail.

“I probably wouldn’t take my kids to Trestle Creek on a Saturday because that’s a snowmobile highway,” Sanchez said.

Areas where motorized vehicle use is prohibited can go a long way to ensuring a peaceful snowshoeing experience.

There’s no shortage of such trails. For a real workout, consider trails like Star Peak or Goat Mountain, one of the steeper hikes in the region. For a gentler experience, consider the South Fork Ross Creek Trail, a beautiful and tranquil section of the Northwest Montana woodlands.

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PHOTO P. 64: SNOWSHOEING IS A SHOE-IN FOR A FUN FAMILY ACTIVITY IN THE WINTER. FACING PAGE: THE DESIGN OF SNOWSHOES KEEPS THE WALKER ON TOP OF THE SNOW. LEFT: KIDS DELIGHT IN THE ABILITY TO EXPLORE THE WINTER LANDSCAPE. PHOTOS BY REBECCA SANCHEZ. ABOVE: SNOWSHOE RACING IS A CARDIO WORKOUT. PHOTO

BY FIONA HICKS. TO CANADA

Just remember to come prepared. Winter hiking should include the “Ten Essentials:” appropriate footwear, navigation tools, water, food, rain gear, safety items, a first aid kit, a knife, sun protection, and a shelter. Sanchez also recommends an extra pair of socks, a lightweight emergency blanket, and extra batteries or recharging pack for your phone, headlamp, or cellphone, since cold weather drains batteries faster.

Avalanches are a uniquely wintertime danger, and one not to be taken lightly. Check out the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center (www.idahopanhandleavalanche.org) for resources on safety and prevention. It’s also a good idea to check on road closures before heading out.

“There’s nothing worse than driving 30 minutes and realizing you can’t even get to the trailhead,” Sanchez said.

TO PRIEST RIVER When in doubt, it’s never a bad idea to ask an expert. One great method of finding group snowshoeing hikes is through the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness website, which organizes regular guided hikes in summer and winter alike (full disclosure: I do part-time communications work for FSPW).

Regardless of the method one chooses to explore North Idaho’s winter wonderland, it’s an experience not to be missed.

Winter is a chance to see a new side of the wild Northwest.

For guides to local trails, visit www.keokeebooks.com.

IDAHO

BONNERS FERRY

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If you run the Iditarod and it ends in divorce, you’ve ultimately failed.

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he snow fell fast as Jed Stephensen and his team of dogs mushed toward the checkpoint. Stephensen was feeling strong and confident and his dogs were still full of energy. They had been pulling for 50 miles but showed little sign of fatigue. This was their first race together and Stephensen couldn’t believe how well they were doing and how great they felt. In his enthusiasm, he pushed right past the checkpoint. It was another 50 miles of climbing up a mountainside until the next checkpoint but they were in first place and running strong.

As the miles and hours ticked past and darkness settled in, fatigue began to take hold. With two hours still to go, Stephensen knew he had made his first rookie mistake. He could feel his dogs were not pulling with the same intensity and strength. By the time they pulled into the next checkpoint, they were spent. He unharnessed and fed his dogs. He went over to the official planning to withdraw from the race. They could go no further. The official encouraged him to rest before he made the final decision. He checked in one more time with the dogs and then collapsed into a deep sleep for a few hours.

When he woke, he went to check on his dogs, sure to find them still exhausted. Instead, he found them barking and restless, ready to get back on the trail. In that moment, he realized the spirit of the sled dog wouldn’t quit. He also knew that if he was to ever make it to the Iditarod, he had a lot to learn.

Stephensen was born into a family that frequently moved around the world from Berlin, Germany to Kansas and Utah.

He credits his father for instilling the quest for adventure in him. When he was nine, his father read to him “Dog Song” by Gary Paulson, which sparked the dream of dog mushing. By the age of 12, Stephensen had a list of 120 dreams he wanted to pursue tucked into his wallet, replete with goals like scuba diving, writing a book, living in Alaska, climbing Everest, and running the Iditarod. Stephensen knew from a young age that he would orient his life according to his dreams.

The dream of working with sled dogs grew and in 1996 Stephensen contacted an Iditarod veteran named Billy Snodgrass.

He drove out from Kansas to Jackson Hole, Wyoming with his parents and met this larger-than-life musher. Stephensen trained with him for the next three weeks learning the basics of dog mushing. Later on in college he would spend his Christmas breaks doing dog sled tours for Snodgrass’ tour company.

After college he moved to Alaska and trained with some of the best dog mushers in the world. Initially, he worked at a glacier camp where tourists would be flown in on helicopter for a two-mile dog sled tour. This gave him hours of experience caring for 200 dogs, equipping sleds, harnessing dogs to sleds, and studying the way they communicate their needs.

Being young and unable to fund his own team, he helped train Iditarod race teams for other mushers. He watched great mushers, and saw how they studied the quirks of each individuSandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT SANDPOINT M MA AGGA AZZIIN NEE SandpointMagazine.com

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i ni n gg i cm e us s kh at FEATURES al dog on the team. He also saw mushers who paid others to train their team. Ultimately, they would make costly mistakes in the Iditarod and not be able to complete the race. Stephensen made a commitment to himself that if he was going to pursue this dream, he would make sure he was prepared for the harshest conditions and he would have a close relationship with his dogs.

Stephensen has set his soul on running the Iditarod in 2023.

In order to qualify, he has to compete in three qualifying races in early 2022. These races take place over four weeks and cover 800 miles in total. Beginning in mid January, he will compete in Eagle Cap Extreme in Oregon, followed by 300 miles in the Idaho Sled Dog Challenge in McCall and 300 miles at Race to the Sky in Lincoln, Montana.

Leading up to these races, Stephensen plans to train in Yellowstone, where the winds blow in gales and the temperature routinely drops below minus 40 degrees. He is particularly focused on high winds and difficult terrain. They will train on the schedule he will use in the Iditarod, sledding 50 miles and then breaking for four to six hours to feed and water the dogs, administer first aid, and pull ice balls from between the pads on the dogs’ paws. With however much time is left after these duties, Stephensen will eat and get some sleep.

Stephensen talks about a certain space where all he hears is the wind, the sled sliding over ice and snow, the sound of paws pressing into snow. Tiredness becomes a word without meaning and cold turns to warmth due to numbness. The rhythm of the sled as it glides, the oneness of his team of dogs in perfect unity striving forward, a place where the suffering is so intense it ushers in a deep serenity.

The Iditarod is the pinnacle achievement for solo dog mushers around the world. Often mushing through minus 40 degree temperatures, wild winds, and white-out blizzards, the race covers nearly 1,000 miles and takes between one and two weeks to complete. It is run in commemoration of the diphtheria epidemic in Nome, Alaska in the winter of 1925. The town’s supply of serum had expired and the doctor sent messages across Alaska requesting fresh serum. Due to severe weather the serum had to be retrieved by an alliance of 20 mushers and over 100 dogs. They transported the serum over 650 miles through perilous conditions and on February 2, it arrived in Nome, saving many children. In 1973, the first Iditarod race was run in memory of “The Great Serum Race” of 1925.

The quest for the Iditarod comes at a high price in both time and money. Stephensen has 20 dogs, all of them bursting with energy and in need of substantial amounts of food. Every day, the dogs need feeding, the kennels need cleaning, and the dogs need exercise to keep them in shape and happy. Often Stephensen’s training takes him out overnight so he can simulate race conditions accurately. Then there are the multi-week trips to compete in races, and the associated entrance fees. As a married man with two children, work as a full time ER nurse, and a growing homestead with gardens and building projects, it is hard to see where he finds the time.

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“Riding this razor’s edge between order and chaos and keeping everything together is where excellence is achieved,” said Stephensen. “It is the essence of life.” He holds this philosophy not only to mushing dogs but to every aspect of life.

He is acutely aware of the need to nurture each relationship and responsibility. Not surprisingly, many people who run the Iditarod end up divorced or estranged from their families due to the demands. “If you run the Iditarod and it ends in divorce, you’ve ultimately failed.” Stephensen said. “The ultimate test is trying to keep everything together despite the demands.”

Part of this journey is integrating what could be a divergent stream into fatherhood and being a husband. His boys, Pax and Leif, help him to train and feed the dogs and clean kennels.

It gives them a chance to work alongside each other and is a perfect way to teach them the value of hard work; the value of teamwork; the value of resilience and grit. In the early days, the dogs, in their excitement, would sometimes knock the boys down. “It teaches them to be tough,” Stephensen said. “Those dogs weigh more than they do, but they’ve learned to push back and hold their own.”

A very important part of the Stephensen’s family unity comes from taking adventures. They are systematically ticking off the miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. This last summer the mosquitoes were so bad on parts of the trail, there was no escaping them. If you stopped anywhere, you would be swarmed.

But that is all part of the adventure. “It’s about experiencing life together,” Stephensen said. “When my children see Amy and me tackle difficult situations, whether it’s working on the homestead, working with the dogs, or out on the trail together, they learn something about how to engage life. I think that is one of the main roles of being a parent.”

When thinking about Stephensen on the trail, his young boys working with these powerful animals, the hours of hard training and homesteading, cultivating a serviceable level of energy both physically and emotionally for fatherhood and family, the word grit springs to mind. Stephensen employs a deep structure for his time and his emotions in order to hold back the chaos which is always lurking. A few weeks back his truck, which he uses to take the dogs to and from events, blew a head gasket. Money is scarce and time is even more scarce, but Stephensen takes it in stride. “I knew it was coming, so I’ve been prepared for this for a while.” It takes the commitment of everyone in the family to take the trail to the Iditarod. Jed and Amy work hard to keep their love alive and cultivate a fun, challenging, engaging existence with Pax and Leif and the community around them.

They live their lives on a cutting edge with strong vision and deep fortitude. They lean into a grand challenge, a hero’s journey from which they will not return unchanged. For Stephensen it is simple. “What would make me the happiest is if other people followed their dreams because of hearing my story and maybe making the world a little bit better of a place.”

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PHOTO P. 68: JED STEPHENSEN AND HIS DOGS. THIS PAGE, TOP: DOG TRAINING CONTINUES EVEN IN SUMMER. ABOVE: THE STEPHENSEN’S DOGS ARE USED TO HAVING CHILDREN AROUND, AND TAKE THEM IN STRIDE. RIGHT: KIDS TAKE THE PLACE OF A MUSHER’S SUPPLIES ON A TRAINING RIDE. ALL PHOTOS BY FIONA HICKS.

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It definitely feels different than hiking because of the elements, but it’s also exciting to get out there in the peace and quiet.

Snow caving offers an exciting winter adventure

by Oriana Korol

H

opefully, you will never have to dig a snow cave to survive—but will try digging and sleeping in a snow cave for pleasure. Building a snow cave takes approximately 10 times more time and energy than setting up a tent, but it is worth it.

I have built shelters out of sticks, leaves, duff, tarps, tents, sand, and snow. I have slept in shelters for one to seven nights in a row, from 80 degree weather down to below freezing. The warmest outdoor winter night I’ve ever had was in a giant snow cave with five other people in the heart of the Selkirks in February.

I hiked into the Selkirks with the Twin Eagles Wilderness School, pulling my gear in a sled behind me, trusting that the trip leaders would keep me alive; their profession is about survival, after all. We saw strange tracks on the snow that looked like miniature angel prints. In the crisp silence of a pink sunset, we scared up a ruffed grouse. The chicken-sized bird exploded from the snow, revealing the remnants of a tiny snow cave, what is known as its “snow roost.” We were not the only creatures to use the snow for warmth and shelter that night; most mammals (and the ruffed grouse) survive Idaho winter nights under a blanket of water crystals and warmed air.

How does snow insulate? Functioning in exactly the same way as the pink fluff in a house’s walls, frozen water molecules trap air. This air gets warmed by body heat and the earth,

which on the surface stays about 57 degrees F. When temperatures fall to -40 degrees outside, a snow cave can be 32 degrees or warmer inside. A warm sleeping bag is essential when sleeping in a snow cave, but the snow insulates far better than a tent or a tarp.

Beyond the science of a snow cave, the construction feels magical. Think childhood delight in first snow. Think sand castle that you crawl inside of, get turned upside down in.

Think breath rising and freezing on a roof that sparkles above you, as you nestle down warm and protected in your sleeping bag, the wind and the wolf howling in the distance. The womb of the winter night holds you.

When you hear about snow camping, it’s easy to assume that it’s an experts-only affair. The snow cave, though, can take many forms.

Easiest but least insulated is the snow trench: Excavate an area the size of your sleeping area and pile the snow in a wall around it. Dig out the door. Place a tarp over the top of the sleeping area and use snow around the outside of the snow wall to anchor down the tarp.

Using a snow saw you can make a snow cave out of snow bricks: Saw rectangles of snow and remove them. Lean these rectangles into one another around the sleeping area. Fill in the gaps with snow.

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GEAR NEEDED: • 1 Snow shovel per digger • Waterproof, breathable hardshell jacket and pants • Change of base layers • Gloves • Extra socks • Warm boots • Foam pads • Sleeping bags (synthetic is best as they stay warm even if they get wet) • Headlamp/flashlight

PHOTO P. 72: THE MORE PEOPLE SHARING A SNOW CAVE, THE WARMER IT WILL BE. PHOTO BY FIONA HICKS. P. 73: SKETCH OF SNOW CAVE BY ALYSSA KOROL. THIS PAGE, TOP: ORIANA KOROL AND FINDLAY OLSON DEMONSTRATE THAT A SNOW CAVE CAN BE ROOMY. ABOVE: ORIANA KOROL FINDS A SNUG SPOT IN A SNOW TRENCH. BELOW: HEIDI PERRY AND JOHN LEHNE GET COZY IN A SNOW CAVE MADE OF SNOW BRICKS .

ABOVE PHOTOS BY TIM CORCORAN, PHOTO BELOW BY PAUL GLASSER.

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Optional gear: • Water resistant/repellent bivvy sack • Knee pads (worn under waterproof pants will help keep knees and legs warm and dry) • Big, fully waterproof shell overmitts or a second pair of gloves • Sled to pack in your gear

Create a snow cave with a pitted entrance: Pile snow into a mound that covers the area you will need for sleeping or find a slope or naturally formed drift of snow. Do not use a cornice.

Dig into the snow, excavating a cave and moving that snow out the door. Create an interior sleeping platform that is higher than the entrance. Having an entrance lower than the sleeping platform will trap the cold air and allow for the sleeping area to warm up. Poke air holes in the roof of the snow cave.

When snow caving, be aware of avalanche danger. Avalanches occur on slopes greater than 30 degrees. Build your snow cave on a slope less than 30 degrees and mark where it is so that you do not accidentally walk on it.

Digging the snow cave will make you wet from the snow and possibly from sweat. Once you are no longer moving, change into dry clothes so you do not cool down. Do not wear cotton because it will stay wet longer. Cotton kills!

Stay hydrated. Digging a snow cave is hard work. In cold temperatures you will not feel as thirsty. Becoming dehydrated will make it harder to stay warm through the night.

Some other tips to keep in mind include: eating butter. Fat helps your body stay warm, so put butter in some hot cocoa or hot apple cider before bed.

Get up and go pee. Holding a full bladder will lower your internal body temperature; it’s worth braving the cold to empty that bladder.

Change out any wet layers, especially socks, before bed.

Dry out clothes at the bottom of your sleeping bag. (Use your body heat to dry out any wet or damp clothes.)

Take all your gear into the snow cave. If it snows overnight it will be hard to find anything you leave outside of the snow cave. This includes your shovel, in case of fresh snow or other door blockages. Have your shovel nearby the exit if needed to excavate.

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Photo essay ni g h t l igh ts

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: THE MOON OVER HARRISON PEAK. PHOTO BY BRANDON PUCKETT. CAR CAMPING ON LUNCH PEAK UNDER THE STARS. PHOTO BY NATAYA THOMPSON. THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE SELKIRKS. PHOTO BY BRANDON PUCKETT.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A HOLIDAY READY CEDAR STREET BRIDGE, CIRCA 1990S. PHOTO BY DANN HALL. CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS BY THE POND. PHOTO BY DAN ESKELSON. A CANDLE DANCE IN THE GRANARY DISTRICT. PHOTO BY WOODS WHEATCROFT.

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h um b i r d hot el real estate

the pretty cool

humbird New hotel at Schweitzer offers more lodging choices

by Sandy Compton

‘P

retty cool” might be the best way to describe the new Humbird Hotel being put together at Schweitzer. It has many pretty cool features, and some really cool views. Some of those features spill over into the village plaza, where landscape architecture firm Dunn + Kiley is making big changes. Just one: Kids arriving for night skiing will have a wider heated walkway on which to run to the ticket booth, and tired, happy skiers won’t have to dodge as they make their way to buses, the bars, and the new hotel.

As winter of 2022 approached, construction folks rustled and hustled around under huge laminated beams holding up the roof of the new hotel. The exposed wood and steel skeleton reveals many secrets guests will never see but will benefit by

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and enjoy with the hotel open. Communication wire, tubing to feed hydronic floor heat to the hotel and surrounding plaza, electrical conduit, plumbing; a huge hodgepodge of sinewy details being routed, connected, tested, and signed off on.

In the midst of what might appear to be complete chaos, Jon Pritchard kept watch. He was the conduit between lead contractor, Jackson Construction of Missoula, and the management of Schweitzer. Pritchard works for the company formerly known as Olympic Associates Company, now known simply as OAC. “We’re the consultants,” he said, “and it’s our job to keep both sides well informed.” The plumbers might not quite know what the electricians are doing, and the sheet rock crew just wants to cover all that stuff up, but Pritchard seems to know all, including how to keep out of the way of all the work going on.

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rd hotel They gave the parking lot back

Jackson, fresh from the Yellowstone Club, came on the job early in 2021. As soon as the ski season was over, they appropriated the upper parking lot for material storage and employee and equipment parking, but gave it back as soon as possible. The parking lot—of concern to all Schweitzer skiers—will not shrink much by the presence of the new building. Guest parking for the Humbird, as it is at the Selkirk Lodge, is underground.

The Humbird is not huge; 30 “standard” rooms and one large top-floor suite, with some ... uh ... pretty cool public space. The restaurant, dubbed the Crow’s Bench, seats 50, with a bar that accommodates another 16 folks. The walls are, quite literally, glass. Even the space at the top of the wall between the humongous beams is window.

Each guest room has a big share of glass, as well, offering an overview of the village plaza and, beyond that, Lake Pend Oreille. Between the room windows and glass walls on the uphill side of the room access hallways, it will be easy to make a morning determination of how many layers are needed, which

goggles to wear, and what equipment to choose. There will also be no need to worry about gouging the new paint or worse yet, cracking a window, making your way to the slopes. Part of the new construction is the Ski Hut, just outside the Crow’s Bench, with lockers for guest snow toys shared by the Humbird and Selkirk Lodge.

By now, you may be wondering what Crow’s Bench and Humbird have to do with anything. The names are part of the history of Sandpoint and Bonner County. Like many 68-yearolds, Schweitzer is, through its staff and management, doing some looking back at its history and that of the place that welcomed it in 1963.

“We want to keep deepening our connection with the community,” said Schweitzer Marketing Manager Dig Chismer. “One of the ways we have done that in the past is using local names for our facilities and features.”

Names with a history Schweitzer itself is a name with some interesting history.

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The Crow’s Bench was a place in Hope (Hope can be seen from the Humbird rooms) where working men gathered and told each other stories. It was so named by someone—we don’t know who—for its resemblance to a bunch of crows sitting in a group and squawking at each other. That may seem a bit odd, but think about that end-of-the-day beer with friends, discussing that perfect line—or the most awesome faceplant ever—and you can see it. Pretty cool.

Pritchard’s tour of the hotel led through the lobby, where incoming guests get a preview of the restaurant right next door, and can cast an eye out the north end at a 3,000-square-foot heated patio set in the space where the Humbird and Selkirk meet corner to corner. He noted that Skylab Architects of Seattle was tasked with sourcing as many materials as possible to reflect the spirit of local history; thus the massive roof trusses that recall the timber days and also let in as much of the view as possible. The rooms and public spaces feature fine wood details provided by Candela Construction of Sandpoint.

“Smart” rooms save energy

PREVIOUS PAGE AND THIS PAGE, ABOVE: ARTIST RENDERINGS OF THE CROW’S BENCH, WITH ITS MAGNIFICENT FIREPLACE, AND A SAMPLE ROOM AT SCHWEITZER’S HUMBIRD HOTEL. AT TOP, CONSTRUCTION WORK IS CLOSING IN ON THE FINISH LINE AT PRESSTIME, WITH AN OPENING DATE (WEATHER PERMITTING) BEFORE THE NEW YEAR. PHOTO COURTESY SCHWEITZER.

The creek that drains the Schweitzer bowl, giving its name to the resort, is named for a befuddled Swiss hermit who was enamored of Mrs. Ella Farmin, one of Sandpoint’s founding mothers. The names of Colburn Basin, the Idyl-Hour T-Bar, and Colburn School, and all the other school-related runs honor the town below that housed the big Pack River Lumber mill in the timber years of the ’50s and ’60s.

The name “Humbird” is garnered from an earlier timber boom, when Humbird Lumber ruled Sandpoint’s economy and the local forests. Humbird, whose mill and yards dominated the lakefront from what is now the Seasons to the Elks golf course, called Sandpoint to “grow up,” you might say. The civilizing effect of steady employment offered by Humbird for nearly three decades at the beginning of the 20th century “settled” the rough and tumble village that the Farmins and other pioneers moved to in the 1890s, as well as the country around.

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The guest rooms are “smart” enough to know if you are there or not. Leave the lights on, or walk out with the heat set on “bake,” and sensors in the room figure out pretty quickly that energy-inefficient you have left the premises and make necessary adjustments. When you come “home,” all is forgiven and your settings are restored. The rooms are kind of like Santa Claus. They know when you are sleeping, they know when you’re awake. Not so much on the bad or good thing.

In addition to the guest rooms and the Crow’s Bench, the new building includes a fitness center and a small workspace (dubbed “coworking space”) just above the front desk. The fitness room features state-of-the-art Precor equipment and a shower room. The workspace has a conference table that seats eight, Internet access, charging ports, an HD television, and a conference call phone—just in case you “want” to work while you’re on the mountain.

The Glass Room, at the south end of the hotel, has, as the name implies, three big glass walls—BIG! Within them, a gas fireplace is surrounded by a thermal array of cushy couches, a foosball table, and a large-screen HD television. Its “greatroom” feel offers, as well, a great view, and is available for small conferences.

Atop the Glass Room is an open deck with a large hot tub in which hotel guests can soak up stars on certain nights, and watch snowflakes go “phhht” when they hit the water surface on others.

“The Humbird will help ease the weekend and holiday rooming crunch on the mountain,” Schweitzer CEO Tom Chasse said. And add to the variety of food and drink venues.

Part of Pritchard’s tour of the Humbird included a stroll through the Crow’s Bench kitchen. He pointed out this, that, and the other thing, but what catches the eye is that the east wall of the kitchen is floor-to-ceiling glass. Pretty cool.

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VLASTA ALBERTSON, STEVE SMITH, AND ADRIEN WRYNN OF DSS VISIT A JOBSITE, WHILE JOEL FLORES, ATOP LADDER, GETS WORK DONE. PHOTO BY CHRIS BESSLER.

A helping hand

Local contractor finds joy in supporting his community with hands-on help

by Patty Hutchens

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s the co-owner of DSS Construction in Sandpoint, Steve Smith is often asked if he can help out someone in need. Whether it’s someone’s family, friend, or neighbor, the issue is the same; they simply need extra help with tasks they cannot perform themselves. Enlisting the help of his employees and other local tradesmen and suppliers, Smith has always been ready to jump in and help, often doing what he can to also offer the materials needed to complete the task.

“I found this to be such a wonderfully fulfilling experience that I started looking for more people who needed help,” said Smith. “Along with that, I also found out that finding people that truly need a helping hand was very hard as they never had their hand out. There are so many people in our community who are struggling with simple needs that they have a hard time accomplishing themselves.”

Smith said he has done everything from changing light bulbs to constructing wheelchair ramps, chopping firewood, and even shoveling snow.

“Even being in the construction business and being fully capable, I know my own home can get into disrepair,” said Smith.

DSS Construction is owned by Smith, his brother Doug, and his father Larry. It has been a staple in the Sandpoint community for nearly three decades and currently has a staff of 17 employees.

Known for their craftsmanship and commitment to the community, they have received great praise for the volunteer work they have provided.

“Anyone who is on the receiving end is always very grateful,” said Nannette Porath, Steve’s sister and former employee. “We have worked together on a number of projects. He has helped people to be able to live their lives. When you do something like build a wheelchair ramp, you are giving people access to their homes.”

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I found this to be such a wonderfully fulfilling experience that I started looking for more people who needed help.

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Porath was the executive director of Kinderhaven, a group home for abused and neglected children, when they were the recipient of the Extreme Makeover from KXLY TV in Spokane. Smith and many volunteers donated their time to transform Kinderhaven. “He really brought the community together with that project.”

Setting aside time each week, Smith has been able to assist many. Unfortunately, not too long ago he ran into health issues of his own and found himself on the receiving end of such kindness.

“I recently experienced some major

health issues and was unable to help myself for some time. I do not know how to explain how great it was to have people step up and help me and my family,” said Smith, who added that he received meals, assistance with transportation, and an employee’s family helped to maintain his yard. “I also have a hard time asking for help when in need, but people helped me in spite of myself. That is an amazing feeling, and it was very humbling.”

He has since recovered and is ready to step back up and is eager to help as many people as he can, but finding those people who truly need assistance can be difficult. To that end, Smith invites people in the community to assist him on this journey. He asks that anyone who knows of people who need help with a project contact him so he can evaluate the need and get the proper people and materials to complete the task.

“One thing about people in Bonner County is they overwhelmingly are ready to help when there is a need. This is an amazing community, and we all have different skills to offer,” said Smith.

“The most important kind of support we need right now is for people who know or see someone that truly needs a helping hand, or if they need some help, is for them to reach out and let us know.”

Asked if he has certain criteria he uses to evaluate a person’s need, Smith simply said, “I just have the ability and desire to help where I am needed.” And that is all one ever really needs to make a difference in the lives of others.

If you know anyone in the community who needs assistance, please contact Steve Smith at DSS Construction, 208-263-2853.

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priced out!

Housing crisis sparks community action

by Cate Huisman

S

andpoint spent the summer swirling in a housing maelstrom that is pricing local workers out of the market for a place to live. Purchase prices were sky high and even some long-term renters found their rent increased into the unaffordable realm.

This summer, homes sold seemingly by osmosis without ever going on the market, or had three offers over the asking price the moment “For Sale” signs appeared in their yards. “We’re a very thin market,” said Raphael Barta, a long-time real estate agent in town. “At the best of times, we don’t have a ton of inventory on the market. If you get a shock of demand, and you had a relatively fixed inventory to start with, you’re overwhelmed.”

Not only did homes sell fast, they sold for prices no one had

ever seen here before. LendingTree, a national lender, gave Sandpoint the dubious honor of being one of the most expensive towns in America. Exact numbers are hard to nail down, because Idaho doesn’t require that sales price be part of the public record when property is transferred. But for properties sold through the MLS, the median price of a home (AprilSeptember) was $600,000. Prices eased in autumn as they often do, but not nearly to the level they had been at just a year previously, when the comparable median price had been closer to $385,000. Few homes came on the market that could be purchased with the Sandpoint area median income of approximately $64,000, and builders were not building many more.

Rents soared as well, although the bigger problem was findSandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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PHOTO P. 85: BONNER COUNTY HOUSING AGENCY’S ROB HART, AND PROPERTY OWNER NANCY HADLEY, LOOK OVER PLANS FOR THE PROPOSED CULVER’S CROSSING DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WILL PROVIDE 49 UNITS ON 6 ACRES IN SANDPOINT. PHOTO BY CHRIS BESSLER. THIS PAGE: THIS 25-ACRE PARCEL NEAR THE AIRPORT, OWNED BY LITEHOUSE, INC., IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. PHOTO BY TRISH GANNON.

ing a rental at all. Long-time renters had homes sold out from under them and could not find another rental in their price range. As the summer waned, formerly hopeful buyers gave up on what Sandpoint’s mayor Shelby Rognstad called “a market that’s pretty wildly out of control” and snapped up what rentals there were. Realtor.com showed only one rental available in the greater Sandpoint area in mid September, and a local Facebook page for rentals was primarily filled with more “looking to rent” posts than there were actual rentals available.

This problem is neither local nor unique, but Sandpoint as a resort and retirement town has some factors that exacerbate the issue. Population is growing rapidly, and many newcomers bring equity to spend from homes they sold elsewhere at even higher prices. Investors buy homes to use as short-term rentals for vacationers; they can get more out of their investment this way than by renting long-term to a local worker. As homes come on the market, local workers must compete not only with newcomers but with people who are shopping for second homes, with investors scouting out properties for a short-term rental business, and with speculators looking to turn a profit. A local, middle-income worker couldn’t compete this past summer as home prices rose over half a million dollars.

When the last real estate boom hit in 2008, it was followed by a crash that allowed Sandpoint some breathing room to start to address some of the problems that had become evident. The city set a limit on the number of houses that could be used as short-term rentals. Zoning changes were made that allowed for more multifamily housing and smaller lot sizes. Restrictions were eased on ADUs—accessory dwelling units or “granny flats”—so that more housing could be built on each lot.

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As the current crisis loomed, the city commissioned a report on housing that was presented in November of 2019. It had three pages of action ideas. Then COVID-19 hit, the planning director left a reshuffled planning department, and efforts to address the housing issue seemed to stall. In response to a survey the city conducted this summer, over half of business owners agreed with the statement “Current housing conditions detract from the success of my business.”

By late summer, Mayor Rognstad had convened a task force of 25 people representing businesses, employers, and developers as well as local government and nonprofits. Its purpose is to provide insight and creative suggestions, and to review the 2019 report. While the group’s size makes it inclusive, the number of members also makes it difficult to find a time when everyone can attend meetings. As of press time, the task force had met twice. The mayor anticipated that the group’s proposals would come primarily in the form of recommendations for changes to the city’s comprehensive plan.

In the meantime, however, private individuals, agencies, and employers have taken the problem into their own hands.

“The resort industry tends to attract individuals who like to work at different resorts every couple of years, and without affordable housing options this population will not be able to come to Sandpoint to work,” explained Scot Auld, human resources director at Schweitzer. For these short-term workers, the resort has purchased and is remodeling a former assistedliving facility to provide eight bedrooms and a large common kitchen, dining, and recreation room.

It also owns two multifamily residential units on the mountain that it will make available to employees this winter.

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“Altogether these units will have space for a maximum of 28 employees,” said Auld, but added: “Of course, with over 700 employees in the wintertime, this is only a small step.”

Meanwhile, local businesses are considering what else they can do not only for short-term workers, but for their middle-income, full-time employees. “The most recent surge in home and rental prices has started to drive out some of our existing employees, some of whom have worked and lived here for years,” said Auld.

Litehouse, another large employer in the area, is seeking a rezone from the city on behalf of a developer interested in purchasing 25 acres of land they own west of the airport in order to allow additional housing to be built. The Planning and Zoning Commission asked the request only be allowed with a development agreement for worker housing. City council was considering the request at presstime.

Bonner Community Housing Agency Director Rob Hart is confident that building housing that middle-class, local workers can afford can be profitable. For their IncomeBased Local Housing Program, “We’re looking for landowners interested in making a profit and helping the community,” said Hart. “It’s not something you do as a volunteer or for a gift. It’s a for-profit program.”

BCHA does this by removing some costs that developers would otherwise incur. “We take the developer fee out of it, we take real estate agents out of the picture, plus we build small homes.” The program reverse-engineers homes and costs to what local workers can afford. His agency charges a small fee that just covers the expenses of its part-time office.

The first development to be built using this program, in a partnership with landowner Nancy Hadley, is already under way. Culver’s Crossing will include 49 units on six acres in north Sandpoint. To make sure these homes go to local workers rather than to developers or speculators, purchases in Culver’s Crossing will be restricted to

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qualified buyers, who will be defined as individuals who earn between 70 percent and 120 percent of Sandpoint’s area median income.

Culver’s Crossing will also use deed restrictions. In this case, this means that buyers must be employed locally, or must be seniors or disabled. (This language prevents the development from running afoul of state laws that require nondiscrimination in housing.) Buyers must also live in the home and own it for at least two years. After that, the home is theirs to continue living in or to sell as they wish.

Employers that own land can use that land to provide housing restricted to their employees using BCHA’s Employer Directed Workforce Housing Program.

“Employers can make a profit if they build housing for their employees,” said Hart. The employer might build homes to rent to its employees, or it can sell homes to its employees with deed restrictions that require the employee-owners to sell the homes back to the employer when they are ready to leave. Employees make mortgage payments that allow them to start building equity, and these agreements also usually include a clause that the employer will pay some kind of appreciated amount for the house when the employer buys it back, often related to the Consumer Price Index.

Another approach to reducing the cost of housing is using a community land trust. In this case, the buyer buys the home but not the land, which is owned by the trust. Many locals are familiar with Kaniksu Land Trust as the owner of Pine Street Woods and as an organization that protects open space through conservation easements. “Part of community conservation is looking at what our communities are struggling with,” said its Executive Director, Katie Cox. “Making urban centers more livable, useful, and affordable helps KLT to protect and keep open working forest, farm, and ranch land.”

At their September meeting, KLT board members agreed they should work to be conserving land for housing as well as open space. Using this approach, pri-

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vate landowners or employer-landowners get a tax saving when they donate land to the trust, and this can offset the cost of developing housing. Any landowner, employer, or individual investor could contribute to the supply of housing in this way.

The city cannot put its land into a trust, because it is required by statute to sell its land to the highest bidder. But Mayor Rognstad has another idea for how city land can be used for housing. “I’ve been advocating for council to purchase land for a park plus 15 acres adjacent to the disc golf course,” he said in September. This land could be part of a new urban renewal district (the city already has two others) to be used for housing. The city council will consider this fall what to do with that property.

Ultimately, it will take community commitment and effort to ensure that Sandpoint regains its ability to welcome and house people with a wide variety of incomes and occupations.

BCHA has some thoughts about that.

In the first week of September, its board decided they would pursue an additional strategy. They were concerned that local landowners, sellers, builders, and real estate agents did not realize how their individual selling practices collectively contributed to the problem we have today. They decided to implore these people not to sell to speculators, but instead to sell to local employees and other locals who had incomes under half the price of the homes they were selling. “If even 10 percent of the sales in Sandpoint in the next 12 month follow this plan, then we can go a long way to solving the housing crisis,” said their request.

While this wouldn’t necessarily bring home prices down into the range that a middle-income worker could afford, it would remove speculators and corporations from the process. BCHA was confident that sellers could still make money with qualified buyers, but the housing would remain or become available to local people who need a place to live, rather than to distant corporations or others

TOP: THE CITY OF SANDPOINT HAS RELAXED SOME PLANNING REGULATIONS IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR GREATER DENSITY OF BUILDINGS ON A PARCEL. ABOVE: WORKERS CALL IT A DAY AT THIS FORMER RETIREMENT HOME IN SANDPOINT SCHWEITZER PURCHASED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR NEEDY EMPLOYEES. PHOTOS BY TRISH GANNON.

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who don’t live here.

As the fall progressed, interest in BCHA’s programs grew, and it was working on more than 500 units between Athol and Bonners Ferry, to be built over the next three to five years.

“We all want an immediate solution, and unfortunately it’s not that kind of problem,” said Rognstad. But city government can’t wait for nonprofits to take care of it, and employers can’t wait for agencies, and landowners can’t wait for developers, and working people can’t wait for anyone.

“Something’s gotta happen,” said Barta. “People are out of hope.”

Auld agrees that something needs to be done. “We are very much aware of the need for housing. It’s a big challenge that’s not getting any easier, and it’s not going away. The future of our local businesses and our employees depends on our community finding a way to make this happen.”

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Good Wood Since 1991 Misty Mountain Furniture celebrates 30 years

by Sandy Compton

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ack in the day, John Edwards and Chris Park were introduced by Sandpoint builder Tim Parnow.

They became friends, and in 1991, John invited Chris to help remodel a family cabin in Cooke City, Montana, near Yellowstone Park. While they were there, log furniture being sold around the park got their attention.

“We can do that,” they decided, and brought the idea back

to Sandpoint. They each kicked in $5,000 and rented a space behind Cleve’s Radiator Shop on Superior. In October of 1991, Misty Mountain Furniture was born. In the three decades since, the company has undergone an upward spiral of growth and craftsmanship.

“We still do log furniture,” Edwards said, “but most of our work is custom cabinetry and furniture made with many wood SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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species. The lion’s share is crafted out of reclaimed wood.”

The majority of their initial business was direct sales to local and regional homeowners—they’ve maintained a Sandpoint showroom since 1994. They have also done numerous high-end commercial jobs. Their first was in 1996, when Misty Mountain contracted to provide furniture for Banff’s Brewster Mountain Lodge. That job came through Steve Holt, who was a partner from 1994 to 1997.

“That was a jump-off point for us,” Edwards said. “It really pushed us to the next level.

Big jobs since include cabinets, trim, and mantles for a 27unit condominium complex in Menlo Park, California; furnishings for the log clubhouse at the Idaho Club golf course (burned in 2008); furniture for the Sky House at Schweitzer and Matchwood Brewery in Sandpoint; and furnishings, trim, and doors for the Park James hotel in San Francisco.

Their Rustic Heritage line of furniture came on line in 2003 with the decision to incorporate reclaimed wood in their manufacturing. Much of their first supply came from dismantling the old Pack River Mill at Dover. They also launched a website at www.mistymountainfurniture.com. In 2004, Internet sales nationwide overtook local and regional sales.

“This year, we topped $10 million in sales over our existence,” Edwards said, “plus we bought the building we are in now and paid it off. Not bad for a couple of hippies.”

Those sales numbers have been “trickling down” into the Sandpoint economy since they hired their first employee— Mark Edmundson—in 1992. “He was a great hire,” Edwards said.

“He knew a lot about woodwork that we didn’t.”

Since then, an estimated 75 employees have graced the shop and showroom of Misty Mountain—at one time, seven people worked in the shop.

Co-founder Chris Park was an active partner until 2015, and Edwards became sole owner in 2017.

“Chris left so he could travel around in our old delivery van that he turned into a camper.” Edwards smiled. “Misty Mountain has always been about lifestyle. Powder clauses. Flexible schedules. We did a lot of employee campouts, even took the whole crew to Cooke City.”

Thirty years of employees include—but are not limited to—Edmundson, Curtis Eberle, Dave Gilchrist, Joel Shoemaker, Mike Murray, Tom Brunner, Ben Reiger, Peter Klein, Derek Deleeuw, Samuel Gentz, Eichardt’s Bob, Kyle Beard, Travis Medearis, Grey Davis, Chad White, Lizbeth Zimmerman, Darryl Aubrey, Jenni Bickel, Diane Kinney, Kari Maskell, Denise Alveari, and Jeff “Sprouts” Rich, log peeler extraordinaire.

“Our longest employed is Eric Moore, our finisher for 25 years,” Edwards said. “And the gal who holds it all together is our part-time bookkeeper, Cheri Jo McCrum. ” Misty Mountain moved into its current location at 502 Cedar St. (though the building faces Fifth Avenue) in 1998, and suffered a stroke of good luck.

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T c S q

PREVIOUS PAGE AND THIS PAGE: JOHN EDWARDS IS PROUD OF THE QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT MISTY MOUNTAIN FURNITURE HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS. PHOTOS BY SANDY COMPTON.

“The building was totally broken and the ground under it (owned by Union Pacific) was polluted,” Edwards said. “We got a real bargain on both. Greg Schifrin of Selkirk Environmental helped us do remediation on the pollution.” After five years of work by Selkirk, the site was cleaned up to the satisfaction of Idaho DEQ. To spruce the place up, they decided to build a boardwalk facing on Fifth Avenue. That turned into a remodel designed by architect Bruce Millard, and over the course of a year, they completed a rebuild and expansion to what the building is now.

As time went on, Misty Mountain began doing more custom cabinet work and fine furniture. In 2013, they started incorporating metal into their designs, resulting in what is referred to as “mountain modern” or “modern rustic” products. Today, the showroom contains high quality, innovative pieces that have evolved out of Rustic Heritage plus a selection of what got them started—log furniture. The walls are also full of art. “We have about 70 artists and craft people we consign with,” Edwards said. “Right now, about 30 folks have things on display here.”

Misty Mountain is a Sandpoint business that can say “over 20 years in the same location,” a rarity in our changing community, as are three decades of making quality products with local labor and, often, materials that might otherwise be discarded.

And, they are doing a beautiful job of it.

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MLS # 20212384 4 Bd / 5.5 Ba / .19ac / 5,773 Sq Ft. Custom lake front masterpiece! Just 10 minutes from downtown Sandpoint, this stunning timber frame home sits directly on Lake Pend Oreille and overlooks Sandpoint City Beach. Featured in magazines for its breathtaking views, custom design and over the top attention to detail throughout the home. From million dollar views, vaulted ceilings, rough sawn fir flooring, wrought iron railings, and hand hewn reclaimed beams, it’s craftsmanship is truly remarkable.

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1267 Peninsula Rd, Hope, ID

Listed at $18,700,000

MLS #20212242 4 Bd / 5.5 Ba / .19ac / 5,773 Sq Ft. Located on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, Beyond Hope Resort plays host to 70RV spaces w/electric & water hookup, 12 tent sites, group camping area, events & wedding rental area to plan your perfect event, fully protected marina, & spacious 2748 sqft main building w/an expansive deck overlooking the water. Zoned for recreation, this stunning 52.68 acre property is truly one of a kind offering a magnitude of opportunities; Resort license is active! Extremely usable terrain w/3 phase power, 3 high production wells (over 100 gpm), close to 350 feet of water frontage, Resort Liquor License & formally approved as a PUD w/90 lots.

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real estatem a r k e t watch LOOKING FOR THE PEAK IN HOME PRICES

T

he median sales price of homes in the Sandpoint area hit a staggering number this fall—$601,000 (for sales between April 20, 2021, to Sept. 30, 2021). That’s a 50 percent increase over the same time period last year. It’s no secret that buying a home in Sandpoint now requires deep pockets, but seeing that dollar amount truly drives home the fact that home ownership is increasingly becoming unaffordable to the average wage earner.

The collision of a global pandemic, record-low interest rates, skyrocketing construction costs, a lack of housing inventory, and an area many find to be a highly desirable place to live are major contributors to the current situation. There are more people looking for second homes, as well as primary residences where they can work from home. And many are coming into the area with cash— meaning they don’t need to wait for a bank’s approval to scoop up property.

Compared to the rest of the U.S., Sandpoint homes cost almost double the national median; according to Zillow, the median value of a U.S. home is $308,220 (as of September 2021). Even the residential prices in areas that have typically been more affordable than Sandpoint, such as Bonners Ferry, have escalated. The median home price in the Bonners Ferry area is now $370,000—definitely a better-priced option than Sandpoint, but still a good chunk of change and close to the median nationwide.

For house hunters who believe they may have missed out on their best chance at buying, it’s expected that home prices in the greater Sandpoint area will continue to rise. But then again, the real estate market continues to throw curveballs just when we least expect them.

“I think that we are in unpredictable times; I’ve never worked in a market like this,” said Nedra Kanavel, an associate broker with ReMax in Action in Sandpoint. “But if you look at what our local markets are doing, we did see a little slowdown mid summer. We had more listings, and buyers started making more competitive offers. However, in August and fall, it became a sellers’ market again.”

Kanavel’s advice is don’t wait to buy. “North Idaho is becoming a place where people want to be more and more,” she said. “We might see prices hold steady through winter and into next year. I’d say go for it now, because there are reasons to believe prices will continue to go up next spring and summer.”

Just make sure to bring your wallet.

by Beth Hawkins

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Selkirk Multiple Listing Service Real Estate Market Trends Vacant land—bonner county

residential sales—All Areas 2020

2021

% Inc/Decr

2020

2021

% Inc/Decr

Sold Listings

683

577

-16

Sold Listings

391

288

-26

Volume - Sold Listings

$301,316,482

$365,803,041

21

Volume - Sold Listings

$63,594,829

$107,187,599

69

35

Median Price

$110,000

$233,500

112

Median Price

$371,500

$500,000

Average Sales Price

$441,166

$633,974

44

Average Sales Price

$162,646

$372,179

129

Average Days on Market

94

68

-28

Average Days on Market

170

112

-34

2020

2021

130

107

Residential Sales—schweitzer

Sandpoint City Sold Listings

2020

2021

Sold Listings

21

10

-52

% Inc/Decr -18

% Inc/Decr

Volume - Sold Listings

$49,704,990

$66,435,264

34

Volume - Sold Listings

$10,826,900

$6,305,000

-42

Median Price

$349,750

$500,000

43

Median Price

$375,000

$595,000

59

$515,566

$630,500

22

108

135

25

Average Sales Price

$382,346

$620,890

62

Average Sales Price

Average Days on Market

83

56

-33

Average Days on Market

residential sales—all lakefront

Sandpoint Area 2020

2021

% Inc/Decr

2020

2021

% Inc/Decr

Sold Listings

416

329

-21

Sold Listings

62

59

-5

Volume - Sold Listings

$193,791,810

$245,676,596

27

Volume - Sold Listings

$37,197,917

$61,781,940

66

Median Price

$399,949

$601,000

50

Median Price

$492,500

$875,000

78

Average Sales Price

$465,845

$746,737

60

Average Sales Price

$599,966

$1,047,151

75

Average Days on Market

92

66

-28

Average Days on Market

127

67

-47

RESIDENTIAL SALES BY AREA based on information from the Selkirk MLS© for the period of April 20, 2020 to September 30,2020 versus April 20, 2021 to September 30, 2021. Real estate stats for Bonner and Boundary counties. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

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introducing locals |

nati ves + newcom e rs

Newcomers &

NATIVES story and photos by Marianne Love

Lenny Hess, Native

F

our individuals with unique personal experiences and interests make up this issue’s Natives and Newcomers.

Through their professional talents, each contributes to vital aspects of this community, including agriculture, education, entertainment, and business.

Their passions outside of work also add special ingredients to an always evolving Sandpoint story.

It’s winter. Lenny Hess leaves his Sandpoint home around 8 a.m. He drives to Schweitzer and finds a spot in the lift line before opening bell. After skiing for approximately two-anda-half hours, it’s back to town and to work around noon.

“That’s living the dream,” this 63-yearold Sandpoint High grad said, “especially when skiing the back side of Schweitzer after a powder dump.” Skiing is Hess’s passion, as is contributing to the community where he grew up.

Having owned 7BTV since 1997, he uses his business resources to help out nonprofits like Panhandle Alliance for

Education, the Festival at Sandpoint, CHAFE, Panida Theater, and Kinderhaven. “[I’m proud] being a part of this community and being able to give back,” he said. “Sandpoint is facing some big challenges right now. I hope that I can contribute a little bit to weather them.”

Hess grew up south of town on Fry Creek. As the only child of Bob and Joyce Hess, he created memories playing with other kids, ice fishing on Fry Creek, skiing in his back yard, and taking his little boat to town “with my bike in it because my mom didn’t want me riding it across the Long Bridge.” At the time, there was no pedestrian bridge across the lake.

Hess attended Old Farmin, New Farmin, junior high, and SHS where a highlight involved working on “Tap Roots,” a collection of student writing.

“Mr. Hamilton [instructor] signed my copy and wrote, ‘Lenny, you have a fine mind. More education and discipline will make it a valuable tool for you.’” This message would resonate years later after “I eventually got it together.”

The Hess family’s Fry Creek home sat on a waterfront lot purchased by his dad Bob for $12,000 in 1960.

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introducing locals | he recalls. “It’s currently listed for $1.45 million.”

Hess now lives in South Sandpoint; sadly his beloved wife, Nancy, passed away this fall.

“I hope to retire and live out the rest of my life here,” he said.

“I have grandchildren and will enjoy watching them grow up.

I really hope that this area doesn’t turn into the next Vail or Tahoe and drive the locals out.”

Q. What are the signs that show you qualify as a Sandpoint kid?

A. I still regularly cruise the gut. Ed. Note: The gut, said Lenny, is “around the beach, down First, up Cedar, and back down again and again and again,” adding, “Only a newcomer would ask that.”

Q. What message about the community would you share with newcomers?

A. I might be a little more open to newcomers than other long-time locals. It’s inevitable and I accept it. However, please don’t expect me to welcome an attitude of “Look what I’ve found! This is all mine!” with no regard for the locals.

Q. Where do you take visitors?

A. Schweitzer with views of the lake, out on the lake, lakeside restaurants, and drives around the lake.

Q. Define your hometown.

A. That feeling I get, when I’m not taking it all for granted, while driving across the Long Bridge with the view of the lake, mountains and town and the realization of how blessed I am to have been able to grow up here and live out my life here.

Mary Marienau, Native

Mary Marienau once walked into the Sandpoint Post Office, gave her last name to a staffer, and learned how her father Dr. Fred Marienau had saved that person’s life. Such stories remind Marienau that her Sandpoint roots run deep since her parents’ move here in the early 1960s.

Dr. Marienau also delivered Mary, his youngest child, in Sandpoint 54 years ago.

“My father was one of four doctors in Sandpoint,” she recalled, noting that Fred and Delsie Marienau set a standard with community involvement, whether it involved schools, the hospital, the fair, and 4-H or Boys/Girl Scouts. “This carries on in the family today with myself and my siblings.”

The Marienau children led wholesome lives in the Syringa Heights neighborhood, where everyone knew the kids and watched out for them. As 4-H’ers, they looked forward to each year’s county fair and expanding friendship circles.

A love of horses, the 4-H horse program, and her parents’ willingness to haul their horses to meetings and shows, fol-

nati ves + newco m e rs

lowed by a career as a horse trainer/exhibitor, planted the seed for Marienau’s current role as eighth-grade earth science teacher at Sandpoint Middle School.

“I took so long to complete a college degree [from Lewis and Clark State College in 2016] because I was using my skills with horses as my job,” she said. “The education I’ve received through horses and the people I have met/dealt with over the years are major contributors to the educator I am today.”

Marienau’s success with her students also comes from rearing five successful children: Paul, Jarae, David, Laurel, and Tyler.

“What makes me most proud are my children,” she said.

“They continued their education into areas they enjoy and are great citizens in the community, as spouses and parents.”

After living in Montana, Oregon, and Germany, Marienau moved back to the area, where she finds great contentment, with her husband Don Hale, on their Vay horse farm.

“I want to live quietly and enjoy spending time with my husband, family and friends,” she said. “... as much as I enjoy people, solitude gives me time to reflect on life, making plans for today and the future.”

Q. What are the signs that show you qualify as a Sandpoint kid?

A. Eating at the Pastime in the middle of the night after cruising town and City Beach to find friends/trouble. Logging trucks in the Fourth of July Parade, fishing at Chuck Slough, and yes, walking uphill in the snow because the bus could not take Ontario Hill in the winter.

Q. What message about the community would you share with newcomers?

A. The natives know what we have here. We chose to stay/ come back because this is the lifestyle we prefer. It’s important to remember when going to new places to embrace the culture, the way of life and speed at which it is lived, for that is the way it is meant to be.

Q. Where do you take visitors?

A. The mountains and on the lake.

Q. Define your hometown.

A. Heaven on Earth!

Sara Glader, Newcomer When not wearing scrubs and treating animals in Idaho’s three northernmost counties, Sara Glader, DVM, spends days off with her canine pal Jasper, hiking trails and often carrying fishing gear.

After graduating from WSU Veterinary School, Glader moved to Sandpoint in June 2020, joining Sandpoint Area Veterinary and Emergency as an associate vet.

“I had previously worked with Dr. Celeste Grace and Dr. Jenni Grimmett in 2018,” she said. “They were looking for a new associate veterinarian. I thought I would fit well into the practice. The rest is history.”

Born in Colorado, Glader (30) spent her early life in Challis, SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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n e wco m e rs that “she has definitely provided a lot of guidance and encouragement to me during a very transitional phase of my life.”

Q. How have locals helped your transition?

A. Most everyone I’ve met over the last year has been super welcoming and happy to give advice on places to eat, explore, etc. That has certainly helped me adjust.

Q. Besides work, how do you envision contributing your talents to this community?

A. (I’m) not entirely sure, but I know I would like to continue working to promote better animal husbandry.

Q. What is your favorite memory so far in Sandpoint?

A. One of the things I enjoy about living here is how easy it is to get out into nature. There’s an abundance of hiking trails that are within an easy/short drive of Sandpoint.

Q. How you describe this area to friends back home?

A. As a vibrant and welcoming community, an area with four seasons and plenty of things to do in all those seasons.

Jordan rocke, Newcomer

It took prayer, research, and a 2020 visit to Sandpoint (in smoky, pandemic times), but when Jordan Rocke and his wife Jess watched their three children, Bria, Elias, and Gideon wade into Lake Pend Oreille on their first night here, they knew they’d found home.

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Idaho, before moving to Coeur d’Alene where she graduated from Coeur d’Alene Charter School. Her undergraduate work was completed at NIC and the University of Idaho.

Some of her training involved beef and dairy cattle husbandry and medicine.

“The program is no walk in the park,” she said. “I feel fortunate that my years of hard work have paid off.”

A veterinary science career provides a perfect fit for Glader. As a 4-H’er and adult, she has owned herds of sheep and goats, and a few horses.

“I love being outside, which is one of the reasons I chose to become a large-animal veterinarian,” she said. “If I could spend the whole day hiking in the mountains with my dog, it would be an awesome day.”

Daily work schedules involve re-stocking the mobile unit, sending out lab samples and completing paperwork associated with horses, cattle, goats, pigs, etc.

Appointments range from routine wellness/vaccinations to equine dental work. Emergencies can extend some work days overnight and into the next morning.

Glader describes Celeste Grace as her “spirit animal,” noting

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introducing locals | “We will never forget the drive into Sandpoint,” Rocke said. “Even after three days of driving and being utterly exhausted ... it was amazing.”

The Rocke family came here from Rome, Georgia, where Jordan, 37, worked as a food company procurement director. He assumed the same role with Litehouse Foods last year, working remotely until moving here July 1.

“My team and I are responsible for making sure we have everything we need to produce all the wonderful products our company makes,” he explained. “I have loved being a part of the Litehouse team from afar and now am excited to be part of the Litehouse and Sandpoint community in person.”

Rocke, a Bradley University grad, has spent a lifetime associated with the food industry.

“As the fourth generation [RMH Foods in Illinois], I learned about hard work from Dad and Grandpa,” he said. “The experience I gained running a plant and wearing many different hats was instrumental in getting me to where I am today.”

A visit to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons during his youth

nati ves + newcom e rs

hatched his dream of someday living out West in the mountains.

“Even in the smoke, driving in and seeing the lake and 360 degrees of mountain views felt like the visions of my dreams,” he said.

The Rockes wasted no time adjusting to their new life in Sandpoint.

“I have enjoyed the time as a family,” Rocke said. “Our kids have gotten to try new things (sailing and lifeguard classes, fishing, and water skiing).”

Q. How have locals helped your transition?

A. We’ve been invited to be part of family events over the Fourth of July, been taken on tours on the lake, told where to pick huckleberries, and been given advice on schools, hikes, and restaurants to try.

Q. Besides work, how do you envision contributing your talents to this community?

A. We’re excited to be a part of Sandpoint by getting involved in the schools with our kids, serving in church, and finding other local organizations that we can be part of to help.

Q. What is your favorite memory so far in Sandpoint?

A. Seeing my wife’s face light up as she went out on the kayak for her first cruise on Lake Pend Oreille.

Q. How you describe this area to friends back home?

A. We’ve said many times since we arrived that Sandpoint feels like you are always on vacation.

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THERE’S PLENTY TO DO IN SANDPOINT NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER OR SEASON

FIND A COMPLETE GUIDE AT www.sandpointonline.com/rec.

PHOTO BY DOUG MARSHALL

Outdoors Skiing AND boarding. Schweitzer Mountain Resort has 2,900 acres and features 92 trails and open bowl skiing just 11 miles from downtown Sandpoint. The mountain boasts 2,400 vertical feet. Ten lifts serve two open bowls, treed glades, and three terrain parks. www.schweitzer.com (208-263-9555).

Cross-country Skiing. The Sandpoint Nordic Club has the best resource for groomed trails at www.sandpointnordic.com. The club maintains 7 km of beginner to intermediate trails at Pine Street Woods, with rentals available, and 15 km at the Lakeshore trails at 8000 Lakeshore Drive. Schweitzer Mountain offers 32 km of groomed trails with the most predictable snow thanks to its elevation. www.schweitzer.com. Western Pleasure Guest Ranch, www.westernpleasureranch.com, has 10 km of trails; and the state parks at Round Lake, Farragut and Priest Lake all have maintained trails. Not groomed but right in town, the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail north of City Beach offers a very flat 2.5 km lakeside jaunt.

Backcountry. Nearly unlimited options exist on public lands surrounding Sandpoint up national forest roads such as Roman Nose and Trestle Creek. Call the Sandpoint Ranger District (208-263-5111) or the Bonners Ferry Ranger District (208267-5561) for maps and current conditions, including avalanche advisories. Call the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center toll-free at 866-489-8664. For a guided backcountry experience, take an excursion from Schweitzer via snowcat with Selkirk Powder or check out their heli-skiing opportunity (208-263-6959). www. sandpointonline.com/rec or www.fs.usda.gov/ipnf.

Sleigh Rides. Western Pleasure Guest Ranch, 16 miles northeast of Sandpoint on Upper Gold Creek Road, offers sleigh rides in a rural setting for groups and couples. www.westernpleasureranch.com (208-263-9066).

Snowmobiling. Snowcat trails around Sandpoint and Priest Lake in the Selkirk Mountains are renowned; for more information, contact Sandpoint Winter Riders, www.idaho snow.org (208-263-0677) or Priest Lake Trails & Snowmobile Club (509-466-3331) or www.priestlake.org. For guided rides at Schweitzer, contact Selkirk Powder. www.selkirkpowder.com (208-263-6959).

State Parks. Three state parks are within close range

to Sandpoint: Farragut (208-683-2425), Round Lake (208-2633489) and Priest Lake (208-443-2200), with activities such as camping, cross-country skiing trails, and snowmobiling. www. parksandrecreation.idaho.gov.

Walking. For cleared paths, try the Pedestrian Long Bridge alongside Highway 95 over Lake Pend Oreille; the paths along the Sand Creek Byway; Travers Park on West Pine Street; City Beach downtown; Sandpoint-Dover Community Trail along Highway 2 West; Lakeview Park, through and around the Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society Arboretum; and overlooking Sand Creek at the Healing Garden next to Bonner General Health.

Wildlife Refuge. Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, 30 miles north of Sandpoint near Bonners Ferry, has more than 2,700 acres and abundant wildlife and birds. Hiking trails to a waterfall and around a pond, auto tour routes. www.fws.gov/ kootenai (208-267-3888).

WaterLife Discovery Center. On Lakeshore Drive, the center offers interpretive trails and self-guided tours of fish habitat and an interpretive area on the Pend Oreille River. www.fishandgame.idaho.gov (208-769-1414).

Fishing. There’s great ice fishing on Lake Pend Oreille at the north end of the Long Bridge in front of Condo del Sol. Main prey is perch, though bass and trout are also caught. Ice fishing is also popular on smaller lakes: Cocolalla, Mirror, Gamlin, Shepherd, Round, Antelope, and Priest. Lake Pend Oreille’s deep waters rarely freeze, and even in midwinter charter fishing boats pursue its trophy rainbow trout.

Ice Skating and Sledding. When conditions are right, ice skaters flock to Third Avenue Pier, Sandpoint City Beach, or Sand Creek below the Cedar Street Bridge. Round Lake State Park maintains both regular and speed-skating rinks (208-263-3489). For sledding, Schweitzer offers Hermits Hollow Tubing Center (208-255-3081).

Indoors Art Galleries. Truly an arts town, Sandpoint has numerous galleries and artists’ studios. Downtown take a walking tour; on First Avenue check out ArtWorks, Cedar Glen Gallery/ Ferrara Wildlife Photography, Hallans Gallery, and Hen’s Tooth Studio. Art lovers may also visit Pend Oreille Arts Council, just

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n e wco m e rs off First at 110 Main St. Ste. 101. The Chris Kraisler Gallery is located at 517 N. Fourth. www.artinsandpoint.org (208-263-6139). At Schweitzer, the Artists’ Studio in the White Pine Lodge features local artists.

Museums. Enjoy many fine displays depicting old-time Bonner County at the Bonner County History Museum. Open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Free admission on the first Saturday of the month year-round, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Located in Lakeview Park, 611 S. Ella. www.bonnercountyhistory.org (208-263-2344).

Movies. Sandpoint Cinemas is a six-plex theater inside the Bonner Mall on Highway 95, featuring new releases weekly. www.sandpointcinemas.com (208-215-2060).

The historic Panida Theater downtown at 300 N. First shows foreign and independent films, plus film festivals (www.panida.org).

Athletic Clubs. Greater Sandpoint has a plethora of opportunities, but the most comprehensive is Litehouse YMCA, 1905 W. Pine St., with a 25-meter indoor pool, courts, a weight room, group classes, and a sauna and spa. Open daily, with facilities reserved for vulnerable populations from 10 a.m. ‘til noon on Wednesdays and Fridays. www.ymcainw.org (208-263-6633).

Spas. Get pampered at Wildflower Day Spa, www.thewildflowerdayspa.com (208263-1103), Solstice Wellness Spa at Schweitzer Mountain. www.solsticewellbeing.com (208-263-2862) or Signature Aesthetics. www.signatureaesthetics.com (208-627-6869) Breweries and Pubs. Downtown, see brewing in action at MickDuff’s Beer Hall, the production and tasting room, open daily at 220 Cedar St., (208-209-6700) or visit their family restaurant at 419 N. Second Ave. www.mickduffs.com (208-255-4351).

For pubs that serve a lot of craft beers, try Eichardt’s Pub & Grill at 212 Cedar St. (208263-4005) or Idaho Pour Authority at 203 Cedar St. (208-597-7096). Taste handcrafted ales at Laughing Dog Brewing in Ponderay; taproom is open at 805 Schweitzer Plaza Dr. 7 days a week from noon to 8 p.m. www.laughingdogbrewing.com (208-263-9222).

WWW.ALPINESHOPSANDPOINT.COM

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Schweitzer Mountain in the Village 208.255.1660

Downtown Sandpoint 213 Church St 208.263.5157

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Gold Hill Trail Trail

Head

Clark Fork

Map © TerraPen Geographics.|

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Matchwood Brewery, at 513 Oak St., offers a craft beer for every taste, with eight beers on tap. www.matchwoodbrewing. com (208-718-2739). Utara Brewing Co., 214 Pine St., offers 11 “core” beers and a small bites menu. www.utaraidaho.com (208-627-5070).

Wineries and Wine Bars.

Pend d’Oreille Winery features tours, wine tasting, and a gift shop. Open Tues.-Sat. 12 to 8 p.m. 301 Cedar St. www. powine.com (208-265-8545). Small House Winery is open Saturdays and by appointment at 1636 Baldy Park Dr. www. smallhousewinery.com (208-290-2016).

Cabin View Winery, north of Sandpoint, is open by appointment only. www.cabinviewwinery.com. See story on p. 118.

PHOTO BY WOODS WHEATCROFT

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Downtown retailers are going all out in the Sandpoint Shopping District, where shoppers will discover a fine array of eclectic shops and galleries with clothing, art, and gifts galore. www.downtownsandpoint.com. Highlights include the Cedar Street Bridge Public Market with retailers such as Carousel Emporium and Huckleberry Depot, art, and food such as Tasty’s Eatery & Wine Bar, all in a beautiful log structure spanning Sand Creek. www. cedarstreetbridge.com (208-255-8360). Just down the street are First Avenue retailers such as Finan McDonald Clothing Company, Larson’s Department Store, Northwest Handmade, and Zero Point Crystals.

Antiques abound at Foster’s Crossing, a mini mall with lots of collectibles, on Fifth between Cedar and Oak streets (208-2635911); and MarketPlace Antiques & Gifts, open daily, at Fifth and Church (208-2634444). Just out of town, Bonner Mall in Ponderay has stores large and small; it’s on U.S. Highway 95 two miles north of Sandpoint (208-263-4272).

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LODGING

sandpoint

Spa or Sauna

Pool on site

Restaurant

Bar or Lounge

54

x

x

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x Downtown Sandpoint on the lake. Indoor pool, sauna, fitness room, hot tub. All rooms with lake view. Dine at Trinity at City Beach. Also 22-site RV park.

208-263-3194 or 800-635-2534

Cedar Street Hotel & Suites

68

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60

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25

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50

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208-263-9581

Daugherty Management 208-263-1212

Dover Bay Bungalows

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208-263-2211 x

x

Fully furnished condos and on-site athletic club on Lake Pend Oreille. Stay and play packages. See ad, page 28. www.posresort.com

208-264-5828 70

x

x

x

x

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x Mountain accommodations, stay-and-play packages. Spectacular mountain and lake views. Outdoor heated pool and hot tubs. See ad on back cover. www.schweitzer.com

208-265-0257 or 877-487-4643

Sleep's Cabins

4

x

208-255-2122

Twin Cedars Camping and Vacation Rentals 208-920-1910

Accommodations for weddings, retreats and banquets. Lakeside with swimming and docks. Views of lake and mountains for an unforgettable Idaho vacation. www.lodgeatsandpoint.com

x

Pend Oreille Shores Resort

Selkirk Lodge

Sandpoint’s luxury vacation home rentals, with properties on the lake and the mountain. See ad, page 3 Schweitzer Magazine, page 5 Sandpoint Magazine. www. staysandpoint.com

Free breakfast with waffles, 24-hour hot tub, free wireless internet. Family suites. At the base of Schweitzer Mountain, two miles from Lake Pend Oreille. www.fairbridgesandpoint.com

208-263-2210

Lodge at Sandpoint

Downtown location, high-speed internet. Free breakfast, themed spa suites. Ask about Silverwood, ski and golf packages. Kids stay free. www.cedarstreethotel.com

Waterfront bungalows at Dover Bay in Marina Village. Fully furnished, lake and mountain views. Fitness center, marina, hiking/biking trails. www.doverbaybungalows.com

208-263-5493

FairBridge Inn & Suites

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10

x

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Sleep's Cabins have been a beloved part of the community and a landmark on Lake Pend Oreille since the 1930s. Perfect for family vacations. See ad page 30. www.sleepscabins.com Vacation rental homes, Boho bell tents, RV sites and a camping cabin amongst two beautiful acreages on Lake Pend Oreille and in the Selle Valley, both with outdoor hot tubs. www.twincedarssandpoint.com

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Cozy up (deliciously) to Winter

INDULGING IN FRESH-BAKED GOODNESS

by Beth Hawkins

I

t takes a hardy soul to forge through North Idaho’s long winter, which gives pastry and bread lovers the perfect excuse to seek sustenance from the plentiful supply of fresh-baked goods in our area. And right in the center of downtown, and in the center of cinnamon roll heaven, is the Bluebird Bakery at 329 N. First Ave. Jill Severson has owned the bakery for two years now, finetuning her craft in places including New York and Alaska before

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coming to Sandpoint. “I worked on my recipe development and finding the right ingredients,” Severson said. “All of our flour comes from western Washington, where the mill buys direct from the farm.” She started her Bluebird Bakery at the Sandpoint Farmer’s Market before opening a downtown storefront. “I kind of was always looking for a space, and that space became available.” The light-filled location sits at the corner of First and Cedar, the hub of downtown hustle and bustle, with plenty of

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THE SMELL OF FRESH BREAD, MADE DAILY, MAKES BLUEBIRD BAKERY FEEL LIKE HOME. PHOTO BY RACHAEL BAKER.

indoor seating. It’s proven to be an idyllic location for discovering delicious pastries (including brioche cinnamon rolls … yum!), fresh-baked breads, breakfast options, and pizza-by-theslice during lunch.

“Our pastries are made in-house, fresh, by hand every day,” Severson said. “My best advice is to get in before noon for the best selection, our ham and cheese croissants go fast!” Another big seller is the avocado toast, featuring an avocado spread, Pack River Farms microgreen salad, and poached egg, topping fresh-baked bread. Hey, you can feel good about your bakery indulgences with this one!

The bakery is open Wednesday through Sunday for breakfast

and lunch.

A mainstay in the local bakery scene is Miller’s Country Store, 1326 Baldy Mountain Rd., where bread and scones are baked fresh every day. “Our best seller is the honey wheat bread, and sourdough is a close second,” said owner Lane Riffey. “We now bake sourdough all the time.”

Mark up your calendar accordingly to enjoy Miller’s cinnamon rolls, baked fresh on Tuesdays and Fridays, and stollen (a cream cheese and fruit-filled pastry) on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Although as Riffey points out, there are take-and-bake cinnamon rolls available in the refrigerated case for adding that lovely, fresh-baked smell to your own home!

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Local Natural Delicious

Winter Ridge Natural Foods is your onestop-shop to support your healthy lifestyle.

Organic Produce Salad Bar Deli Hot Food Bar Local Grass-Fed Meats and Dairy Extensive Wellness and Beauty Departments Exclusive Wines and Cheeses Beer and Kombucha on Tap Robust Bulk Items Healthy On-The-Go Foods And So Much More.

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119 N. 1st Avenue

Adjacent to Sandpoint City Beach

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301 Cedar St #101 | Sandpoint, ID 83864

Pies are baked fresh every Thursday and can be picked up any day of the week. “We make them all, and bake them on Thursday,” Riffey said. “Sometimes there’s pie by the slice available; we make huckleberry pies by special order only.”

The holidays are always a busy time at Miller’s, so get those Thanksgiving pie orders in earlier rather than later. They also make Christmas holiday treats and cookie plates to order for large gatherings. What a delicious and easy way to spread good tidings!

Well worth every mile of the drive is Clark Fork Pantry, 204 E. 4th St. in Clark Fork, where owners Dave and Barbara Schrock have been providing the community with fresh cinnamon rolls, Danishes, breads, and more since 2010.

“We’re known for our cinnamon rolls, and when they’re in season we make huckleberry Danishes and that’s boosted our Danish sales.” The bakery also makes fresh yeast breads daily, including honey wheat, whole wheat, sourdough, rye, and white, and quick breads such as poppyseed and pumpkin.

The Schrocks ensure that the bakery uses only the purest ingredients in their freshly made breads and rolls. “One thing about us is that we’re very focused on making a natural product, especially in our bakery, with natural ingredients,” Dave Schrock said. “No GMOs, no artificial ingredients. We use cane sugar, pure olive oil.”

He adds that the Clark Fork Pantry also offers made-from-scratch soups that have really gained a following with its customers. “We almost can’t keep up with our soups, they’re popular,” he said. Some of the top sellers include beef barley, chicken tortellini, and creamy potato. “They’re all homemade and we make everything from scratch. We do a lot of the creamy comfort soups this time of year.” The Clark Fork Pantry is open Monday through Saturday.

If you or someone in your family has dietary concerns, the bakery at Winter Ridge Natural Foods, 703 Lake St., opens up a world of fresh-baked possibilities. That’s because one side of the

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pastry case is gluten-free! Discover a mouthwatering selection of cinnamon rolls, scones, and muffins made fresh every morning, along with several varieties of breads including French, country rye, country white, English muffins, hot dog buns, and one of the most popular go-tos on the menu, the Sandpoint Sourdough. The bakery uses mostly organic ingredients in their bakery, along with local eggs. Winter Ridge is open daily.

And finally it’s just not a bakery article without including The Pie Hut, 502 Church St. “We’re not a bakery, we’re a restaurant that sells pies,” said owner Heather Gross. And that they do!

Thirty flavors, in fact, all made in-house from the delicious crust to the fillings. “Our creme brulee is the most popular, I make a lot of those,” Gross said. Others that sell quickly this time of year are the sour cream lemon, pumpkin, and peanut butter chocolate. The Pie Hut is open Tuesdays through Saturdays.

PHOTOS P. 113 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: DANISHES AT CLARK FORK PANTRY. THE PIE HUT OFFERS SPECIALTY PIES IN ADDITION TO FAMILY FAVORITES, LIKE THE BANANA SPLIT PIE SHOWN. WINTER RIDGE OFFERS HAND PIES FOR THOSE WHO WANT A SIMPLE SNACK. FRESH CINNAMON ROLLS ARE A STAPLE AT MILLER’S COUNTRY STORE. COURTESY PHOTOS. THIS PAGE: FRESH AND MADE-BY-HAND ARE THE OPERATIVE WORDS AT BLUEBIRD BAKERY. PHOTO BY RACHAEL BAKER.

Quality Homemade Goods & Local Products

BULK FOOD

Millers

LUNCH

TAKE-N-BAKES Hours M-F 8:30-5:30 208-263-9446 Now Available With

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Answering the Rumor Mill

DINING ROOM OF 41 SOUTH. PHOTO BY DOUG MARSHALL.

AREA EATERIES DEAL WITH DIFFICULT TIMES

by Beth Hawkins and Trish Gannon

B

ack in 2020, restaurants were coping with COVID-19 closures and restrictions. In 2021, restaurants faced staffing shortages that saw some losing more than 75 percent of their employees. Nonetheless, a great many of them continue to persevere, serving Sandpoint and its environs some of the best food around. As the old joke goes: “You know where to find the best restaurant in Spokane? Sandpoint.” And it still holds true.

Some of the notable changes happening in our local restaurant world include the successful move of Sagle’s highly popular Cafe 95 to their new location at 1109 Fontaine Drive in Ponderay. Spud’s Waterfront Grill returned in early fall to its original location at 102 N. First Ave. after temporarily relocating during a remodel (the patio overlooking Sand Creek is once again open for those relaxing lunchtime dates!). Although it’s a small change, for pizza lovers this one is big: Arlo’s Ristorante (124 S. 2nd Ave.), which celebrated 20 years of operations this fall, is expanding with a new brick pizza oven. Meanwhile, two popular favorites, the Hydra Steakhouse (115 Lake St.) and Tango Cafe (in the Columbia Bank Building), are keeping the rumor mill hopping as both are up for sale.

Everyone’s talking about Trinity at City Beach (58 Bridge St.) and trying to predict its future. The restaurant is a favorite destination for enjoying a delicious meal while overlooking the water, but the long-term plans for the Edgewater Hotel call for the entire building—which houses Trinity—to be torn down at some time in the future. Justin Dick, who owns Trinity and leases the restaurant space, has been proactive in his plans for the future, and purchased the old Truby’s building on the corner of Main Street and Second Avenue in Sandpoint. “It’s a transition building,” he said. “It gives me a lot of flexibility.”

There is no firm timeline for when Trinity will need to make the move, but the building is ready and waiting.

As Dick points out, leases can be a problem for restaurant owners at a time when building prices are high, and owners might be looking to cash out on their investment. But he counsels restaurants to hang on, believing the time will come when prices come down and allow many the opportunity to become property owners themselves.

Unfortunately, the escalating price of real estate in Bonner County looks to have contributed to the demise of Forty-One South—an elegant waterfront restaurant at the south end of the Long Bridge (41 Lakeshore Dr.) that sadly closed its doors this fall. Cassandra Cayson, who owned the restaurant, said the new buyers of the building did not renew her lease.

Cayson does not have plans to open another restaurant and is viewing the closure of Forty-One South as the start of a new chapter in her life. “I’m not exactly sure what direction that will be yet, but I am looking forward to figuring it out.”

Recently, the biggest hardship for Cayson had been the lack of staffing; she cites the growth of Sandpoint, which has added more jobs to the community. “We have experienced the highest demand during the past year than ever before, and we just don’t have the staff to accommodate everyone. In my opinion, that is not a ‘people don’t want to work problem’ though. By the way, that statement is especially insensitive to say to your server who is clearly running their butt off for you to enjoy a beautiful dinner.” She sympathizes with other local restaurants regarding their current staffing challenges. “We are doing everything possible to keep up, make adjustments where we can, and keep a smile on our face when the guests walk in the door. Be kind, grateful, and patient.”

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drinks Cayson is appreciative of the community’s support, and thanks her staff for enduring so much. “The great thing about Forty-One South is that we were the place to create memories. It was a very special place. I’ll miss all of it.”

Over at Second Avenue Pizza (214 2nd Ave.), owner Carolyn Gleason—the doyenne of both pizza and Lost in the ‘50s— is contemplating retirement. But no need to panic: “Second Avenue is not going anywhere!” she said. “Eventually, I’ll sell,” she said, “but only to somebody who cares about it enough to take care of it, and take care of our community as well.”

Spencer Smith, who is currently managing the business, is the likely purchaser of the restaurant. Smith is known to many from his work in his father’s business, Trader’s Building Supply, or from his five years as a Sandpoint patrol officer, or from his stint as the school resource officer for Sandpoint High School.

Or maybe they know him from his work at Second Avenue Pizza itself—he’s been there since he was a teenager. He assured “There won’t be any changes at Second Avenue.” Gleason has done too good a job training him how to make the perfect pizza.

Fans who miss the in-town fun of The Longshot, 102 S. Boyer Ave., will be happy to see the lights back on—occasionally—at this former wine bar and eatery that closed this past summer. The Longshot has become an event space that can be rented out for private events, parties, meetings, weddings, concerts, and more. And while it won’t be open on a regular basis,

the venue is hosting pop-up events such as a Halloween Dance Party that was held in October.

Ownership of The Longshot remains the same, with Travis Brim managing the space and coordinating events, and Justin Landis and Josh Hedlund booking most of the musicians.

“There is still beer, wine, and canned cocktails for purchase, but less natural wine and a lower price point overall,” Brim said.

“There will typically be food or snacks offered at events, and occasionally a food truck depending on the event.”

Meanwhile, Beet and Basil (105 S. 1st Ave.), which had closed due to lack of staff, announced it has re-opened for to-go orders only, on a pre-order basis. Take-out is offered on Wednesday through Friday between 4 p.m. and 7p.m., with preordering the day prior at www.beetandbasil.net.

There are even new places that have opened (or are opening) in the area. Timber Town Beer Co. (see story on page 120) opened this fall in Priest River, while Powder Hound Pizza (see story on page 117) re-opened in a new location in Sandpoint.

The Crow’s Bench in Schweitzer’s Humbird Hotel is slated to open (weather permitting) mid-December. And while not usually considered “fine dining,” area residents were excited to welcome the new Wendy’s fast-food restaurant in Ponderay.

A key point to remember: reservations are more important than ever! They allow restaurants to staff appropriately, and guarantee your seat at the table.

serving you 7 days a week at two locations!

Watch for the Grand Opening in Athol - Spring of 2022

- coming 2022 to Athol -

Sweet Lou’ Lou ’s Restaurant & Bar Hwy 95 N Ponderay | 208.263.1381

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Come hungry, Stay late, Eat well! www.sweetlousidaho.com

Sweet Lou’ Lou’s Restaurant & TAP HOUSE 601 Front Ave. 208.667.1170 | DOWNTOWN Cda

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Powder Hound returns downtown

by Emilie McGrath

T

his fall, Powder Hound Pizza opened their new location on 201 E. Superior Street. The new setting boasts extensive outdoor seating, multiple televisions, and is walking distance from downtown and the marina. They brought back their beloved Wing Wednesdays and feature a variety of pizza and beer. But for owners Ben and Jeannie Higgs, this will be anything but a new and uncharted business venture. This grand opening symbolized a rebirth, a literal “rising from the ashes” story.

On the morning of February 11, 2019, Ben Higgs stood in front of the original Hound Pizza, as he watched Sandpoint firefighters work against the fires that completely destroyed five businesses (the Hound included) and damaged two others on First Avenue. After fighting for two years to reopen in the same location, Ben and Jeannie realized they needed to commit to another place in order to open back up for the community and to solely focus on their delectable pizza. They settled on the

new Powder Hound building, which was previously a bank. It features bar tops repurposed from cedar gifted to the Higgs by a late friend as well as original murals painted by local artists, a delicate weaving of both the loss and rebirth of the new Power Hound pizza.

Throughout the journey, the community rallied around the Powder Hound family, offering temporary jobs to their employees and office space to their staff. Reopening a restaurant after a devastating fire takes a certain amount of tenacity and commitment. Ben and Jeannie already own the iconic Powder Hound location on Schweitzer but have remained eager and determined to reopen near the downtown area. So whether you drop in for a beer and wings or go out for pizza with the family, enjoy the convenient location and eclectic atmosphere the Powder Hound locations always provide. And while there, be inspired and reminded, that through fire, more than just the pizza dough rises.

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There’s a

by Beth Hawkins

W

New Wine IN TOWN

ine enthusiasts were pleasantly surprised this past summer to learn there was a new winery in North Idaho. Cabin View Winery made its grand debut during the Festival at Sandpoint’s wine tasting event, where Jim Mills and his wife Kristin poured newly released 2019 vintage red and white wines to an appreciative crowd.

And though Jim Mills is just now hitting the local scene with his new wines, that lagtime between starting Cabin View Winery and introducing its products to the world echoes the years-long aging process of creating fine wines.

“We started the business two and a half years ago, but we’re just now starting to sell the wine,” Mills said. “It takes a while to get everything aged and bottled, but it’s going well. I’m cautiously optimistic!”

Mills has had a distinguished career in the winemaking industry, having worked for nearly 20 years with well-known wineries including Hogue Cellars in Washington state, where he rose through the ranks to become head winemaker.

After moving to North Idaho about four years ago, the Washington State University alum turned his passion for winemaking into his own business. He focuses almost entirely on red wine,

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which is what he knows and loves best. “We do a little bit of rosé and white wine, but it’s 95 percent red wine.”

Cabin View Winery’s grapes are purchased from vineyards in Washington and trucked back to North Idaho. “We have two different American Viticultural Areas, which are designated wine grape-growing regions, at Rattlesnake Hills and Red Mountain, and three different vineyards within those AVAs.” The process of acquiring the grapes from another state is not an easy one.

“I contract with the vineyard owners, bring my truck out, haul them back, and crush them here at the winery.”

As far as growing his own grapes in the wintry lands of Idaho’s Panhandle, Mills just planted a small vineyard in early fall of 2021. “It’s a cold hardy grape called Marquette,” he said.

“It’s actually a varietal from the University of Minnesota. It makes some amazing wine, similar to Merlot and Pinot Noir. I’m looking to plant a little bit more. We’re a little cautious of the weather, but these particular varietals are late-budding and early ripening.”

For folks ready to sample some of Mills’ wines—a collection including Petit Verdot, Syrah, red blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Viognier, Dolcetto Rosato, and semi-sparkling Dolcetto Frizzante—Cabin View Winery has tastings available by appointment only. “Right now we have a functional tasting

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Delicious nDailys Come & Taste!

Baxtersoncedar@gmail.com • 208-229-8377 • 109 Cedar St, Sandpoint

Monday - Saturday 11:00 am-9:00 pm

PHOTO, PREVIOUS PAGE: CABIN VIEW WINERY SOURCES ITS GRAPES FROM VINEYARDS IN WASHINGTON. TOP: OWNER JIM MILLS TASTES WINES DURING THE PROCESS. ABOVE: CABIN VIEW’S 2019 DOLCETTO ROSATO. COURTESY PHOTOS.

room, but it’s very small.” The winery is located north of Sandpoint at the base of the Cabinet Mountain Range—hence, that “cabin view” of the mountains.

Mills has his sights set on bigger things in the near future. “We’re hoping to open something up in town this next summer,” Mills said. He envisions a small tasting room to give an in-town presence. “Another winery would be great in the area.” And that’s something that wine enthusiasts across the region are sure to appreciate.

To purchase Cabin View wine, order online at CabinViewWinery.com or check local grocery stores as they come onboard.

CRAFT BEER, WINE, EATERY, EVENTS, LIVE MUSIC

SANDPOINT, COEUR D’ALENE, & NEW! SPOKANE WONDER BUILDING 524 CHURCH ST, SANDPOINT 504 E SHERMAN AVE, COEUR D’ALENE WONDER MARKET, 821 W MALLON AVE, SPOKANE

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ur region’s newest craft brewery can be found in downtown Priest River, where Timber Town Beer Co. opened its doors this fall at 50 Main St., Ste. 101. “We made it in time for Priest River’s Oktoberfest celebration,” said owner Brandon Hawkins, a graduate of Sandpoint High School and the University of Idaho who studied beermaking at a research institute in Germany and was the head brewer at a brewery in Pullman, Washington, before venturing out on his own. “I’ve wanted to open a brewery for over a decade now, so it feels awesome,” Hawkins said.

The brewery is located in the Beardmore Building, built in 1922 and now LEED-certified after a major restoration, and provides ample indoor seating. Timber Town Beer Co.’s aesthetics pay tribute to the area’s logging roots with rustic signage and décor including a bartop slab of locally harvested wood.

Hawkins currently has three beers on tap—a hazy pale IPA, a tangerine hefeweizen, and a golden ale—and is working to complete the brewery’s lineup. “We’ll be bringing out more beers and fine-tuning the menu.” Timber Town’s food menu includes small bites featuring a pickle plate, a meat and cheese

A&Ps Bar and Grill, 222 N. First Ave., is still one of those steadfast great places downtown where it’s easy to grab a cold beverage and a delicious meal. A&Ps has 10 beers on tap, and

Seasonal Pub Fare with a Unique Twist

tty tn!

Winter Hours Tue-Sat 4:00pm to 10:00pm

in our

www.SandpointDining.com

|

Baxters on Cedar, located downtown at 109 Cedar St., is an upscale pub that serves American cuisine. The restaurant is now open daily, bucking the local trend of restaurants closing on certain days of the week. Fortunately, Baxters has not experienced a shortage of staff, and is rolling out specials that change up every week. For one of the menu mainstays, try the spicy shrimp etouffee—made with andouille sausage and tiger shrimp in a traditional Louisiana creole sauce that’s served over white basmati rice.

Find EVERY

restaurant

120

plate, and more, along with hot sandwiches such as a melty Reuben made with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing on marbled rye bread, served with a side of chips.

Stay tuned for new beer additions this winter, plus events, at www.timbertownbeer.com.

SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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301 Cedar St., Suite 102 208.265.PORK

www.sandpointfatpig.com

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diluna’s

baxter’s

E ATS + D R I N KS

FROM LEFT: WHEN NOTHING BUT THE BEST WILL DO, STOP IN FOR PRIME RIB AT SWEET LOU’S. A&P’S MOUTHWATERING REUBEN SANDWICH IS A HIT WITH CUSTOMERS. BRANDON HAWKINS TRIES A SAMPLE AT THE NEW TIMBER TOWN BEER CO. BAXTER’S TAKE ON A CAJUN CLASSIC: SHRIMP AND SPICY SAUSAGE ETOUFFEE. DI LUNA’S CAFE SERVES UP A CHILE RELLANO. COURTESY PHOTOS

uses local Wood’s meats for their burgers. New to the menu this fall is a loaded French dip sandwich topped with grilled onions and mushrooms. They’re also known to make a mean Reuben sandwich, plus incredibly tasty homemade soups during the wintertime, so pop in for lunch or dinner and make things easy on yourself. Open daily.

Coming up on 11 years in Ponderay, Sweet Lou’s, 477272 U.S. Hwy. 95, is a certified go-to spot for a hearty meal while watching the game on TV. The smoked baby-back ribs are a longtime favorite, served with a choice of house or bourbon sauce; or opt for the bison ribs, equally as delicious and tender.

New this winter are Kraken Game Day drink specials—in celebration of the Seattle Kraken hockey team. They’re all made with Kraken Rum, and a tempting one to try is the Perfect Storm, made with Kraken Rum and ginger beer. Watch for a new location opening in Athol in spring 2022. Open daily.

Serving breakfast and lunch on Fridays through Mondays, Di Luna’s Cafe at 207 Cedar St. makes for an ideal downtown

Rice crusts & soy cheese now available

•Delivery •Sandwiches •Calzones •Specialty Salads •Homemade Dough •Beer/Wine •Take & Bakes

locale to meet up with friends in a cozy, relaxed atmosphere.

Owner and chef Karen Forsythe utilizes as many locally sourced products as possible in the cafe’s gourmet fare, and she has added a new breakfast hash to the menu—Di Luna’s Hash, made with broccoli, beets, parsnips, and sweet potatoes, all topped in a citrus sauce and served with toast. Forsythe said the bowls have a been a big hit, and has added back to the menu the organic brown rice and quinoa bowl.

Just like other restaurants in the greater Sandpoint area, Forsythe said she has also been affected by staffing issues.

“Our staffing shortages have meant that we have not been able to increase our seating, nor have we been able to do special events such as concerts and catering. We are operating bare bones and if for some reason we are short more than one staff member, we have to close for that day.” Thankfully, there is a small gift shop at the front of the restaurant that’s been a nice boost for business. “It’s been very busy, and we have a lot of great stocking stuffers as well as an expanded line of organic cotton baby outfits and toys.” Shopping and lunch, perfect!

SINCE 1994

“We Salt The Margaritas And The Side Walk” The Carolyn

215 S. 2nd Ave.

263-9321 SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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Dining Map

Downtown Sandpoint eats+ drinks

14 11 10

To Schweitzer Mtn. Resort

To Hope & Clark Fork

16 Schweitzer Cut-off Rd.

Kootenai Cut-off Rd. Bonner Mall

6

Winter Ridge Natural Foods

7

Baxters on Cedar

8

Beet & Basil

9

Burger Dock

Sand Creek Byway

Visitor Center

Larch

11

Crow’s Bench

12

Di Luna’s Long Weekend Café and Gift Shop

SA

N

Bonner General Health

Poplar

15 Spud’s

Cedar

Matchwood Brewing

22 Mickduff ’s Brewing Co.

Brewpub 23 A&P’s Bar & Grill

26 Pend d’Oreille Winery

Church

Boyer Ave.

25 Mickduff ’s Beer Hall

Division St.

Pine

E

26

Main

21 1

13 12 24

To Dover & Priest River

Cedar St. 17

23

3

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SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

122_125_SMW22_DiningGuide.indd 122

Panida Theater

Bridge St.

9

City Beach

15 8

Lake St. Marina

19 18

To Sagle & Coeur d’Alene

S

122

Cedar St. Bridge

7

Town Square

Pine St.

6

Superior

N

25 20

Farmin Park

Oak

24 Idaho Pour Authority

22

S. Fourth Ave.

20 Eichardt’s Pub & Grill

Main

Third Ave.

19 Second Avenue Pizza

Fourth Ave.

Alder

Jalapeño’s Restaurant

18 Powderhound Pizza

Fifth Ave.

16 Sweet Lou’s

W

K

Healing Garden

14 Sky House At Schweitzer

21

CR

Fir

13 The Fat Pig

17

D

EE

10 Chimney Rock at Schweitzer

Elks Golf Course

Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail

Pack River Store

First Ave.

Miller’s Country Store & Deli

5

Second Ave.

Monarch Mountain Coffee

4

S. Second Ave.

Mojo Coyote at Schweitzer

3

PARKING

Evans Brothers Coffee

Boyer Ave.

1 2

Division St.

4 Baldy Mountain Rd.

LAKE PEND OREILLE

2

5

To Bonners Ferry & Canada

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Map not to scale!

11/2/21 2:54 PM

E ATS + D R I N KS

The Burger Dock, Courtesy Photo

COFFEE & CAFES

Restaurant index by type of cuisine. Locate by number on dining map

EVANS BROTHERS COFFEE

01

524 Church St. Located in downtown Sandpoint’s historic Granary Arts District. Enjoy exceptional coffees and espresso, including the popular Headwall Espresso Blend. Locally baked pastries, breakfast burritos and more. Open daily.

208-265-5553

MOJO COYOTE AT SCHWEITZER 02

703 Lake St. A natural foods grocery store with in-house deli, bakery, meat department, organic produce department, a juice and espresso bar, and hot food bar with indoor seating.

Open daily. 208-265-8135 www.winterridgefoods.com

ECLECTIC/FINE DINING 07

BAXTERS ON CEDAR

10000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. Enjoy a fresh Evans Brothers espresso and treat your sweet tooth to a warm scone. Fresh-baked pastries, breakfast burritos and lunch specials. Fine selection of beer and wine.

208-255-3037

MONARCH MOUNTAIN COFFEE

WINTER RIDGE NATURAL FOODS 06

109 Cedar St. Daily specials, fresh local products. From steaks and chops to half-pound burgers, great salads, and Baxters’ signature Key Lime pie. Open Monday through Saturday.

208-229-8377 www.baxtersoncedar.com

03

119 N. First Ave. Monarch Mountain Coffee is located in the heart of downtown Sandpoint, and air-roasts their own organic beans. Relax and enjoy ample indoor seating. Open daily.

208-261-1191

08

BEET & BASIL 105 S. First Ave. Global street food with a local flair, featuring unique options for vegetarians, vegans, meat lovers and those with dietary restrictions.

Pre-order takeout only, Wednesday through Friday.

208-920-6144 www.beetandbasil.net

DELICATESSENS & MARKETS MILLER’S COUNTRY STORE & DELI

04

1326 Baldy Mountain Rd. Wholesome goodness with a selection of fine deli meats and cheeses, bulk food items, pie fillings, fresh-baked pies, breads, and pastries—plus soup and sandwiches, take-home dinners, and soft-serve ice cream. Inside and outside seating. Open Monday through Friday. 208-263-9446 www.millerscountrystoresandpoint.com

116 N. First Ave. Handcrafted, locally sourced gourmet burgers. Veganfriendly options. Beer specials during pro-football season. Waterfront view of marina. Open daily.

208-597-7027 www.theburgerdock.com

05

CHIMNEY ROCK AT SCHWEITZER

PACK RIVER STORE

1587 Rapid Lightning Rd. A country store with gourmet fare, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Grab ‘n’ go burritos and salads, grocery necessities, plus a chef’s menu featuring weekly specials and more. Open daily.

208-263-2409 www.packriverstore.com

10

10000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. Fireplaces, comfortable seating in the bar, and diverse cuisine. Enjoy an extensive menu including high-quality steaks, hearty pasta, scrumptious salads and exquisite seafood. Open daily inside the Selkirk Lodge at Schweitzer.

208-255-3071

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09

THE BURGER DOCK

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Eats Drinks | Local Dining Guide &ts ea

drinks

CROW’S BENCH

11

SWEET LOU’S RESTAURANT

10000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. (Tentatively opening mid-December.)

Located in the new Humbird hotel, Crow’s Bench features fabulous views and Bavarian-inspired cuisine. www.schweitzer.com

DI LUNA’S LONG WEEKEND CAFÉ AND GIFT SHOP

12

ETHNIC

POWDER HOUND PIZZA

13

102 N. First Ave. A landmark restaurant in Sandpoint since 1995, Spuds creates everything from scratch, from soups and elaborate baked potatoes, to loaded salads, unique sandwiches and desserts. Serving lunch Tuesday through Saturday.

208-265-4311 www.spudsonline.com

15

19

SECOND AVENUE PIZZA

14

215 S. Second Ave. Savor the piled-high specialty pizzas, loaded with fresh ingredients on homemade dough, or calzones, specialty salads and sandwiches.

Gluten-free choices. Beer and wine, take-and-bake pizzas available. Free delivery; open daily.

208-263-9321 www.secondavenuepizza.com

10000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. Take a break at the top for a lunch experience unlike any other. Featuring a chef-inspired menu from locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients.

208-263-9555 www.schweitzer.com

SPUDS WATERFRONT GRILL

18

201 E. Superior St. in Sandpoint, and in the Schweitzer Village. The longtime Schweitzer go-to for pizza now open in Sandpoint. Enjoy killer pizza and delicious brews in a family-friendly, laid back environment. The new Sandpoint location has NHL Center Ice and NFL Season Ticket—so come watch any regular season game!

208-255-0685 (Sandpoint), 208-255-5645 (Schweitzer) www.powderhoundpizza.com

301 Cedar St. Suite 102. Enjoy an extensive draft beer selection in a warm pub environment with a rotating wine list. Refreshing twists on classic pub fare with a complete vegetarian menu. Open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner.

208-265-PORK (7675) www.sandpointfatpig.com

SKY HOUSE AT SCHWEITZER

17

JALAPEÑOS RESTAURANT

314 N. Second Ave. A Sandpoint favorite for over 20 years offering both traditional and Americanized Mexican dishes in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. Full bar, patio seating, banquet facilities, glutenfree menu and quick to-go menu offer something for everyone. Open Friday through Tuesday. 208-263-2995 www.sandpointjalapenos.com

207 Cedar St. American bistro café offering regional, sustainable foods including hand-cut steaks, homemade soups and vegetarian cuisine, plus eclectic gifts for sale. Open Friday through Monday.

208-263-0846 www.dilunas.com

THE FAT PIG

16

477272 U.S. Highway 95 in Ponderay.

Terrific traditional and regional fare.

Serving hand-cut steaks, freshly ground burgers, wild salmon and smoked ribs.

Family-friendly environment. Full bar. A second location is open in Coeur d’Alene.

208-263-1381 www.sweetlousidaho.com

PUB-STYLE EICHARDT’S PUB & GRILL

20

212 Cedar St. Relaxing pub and grill mixes casual dining with seriously good food.

Completely family friendly. More than a dozen beers on tap, good wines and live music. Upstairs game room with fireplace. Locally supported and nationally recognized since 1994. Open daily.

208-263-4005 www.eichardtspub.com

MATCHWOOD BREWING CO.

for a complete interactive guide to all local dining, go to www.sandpointdining.com

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21

513 Oak St. Sandpoint’s neighborhood brewery offers high-quality handmade craft beers for every palette, along with a savory eatery menu featuring shareables, handheld favorites, daily soup specials, seasonal menus, and more. Ample indoor seating, or sit outside on the spacious patio. Open Wednesday through Sunday.

208-718-2739 www.matchwoodbrewing.com

WI N T E R 2 0 2 2

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E ATS + D R I N KS Pack River Store

MICKDUFF’S BREWPUB

22

419 Second. Enjoy craft ales in the iconic restored old federal building downtown.

Menu includes traditional and updated pub fare, gourmet burgers, sandwiches and soups.

208-255-4351 www.mickduffs.com

TAVERNS, BREWERIES AND WINERIES A&P’S BAR & GRILL

23

222 N. First Ave. Longtime downtown tavern is home of the world-famous PJ’s hand-pressed hamburgers made with fresh Wood’s ground beef in a relaxed and friendly environment. Plus the best fries in town! Pool table, TVs, live and DJ music most weekends. Family friendly.

Open daily. 208-263-2313

IDAHO POUR AUTHORITY

24

203 Cedar St. Sandpoint’s premium craft beer store and taproom with 16 rotating craft beer taps and 300 bottled beers in stock. You’re sure to find a beer (or two) you love to drink here or at home. Also serving hard ciders, wine by the glass, and snacking options. 208-596-7096 www.idahopourauthority.com

MICKDUFF’S BREWING CO. BEER HALL & BREWERY

Pend d’Oreille Winery

Matchwood Brewing

25

220 Cedar St. Family-friendly brewery tasting room boasts 16 taps, local bar art, free popcorn and weekly entertainment.

Beer Hall is BYOF (Bring Your Own Food)friendly and has a beer for every taste. 21 years or older. Open daily.

208-209-6700

PEND D'OREILLE WINERY 301 Cedar St. Locally made wines, tasting room, house-made pizza and bites, live music, local art installations, and refillable wine growlers, located in the renovated and historic Belwood 301 Building. Open Tuesday through Saturday.

208-265-8545 www.powine.com

26

Jalapeños Restaurant

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eats+

INDEX

drinks

advertiser

7B TV Dish

46

Lewis & Hawn - Dentists

A Glass Act

98

Action Point Physical Therapy

108

All Seasons Garden & Floral Alpenglow Construction Alpine Shop

Skeleton Key Art

Lewis & Hawn - Sleep Solutions

31

Skywalker Tree Care

28

Litehouse Foods

12

Sleep’s Cabins

30

38

Maria Larson, Artist

38

Super 1 Foods

41

38

Misty Mountain Furniture

87

Taylor Insurance

19

96

Monarch Marble & Granite

90

The Local Pages

13, 106

106

Montana Specialty Log Construction 98

Timberframes by Collin Beggs

84, 98 50-51

Ameriprise Financial

127

Mountain Traders

53

Tomlinson Sotheby’s

Anderson’s Autobody

27

Mountain West Bank

89

Tomlinson Sotheby’s - Cindy Bond

IFC

Barry Fisher Custom Homes

29

North 40 Outfitters

4

Tomlinson Sotheby’s - Rich Curtiss

57

Bonner County Fair

17

Northwest Handmade

3

Tomlinson Sotheby’s - Chris Chambers 1

Century 21 Riverstone Company

23

Northwest Realty Group

Century 21 Riverstone - Carol Curtis

27

Northwest Self Storage

102

Co-Op Country Store

20

Panhandle Special Needs

102

Coeur Private Wealth Mgmt.

77

Pend Oreille Shores Resort

Coldwell Banker

9

Community Assistance League Bizarre Bazaar

Realm Partners Realm Partners - Jeremy Brown

44, 104

28 94-95

Wildflower Day Spa

24

Willamette Valley Bank

37

Schweitzer Magazine • Insert between pages 48-49 •

82

7B Boards

89

Alpine Shop

28

ReStore Habitat For Humanity

Connie Scherr

38

Rock Creek Alliance

Dana Construction

93

Sandpoint Building Supply

97

Bonner General Health

Sandpoint Momentum

54

Coldwell Banker

Daugherty Management

5

100

Boden Architecture

19 BC 8 19 7, IBC

Sandpoint Movers

103

Daugherty Management

6, 34

Sandpoint Online

126

Festival at Sandpoint

Evergreen Realty - Charesse Moore IBC

Sandpoint Reader

87

Northwest Realty Group

Greasy Fingers Bikes

Sandpoint Super Drug

18

Sandpoint Shopping District

21 IFC

Eve’s Leaves Evergreen Realty

14

34

Guaranteed Rate

2

Satisfaction Painting

82

Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Hallans Gallery

38

Schweitzer Mountain Resort

BC

Timberveil Real Estate

Hendricks Architect

83

Selkirk Craftsman Furniture

98

Tomlinson Sotheby’s

Kaniksu Community Health

45

Selle Valley Construction

98

Chris Chambers

Signature Aesthetics

42

KPND Radio

126

15

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SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

122_128_SMW22_DiningGuide+Index+LastPg.indd 126

108

Visit Sandpoint

4 13 8

16 3 26

WI N T E R 2 0 2 2

11/5/21 9:58 AM

Simplysandpoint

E ATS + D R I N KS

Hometown Professional Movers

SandpointMovers rlmsandpoint@gmail.com 208.265.5506 1326 Baldy Mt. Rd. Sandpoint, ID 83864

Vanderford’s Books & Office Products Est. 1978

Strategically Designed.

Results-driven.

Media + Marketing.

Visit us on Facebook, or at: bookshop.org/shop/vanderfords

See what we do at www.keokee.com

201 Cedar Ave. Sandpoint, ID 83864 | 208.263.2417

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Board Minutes May 23

10

3

logo.pdf

logo word.docx

Logo artwork

Logo artwork

Souptember logo.JPG

Apr 11, 2016

Apr 11, 2016

Jul 17, 2017

Apr 19

Oct 6, 2016

Logo Volunteer United…

4x5 logo (2).jpg

Promotional Material …

Mar 27

4 Computer Stuff Mar 1, 2016

Souptember logo.JPG 23 Oct 6, 2016

VIP Logo Centered.docx

4x5 logo (2).jpg

cfp_logo_gold.jpg

May 3, 2017

Feb 2

Nov 1, 2017

Feb 2

cfp_logo_black_outline…

Logo v3_outlines - Sou…

VIP logo v4.jpg

LogowithTaglineSocial…

LogowithTaglineSocial…

Logo v3_outlines - Sou…

Debra MayTownsend 9, 2016 Jun 15

Sep 21, 2016

Apr 19, 2017

Jul 24, 2017

Jul 24, 2017

May 26, 2016

Sep 21, 2016

Database Documents Mar 1, 2016

5

8 Directory

19

Sandpoint Community Resource Center provides

an extensive website offering information about how to receive help in areas as diverse as healthcare, housing, utilities, and clothing, while also connecting those who want to help with groups in need of volunteers.

There is even an option to register your organization’s need for volunteer support.

Learn more about it at www.sandpointcommunityresource.com 208-920-1840.

CFCGJul email logo.jpg 17, 2017 May 9, 2016

VIP logo v4_no tag lin…

logo.JPG

4x5 logo.jpg

4 Postcards_files

SPINPAGEIDEAS.pdf

Apr 19, 2017

Sep 11, 2015

Sep 21, 2016

Jul 17, 2017

reverse logo outlines.jpg

4x5 logo square.jpg

4x5 logo (2).jpg

SCRC logo 300 ppi.jpg

reverse logo outlines.jpg

Volunteer United Agen…

Sep 21, 2016

Jan 25, 2017

Jan 25, 2017

Jan 25, 2017

Sep 21, 2016

May 2, 2017

Feb 2, 2017

41

Documents Feb 8, 2016

20

Alpine Motors Your Buick, GMC truck

dealer. New and used sales and leasing. Full service, parts and body shop. Highway 95 N., Ponderay, 208-263-2118, 1-800-430-5050. www.alpinemotors.net

Donor mailing list Nov 7, 2016

5

4x5 logo (1).pdf Sep 21, 2016 20

Advisory Board Mtg. …

19

saved_resource.html

webmail.css

4 Postcards_files

Challenges 4 Postcards…

Nov 6, 2017

May 19, 2017

May 19, 2017

Apr 19

Jul 17, 2017

Pacific Office Automati…

Second Quarter SPIN (…

Some Tips for Register…

Suite 208 and storage …

Challenges 4 Postcards…

Aug 10

Nov 9, 2017

Suite 208 and storage …

styles.css

Grant Information Aug 10

3

webmail.css 15

Apr 26, 2017 Grants Committee Jul 17, 2017

May 22, 2017

Jun 14, 2017

Apr 19

26

Branding Email.docx Helpful Resource Documents

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Advisory Board Mtg. …

Advisory Board Meetin…

Vanderford’s

Keokee A marketing communications firm

providing web design, hosting, search engine optimization and marketing, graphic design, editorial, media consultation and more. 405 Church St., 208.263.3573. www.keokee.com.

We publish Sandpoint Magazine and sandpointonline.com

Offering the latest books and novels, office supplies, machine supplies and free delivery in Sandpoint.

Order online. 201 Cedar St.,

Shop Sandpoint Go to www.shopsandpoint. com, for local web links to trusted services, merchants, artists, craftspeople, farmers and green building. Write your own reviews in the new SandpointBlog. Fun reading, recycling, and more!

Sandpoint Super Drug The Center for Functional Nutrition offers a full line of clinical nutrition products including Klaire, Thorne, Pure, Ortho Molecular, and Apex. 604 N. 5th Avenue.

208-263-2417. www.vanderfords.com

ADVERTISING INFORMATION Get current rate sheet on our website www.sandpointmagazine.com or call

208-263-3573 and talk to Sales Director Clint Nicholson (ext. 123; email clint@keokee.com).

SandpointMagazine.com SANDPOINT M A G A Z I N E

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sandpoint eats+ of view m ask drinks

up

About thoseMASKS

by Tom Chasse, CEO & President, Schweitzer

T

he past 18 months have been anything but routine from an operations standpoint at Schweitzer. We could never have envisioned the impact that COVID-19 would have both physically and mentally on our whole Schweitzer team last winter. Throughout the season, we were faced with a variety of opinions on how to handle the Panhandle Health District protocols regarding social distancing, mask mandates, and contact tracing. The approach we took became somewhat controversial at times, but in an effort to support our front-line workers, we took a hard line on masking up in our lift lines. Who knew that asking this of our guests would become one of the more challenging aspects of running the resort?

Personally, I took the lead on enforcing this mandate. As the CEO of Schweitzer, if I was going to ask all our front-line staff to help enforce our mask policy, it was important that I be out there, front and center, during peak times. I felt that this was the best course of action and let me tell you, being on the front line allowed me to experience firsthand the resistance every staff member faced when confronting non-mask wearers.

I was very honest with our community and tried to be very clear with the public that if they weren’t comfortable with the direction we were taking in response to COVID, they didn’t have to ski with us. We offered the opportunity for passholders to roll their season pass over to this coming winter and worked diligently to help those who wanted to ski to feel safe while at Schweitzer.

One of our strategies for that was to manage attendance on peak days by limiting ticket availability. Since demand outpaced availability most weekend days, we did see a significant increase in nighttime attendance in the early part of the winter.

Unfortunately, our efforts to enforce our mask policy during twilight skiing were met with increased frustration and became extremely confrontational for our front-line staff. To that result,

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MOST SCHWEITZER GUESTS TOOK MASKING REQUIREMENTS IN STRIDE. COURTESY PHOTO.

I felt like we had no other option but to “pause” our twilight skiing operations over the MLK weekend. Taking this action was disappointing on many fronts but I felt strongly about reinforcing our messaging as a company. It was imperative to remind our guests that we were serious about protecting our community from the spread of COVID. These were tough decisions to make, and I asked all of our staff members to take personal responsibility in regard to how they responded to COVID. In an effort to keep everyone safe and employed for the duration of the season, I asked our Schweitzer team not to carpool, to stagger arrival and departure times, to maintain social distancing, and wear masks both indoors and outside. There was some resistance to our efforts internally as well and once again, I reminded these valued members of our Schweitzer family that perhaps a winter off the mountain would reduce everyone’s level of anxiety.

This past winter, it was important to reiterate that we needed to “be flexible” as things changed with little notice and as the season wore on, there were definitely signs of “COVID Fatigue.” But we hung in there as a team and did our best to provide the exceptional service our guests have come to expect.

As a destination ski resort, Schweitzer is proud to bring visitors to our area that support our local economy. But Sandpoint is our home, and we will never lose sight of our responsibility to, and caring for, the community at large. Last year we followed the public health practices as recommended to lessen the risk to our visitors and staff, and will continue to follow public health recommendations in the future. Ultimately we were able to enjoy skiing and snowboarding that gave us a touch of normalcy in one of the most non-normal years of recent memory, and we look forward to the same as we move into the new season.

WI N T E R 2 0 2 2

11/2/21 2:54 PM

C haresse Moore Sandpoint’s Full-Time Top Producing Agent *Based on Selkirk MLS data for 2004-2020

208.255.6060

An Expert in our Area

Choosing The Right Realtor Makes A Difference

email. charesse@evergreen-realty.com

321 N. First Ave., | Sandpoint, ID 83864

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