Out There Outdoors // January-February 2020

O n t h e Mo u n tain : Ski /Snowboard Sp eci al Section JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 // FREE

THE INLAND PACIFIC NORTHWEST GUIDE TO ADVENTURE + TRAVEL + CULTURE

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INLAND NW WINTER ADVENTURES

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Mount Bailey

Sandhill Cranes

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hiking the Geophysical Trails

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CONTENTS

Features

20 27 28 30

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Get Schooled Outdoors A Tribute to Mountain Gear Whitefish Winter Wonderland Twenty-Five Winter Adventures

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Special Sections 23 | Great Outdoors & Bike Expo Guide 33 | On The Mountain Ski/Snowboard Section

Winter Adventure at the Lochsa Lodge

Departments 13 15 18 44

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Nature Hiking Provisions Way Out There

Columns 12 14 16 17 ✺ Just 12 Miles From LoLo Pass ➳ Miles of Groomed Snowmobile & X-Country Trails ❊ Just 10 Miles from Jerry Johnson Hot Springs ✹ Home Cooked Cuisine ☛ Cozy and Comfortable Cabins ✪ Open Every Day of the Year

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Hike of the Month Everyday Cyclist Out There Kids The Human Adventure

In Every Issue

7 8 45 46

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Intro Dispatches Outdoor Calendar Last Page

ON THE COVER: Travis Z. on the fat bike commute. Sandpoint, Idaho.

Photo: Woods Wheatcroft

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CONVENIENT LOCATIONS

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I N T R O State of Recreation By Jon Snyder, Out There Monthly Founder THE SPOKANE AREA was the center of the outdoor education universe not once, but twice in the last year—first for the National Association of Environmental Educators Conference and then in October for the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education conference. Both were chances for the entire country to see how we do outdoor recreation in the Inland Northwest, and both were big successes.

Success breeds lots of opportunities—and challenges. All sorts of outdoor activities are seeing a surge in popularity. Washington State, which was founded with a population of around 300,000, now has around 7.5 million people and growing. A big part of that

growth is folks moving here because they love the outdoors. This creates some interesting storylines for 2020: • Can we make additional progress on climate action, such as further greening our transportation system, to combat climate change that affects everything outdoors?

• Will we see new trail efforts, such as the Great American Rail-Trail, which runs through our state, make more connections?

• Can the legislature find funding solutions for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and in turn can that help species from orcas to elk?

• Will the Fisk property, on Long Lake, be the next new state park, or will it lose that

chance to a park on the westside of the state?

• Will growth pressures push more sprawlon-steroids that eats up open space and drives our natural places, such as Conservation Futures lands, farther and farther away?

• Can we make sure that kids from Hillyard to Othello, and everywhere in between, get outdoor experiences so that “no child is left inside”?

Your storyline for 2020 may differ. It may be more like, can I get my best time in a 10K? Will I finally try that 15-mile hike? Will I be able to teach my 5-year-old kid to ski? Or, how well does this surgically repaired knee actually work?

The great outdoor experiences to be had

in Washington State and around the Inland Northwest depend on public land and our public officials taking action for the public good.

While you are out doing your thing, whatever thing that may be, remember that there will be some great chances in 2020 to volunteer for outdoor nonprofits, patronize our local outdoor businesses, support public officials who support your outdoor values, and teach the next generation how to recreate responsibly and enjoy our great outdoor heritage. // Jon Snyder launched Out There Monthly in 2004.

He is now the Senior Policy Advisor on Outdoor Recreation and Economic Development for Washington Governor Jay Inslee.

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DISPATCHES E-BIKES ALLOWED ON THE TRAIL OF THE CDA CATALDO, IDAHO

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Electric-assist bicycles are now officially allowed on the 73 miles of North Idaho’s paved Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes.

Meandering from Plummer to Mullan along Lake Coeur d’Alene and the Coeur d’Alene River and through scenic wildlands and small towns, the trail was named one of the 25 top trails in the nation by the Rails to Trails Conservancy in 2010. The rule change involved cooperation between the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, the two agencies that manage the trail. The new e-bike rule applies to both class 1 e-bikes that provide electric motor assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and class 2 e-bikes that provide electric motor assistance with a throttle even when the rider isn’t pedaling. While class 1 and 2 e-bikes’ motors only deliver power until the bicycle reaches 20 mph, class 3 e-bikes that continue assisting a rider to speeds of up to 28 mph are still prohibited on the trail.

Whether you have an e-bike or not, winter is a great time to get out and ride the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes on a fat bike in the snow or any bike if the trail is snow free.

More info on riding the trail in the winter at: Outthereoutdoors.com/winter-ridingon-the-trail-of-the-coeur-dalenes. (OTO)

KICK OFF SPRING AT THE GREAT OUTDOORS & BIKE EXPO SPOKANE, WASH.

Spring will be here before we know it, and the Spokane Great Outdoors and Bike Expo at the Spokane Convention Center on Feb 22-23 is the Inland Northwest’s kickoff to the spring and summer outdoor season. The event includes over 70 vendors including bike and gear shops, zipline companies, bike parks, travel destinations, outdoor clubs and agencies, hourly gear prize giveaways, and plenty of clinics and activities for kids and adults. If you’re thinking about a new mountain bike, e-bike, or road or around-town bike this spring, the Expo is the place to test ride bikes indoors and ask local shop staff all your questions in one place. The Expo is a treat for kids and parents too; there’s a game area, kidfriendly bouldering wall, s’more making, kids demo bikes, bear and wildlife display, hands-on fossil exhibit, storytelling, and a Kids Adventure Passport where kids get a free bag with prizes for visiting all of the kids’ activities (while they last). All kids under age 12 get in for free too. As an added bonus, all tickets purchased early online come with a free outdoor adventure giveaway from Wild Walls, Fun Unlimited, Silver Mountain Bike Park, or Timberline Adventures that are valued at up to $30.

Tickets also get access to the Spokane Golf Show. Find event and ticket info at Spokaneoutdoorexpo.com. (OTO)

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This 6th annual gathering of fat bike aficionados at Round Lake State Park near Sandpoint caters to both new and seasoned fatty riders with group rides on groomed trails. “Our goal since the beginning has been to provide a fat bike event that was fun and offered something for all levels of riders,” says Brian Anderson, event organizer and owner of Greasy Fingers Bikes N’ Repair in Sandpoint. “The fat bike festival is really a social event. Rides are casual. People often hang out in between and after riding. Not only do we get people from Sandpoint but also from Coeur d’Alene, Spokane, Bonners Ferry, and Priest River/ Lake areas. So you can expect to meet some new people and probably learn of some new places to ride your fat bike.”

Round Lake State Park has a variety of options for beginners and more experienced riders, says Anderson. “The main loop around the lake is going to offer the easiest riding. But there are several side trails along the way that offer more technical options.” Riders looking for more of a challenge typically take several laps following different trail combinations with breaks back at the campfire in between, he says. Round Lake is a great place for beginner fat bikers, says Anderson. “Some of the trails are wider and allow some leeway for riders to get the hang of riding on snow and maintaining their balance. Additionally, the terrain at Round Lake is fairly mellow, so no big climbs or descents.”

This years’ event will also have a brand-new demo fleet of fat bikes from Salsa Cycles. The Mukluk features wide 4.8" tires, wide range 1x12 drivetrain and a lightweight aluminum frame/carbon fork. Demos on a marked course are free.

Fatty Flurry runs Saturday, January 25 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Round Lake State Park.

You will need an Idaho State Park Pass available on site for $5. Bikes must have tires that are at least 3.8" wide to ride the groomed trails. There will be a warming fire and porta-potties, but no drinking water or other services so come prepared. Camping is available for the brave and there are areas for snowshoeing and sledding. (Derrick Knowles)

NEW CLIMBING GYM IN THE WORKS COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO

North Idaho climbers will have new indoor walls to scale before year’s end if all goes as planned with the October 2020 target date for the Coeur Climbing Company to open its doors. The gym has been years in the making, says Daniel Shaw, the primary driver of the 13,900 square foot project. “We are in the middle of the architecture phase and working on the next steps to get construction started in the next couple of months,” says Shaw who owns the land where the gym will be built. The building will have 50-foot high walls on one side, allowing for roped climbing walls in the 35-50 foot range, as well as a bouldering area.

Shaw and his partners also recently chose a wall-building company based in Bend, Oregon.

Shaw grew up in Prescott, Arizona, before moving to Texas and then Colorado, eventually landing in the Inland Northwest in 2006. All the while climbing has been in his blood. “I’ve been a climber all my life and I love it and my kids love it. And even though Coeur d’Alene is an outdoorsy place, it doesn’t have a connected climbing community, and I’ve always wanted to help build that,” he says. Shaw had the idea of opening a gym back when the first of his three children were born, but wasn’t able to move forward with the project until recently. He soon made connections with several other Coeur d’Alene climbers with similar local climbing gym concepts, which eventually led to the current business partnership behind the project that includes Shaw, Frank Dusl, and Jeff Fowler.

Coeur Climbing Company also plans to have space for yoga, cardio equipment, weights, and a spot where they hope to create a kid-based Ninja Warrior-style obstacle course. Shaw admits that his three kids ages 6, 8, and 10 have had a big influence on the project. “My ulterior motive is to give my kids a place to climb and meet other kids who are into it.” Look for updates on the gym from Out There this summer or on the gym’s in-the-works website.

(Derrick Knowles)

ENTER YOUR POOCH IN THE OUTDOOR DOG FASHION SHOW SPOKANE, WASH.

For many outdoor enthusiasts, time outside wouldn’t be complete without your four-legged BFF adventure buddy. To celebrate our canine outdoor friends, the Spokane Great Outdoors & Bike Expo is hosting its second annual Outdoor Dog Fashion Show on February 23. It’s like the Purina TV dog show but Northwest-style, less judge-y, and with a focus on outdoor gear and flair. You won’t have to super groom your dog, but you can win points for style and decking your hound out with outdoors-oriented apparel and gear like leashes, packs, collars, etc.

Unfortunately, the only dogs allowed into the Spokane Convention Center for the event will be the ones that have been confirmed as Outdoor Dog Fashion Show contestants in advance. Winners and their owners will take home hundreds of dollars in prizes. Details on how to enter are available at Spokaneoutdoorexpo.com/activities.

(OTO)

take a walk on the wild cider

TAKE THE SPOKANE NORDIC CHALLENGE MEAD, WASH.

The Spokane Nordic Challenge Loppet on March 8 is more than just a long-distance ski event; it’s a season-long training goal, a celebration of the Nordic skiing community, and a farewell to winter. And it all takes place on the some of the longest, most picturesque rolling cross-country ski trails in the Pacific Northwest. Participants can choose from 20, 30 or 50K distances which are all more than long enough to keep your heart pumping. If you’re wondering what a Loppet is, it’s a competitive or non-competitive long ski event, which sums up the spirit of the Challenge.

Some hit it hard, some take it easy. All have a good time. Sign up at Spokanenordic.org/ challenge while early lower prices are still in place. Then recruit a friend and start training.

(Brad Thiessen)

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JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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DISPATCHES NEW HEADQUARTERS FOR NORTHWEST RIVER SUPPLIES MOSCOW, IDAHO

Moscow-based Northwest River Supplies (NRS) recently relocated its headquarters to a cutting-edge, 155,000 square-foot building that includes a warehouse, offices, and retail space. NRS has been a leading provider of water sports equipment and apparel since it was founded in 1972, and this new headquarters testifies to their positive economic impact in the Palouse region. “A big part of our success at NRS comes from a culture of inclusion and shared responsibility,” says NRS Chief Financial Officer Tony Mangini. “Having everyone working together in one building will encourage communication and collaboration throughout the business while supporting continued growth.”

In 2006, NRS acquired the South Blaine Street property in Moscow, formerly a Tidyman’s supermarket. The recent massive overhaul of this property provides increased space for inventory and personnel while allowing NRS to locate all business functions under one roof. More importantly, NRS finally has a brilliant showroom and retail outlet to highlight its gear and make the headquarters a worthy destination for every level of paddler and whitewater enthusiast. The showroom features boats and lifejackets, as well as NRS clothing and lifestyle products to help you enjoy life on the water even more.

Visit NRS at 1638 South Blaine Street in Moscow or check out the company’s awardwinning gear online at Nrs.com. (Jon Jonckers)

PATHWAY TO COMPETITIVE PADDLING PRESENTATION SPOKANE, WASH.

What does it take to dedicate oneself to developing paddling skills and the training required to be an Olympic champion paddler? Dan Henderson, head Coach of Cascade Canoe & Kayak Racing Team based in Bothell, Wash., will share his experiences on what’s required to achieve Olympic-level competitive paddling at the Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club general meeting presentation on January 27 from 7-9 p.m. (The presentation is free and open to the public.)

For 47 years Henderson has immersed himself in paddling. His writing includes the book “Sea Kayaking: Basic Skills, Paddling Techniques, and Trip Planning” from Mountaineers Press and the “International Canoe Federation Coaching Manual,” 1st Edition. His graduate level research in biomechanics focused on the kayak forward stroke. As a Level 2 International Canoe Federation and American Canoe Association Coach Trainer, he actively supports coach and club development nationwide. Dan is a world leader in writing, research, and understanding of forward stroke efficiency.

The presentation, “Path to Becoming an Olympic Champion Paddler,” will be held at Mountain Gear Headquarters at 6021 E Mansfield Ave in Spokane Valley. More info at Sckc.ws. (OTO)

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OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

OTM_F3T20_4.54x8.3.pdf

CURLEW, WASH

Try Nordic gear, get a few tips, and enjoy the fresh air and scenic beauty while crosscountry skiing along a stretch of the flat, groomed Ferry County Rail Trail. The 10th annual ski day will be held February 1 at the Curlew Trailhead. The event includes free instruction and use of cross-country ski gear and locally-produced Altai Skis Hok ski/ snowshoe hybrid skis thanks to support from Spokane Parks and Recreation and Altai Skis.

There will be a bonfire, some giveaways, and snacks thanks to REI of Spokane.

Back when the first ski day was held to raise awareness of the 24-mile-long rail trail in Northeast Washington, “We had no funding for improvements but we had a trail and 8 inches of snow so we groomed it for crosscountry skiing along the Kettle River up to the tunnel,” says Bobby Whittaker, president of the Ferry County Rail Trail Partners group that has worked with state and county officials for over a decade to convert the raw rail corridor into a world class rail trail. “It really is amazing, miles and miles of waterfront that is yours as much as it is mine, no parking pass or ticket required!”

Over the years the grassroots group has managed to secure approximately $1,000,000 in state and federal grants and matching funds to develop the trail, a massively successful undertaking for such a small rural community. Check for updates about the ski day event at Ferrycountyrailtrail.com or on Facebook. (OTO)

12/18/19

6:03 PM

WHEEL SPORT MAKES “BEST BIKE SHOPS” LIST SPOKANE, WASH.

The National Bicycle Dealers Association (NBDA) has certified Spokane’s Wheel Sport Bicycles as being among the top local bicycle retailers in the United States, an honor that fewer than 200 shops qualified for. Key to certification is a lengthy application survey that quantifies key elements found in successful retail operations as well as results from mystery shoppers who evaluate their customer experience. America’s Best Bike Shops certification requires not only great shopping experiences and expert staff, but also support for biking locally and national cycling advocacy.

“Wheel Sport is excited to receive this recognition and very proud of our employees that made this possible. We have worked hard to improve the customer experience, and this honor is validation that we are making great strides in the right direction,” says Mark Neupert, who co-owns Spokane’s four Wheel Sport locations with Sarah Neupert and Nick Salisbury. “Spokane has a great cycling community and many organizations that are working diligently to improve opportunities for recreational cyclists and commuters, and we are privileged to support that ecosystem.” The National Bicycle Dealers Association is a non-profit organization promoting the interests of cycling and specialty bicycle retail since 1946.

Wheelsportbikes.com. (OTO)

2020 FLY FISHING FILM TOUR

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BING CROSBY THEATRE JANUARY 28 - 7:00 PM

LEARN TO FLY FISH WITH SPOKANE FLY FISHERS SPOKANE, WASH.

The Spokane Fly Fishers Club has graduated over 400 students from its fly fishing school program in the last 10 years, which includes eight weekly classes between February 20 and April 4. Rods, reels and lines for casting classes are provided, and the program includes seven three-hour classroom sessions once a week for seven weeks. Topics covered include equipment and gear, knot tying, insect identification, how to read moving water and find fish in lakes and ponds, and water safety. There are also three casting sessions at a local park on Saturday mornings in March and a final on-water casting session April 4. Membership in Spokane Fly Fishers through May 2021 is included for non-members who take the class, which allows students to participate in around 20 fishing outings per year. More info at fs@ spokaneflyfishers.com or 509.747.2268. (OTO)

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Hike of the Month

Geophysical Trail System Colville National Forest

By Holly Weiler

5K

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SIGN ON THE BOUNDARY FENCE // PHOTO: HOLLY WEILER

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ON A RECENT VISIT to the Geophysical Trail System north of Newport, Wash., I pulled up a mapping app on my phone and proceeded to watch as my locator icon spun in circles. No, that is not supposed to happen. But my electronics were likely being impacted by the trail system's proximity to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Geophysical Observatory site and the monitoring equipment housed there.

Established in 1966, it is one of just 14 geomagnetism observatories the USGS operates worldwide, used to monitor the earth's magnetic field. The site also contains a seismometer station, an auxiliary seismic station, and an infrasound station. It's interesting to think about the science being conducted just across the fence from this remote ski and snowshoe trail system. More information about the geomagnetism monitoring program is available on the USGS website, but seeing my locator spin also served to remind me that it's best to bring a USGS paper map on recreational excursions!

The trail system here consists of a total of 6.2 miles of groomed Nordic ski trails as the primary use, where snowshoe travel is also permitted. It is a non-motorized SnoPark, which means visitors must plan ahead and display either a day-use or seasonal SnoPark permit on their vehicle.

SnoPark permits help defray the cost of parking lot snow removal and trail grooming at recreational access sites and are a required pass for many popular ski and snowshoe trails in Washington. A day pass is $20, whereas an annual pass is $40, so I find it makes the most sense to buy the annual and research as many locations as possible to visit for winter trips.

The Geophysical trails connect to form both small and large loops, so it's possible to create routes in a wide variety of distances, with the outermost loop totaling a little over three miles, and options for connecting with interior trails to extend the distance traveled.

The terrain is mostly flat, although there are a few steeper climbs and descents. Snowshoe hikers will find the trails easy, but Nordic skiers may be challenged by the steeper sections, particularly if the trails haven't been

groomed recently or if conditions are icy.

The trail signage provides a difficulty rating for each trail, aimed at ski users. Trail names like Flatlander and Chipmunk versus Little Sweat and Rough Ride give visitors an idea of what they might expect from each trail on the system! Follow Perspiration trail for the best views of the Geophysical Observatory site.

Unlike many groomed Nordic ski areas that have a strict separation between various user groups, the Geophysical trails depend upon different trail users being willing to follow some basic etiquette guidelines to share the trails. The trails are typically groomed once per week when conditions allow throughout the winter, and skiers will likely find the best conditions exist on Fridays and Saturdays following fresh snow. Snowshoe visitors are asked to stay off the groomed ski tracks, which are the set parallel tracks on the edge of the groomed deck. Stepping on the tracks with snowshoes flattens them and makes skiing far more difficult.

ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE: 6.2 miles (total trail mileage) RATING: Easy to moderate, depending on snow conditions ELEVATION GAIN: 210 feet PERMIT REQUIREMENT: SnoPark permit, Dec. 1-March 31 MAP: USGS Bead Lake quadrangle GETTING THERE:

From US 2 in Newport, travel east over the Pend Oreille River bridge toward Old Town, briefly crossing into Idaho.

Immediately after crossing the bridge, turn left on LeClerc Creek Road. Travel 7.5 miles to Indian Creek Road. Turn right and continue 1.5 miles to the Geophysical Trail System. The parking lot is on the left.

SUPPORT LOCAL TRAILS: A series of Wednesday snowshoe work parties will begin on Jan. 15. See wta.org/volunteer.

Holly Weiler leads Washington Trails Association trailwork crews and writes the Hike of the Month for each issue.

NATURE

Dancing with Sandhill Cranes

By Adam Gebauer

SANDHILL CRANES SLIDING OVER A FROZEN WETLAND IN BOSQUE DEL APACHE NWR. // PHOTO: ADAM GEBAUER

WORKING MY WAY along the banks of the

Rio Grande, passing under golden cottonwoods, I train my ears skyward to hear the distinctive rolling croak of a crane. I search the vast blue above. They sound so close, but it is not until the entire flock of 30, 60, or up to 90 birds all turn in unison, catching the sun on their wings, do I see them flying hundreds of feet in the air.

Sandhill cranes, antigone Canadensis, are the smaller of two crane species in North America and far eastern Siberia, the other being the endangered whooping crane.

Sandhill cranes are bulky gray birds with distinctive red patches on the top of their heads.

They have a wingspan of over 6.5 feet and stand 3-4 feet tall. Cranes fly with their heads and feet extended, which can identify them compared to the similar great blue herons.

Sandhill cranes create mating pairs that last for many years. In the spring, single cranes perform elaborate courtship dances where they twirl and bounce on their gangly legs while croaking and throwing their long necks around. Even with this mating ritual, these long-lived birds (20 years or older),

have a low reproductive rate. They generally don’t mate till they reach 3-5 years old. Both males and females will work to make nests along wetlands and marshes where they will only lay one to three eggs. While well guarded by parents, eggs, hatchlings, and young birds will have to deal with a variety of predators, like foxes and coyotes, before they, too, can perform the mating dance.

Sandhill cranes migrate high in the sky in large flocks and group in the tens to hundred of thousands at their southern wintering grounds. Some of the largest numbers, over a quarter of a million, meet in early spring along the Platte River of the Nebraska’s sandhills from where they get their name. Then the Pacific Flyway cuts right through central Washington, following the Columbia River and other waters ways south to their wintering grounds in California’s Central Valley.

This population breeds along the wetlands from eastern Siberia to western Alaska with the majority nesting along Bristol Bay Alaska, the proposed site of the contentious Pebble Mine.

In the 1910s sandhill cranes where on the verge of extinction because of the combination of over hunting (mainly for hat feathers), the destruction of wetland habitat, and the crane’s slow reproduction rates. But several factors worked in their favor to allow one of North America’s largest bird—as well as many other over-hunted migratory birds—to make a comeback. U.S. Congress passed the Migratory Bird Act of 1918, making it unlawful to hunt or sell the birds without a wavier. Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with farmers along crane’s migration routes to encourage practices that conserves wetland habitat and upland food sources including spent corn, wheat, and cottonseed to provide energy for these birds’ long flights. // Adam Gebauer is excited to hop on a bike with his camera and get some shots of cranes in action. He recently wrote about winter adaptations of local wildlife.

WHERE TO VIEW SANDHILL CRANES VIEWING SANDHILL CRANES is one of the great wildlife spectacles. And luckily, because these birds migrate in large groups and congregate in huge numbers, they are easy to see if you know when and where to look. The Pacific Flyway population makes a stop over right here in Washington. Every year 100,000+ cranes use marshes and farmland surrounding the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge to refuel as they head north to their breeding grounds.

The Othello Crane festival in late March makes it even easier to see sandhill cranes.

The festival on March 20-22 celebrates cranes and all the birds that use this area. They host speakers and tours where you can go out with local birders for crane viewings as well as birding around the refuge. You can even hop on a bike to do a crane tour.

While you are at the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge you can explore some of the trails that lead along crab creek, around marshes, and through the channel scabland, including the 3-mile Frog Lake Trail.

Cranes are active throughout the day, but some of the best times to see them flying are dawn and dusk. Make sure you bring your binoculars and dress for chilly spring mornings.

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EVERYDAY CYCLIST

To E or Not to E

By Justin Skay

E-BIKE SALES are flying up mountains in

t h g i N e i v o n M r e t n At a L c i $8 Mag

eb 6th day F @ 6pm s r u h T Open Doors

25 in Ave # 25 W Ma

Movie

Raffle tickets $5 All proceeds will

be donated to Evergreen for trail maintenance

Follow the link to reserve your seats: h t t p s : // t i c k e t s . d e m a n d . fi l m / e v e n t / 9 2 2 8

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OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

@7pm

gears as high as those of their purely people-powered counterparts wobbling crosscountry in granny gears. This thanks to an almost effortless turn of pedals, a couple of decades of battery research and development, and the atomic torque of trillions of electrons that are pushing electrically assisted bicycles to stratospheric popularity. But the story of a ride is more than the grade of the climb, and e-bikes have garnered as much ire from detractors as accolades from admirers.

Like your grandma insisting on using her checkbook at the grocery store, waiting to start filling out the check until she’s heard the total, riders who have been devoted to conventional bicycles for decades may be most resistant to electrical assistance, seeing e-bikes as the devil’s debit card. The obvious gripe is that e-cyclists are lazy, and that, if they are able, they should exclusively apply human power to achieve transportation and fitness goals. Superficially, this stance can be held for about a long red light.

There are enough easy exceptions to this notion to undermine it, like sand under 23c tires. If you have the type of job where not being red-faced and sweaty seems important, but you don’t want to pay for parking downtown, or if you are riding instead of driving a car because added torque makes you feel strong enough to haul your groceries home, then an e-bike makes financial, fitness, and environmental sense.

Clearly no one would begrudge a baby boomer a little extra lift to his favorite birdwatching spot, or a disabled veteran a mountain bike that allowed her to ride with friends. One e-bike convert shared a story of riding up Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park with his mom. She hadn’t been on a bike in decades, but, riding an e-bike, was able to enjoy a scenic experience with her son, and an important human connection was made with a battery. And that battery, like most e-bike batteries, was made with lithium.

More than half of Earth’s supply of this newly precious metal that makes today’s e-bikes possible is found in the “lithium triangle” of Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.

In one of the most arid deserts on Earth,

water is diverted from quinoa farming to extract lithium out of brine pumped from the otherworldly salt flats. Half a million gallons of water are needed to make one ton of lithium carbonate, the “white gold” used in everything from your cell phone and laptop to electric cars. Global annual demand is projected to top 450,000 tons by 2025.

Currently, less than 5 percent of lithiumion batteries are recycled worldwide, according to a recent Chemical and Engineering News article. The remainder ends up in landfills, where it leaks heavy metals into soil and groundwater, or in junk drawers awaiting incineration. Untallied environmental costs currently make lithium five times more expensive to recover from old batteries than to extract from the earth.

Fortunately, there is hope for greener e-bike batteries on the horizon. The Department of Energy recently opened a facility in Illinois committed to researching more efficient battery recycling techniques.

A similar private venture is underway in Bend, Oregon, and Ontario, Canada, boasts one of the most efficient lithium recycling facilities in the world, claiming 80-100% recovery of valuable battery materials.

Improvements in battery weight, range, cost, and recyclability will ensure their market share continues to overtake conventional bikes.

Recent laws, like Washington’s SB6434, which defines three classes of electrically assisted bicycles and codifies their use on improved trails in the state, have helped establish e-bikes as a viable transportation alternative for those who cannot or do not want to provide the sole power for their trip.

The perception of increased safety while sharing roadways, owing to their improved ability to keep up with the flow of traffic, means e-bikes will bring hesitant riders to the roads. This may result in more awareness of all bicycles, more bikes and fewer cars on the road, and safer rides for all of us. // Justin Skay believes that cycling satisfaction is proportional to achievement and that you get out of every ride what you put into it. He recently rode a cargo e-bike on a grocery run just for fun. Sadly, this is his last Everyday Cyclist column for Out There.

HIKING

Outside the Margins Fat Girls Hiking

By Amanda V. Mead

FGH NEDA WALK WHOLE GROUP. // PHOTO: AMANDA MEAD

WHEN SUMMER MICHAUD-SKOG began hiking with her girlfriend in the Oregon wilderness in 2015, she couldn’t help but notice the stares of passersby. Skog knew they didn’t look like the stereotypical hikers seen in outdoor magazines, athletic campaigns, and gear catalogues—she was covered in tattoos, her girlfriend was a woman of color, and they were both queer and fat. But she was certain there were others like her out on the trails across the United States.

Skog decided to find them. That spring she created the hashtag #fatgirlshiking on Instagram to document her outdoor adventures. She encouraged others to use it as well in an effort to connect to each other. The hashtag quickly caught on, and MichaudSkog’s following grew. Soon, people began to ask her to take them on hikes around Portland. Initially, she had no idea how to lead a hike, but she did her best. Now, four and a half years later, running Fat Girls Hiking (FGH) is Skog’s full-time job.

Since May of 2015, 29 chapters of FGH have been established. While the majority of chapters are located in the United States, there are six international chapters. “As long as people keep wanting chapters, and people are stepping forward to build community in those areas, I’m willing to work with people and teach them how I lead group hikes,�

Michaud-Skog says.

This is exactly what Andrea Shroter wanted to hear when she asked Skog if she could start a chapter in Spokane. Skog gave Shroter her stamp of approval, and in October of 2018, the Spokane chapter of Fat Girls Hiking was born.

The Spokane chapter tries to have an event at least once a month. Events range from hikes in Riverside State Park to yoga sessions at FatGirl Yoga, where Shroter is an instructor. To improve accessibility and inclusivity, Shroter and her fellow Spokane ambassador, Megan Cuilla, do their best to create events that are ADA accessible.

From the start, FGH’s mantra has been “Trails, Not Scales.� There is zero diet or weight talk and no body shaming. One of the hallmarks of a Fat Girls Hiking event is that the ambassadors lead from the back. Hikes are done at a leisurely pace, with plenty of time to take in the scenery and snap photos.

This also allows for one of the other central tenets of FGH to emerge—community building. “Fat Girls Hiking is about making friends and building community and family, and providing a safe space for everyone,� says Shroter.

This past October, the Spokane chapter joined forces with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) on their annual walk to raise awareness of eating disorders and recovery. Korrin Fotheringham, a sponsor of the event and an avid Fat Girls Hiking enthusiast, explained that she often refers her clients to FGH. As a registered dietician, Fotheringham touts the group as a “great resource for community members and is a comfortable environment for people to get to know one another and move their bodies in an enjoyable way.�

The message seems to be working. Even though the NEDA walk was a special event for Fat Girls Hiking, folks who weren’t affiliated with NEDA and who hadn’t been to a previous FGH event showed up to walk with the group. When asked why she decided to attend, first-timer Tracey Rice said, “I love to hike, but I hate hiking by myself. I love that the motto is about no judgement, but to come out and enjoy the outdoors and not be judged by your abilities.�

If you’re interested in joining a Fat Girls Hiking event, you can find their events posted on Facebook. For further information, check out fatgirlshiking.com. //

SARIS INDOOR TRAINER

Amanda V. Mead is a writer and teacher who co-hosts the podcast “I Don’t Know Her.� She is a running, biking, and hiking enthusiast.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

15

OutThere Kids

Gear to Get Kids Outside By Amy McCaffree bedroom for all types of tool needs. Be sure your kid knows safe knife-handling skills.

2. COMPASS: Whether used for geocach-

ing or trail wayfinding, compass navigation skills are essential for correctly reading technical trail maps and safely exploring the backcountry.

CHILDREN NEED OUTDOOR GEAR they can

call their own, and by the time they are 6-9 years old, they are ready (and more willing) to receive fewer toys and more experienceoriented, practical items. Here are 10 gear ideas that will help encourage outdoorsy kids to become lifelong adventurers.

1. POCKETKNIFE: A versatile tool for a responsible, outdoorsy kid. My son received a small Leatherman for his ninth birthday, and it’s one of his most prized possessions.

He takes it along camping, stows it in his fly-fishing bag, and keeps it handy in his

3. RAIN PANTS: When it’s too cold, rainy, or windy for regular pants, but not cold enough for snow pants, that’s when rain pants come in handy. Kids can play outside longer when they are dry and comfortable.

Whether worn for hiking, biking through puddles, or backyard playtime, rain pants protect underlayers from becoming a muddy mess and are easy to clean.

4. NON-FICTION BOOKS: Stories or memoirs

about epic survival experiences or amazing adventure achievements can be both instructional and inspirational. A great book can spark stimulating, in-depth conversations between adults and kids and lead to a daughter or son’s goal setting and deeper self-awareness. Find title ideas by visiting your local bookstore, or check out the Mountaineers Books online list.

5. KIWI CO. OR NOMADIK SUBSCRIPTION BOX: Kiwi Co. offers a variety of age-

targeted, hands on science and art project boxes for kids, from babies to ages 16+, that teach STEM and other skills. One popular example is the science and engineeringoriented Tinker Crate (for ages 9-16+). A Nomadik subscription box, for tweens and teens, provides new, small gear items for future outdoor adventures.

6. MONTHLY GYM PASS OR CLASSES FOR CLIMBING, PARKOUR, GYMNASTICS, OR TRAMPOLINING: Motivate kids to stay active

during winter with a safe, indoor environment to burn off energy after school, learn a new sport or activity, and get out of the house on weekends—especially if kids aren’t involved in alpine or organized sports. Most businesses have open gym hours or offer daily passes, in addition to monthly or family memberships or multivisit passes.

7. SKI/SNOWBOARD OR ICE-SKATING LESSONS, SEASON PASSES, OR LIFT TICKET PACKAGES: The more days and hours that

kids ski, snowboard, or skate, the better they get. It makes an even better gift experi-

208-255-4496

ence if that cool aunt or uncle takes the kid to the mountain and skis with them.

8. SNOWSHOES: Kids can stomp around in the deep snow right outside their front door, around a local park, or venture on a hiking trail when they have youth-sized snowshoes. Snowshoeing is an inexpensive, accessible, all-family sport.

9. BOOT & GLOVE DRYER: More a gift for the

whole family, this useful item is an underestimated home essential for any sporty family. Use it for all kinds of gloves, athletic shoes, boots, and hockey or ice skates.

Some models include attachments for drying helmets.

10. LED HEADLAMP: Hands-free lighting promotes independence and is fun to use. This versatile year-round item can be used while night skiing or snowboarding (worn over the helmet, more to be seen by others on the slopes), camping, and more. Find one that has high, low, and night-vision settings. //

Amy McCaffree enjoys outdoor adventuring with her family. She is special section editor and has been writing for Out There since 2006.

Join us for the 6th Annual “Fatty Flurry” Fat Bike Festival, Saturday, Jan. 25 (just south of Sandpoint at Round Lake State Park).

greasy fingers BIKES N REPAIR

SANDPOINT’S FAT/WINTER BIKE HEADQUARTERS

Fat Bike Sales & Rentals Studded Tires/Winter Riding Gear Stop by for Fat Bike Trail info 3rd & Pine · Sandpoint, ID · GreasyFingersBikes.com 16

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

The Human Adventure

Caring for Your Mind By Ammi Midstokke So here we are, riding the dopamine waves of the holidays: Sugar, alcohol, gifts, family, good food, surprises! Weeeeeeee!!!

Now we’re burning through serotonin (the calming and content hormone) and washing ashore on the beach of Seasonal Affective Disorder. We’ll consider this our public service announcement to take care of your mental health. And here’s how:

IT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME until well into my 30s that my propensity to seek expert advice from the experts should be extended to mental health specialists as well. In fact, I can’t entirely take responsibility for this as others probably recommended it rather delicately.

“You might want to see someone about that,” they said. They may have been a string of ex-boyfriends or friends who had recalled that last year I lived on Hershey’s Kisses for the entire month of February. “Yes, I should see a massage therapist,” I said, patting myself on the back for my commitment to self-care.

But I didn’t need my brain or heart mas-

saged. I needed to understand them better.

Going to a therapist or counselor might suggest that I didn’t have all my shit together, and that was just preposterous. I knew lots of adults who survived on chocolate and cried during coffee commercials.

I looked at all the self-care I had dialed in: I saw the doctor for my preventative care, I went to the dentist to keep my teeth healthy, I saw a massage therapist when my limbs got wonky, I trained for races with a coach, but when my mind needed a tune up, I never thought to seek the mind experts or even develop self-care around the state of my mental health. Now, I hand out coupons for good therapy as birthday gifts.

• Don’t be reluctant to seek out good counsel by qualified professionals. Got something you’re struggling to work through?

Need a mindfulness tune up? Have someone help you understand how your brain works. It’s not only a lesson in self-compassion but a healthy way to create positive change in your life.

vegetable fibers, and go easy on the sugars and booze. This might be the best reason to join some 30-day health challenge.

• Spend intentional time with people who make you feel good doing things that make you feel good. The most beneficial mental health thing I do every week is a secret elitist run with my two best friends where we word vomit, cry, share highs and lows, plan weddings, and run through the mountains all at the same time. It’s cheaper than therapy and is usually followed with coffee.

• Catch up on sleep and be okay with that.

It’s winter. Think of the comfort of hibernation. Slow your roll. Stay home. Go to bed early. It’s probably the kindest thing you can do for yourself.

Sometimes, our brains just need a little space and a little care. Treat yours like you would treat any other part of your body or piece of equipment in your house. Check in on it occasionally, make sure it’s working right (-ish, we don’t want to be over-achievers), and don’t be afraid of therapists. They are mechanics for your mind, and I haven’t had one shrink anything yet.

• Take care of your gut health. About 80 to 90 percent of our serotonin is made and stored in our gastrointestinal tract. Eat probiotic foods (or take probiotics), lots of

Ammi Midstokke is a nutritionist and author living in North Idaho. A veritable team of mental health professionals and a billionlumen Happy Light keep her mostly sane.

Magical Retreat in the Kootenays

a

3609 Highway 31, Ainsworth Hot Springs, BC

Photo: Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

17

provisions

(n.) food drink, or equipment, especially for a journey.

PHOTO: AMANDA V. MEAD

PHOTO: S. MICHAL BENNETT

ONE OF MANY DELICIOUS CHOICES

HEATHER’S CHOICE MEALS & SNACKS Those of us who have spent much time outdoors are familiar with the limited options for dehydrated meals, but what if there was a different choice that used higher quality ingredients, had refreshing and interesting meal options, was allergen safe, and packed a lot of nutrients per ounce?

Heather’s Choice meals and snacks started under this premise, when the namesake founder was trying to prepare for her first rafting trip through the Grand Canyon.

Educated at Western Washington University with a degree in evolutionary nutrition, and having been raised on organic food in Alaska, she got busy on her dehydrator and spent months exploring delicious and healthy food options.

The results are worth investigating. Bestselling options include Smoked Sockeye Salmon Chowder, Dark Chocolate Chili with Grass Fed Bison, Blueberry Cinnamon Breakfast, and African Peanut Stew suitable for vegans. In the snack category, there is a wide range of flavor offerings for what they term “Packaroons,” or flavorful and compact Macaroons that pack 150 calories per ounce, or 320 calories per package.

Meals are packaged as one serving per ounce and average 600 calories per serving while weighing just four ounces. Simply add boiling water to the pouch, wait the allotted time, and enjoy your meal from the bag with little clean up. You’ve probably done this before—but not with salmon and bison!

(Harley McAllister)

PHOTO: S. MICHAL BENNETT

THURSDAY NIGHT $3 DINNER It’s a dreary winter Thursday evening in downtown Spokane. Not cold enough for snow. Not balmy enough to enjoy a walk in the park. Yet the Main Market Co-op at 44 West Main Ave., glows with warmth and light as people trickle in to discover the menu for this week’s Thursday Night $3 Dinner. Yes, folks, it’s just $3. And it’s pretty tasty.

Main Market started its made-fromscratch $3 Dinner program in June 2017, and modeled it after a similar project at the Durham Co-op Market in North Carolina.

They wanted to bring something to the community that would be more inclusive of Spokane’s lower-income residents. Each Thursday, they serve 150-200 dinners to individuals of all stations in life, like families, students, the elderly, and couples like my husband and me.

Here’s how it works. Go to the register and pay $3 for your meal. The checker gives you a token, which you take to the deli counter.

After you specify if you want to eat in or take away, and choose a vegetarian/vegan or meat option (gluten free not always available), the staff dishes up your meal and hands it over the counter. You can also “pay it forward” by purchasing a dinner for someone who may not be able to afford one.

Main Market aims simply to break even with this dinner special every Thursday. But the reward is in serving good food and creating space for community.

(S. Michal Bennett)

GF V 18

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

DF

BEYOND RAMEN To fuel yourself on the slopes this winter, it’s important to have plenty of water and foods that give you energy. When I was a kid, my family would pack Lipton Cup-a-Soup, get hot water in the lodge, and eat from the mug tops of our Thermoses. I’m sure there were peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in there somewhere, but it was the instant soups that I will always remember. Today, there are many healthier options.

Oatmeal, smoothie and nut butter squeeze packs aren’t just for kids anymore. They are lightweight and packable, and come in a variety of delicious flavors from companies like Munk Pack, Earth’s Best, NOKA, and Justin’s. For a more hearty meal, try Dr. McDougall’s noodle bowls with baked noodles or heat up a packet of FishPeople’s Wild Seafood Risotto and eat right out of the pouch.

Upgrade your water with instant protein shake packets, hydration minerals, and energizing greens blends. Try a few before you commit so you aren’t stuck on the mountain with a drink that tastes like grass. Add a dose of green tea powder, like Rishi’s Sweet Matcha or specialty instant coffee, like Sudden or Voila, for an energy boost.

Finally, make your own instant food. Mix together chia pudding or overnight oats in the morning and enjoy them in the afternoon. Combine instant rice, couscous, grits or potatoes with dried or fresh veggies, nuts, seeds, cured meats, dried parmesan, a soup packet, a sauce packet, pesto mix, hot sauce, herbs, curry powder, bouillon—the combinations are endless. Bring a pull-tab can of tuna for added protein. Then add hot water, steep, and enjoy.

(S. Michal Bennett)

keto

GLUTEN-FREE BEERS FOR THE DISCERNING DRINKER A recent study published in the journal “Digestion” found that around 7 percent of the U.S. population has non-celiac gluten sensitivity and about 1 percent have celiac disease. That means up to 26 million Americans should eat a gluten-free diet.

As an avid craft beer drinker and business owner for years, I was unhappy to discover I was one of those 26 million. Since 2018, I’ve been on the hunt for quality gluten-free beers. I started with gluten-reduced beers like Omission and Stone’s Delicious IPA. While these beers are excellent, they are not gluten-free. If you have a high gluten sensitivity or suffer from celiac disease, avoid these kinds of beers.

For truly gluten-free options, here are some excellent ones available at local retailers.

LIGHT ALE

Best: Ghostfish Blonde Ale (4.5 percent alc/vol. and 18 IBU). A classic blonde, this beer is packed with flavor. A subtle hoppiness with orange peel notes gives this a clean, crisp finish. A perfect post-run beer.

Runners-up: Glutenberg Blond Ale and New Grist Pilsner.

DARK ALE

Best: Groundbreaker Dark Ale (4.7 percent alc/vol. and 35 IBU). The roasted chestnuts imbue this ale with a rich nuttiness.

Comparable to a great porter, it has hints of chocolate and coffee on the mid-palate. A great companion to a hearty stew.

IPA

Best: Ghostfish Kick Step IPA (5.5 percent alc/vol and 60 IBU). Kick Step is a solid Northwest IPA. While not as hoppy as its grapefruit counterpart, it has enough bitterness for most hop-heads, and the mango notes add depth. Bonus--proceeds from this beer benefit The Mountaineers.

Runners-up: Ghostfish Grapefruit IPA, Glutenberg IPA (Amanda V. Mead)

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All the Season Passes

By Amy McCaffree

DANA, KIM, CRAIG AND MIKE ON SWEEDS RUN, MT. SPOKANE IN1988. PHOTO COURTESY OF KIM LUKES

NOT ONE, NOT TWO, but three season ski

passes belong to Kim Lukes, 64, which is why she skis 70-90 days a season, along with her husband of 44 years, Craig. While they’ve long been dual-pass holders at Mt. Spokane and Silver Mountain, this season marks their first with Ikon Passes—providing unlimited use at 41 ski destinations on five continents.

Their wanderlust has already taken them to ski resorts in British Columbia, Canada, and Salt Lake City, Utah. With Ikon Passes, they anticipate skiing at Jackson Hole, Big Sky, and Squaw Valley for the first time, and revisiting Utah resorts. “We’re just going to

see where the ski conditions are good and go wherever we want,” says Lukes. “We watch the weather and snow reports, and we sometimes go up anyway, because it’s often better than what you think it might be.”

Kim and Craig both grew up in Spokane and learned to ski in the 1960s as young teens. “At Sports Creel, you could rent gear from their basement and take the weekend bus that left the shop and took you to Mt. Spokane,” she says. After high school, when Kim and Craig met and started dating, their shared mindset about outdoor recreation got them skiing together.

Now, a combination of factors makes their

Boomer “ski bum” life possible. Three years ago, they retired after selling their business, Pacific Ice; but alpine skiing was always their family’s go-to sport—skiing with their two children on Thanksgiving Day and nearly every day of Christmas break and taking ski vacations.

They’re also not haunted by old injuries.

“Everybody has aches and pains, but we go out there and ski as long as we can, as long as the conditions are good,” she says. “I’m not a big fan of moguls—I’m too old for that…

Craig is much stronger than I am. I wouldn’t consider myself an expert skier. We’ll split up and take different runs, and if we don’t see each other at the bottom, we see each other at the lodge.”

As for powder and tree skiing? Bring it. “We just love to be outside. It’s quiet.

Everybody’s there to have fun, so it’s a good atmosphere,” she says. Having good gear also helps. “The ski gear can be fitted so well, so you can really find what fits your foot and ski style. And same with ski clothes—better gear than what we [used to have],” says Lukes. They also backcountry ski—taking all the necessary safety gear and relying on their avalanche education.

“A woman once told me, ‘The best skier

on the mountain is the one with the bigger smile.’ And that’s so true. Get air and exercise, find the run you like, and ski at your own pace, and do your own thing. There are so many nice people that you’re going to meet up there...Just get out there. Enjoy your day.”

As grandparents they have even more incentive to not slow down. During fall and spring, Kim and Craig are avid bikers, and during summertime they enjoy camping, swimming, and boating. As for wellness secrets, she doesn’t have any. When I ask her if she eats vegan or gluten-free, she laughs and says, “We eat whatever we feel like. We like bacon cheeseburgers and all the bad stuff.”

Staying active is her simple mantra. She says, “We don’t want to look back 20 years from now and think, ‘Why didn’t we do that?!’ We want to be active outside as long as we can.” // During winter, Amy McCaffree enjoys alpine skiing and sledding with her two kids and snowshoeing with her husky, Kenai. She first learned to ski at Ski Acres and Crystal Mountain in the Cascades.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

19

GET SCHOOLED OUTDOORS

ROCK CLIMBING, mountaineering, and ski touring for college credit? Yup! There are classes for these and more in the Mountain Adventure Skills Training (MAST) program at College of the Rockies, in Fernie, British Columbia. This nine-month program teaches students how to become an adventure tourism professional and offers certification in swiftwater rescue, wilderness first responder, or alpine ski/snowboard instruction. MAST credits can also apply towards a degree in adventure tourism. Other than tuition, there are no textbook or elective fees, and students even get a season pass to Fernie Alpine Resort.

Program coordinator Brian Bell, who has worked for MAST for over 22 years, says, “We don’t get many American students for some reason—only one American student every 3-4 years. You’d think it would be way more popular [especially because it’s] a good deal with the exchange rates.” International students must apply for a “Study Permit” and provide proof of medical insurance that’s valid in Canada in order to join the program.

Though the average age is 23, Bell says students range from 19 to 50 years old, and the typical incoming student is less interested in a traditional academic college education.

“Some want a career in adventure tourism, some don’t know, some come here to learn skills to go out into the mountains on their own,” he says. What MAST students all have in common, though, is they’re adventurous, athletic, and definitely like winter.

“The MAST program motivated me to become an avalanche dog handler and avalanche tech, specializing in search and rescue,” says MAST 2010 alumna Jamie McCaffrey, 31. She has also worked as a professional ski patroller. Other MAST alumni have started their own guide service companies, like 2001 alumnus Mike Trehearne, founder of Cloud Nine Guides. “It’s very cool to see where our alumni have gone, and 20

By Amy McCaffree

many are now raising families of adventure lovers,” says Bell.

In the U.S., the Pacific Northwest is home to a handful of institutions offering degrees or certificates in recreation, outdoor leadership, eco-tourism, and similar fields. From Bellingham to Missoula, schools are based in cities surrounded by expedition opportunities. In Coeur d’Alene, North Idaho College (NIC) has an Outdoor Recreation Leadership program, where experiential learning outdoors helps “students grow both intellectually and physically,” says Professor Paul Chivvis. Boasting a 100 percent job placement rate, Chivvis says his students have become professional ski patrollers at local mountains and have found careers paths with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. They are also recreation guides in sea kayaking, therapeutic recreation, fishing, and hunting.

Andrew Pierce, 31, earned his NIC Outdoor Leadership Certificate in 2012 and has worked as a professional ski patroller and a guide for heli-skiing, whitewater rafting, ice climbing, and mountaineering. Now he’s an avalanche forecaster for the Washington Department of Transportation. NIC’s program, he says, offers progressive learning of “basic skills necessary to survive and thrive in all sorts of outdoor environments and sports, and then develops you to be a thoughtful and impactful decision-maker who is ready to help others explore the same way you do.”

He considers his eight months at NIC as some of the best in his young adult life. A grueling snow cave camping expedition during his Introduction to Mountaineering class especially impacted him. “What once terrified me now brings an amazing sense of joy,” says Pierce. “Ski patrolling, heli-ski guiding, and avalanche forecasting can lead you into some pretty intense weather and demands full attention and focus. I often think back

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

PROGRAMS OFFER HANDS-ON LEARNING FOR CAREERS OUTSIDE

to that trip with Paul [Chivvis] whenever the wind is pounding snowflakes against my face with 50 mph winds.”

An outdoor recreation degree can also be a stepping-stone to an evolving career trajectory, like it was for Nick Parkert, 38, a Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) enforcement officer. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Recreation Leadership & Management from Western Washington University in 2004, with a focus on wilderness therapy, Parkert worked as a youth wilderness guide in Maine. Realizing it wouldn’t be a long-term career for him, he moved back to Washington and became a park ranger at Riverside State Park, near Spokane, which required police academy training. Six years later, when decreased funding for state parks caused widespread layoffs, he wanted to continue working outdoors—and also really enjoyed law enforcement. This led him to WDFW. First assigned to the northeast Washington office in Colville—overseeing Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties—he transferred this past summer after seven years to a WDFW region for Pierce and Kitsap counties.

“Even though my job is more regulatory, I

am still outside and can feel some of the joy that those people are experiencing,” Parkert says, referring to people fishing along shorelines. Combining his love for the outdoors, recreation interests, and wildlife conservation values, he finds it personally rewarding to help protect “animal populations for future generations,” including for his own two daughters.

Some jobs will never be outsourced.

Snowboard instructors, ski patrollers, and park rangers are needed by those of us who toil away inside, escaping to mountains on our days off. Whether it’s guiding, forecasting avalanches, or training a dog for search and rescue, work inspired by love for outdoor recreation feels less like work and more like daily adventures. // TOP LEFT: WATERTON NATIONAL PARK IN ALBERTA. PHOTO: NICHOLAS VASQUEZ. // TOP MIDDLE: STUDENT IN THE MAST PROGRAM ON A TRIP TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS NEAR FERNIE BC. PHOTO: BRIAN BELL. // FAR LEFT: MAST PROGRAM BACKCOUNTRY TRIP NEAR FERNIE, B.C. PHOTO: BRIAN BELL // MIDDLE: MAST PROGRAM STUDENTS IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS NEAR FERNIE BC. PHOTO: BRIAN BELL // ABOVE: MAST PROGRAM TRIP IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS NEAR FERNIE BC. PHOTO: BRIAN BELL

REGIONAL OUTDOOR RECREATION DEGREE PROGRAMS • COLLEGE OF THE ROCKIES (FERNIE, B.C.): Adventure Tourism certificate or degree,

Mountain Adventure Skills Training (MAST).

• EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: B.A. Outdoor Recreation Leadership.

• NORTH IDAHO COLLEGE: A.A.S. degree or certificate, Outdoor Recreation Leadership.

• OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY: Tourism, Recreation, & Adventure Leadership degree.

• SPOKANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: A.A.S. degrees or certificate options; Natural Resource

Management (forestry), Parks and Recreation, Wildlife/Fisheries, and Arboriculture/ Urban Forestry.

• UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO: Bachelor’s in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism.

• UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA: Bachelor and master degrees in Parks, Tourism, & Recreation.

•WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: B.A. in Recreation Management & Leadership.

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MaY 2 RECREATION NW EXPO a MaY 24 SKI TO SEA RACE a JuNe 6 Kulshan quest adventure race a JuNe 7 BELLINGHAM SWIMRUN JuNe 27 LAKE PADDEN TRIATHLON a JuLy 11 LAKE WHATCOM TRIATHLON a JuLy 18 TOUR DE WHATCOM a AuGuSt 23 CHUCKANUT CLASSIC SePtEmBeR 12 BELLINGHAM TRAVERSE a SePtEmBeR 13 Mt. baker hill climb a SePtEmBeR 27 Bellingham Bay Marathon

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February 22-23 at the Spokane Convention Center

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15

F i rst As c e n ts

A TRIBUTE TO MOUNTAIN GEAR

BY JON JONCKERS

LOCATED IN THE SWEET SPOT between the Cascades and the Rockies, Mountain Gear became the most distinguished outdoor gear shop in the Inland Northwest after opening its doors in 1983. Sadly, its doors are closing for the last time in the coming weeks, and it’s time to celebrate how much Mountain Gear contributed to the great adventures and quality of life we’ve enjoyed in this region.

Paul Fish, founder and owner of Mountain Gear, started sewing backpacks when he was in high school. Demand for his products grew, and in the early 80s, tired of having customers come to his home, he opened Mountain Gear in Spokane. From the start, Fish worked tirelessly to sell product and promote the store, but he also rolled up his sleeves and invested blood and sweat into the outdoors community. For starters, he funded numerous rock-climbing guidebooks in the area including the original Bob Loomis guide, as well as rock climbing guides from Rick Labelle, Jim Speaker, and many others.

Beyond climbing guidebooks, Fish set a course to promote nationwide outreach and advocacy for Leave No Trace ethics and the Access Fund. Mountain Gear introduced UClimb learn-to-climb clinics, the Red Rock Rendezvous rocking climbing festival in Las Vegas, and assisted several conservation fundraisers and auctions. Paul worked closely with land conservation groups, and he served on the Access Fund Board for 10 years. Mountain Gear contributed to efforts that secured Big Rock for the Dishman Hills

Conservancy, contributed to a much-needed toilet at Frenchman Coulee, and continues to donate to the Bower Climbing Coalition.

Over the years, Mountain Gear has been much more than an outdoor gear shop; it’s served as a common gathering place for many like-minded backcountry enthusiasts to connect with the greater community. Back in the mid-90s, Fred Beckey occasionally stopped in Spokane, picked up any available Mountain Gear employee, and charged into the mountains. It wasn’t uncommon for Himalayan veterans and 5.14 crushers to show up at the retail store for a slideshow from Alex Lowe or Steve House. Mountain Gear worked hard to promote the genius Banff Mountain Film Festival around the country. And you could always count on posters and flyers promoting upcoming fundraisers, clinics, presentations and group outings adorning the walls and checkout counter.

Outdoor fanatics from near and far grew to love Mountain Gear for dozens of reasons, and the company prospered for over 30 years as the fast-changing outdoor retail world evolved around them. From the beginning, Mountain Gear always differentiated itself from other traditional outdoor shops.

When the location on Division first opened, it featured the first indoor climbing wall and indoor kayak pool in Spokane so customers could genuinely test and demo their purchases. Mountain Gear also launched a kids’ cross-country ski trade-up program, so parents could buy cross country gear for their

kids and upgrade as they grew. And for many years, Mountain Gear was the title sponsor for several paddling and Nordic ski races.

In 2004, Mountain Gear built a 112,000-square-foot corporate headquarters and distribution center in Spokane Valley that was LEED Gold-certified for its sustainability-minded construction. More importantly, the company bundled value in many gear purchases. They were among the first shops to provide a six-pack discount for carabiners or quickdraws, a discount for full sets of cams, and they were among the first catalog retailers to provide free mounting and tune-up if you purchased skis and bindings together. Mountain Gear also embraced Internet sales early on and developed a decent online retail presence long before other online outdoor retailers began dominating the market.

Looking ahead, Fish doesn’t want to dwell on the passing of the shop. The decision to close was incredibly difficult and very emotional. Quite frankly, Amazon and other online giants played a role. However, Fish is eager to emphasize his wonderful employees, and he estimates he has employed over 800 people over the years. He piles on the praise for many long-standing customers and outdoor groups that continually promote the outdoor lifestyle everyone in the Northwest enjoys. Cumulatively, Mountain Gear employees have centuries of outdoor experience, and they work just as hard as they play.

Like many long-time fixtures in the out-

door adventure community, I also worked at Mountain Gear. During those 12 years, I climbed and backpacked as often as possible and I worked with a number of Mountain Gear characters who were as passionate about getting outside as I was: Gramps, BC, Epic Shane, Pookie, The Monk, Schenk, Timon, Hugh Georbanks, Mr. Phillips, Use-The-Schwartz, and a number of other employees that went on to great success throughout the outdoors community; I probably wouldn’t be an Out There Outdoors editor today had I not spent those years with Mountain Gear.

When Mountain Gear wraps up its final sale and closes up shop in the coming weeks, the entire outdoors community will feel the repercussions. Until then, Fish promises that the shop’s Going Out of Business Sale will be gigantic. Discounts will continue to drop throughout the month, and it’s important to note there is inventory for all four seasons, which means you can find great deals on summer and winter gear. Most importantly, stop by the store sooner than later to get the right size and killer deals on some of the best gear in the Northwest.

Moving forward, Paul Fish will continue to work with advocacy groups and nonprofits that champion the outdoors community and the recreation lands we love.

The Spokane retail store will close, but the Mountain Gear legacy and contributions will continue for generations of future climbers, skiers, hikers, trail runners and others who enjoy the outdoors. //

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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whitefish winter wonderland COME JANUARY, winter stoke is soaring— but so is the treacherousness of mountain passes and the increase of carbon footprints as winter sports enthusiasts chase funhog status. Fortunately, Amtrak’s Empire Builder offers daily service to Whitefish, Mont., from Seattle, Wenatchee, Spokane, and Sandpoint. Board the train in the afternoon or late evening and wake up in the historic heart of Whitefish before the lifts start running. Whitefish is an adventure paradise, so it’s not just skiers and snowboarders who have all the fun. Crosscountry and backcountry skiers, fat-bike lovers, snowshoers, fish enthusiasts, and, yes, skijorers can all fully partake in the winter wonderland. This four-day itinerary maximizes the possibilities and will make you wish you had stayed the whole week—or longer.

DAY 1 FAT BIKE AND STAY AT WHITEFISH BIKE RETREAT

Enjoy the spacious seats on the Amtrak train overnight and arrive at the historic downtown Whitefish train station early on day one. If you book with Dollar Rental, a representative will have the car warmed and ready. Drive to Whitefish Bike Retreat (WBR), where owner Cricket Butler can set you up with beautiful lodging and perfectly fit fat-tire bike. Although on-site groomed trails are limited this winter due to timber harvesting, Butler’s knowledge of all things bike and trails make the lodge worth a visit.

“I don’t believe bigger is better. I believe in quality,” she says. In all of her roles, from shuttle driver to owner to bike technician, this commitment stands out—so much so that guests who aren’t bike enthusiasts will also love the WBR experience.

At the heart of WBR is its lodge; its simplicity shows off the rugged Montana style.

With access to a beautiful and generously allocated kitchen, cozy living area, luxurious bathroom for hot showers, and long 28

By Summer Hess

tables for spreading out maps or sharing a meal, it’s the perfect home base for couples or groups of friends. Winter season includes reduced rates and a wood-fired sauna. For people who prefer not to dirty their hands in the kitchen, drive back to town to Pescado Blanco and enjoy a mountain-town twist on Mexican favorites.

DAY 2: CROSS-COUNTY SKI AT GLACIER NATIONAL PARK AND STAY AT THE LODGE AT WHITEFISH LAKE

Head back into town for breakfast at Swift Creek Café before picking up ski rentals.

Glacier Cyclery & Nordic will have you fully kitted out for a day of cross-country skiing in Glacier National Park. The knowledgeable staff can also recommend an itinerary. With the Going to the Sun Road closed for winter, the winding, scenic pavement turns into a human-powered dreamscape. A good introduction to crosscountry skiing in the park is a leisurely glide to Lake McDonald.

From Whitefish, drive 25 miles to the west entrance of Glacier National Park. Follow signs for Apgar, but be sure to stop at the foot of Lake McDonald to take in the view. Continue to the parking area at Lake McDonald Lodge and ski out and back on the Going to the Sun Road. Be sure to pack plenty of snacks, water, layers in case the weather changes, and binoculars for wildlife sightings.

Drive back to town and check-in at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, which is an approved drop-off location for Dollar Rental.

Take the S.N.O.W Bus into town for dinner at Wasabi Sushi Bar & Ginger Grill. Ask your server to recommend sake pairings for every course, and start with the Hamachi carpaccio— a thin veil of fresh yellowtail with hot curry oil, avocado, tobiko, chives and tare sauce. From there, take your meal in any direction, from Nigiri to Sashimi to inspired fusion roles.

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

DAY 3-4: SKI, SNOWBOARD, SNOWSHOE, AND RELAX AT WHITEFISH MOUNTAIN RESORT

After watching the sunrise from the lakeside hot tub at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, catch a free ride up to Whitefish Mountain Resort on the S.N.O.W. bus, which runs approximately on the half hour from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Great deals on winter ski and stay packages, consistently epic snow, and 11 speedy chairs that cover 3,000 acres of groomed runs and playful terrain—those are just a few of the reason why Whitefish is a must-visit resort this winter.

Kate Atha, the assistant ski patrol manager, offers a behind the scenes glimpse of what else makes the resort special.

In an industry where male patrollers are still the industry standard, Whitefish stands out in that close to half of its patrollers are women—and, coincidentally, fully half of the dogs in the patrol’s K-9 unit are female. Atha has co-led challenging rescue scenarios, like extracting a skier with a broken femur from the trees and safely lowering 140 guests from a chairlift with mechanical issues. “Anything that could happen in day to day life could happen here,” Atha notes. Anything and then some.

It’s liberating to know you’re in such good

LEFT: GROOMED FAT BIKE TRAILS NEAR WHITEFISH BIKE RETREAT. // TOP: ENJOYING THE LODGE AT WHITEFISH BIKE RETREAT. // ABOVE: SNOW FALLING AT THE HIBERNATION HOUSE AT WHITEFISH RESORT. // PHOTOS: SUMMER HESS

hands when exploring epic terrain. Skiers looking for a challenge should try Atha’s favorite linkup: Elephants Graveyard to lower No Name to Haskill Chute. As for a favorite, all-level option? “If I have to pick one run, it's definitely Inspiration. It’s a 2,000-foot vertical run with the best views of the area,” she notes.

Travelers on a budget should check out the resort’s Hibernation House, which includes hot, home-cooked breakfast and a hot tub.

The Bierstube on the mountain offers pub fare and sightings of your favorite resort staff and patrollers.

After two full days of charging, take the S.N.O.W. bus back to town and be ready to snooze in the spacious Amtrak seats the whole way home. Grab one last bite at Craggy Range, a Whitefish classic, while you wait for your train to roll in. Keep an eye on the online train tracker. If an act of god delays your train on its way from Chicago, consider it a sign from the heavens that you should order another round and raise a glass to your epic long-weekend adventure. // Summer Hess is the managing editor of Out There Outdoors. She hopes to find skis under her feet for at least 50 days this season.

WHITEFISH LOVES UPHILL SKIERS Uphill skiing is one of the fastest growing winter sports in the country, and more and more skiers and split boarders are turning to resorts for this incredible workout.

While some resorts have responded by severely limiting or banning access, others like Whitefish are supporting the community’s interest in the sport. Two approved routes are well signed and provide safe uphill travel from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout the season. This schedule accommodates everyone, from the local dawn patrol and after work crowd that lives in town, to the resort guests who want the chance to get some added exercise in on their lift-assisted ski trip. See the resort’s website for more details.

HEY 5TH GRADERS!!

If you’re in the 5th grade, no matter where you live, you can ski or ride for FREE at participating ski areas with the 5th Grade Ski or Ride Free Passport Program. The Ski or Ride Free Passport Program is the best way for you to experience winter recreation with your family and friends.

HOW THE PASSPORT WORKS:

The passport allows you to ski or ride for FREE* three days at each participating ski area. Some ski areas include special deals on equipment rentals, lessons and other activities in the passport!

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Visit 5thGradeSkiPassport.com to apply online!

THE 5TH GRADE PASSPORT IS ACCEPTED AT ANY OF THESE LOCATIONS:

� 49 Degrees North Chewelah, WA

� Silver Mountain Kellogg, ID

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� Loup Loup Okanogan, WA JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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25 WINTER ADVENTURES

By Jean Arthur NORTHWEST WINTERS are breathtakingly beautiful, but they can also be long and cold and induce longings for hibernation.

Here’s an inspiring list of adventures to help you pack your short days with big fun.

WASHINGTON

1. Ski Bluewood in Dayton, Wash., where the off-piste Vintner’s Ridge cat skiing opens expert terrain for only $12/day plus the $45 adult lift ticket. Then experience regional menus, local wine parings, and cooking classes during Walla Walla’s February Is For Foodies month.

2. Cross-country ski or snowmobile 5 miles into the U.S. Forest Service nightly cabin rental, Clearwater Big House, near Pomeroy, Wash. Enjoy the quiet spaces on the Umatilla National Forest where elk, bighorn sheep, mule and white-tailed deer, and coyotes amble among the snow-flocked pines and subalpine fir. Dozens of Forest Service cabins and fire lookouts are available to rent in the Northwest for a reasonable nightly fee.

3. Visit Bavaria without leaving Washington at the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum and explore different ways to crack a nut.

Kids can join a nutcracker hunt while discovering the importance of nuts throughout human history in the Bavarian-style village of the Cascade Range, just 2 miles from Leavenworth Ski Hill’s two rope tows, Nordic jump hill, tubing slope, and lovely log lodge.

4. Ski with the dog on some of Methow Trails’ 40 kilometers of dog-friendly Nordic trails such as Grizzly Way, Rendezvous, and Big Valley. Dogs need a $10 daily ticket or $50 season pass to help upkeep the grooming while humans’ trail fees range according to age.

30

5. Take an outdoor adventure class with REI Spokane, like Avalanche Awareness and Avalanche Fundamentals at the Spokane store; or, try the Wilderness First Aid at Selkirk Lodge at Mt. Spokane State Park, where—like many recreation outlets—a Sno-Park Permit is required.

6. Bring the ice skates to downtown Spokane’s Riverfront Park Numerica Ice Ribbon, a 650-foot iced path accompanied by fire pits and hot cocoa from SkyRibbon Café. Skate rentals available for $4.95.

7. Explore the channeled scablands of the 18,000-acre Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, which provides winter habitat to waterfowl and mammalian wildlife among the glaciated basalt outcroppings, canyons, pine forests, meadows, and wetlands.

IDAHO

8. Find wonder at Harriman State Park in Idaho, winter home to trumpeter swans on the open water of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. The park offers excellent birding along the 39 kilometers of groomed cross-country ski, snowshoe, and fat bike trails. Unique lodging in bunkhouse, dorms, cabins, and yurts encourage large groups to stay at the historic 11,000acre railroad ranch.

9. Fat bike Sandpoint, Idaho’s winter trails with a rental from Greasy Fingers Bikes N Repair, where the crew will point out intown and on-mountain trails.

10. Squeal down 100 yards of downhill sliding aboard an inner tube at Schweitzer Mountain Resort’s Hermits Hollow Tubing Center, lit for night tubing and day sliding with a tow back to the hilltop. The winter thriller is for anyone 42 inches or taller.

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

11. Nordic ski from Ketchum, Idaho’s Galena Lodge into Sun Valley on some of the 200 kilometers of superbly groomed trails with the Boulder Mountains glistening above the Big Wood River. Stay at the new Limelight Hotel, which serves the best gluten-free pizza in the Gem State.

OREGON

12. Go fishing with Go Fish Charters on Lake Pend Oreille for brown cutthroat, lake and rainbow trout, as well as walleye and whitefish. Winter fishing season in Idaho goes through March 31, and you can fly fish on the Clark Fork, St. Joe, St. Maries, and Moyie rivers, as well as the North Fork, Little North Fork, and mainstream Coeur d’Alene rivers.

14. Snowshoe or ski tour into the Wallowa Alpine Huts in the Eaglecap Wilderness Area. Amenities include yurts, a woodfired sauna, and well-equipped kitchen.

Snowmobile porter service available.

13. Cross-country ski at Meacham Divide Nordic Area, located in northeast Oregon.

The Blue Mountain Nordic Club maintains a marked, groomed trail system. The primary trail, called Loppet, includes five loops branching off it.

15. Admire some pups at the Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Race, the only Iditarod

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and Yukon Quest qualifier in Oregon, on Jan.23-25. The races are the main event, but the vet checks in Joseph are free, open to the public, and provide a good opportunity to meet the mushers and dogs.

MONTANA AND WYOMING

16. Ice climb with Glacier Adventure Guides and learn ice-tool techniques, safety, and fun on crystalline frozen waterfalls.

The experts also offer guided cross-country ski and snowshoe tours and winter camping trips in Glacier National Park.

17. Stay in a slope-side luxury tree house at Whitefish Mountain Resort. The Snow Bear Chalets are in one of the three elevated and cozy cabins, each with private hot tub on the deck, full kitchen, and a turret bedroom.

18. Check out Cabin Fever Days in Martin City, Hungry Horse, and Coram, Mont.

The event features Barstool Ski Races where entrants fix skis to barstools and attempt to ride down a slope near Glacier National Park every mid-February, benefitting the local volunteer fire department. No training needed.

19. Ice skate Missoula’s Glacier Ice Rink where both indoor and outdoor rinks entice skaters to glide the large arena (rental skates are available); or, adventure outside on the Rattlesnake neighborhood’s Pineview Park where the local hockey association floods a portion of the park for bring-your-ownskates fun.

20. Visit Yellowstone National Park Lodges and geysers aboard an over-the-snow vehicle from Mammoth, Wyo., to Old Faithful, while the interpreter reveals history and famous thermal features and points out bison, elk, wolves, eagles, and moose.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

21. Gain Avalanche Safety Training at the Golden Alpine Holidays backcountry huts, or enjoy three-to seven-day hut trips.

Skiers and boarders can helicopter in to the Esplanade Range of the northern Selkirks for guided, catered, or self-guided, alpinetouring hut adventures.

22. Storm watch British-Columbia style, which includes dazzling Pacific storms barreling across the ocean while viewers are

seated fireside in one of Vancouver Island’s cozy oceanfront resorts such as Nanaimo’s Yellow Point Lodge.

23. Howl with the dogs at Candle Creek’s Dog Sled Tours at Big White Ski Resort, Mountain Man Dog Sled Adventures at Sun Peaks Resort, or Big Bear Tours of Lumby near Vernon.

24. Snowmobile part or all of the 1850s Gold Rush Trail from Kamloops to Cariboo, Williams Lake, and the historic communities of Wells and Barkerville—a 288-mile route.

25. Soak in B.C.’s famed mineral waters such as Ainsworth Hot Springs, located near Nelson along Kootenay Lake on lands first used by Ktuanxa First Nations peoples.

The resort hotel offers access to the hot springs pools and cave.

Jean Arthur writes, skis, hikes, bikes, and laughs from Bozeman. She even has the blisters to prove it, thanks to the new ski boots on her wish list.

THE BIKE SHOP THAT COMES TO YOU

OPPOSITE PAGE TOP: SKISNOWSHOE TO USFS CABIN //OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM: SNOW BEAR CHALET // THIS PHOTO: TOUR YELLOWSTONE // BELOW: HELI HUT ALPINE TOUR GOLDEN ALPINE HOLIDAYS BC // PHOTOS: JEAN ARTHUR

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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Bogus Basin Idaho Bluewood Washington Schweitzer Idaho Silver Mountain Idaho Mt. Spokane Washington 49° North Washington Brundage Idaho Lookout Pass Idaho/Montana Border

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OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

ON THE MOUNTAIN

SKI/SNOWBOARD SECTION

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PHOTO: AARON THEISEN, COURTESY OF SKI THE NORTHWEST ROCKIES

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ON THE MOUNTAIN LOCAL RESORTS

LEARN TO SKI MONTH

Local resorts offer an economical way to explore a new way to get outside in the winter through their learn-to-ski-or-snowboard packages.

Packages are a great option for families who want to learn how to ski or board together or for beginners who want to check out different resorts without spending a ton of money. But with many resorts offering deals on season passes once the learn to ski program is completed, it will be hard to stop at just a few lessons! Please note that most participating resorts expect guests to call ahead to schedule lessons and that most packages are only for brand-new, first-time skiers and riders of any age.

49 DEGREES NORTH

January Learn to Ski or Ride Month: In addition to $10 off its EZ Ski or Ride package, 49 is offering Mastering the Mountain clinics on the following days: Jan. 7 (co-ed) and Jan. 13 (women specific). The EZ Ski or Ride 1-2-3 program includes three days of fun, complete with lift tickets, ski or snowboard rentals, and lessons (available to ages 5+).

Lesson begins at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. for ages 5-13. There are also lessons that begin at 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. for ages 12+. Purchase and reservations must be made 24 hours in advance. This is a special introductory program focusing on teaching a strong foundation for those who have never skied or snowboarded or those who may need to rebuild their confidence on the slopes. The first and second visit include a Chair 3 (beginner chairlift) lift ticket, and the third visit includes an all-mountain lift ticket. Cost: $189. Contact 509-935-6649, extension 610, for more info.

LOOKOUT PASS

PHOTO: AARON THEISEN // COURTESY OF SKI THE NORTHWEST ROCKIES

LEARN TO SKI MONTH DEALS

BY SUMMER HESS

RIDING THE CHAIRLIFT for the first time as an adult arouses feelings of excitement and dread, kind of like the first day of middle school. You’re psyched to be there, but you’re afraid of looking stupid. And it doesn’t help that everyone around you seems to have been born knowing how to do this. Although learning to ski or snowboard can be an intimidating endeavor for anyone at any age, the programs offered by our local Ski the Northwest Rockies affiliated resorts will have you feeling more at ease after just a few runs.

About 70 percent of the runs at Lookout Pass are beginner or intermediate oriented, which means a huge portion of the mountain is quickly accessible to newbies. It’s always one of the first regional ski hills to open, so its season pass can get you more mileage. Plus, Lookout consistently has great snow—33 feet in an average year— thanks to its location at the crest of the Bitterroot Range on the Idaho/Montana state line. And it’s just a 90-minute car ride from Spokane.

The vibe at Lookout is also beginner-friendly.

You’ll see fewer selfie sticks and gratuitous hucks.

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OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

People cruising around the mountain genuinely seem to be there for the love of the snow. But you don’t have to be afraid to carpool with friends who want to charge harder runs than you. Playful terrain and quality snow make Lookout a great spot for people of all abilities. There are sweet tree skiing runs and powder stashes to be found, and the resort is undergoing an expansion to add fast chairlifts and more runs in the coming years.

For kids, Lookout takes the Learn to Ski concept to a whole new level. Every Saturday morning from Jan. 4 through March 7, Lookout hosts a free ski school for kids. Kids without lift tickets or season passes can still attend, but they cannot continue skiing for the day without purchasing a lift ticket or pass. Rentals are not included, but they are affordable, and you can also look for used gear at local ski swaps or Northwest Outdoors gear consignment store in Spokane. // Summer Hess is the managing editor of Out There Outdoors. She learned to ski a few years ago at Lookout Pass.

January Learn to Ski or Ride Month Special: Pay only $99 for the EZ Ski or Ride 1-2-3 program that includes three all-day lift tickets. Day one and two start on the Success beginner chairlift, while day three includes an all-mountain lift ticket. The package also includes rental equipment usage and lessons to help you progress quickly. Classes are available every day it is open, and reservations are required. The graduation gift for completion of the Learn to Ski or Ride in 3 Days program is a special rate on a season pass, with daily rental equipment included. This program applies only to first-time beginners. This package is for ages 13 and up, and Lookout offers other deals for kids. Cost: $129. Contact 208-7441301, extension 15, for more info.

MT. SPOKANE

January Learn to Ski or Ride Month Special: Pay only $139 for the EZ Ski or Ride 1-2-3 program, which includes three lessons, three lift tickets, and three rentals. Group lessons are available at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on any weekend or holiday. Learn the basics with a Beginner's Luck lift ticket (Chair 5 only) on the first lesson and progress as far as you want to on the second two lessons with an all-mountain lift ticket. Upon completion of the EZ-Ski or Ride program, you will be eligible to purchase a season pass for the remainder of the season for just $129 as a graduation gift.

The cost is $159 or $139 during January’s Learn to Ski Month program.

Contact 509-238-2220, extension 215, for more info.

SILVER MOUNTAIN RESORT

January Learn to Ski or Ride Month: For the month of January, pay just $62 (adult) or $47 (youth) for a lift ticket, lesson, and rental. Or sign up for the EZ Ski or Ride 1-2-3 program that includes three lift tickets on the Prospector lift, three rentals, and three lessons for ages 7+. Lessons are at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. and are not available during the Christmas holiday period. The program is open to first timers only, and first visits must occur between opening day and March 1. (The program cost is $139.)

Contact 208-783-1111, extension 8220, for more info.

EVENTS ON THE MOUNTAIN

SPEND YOUR VALENTINES' NIGHT AT MT. SPOKANE. PHOTO AARON THEISEN, COURTESY OF SKI THE NORTHWEST ROCKIES

10 RESORT EVENTS YOU WONT WANT TO MISS

BY JENAE DENLINGER

FOR THE INLAND NORTHWEST, January and

February are the crème de la crème of winter, for both conditions and quality on-mountain events. Don’t miss these favorite mountain spectacles at the four Ski the Northwest Rockies affiliated resorts. These events are just the tip of the iceberg. Check out each resort’s event calendar for some mountain party, competition, or family-friendly outing options just about every weekend.

keting director. It’s a legendary park with plenty of spots to witness the epic air these skiers and boarders will surely hit.

Colburn also revealed a new event that will be happening on Feb. 1 on the streets of Uptown Kellogg. It is a slopestyle and railjam competition in conjunction with Radio Brewing. Keep your eyes and ears open for more details coming soon!

LOOKOUT PASS

SILVER MOUNTAIN

Originally named Jackass Ski Bowl after, legend has it, gold prospector “burro Bill” wandered onto the raw land that locals and visitors have so blissfully glided over these past decades. Silver pays homage to its gritty, hardcore roots on Jackass Day with $12 lift tickets—the same price skiers paid when the Jackass Ski Bowl first opened in 1967. Join the fun on Jan. 10 all day and Jan. 11 after 3 p.m. for night riding.

On Feb. 1 and 2, Silver hosts the United States of America Snowboard and Free Ski Association’s (USASA) Inland Northwest competition at its terrain park. “Get a sneak peek at the United States gold medalists of the future,” says Gus Colburn, Silver’s mar-

Lookout Pass is a popular spot for all ages and is exceptionally kid friendly. Voted the “most family friendly mountain resort in the Pacific Northwest” by On the Snow, the lighthearted quirkiness of its winter event lineup generates spectacular and eyebrow raising images. On Jan. 12, participate in a 3-Legged Race, Egg Carrying Contest, or PNW Wife Carrying Contest for a chance to win prizes. It’s all part of the Winter Carnival Family Fun Day and makes a great spectator event even for non-skiers.

Jan. 26 is the Mountain Brewfest and Snow Bowling with Kids Contest, which involves pushing your toboggan-riding child down a gentle slope towards giant inflatable bowling pins. Expect plenty of laughs and good cheer.

MT. SPOKANE

Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday all month in January and February, Mt. Spokane is the perfect place to unwind on the slopes and in the lodge after work.

The night skiing and boarding offers plenty of light to traverse your favorite trails and plenty of seating to take a quick break and grab a drink in the lodge. Look for creative happenings like Throwback Thursday on Jan. 9 and Feb. 13, offering $19.80 lift tickets, 1980s ski films, classic rock, and drink specials in the bar.

Try something different on Valentines' Day, Feb. 14: Mt. Spokane’s Mountain of Love. The event features Valentines' Day Dinner that includes a game designed for lovebirds, a DJ in the bar, plus all the ski runs you can manage. Daycare is open by reservation, so take advantage of a romantic, invigorating evening—without the kids!

49 DEGREES NORTH

Jan. 4 the resort will be holding its distinctive Nordic Center winter festival—a day packed with Nordic ski and fat bike demos, Nordic lessons, scrumptious grub, and tasty beverages!

Coed Ski & Snowboard Clinic “Mastering the Mountain” is up next on Feb. 4. The clinic is “designed specifically for adults who are looking to improve their skill,” explains Emily McDaniel, marketing director for 49.

“It’s a really great, affordable way to take a lesson… while meeting new people and exploring new terrain.” // Jenae is an all-season adventurist that enjoys exploring outdoor recreation and movement as an outlet for artistic expression. You may find things like ice camping through Scandinavia on her bucket list.

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Winter Adventures in

ON THE MOUNTAIN SKI BUM ADVICE

Wallace The Center of the Universe

THE YOUNG ONES BOUNCE WHEN THEY BLOW A JUMP. // PHOTO: SHALLAN KNOWLES

SKI

MAN, I WISH I COULD STILL DO THAT

BY BRAD NORTHRUP

BIKE

UNWIND DINE

CLINT EASTWOOD ONCE SAID it best in one of the Dirty Harry movies: “A man’s got to know his limitations.” As I flounder through middle age, I like to think that I know mine, but as I am frequently reminded by my better half, I don’t. Evidently it’s not ok for me to free climb my way onto our super-steep roof to spray yellow jacket nests when it’s 105 degrees out. Not sure why, because it seems perfectly sensible in theory. Anyway, the same logic applies to skiing. There are just some things that I should no longer do on the hill, even if my ego tells me I can.

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OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

Like any kid who grew up skiing, I absolutely loved going off of jumps. Few things compare to that feeling of excitement in your gut as you approached the rim of whatever rad bump you were trying to launch off of. And even if you totally exploded on impact, it never seemed to hurt. I’m here to tell ya, those days are gone. Now, I nearly soil my trousers if I catch a whopping two inches of air off of the grooming overlap berm and have to stop and ensure I didn’t also blow out an ACL in the process. No, keep the sticks on the snow—it’s way safer. It’s that or invest in some adult diapers. As a side note, they fit great and come in many colors.

CLOSING DOWN THE BAR AND STILL MAKING FIRST CHAIR

A lifetime ago, one of my favorite après ski activities was throwing back “a few” cold barley pops with my compadres after a day on the mountain. More often than not, this usually ended with us staying until closing, leaving only when threatened by the bar staff. Despite this behavior, we always seemed to rally at dawn and make it up to the hill early to catch first chair. Today, if I even stay up past 9 p.m., chances are slim that I will be able to get up early enough

to make it to the mountain in time to get a parking spot in the main lot. Add a couple of adult beverages to this formula, and I guarantee I will forget my pants and my boots.

SKIING FAST

Having spent a good chunk of my skiing career on hard snow with race sticks on my feet, I will admit I have a thing for speed.

I used to wait patiently at the top of a run for it to clear so I could go at it as fast as I wanted without the need to worry about other skiers. While waiting I would visualize where I wanted to execute my turns and count out how many to make. Today, if I forget that I have premature arthritic knees and let the dogs run like I used to, the only thing I start calculating is the difference between my medical insurance deductible and the balance of my checking account—minus the co-pay. This usually slows me down.

HIKING FOR TURNS

There is nothing better than a powder day, especially when most of the freshies can be had by riding the lift. The downside of this is that the mountain gets tracked out by mid-morning, and you can either hike for the goodness or go home. I used to choose the former and was frequently rewarded for my hard work with seemingly endless fresh turns. Now, whenever I see a group of die-hards trudging their way up some distant ridgeline, a small part of me cries with envy. The rest of me thinks, “Damn, that looks exhausting” or “Better them than me.” Rather than spending the afternoon doing likewise, I hustle home to catch an episode of Antiques Roadshow and a nap.

Spoiler alert: Season 15 is amazing. // Brad Northrup is a former ski racer, coach, and ski bum. His ego is still writing checks his body can’t cash.

ARTIFACTS ON THE MOUNTAIN

PHOTOS COURTESY OF 49 DEGREES NORTH

THE BELL AT 49 DEGREES NORTH

BY BRAD NORTHRUP

AS YOU APPROACH the summit of 49

Degrees North, you will hear it long before you see it. One clang, then another, then a moment of silence, and then another. What you are hearing is skiers and riders ringing the bell that is affixed to a carved tree located on skier’s left at the top of the run Silver Ridge, which separates the central and east basins at the resort. A long time feature at the mountain, generations of skiers and riders have stopped to ring the bell for good luck. But where did the bell come from?

There have actually been a total of four bells located near the summit. The first one, a standard cowbell, was installed about 30 years ago, and lasted approximately 10 years until it finally gave up the ghost. The second one, a brass bell from Switzerland, was put into place immediately after the demise of the first, and this bell lasted a whopping four days until it broke. The third bell, a twin of the second, didn’t fare much better as it was stolen not long after being put up.

The fourth bell, and the one that is in use today, was made out of an 8-inch well cas-

ing by a construction foreman who worked for Walt Worthy. To help ensure its longevity on the mountain, he also crafted custom hardware to attach the bell to the tree. He made it so one would have to cut down the tree in order to steal the bell. Thanks to his diligence, the bell has remained in place, unmolested.

The unique carving on the tree that holds the bell also has an interesting background.

Created by a long-time 49 skier, the “Bell Man” came into existence when his creator took to wood carving as a form of therapy after suffering a personal tragedy. He is the same artist who carved the massive Ullr statue located at the front of the lodge.

Due to the robust construction of the bell, there is definitely a technique to ringing it properly. Most folks hit it with a ski pole, or an open palm as they pass by. A few have

tried more aggressive methods, and things didn’t work out too well. “One guy tried to punch it and broke two knuckles,” says Gary Deaver, 49’s ski patrol director. “Another guy went for the headbutt and ended up in the aid room getting stitches.”

Whether you ski or ride alone or with family and friends, make sure you stop and give it a ring. Superstition runs deep in the skiing community, and the mountain will take whatever luck we can bring it.

According to locals, it’s kind of required if you visit the mountain.

“You haven’t really skied 49 until you ring the bell,” says Deaver.

Brad Northrup holds an M.A. in history and has a passion for unique items from the past.

He has been a contributing writer for Out There Outdoors since 2011.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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ON THE MOUNTAIN APRES

Powder & Stay Packages MOON TIME TAPS. // PHOTO: KATHY WILSON

14 PLACES TO CRUSH YOUR POST-SKI CRAVINGS

BY ADAM GEBAUER

Best Access to Lookout Pass, Alpine, Backcountry, XC Snowshoe and Fatbike Trails

Drop the Car Explore Historic Wallace’s Acclaimed Downtown!

Wallace, Idaho The Center of the Universe Gateway to the Western Rockies TheWallaceInn.com 38

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

ON THE WAY BACK TO TOWN after charg-

ing the new north runs at Mt. Spokane, I hit the preprogrammed number in my phone. They know my order before I even say it, and exactly 12 minutes later I have 10 delicious chicken wings in a steaming brown bag with the Wing Stop logo. I don’t feel great about it, but sometimes after a day of shredding the slopes, chicken wings quench my craving. The bad feeling isn’t because buffalo wings are not exactly a health food, but because I will no doubt eat them all in the car before I get home.

We have all had that day when a granola bar on the chair for lunch just won’t cut it.

We have also had those epic days on the slopes when you need to relive the day with your crew over a pint and some good chow.

That’s when it’s time to hit up some of the great gastro options on the way home from our local mountains.

After sliding the snowy line between Montana and Idaho at Lookout Pass, there are many ever-improving dining options in Wallace to choose from. City Limits Pub in combination with North Idaho Mountain Brew is a recent go-to. A taster flight, soft pretzel, and Cuban make a great combination. If you’re looking for a quicker bite that can entertain all ages with great décor, try a burger at Red Light Garage.

Boot packing up Wardner Peak at Silver Mountain can build up quite an appetite.

Luckily Coeur d’Alene is known for many good options, including Moon Time. The spicy curried cashews and moon burger pair

well with anything from their craft beer list.

If you are in a hurry and can make it little farther down the road to Post Falls, there is a delicious chicken sandwich waiting for you at Popeyes.

Sometimes after pounding the glades at 49, it is hard to remember to slow down as you enter Chewelah. But you should not forget to check out Sporty’s, which has great service, an extensive menu including wings (of course), wraps, and a magic mushroom burger. If gas station food doesn’t scare you, the Spoko Fuel on the way out of town has some surprisingly good hot items. If you are looking for a classic, try the Clayton Drive In. After a day of skiing the steeps under the ghost of Snow Ghost at Schweitzer, Mick Duff 's Brew Pub is a classic spot in downtown Sandpoint. Or you can bring your own food or food from another restaurant into Mick Duff 's Beer Hall just two blocks away.

If you are looking for a quality, quick, and affordable burger to get you home, try ServA-Burger at the north end of town or Paul Bunyan’s in Ponderay.

Spokane, of course, has myriad options. It is hard to beat the price point of Atilano's burritos. If you are looking for a great pint list and deals on wings or tacos, check out the nightly specials at The Viking. // Adam Gebauer has been waxing his skis and planning his après since the first snowfall in September.

SLOPE STYLES ON THE MOUNTAIN

FISH STICKS. // PHOTO COURTESY OF REPYOURWATER

THE ART OF SKIS

BY AMY MCCAFFREE

SKIS ASSIST PEOPLE who want to move

efficiently, and often rapidly, in alpine terrain. And just as humans have injected charisma and flair into their technique, they have infused personality and selfexpression into their equipment. Here are three companies that work with local artists who elevate the alpine experience with inspiring visual designs.

PERSONALIZED ART – FOLSOM SKIS

When skier Alix Whitener saw a “lowpoly image of a fellow skier’s dog” on a set of Folsom custom-made skis, she was inspired. Her dog Remi’s “doberman mask would look super rad on skis,” she thought at the time.

Whitener’s desire to capture her dog’s likeness on a pair of skis runs deeper than aesthetics. “Remi has been my adventure partner for the last seven years. [She has] run, skied, and hiked by my side...I wanted to honor her role in my life as well as treat myself to custom skis after finishing graduate school,” says Whitener. “Skis don’t last on the mountain forever, but they will look great on my wall once they've lived out their lives.”

Whitener called Folsom Skis, in Denver, and shared a photo of Remi with designers and described the art style she wanted.

Technical specs for the ski core were decided based on Whitener’s style of skiing. Two weeks later, her new skis arrived.

Recently, Whitener’s dog passed away.

“Remi is always with me, skis or no skis. But it feels extra special knowing she’s right at my feet while I’m enjoying our favorite sport,” she says. “It’s not about having something no one else has on their skis; it's a personal touch that’s part of who I am and what’s special to me.”

NORTHWEST ART – LITHIC SKIS

Based in Peshastin, near Leavenworth, Lithic Skis is the only independent ski manufacturer in Washington State, founded by Ty Bourgeois and Paul Roberts. “We came from a company in Tahoe that was making ugly stuff—great skis but the art was pain-

ful to look at,” says Bourgeois. “Essentially, it comes down to me and Paul in the shop every day. When we look down at the skis we’re working on and can feel happy, we like that. And that translates into other people being happy about the skis. It really comes down to trying to be unique.”

However, Bourgeois doesn’t slam other companies for not putting as much focus on the art. “There are still companies that make really generic top sheets. I like that aesthetic—simple and clean and a simple logo...

We’re not trying to thumb our nose at K2 by being unique, but if it looks good and all comes together, then we’re stoked.”

This is the third season that Lithic has collaborated with a local artist. For 2019-20, the featured artist is Craig Muderlak, a climber and fellow skier in Washington. Every set of custom Lithic skis is handmade according to a customer’s desired flex and core type, and hardwoods are hand-selected at the local lumber mill.

“First priority is the quality of our skis,” says Bourgeois, who, along with Roberts, skis 100 days a year—Mission Ridge is their home mountain, and they also ski at Stevens Pass. “We don’t even call it skiing. We call it ‘prototyping.’”

ART FOR A CAUSE – REPYOURWATER FISH STICKS BY MEIER SKIS

Owners of two small Colorado-based companies were inspired by the crossover interest in snow sports and fishing. The result is the Meier X RepYourWater Fish Sticks collection of skis and snowboards.

“Good snowpack is great for a ski season and also critical for healthy trout fisheries and good fishing,” says RepYourWater cofounder Corinne Doctor. “We knew that the killer graphics from us would look great on the Meier skis, especially with their natural wood aesthetic.”

Debuting in 2017, there are now five designs available—one depicts the Colorado River headwaters and the others focus on individual trout species, including rainbow and cutthroat. // JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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ON THE MOUNTAIN MOUNTAIN CULTURE

6 THINGS TO DO IN WALLACE AFTER THE LIFTS STOP RUNNING

BY DAVE COPELAN

WALLACE, IDAHO, has been in the charm business for most of its 135-year history.

During the boom days, a drink and a wink led many a lonely miner, businessman, or traveler to discover the charms of its storied red-light district. Today visitors are wooed in a different manner. There are literally dozens of places to drink, dine, shop and unwind in Wallace’s National Register of Historic Places downtown. And it’s all on the doorstep of two ski resorts and endless mountains. Best yet, it’s a place corporate America hasn’t invaded.

That unspoiled character and easy access to the mountains has led over a dozen visitors from around the country and globe to set up shop and make Wallace their new home and entrepreneurial home base in recent years. And it’s making for a more vibrant downtown that everyone from skiers and snowboarders, to history buffs, and outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes want to spend more time experiencing. On your next trip to Wallace, be sure to check out these new business additions.

1. BLACKBOARD MARKETPLACE

Rob Wuerfel first came to town with his restaurateur wife and business partner Luanne in 2014. Within two years this former World Cup Champion Skier turned gourmet chef opened the Blackboard Café. Today the couple operates half a city block of businesses in the Blackboard Marketplace located in the remodeled three-story Tabors’ Mercantile building.

Take a walk around the block and you’ll find an expanded Blackboard restaurant, an Italian deli/bakery, a coffeehouse/bookstore, and an upscale outdoor apparel shop.

2. SILVER CORNER & LUX ROOMS

Tacoma transplants Jocelyn and Mathias Bachman offer upscale cocktails and drinks for the everyman in their refurbished, 19th century former bordello and bar. Signature drinks include their shrubs and Old-Fashioneds, along with hundreds of different spirits, beers and wines. Book an adult-themed stay upstairs in their Lux Rooms, the former bordello.

3. COGS SPOKEHOUSE & GASTRO PUB

Find L.A. style street tacos, a full bar, cigar humidor, and rent an electric bike 40

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

all at Cogs. Timing for this new business was perfect with the nearby Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes opening to e-bikes this past December. But owner Stu Strother is a guy used to taking risks. This 50-something economics professor is the same guy in Wallace’s Extreme Ski-Jor promotions getting big air and doing a back flip while being towed on skis at 40 mph down the snow-covered downtown streets.

4. OLIVER’S MERCANTILE

Combine an apparel store, gift and custom t-shirt shop, and a huge selection of wines and craft beers, then put it all in Wallace’s old two-story J.C. Penney’s building. That’s Oliver’s—named after owner Ali Koski’s young son. Rapidly becoming the place to shop, sip, and socialize, you’ll find this gem across from the landmark Wallace Brewing Company on Bank Street.

5. ALBI’S STEAKHOUSE

Reopened last year, Albi’s is the answer to the question of where to get a late-night meal in Wallace. Known for its steaks, Albi’s also has a complete menu served until 10 p.m., as well as a full bar. Don’t overlook the oversized images of mines and madams adorning the walls.

6. SILVER STREAK ZIPLINE TOURS

Coming this winter, you’ll be able to get your zipline fix year-round. Silver Streak Zipline Tours has new owners with big plans for 2020. This winter owners Scott and Gina Haney will be running the ziplines for the first time on a limited basis. Come spring look for a new mountain bike park and by next winter a snowboard park. All on their 200-plus acres of private land overlooking Wallace and the Silver Valley.

Whether you’re passing through on your way to winter adventures or plan to stay a while, there’ll be something to charm you in the ever-evolving historic mining town of Wallace.

Dave Copelan is a writer and graphic artist who moved to Wallace in 2014 from southern Nevada. His day job is the coordinator for the Historic Wallace Chamber of Commerce.

PROFILE ON THE MOUNTAIN

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN RESORT

MARK & COLLEEN WHITE

ON THE BOARD AGAIN

BY DIG CHRISMER

THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE if you spend any

time in the village at Schweitzer you’ll run into Mark and Colleen White. These two unofficial Schweitzer greeters are hard to miss with their welcoming smiles, infectious laughter, and endearing Texas drawls.

Spending time with them on the mountain is delightful in any season.

They both rip it up on the slopes during winter and are staples at Schweitzer’s summer events. Mark’s comedic nature is complemented by Colleen’s exuberance for adventure, and the two of them live life at Schweitzer to the fullest. It’s only after you’ve fallen under their charm that you realize something is missing. That would be Mark’s right arm.

On a beautiful day in January 2017, Mark (58), Colleen (46), and their son Ashton (26), all passionate snowboarders, headed over to Little Blue Ridge Run to take advantage of some excellent mid-season conditions. “We had just gotten off the T-Bar, and strapped into our bindings when I said, ‘party of three, let’s go!’” explains Mark. “Less than a minute later, I was buried under the snow.”

The accident happened so fast that Colleen and Ashton weren’t even aware Mark was missing. “We wondered if we had

passed him so we headed to Stella and started asking people if they had seen him. At this point, I was 80% scared and 20% mad,” Colleen explains. “On the lift, I tried to call him and it went to voicemail. As soon as we got off Stella, I went straight to ski patrol.”

At the same time Colleen and Ashton were starting to worry, Mark was wedged tight between two trees just off Little Blue with a severed artery causing him to lose a substantial amount of blood. “Luckily, my saving snow angel, a skier on the run, saw the accident but couldn’t locate me in the trees,” says Mark. “Her husband skied on to get ski patrol, and she waited by the spot where she was certain I had left the trail.” When ski patrol arrived and began to search the area, one patroller noticed a black crescent shape.

Trudging through the snow, he realized it was Mark’s helmet.

Time is of the essence in any accident situation and more so when a patient needs critical care. There is no question for Mark or Colleen that the quick thinking of Schweitzer’s ski patrol staff saved his life that day. Once Mark was airlifted to the hospital, his condition was determined to be severe. He had his clavicle, shoulder, and

humerus repaired with metal bars and plates.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to repair the core nerve in his right arm, and it was amputated in July of 2017.

Flash forward to another sunny day at Schweitzer, this time it’s January 2019. Mark and Colleen have just finished a day of riding and they are happily chatting about their runs. “We work from our home in the White Pine, and so when we can get out to ride, we do,” says Colleen. “It was the big question if Mark would snowboard again, but this is what we love and where we love to be.”

“Schweitzer is our happy place still,” adds Mark. “After the accident, I waited to see if I could snowboard. I practiced on small hills only going about 18 feet the first time and that felt huge! I follow a pretty strict criteria now for riding. If on any given day I have three things not in sync, I don’t go. I’m looking to feel strong, have good weather, go when the mountain’s not too crowded, and I don’t head to unfamiliar terrain if I’m with new friends or guests. If any three of those aren’t in alignment, I’m back in the condo chilling.”

For Mark the hardest part isn’t riding with one arm. He’s still working on healing and

coping with some lingering pain from the accident. “Snowboarding really helps me fight off the periodic melancholy. Exercise helps distract me from the pain and the realization that I’m not the same person I was physically two years ago. Losing an arm is pretty humbling. But it’s also been unbelievably cool.”

Mark and Colleen feel that the accident solidified their connection to the Schweitzer community. “We fell in love with this place when my parents moved from Texas to Moyie Springs 27 years ago,” says Mark.

“As soon as we saw an opportunity to work remotely, Colleen and I knew we wanted to live here. Even after everything, this is where we want to be. Some days are hard for me on the mountain. I still get anxious when I’m riding Little Blue, but when I’m on my board and I’m in the zone, I’ve found my balance.

Until I fall over that is!”

Dig Chrismer landed in Sandpoint 8 years ago with her four children after several years ricocheting around the world. These days she’s the marketing manager for Schweitzer Mountain Resort and is on a mission to prove that telemark skiing isn’t dead.

an

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41

ON THE MOUNTAIN BACKCOUNTRY

MOUNT BAILEY VORTEX

MOUNT BAILEY'S BERMUDA TRIANGLE

BY CHRIS GABRIELLI

THEY SAY MORALE IS SOLUBLE IN WATER.

Spokane Fly Fishers Fly Fishing School 8 Weekly Classes

Feb. 20–Apr. 4

6 pm - 9 pm at INWC

6116 N. Market Spokane For more information:

fs@spokaneflyfishers.com or call Claude Kistler 509-747-2268

Images courtesy Kimbo May 42

Travel Destinations,

& BIKE SHOPS

an WWW.SPOKANEOUTDOOREXPO.COM @ THE SPOKANE CONVENTION CENTER

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

It turns out that it's also soluble in snowstorms, waning light, tired legs, and lost souls.

We had been lost for nearly two hours and daylight was fading. I couldn’t believe this was actually happening; but, to be honest, I was kind of excited about it. We were truly lost, and it was going exactly as they said it would.

Skiing off the flanks of Mount Bailey in Central Oregon, three of us had split from the main group of nearly 20. The grinproducing powder stashes had lured us further down the mountain’s flanks with each turn. When we grouped up at the bottom—an obvious flat treed zone—we were in unknown territory, but our internal compasses all agreed on a similar direction back to the hut. As we transitioned to walk mode, the snowfall intensified. We were in a proper mountain storm at this point. Yet fully stoked on a great 3,000-foot ski line, good conditions, and the promise of a warm dry hut with whiskey and grub waiting to greet us, we welcomed the deepening snowflakes.

I started cutting a trail towards home.

Downed trees, micro terrain and little clearings all pushed us one way or another, but we felt our general trajectory remained true.

30 minutes passed and I was relieved to hit an old skin track. Not only did it confirm we were on course, but I could now switch my brain off and mindlessly plod back to the hut. That was, until the hut never materialized. The skin track ended at a packed out area where three ski tracks came together.

Someone had transitioned here, and that someone had been us. We had unknowingly skinned a large circle in the woods, returning to our own tracks and then back to our own transition spot. It was no doubt a “holy shit” moment. I had heard that humans often do this when lost—walk in large circles—but to have actually done it ourselves was amazing.

Still largely unphased, we turned ourselves

and once again took off in the direction we deemed would bring us home. We peeled off our first skin track a little ways down, convinced we had identified how we had initially gone off course. This time we talked out directions and came to a group consensus on how to move forward. I was quietly proud at how we were handling ourselves.

The teamwork appeared effective. It provided a small dose of comradery, kept each member engaged, and encouraged everyone to participate in decision making. That is, of course, until it happened again. Coming upon another skin track we chose our direction and moved forward, but then we came to an intersection. OUR intersection, the one we had created when we had circled back on our own tracks the first time. How did we do it again?

Desperation crept into the group. We went over our emergency gear; fortunately, we could spend a night out if needed. We had shovels for a snow cave, two emergency bivys, extra layers, and, critically, a lighter to start a fire.

Trying to reassert some control of our situation, I began to throw logic at it. I had us draw our mental maps in the snow. I thought this would produce the needed “ahhah” moment that would solidify our return to the hut.

We took off again. Thirty more minutes passed and the final blow was delivered. We had walked a third circle in the woods. The Bermuda Triangle of Bailey was toiling with our psyche and testing our rational decisionmaking.

Nearly four hours after setting off from the bottom of our ski line we finally arrived back to the hut—cold, wet, and hungry, but ultimately no worse for the wear. Desperate after the third circle, we decided to skin uphill following our fading ski tracks. 2,000 feet of climbing led us to our original uptrack from earlier in the day and promised a lifeline to the hut. //

HEALTH & FITNESS

Fascial Stretch Therapy

By Sarah Hauge

Commitment to powder days.

WHITEF ISH MOUNTAIN RESORT

STRETCHING THE IT BAND.

FASCIAL STRETCH THERAPY (FST) is starting to take off. But there are many who have never heard of FST—let alone fascia.

So let’s start there. Fascia, explains Spokane-based fascial stretch therapist Kimberly Sheridan, “is the connective tissue that surrounds muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, and organs—it’s the connective tissue around everything.” Picture fascia kind of like webbing that’s woven intricately around the components of our entire bodies. It contains blood vessels and nerves. Because it contains proprioceptors and interoceptors, the overall health of our fascia affects not only how we feel physically but even, developing research says, our emotions. Fascia is meant to move with us, but it also toughens and seizes to protect muscles from injury or in response to repetitive stress—like sitting at a desk all day. When our fascia is healthy, we move better and feel better.

Sheridan, who has a background in personal training and Thai massage, became interested in FST when she lived in Los Angeles and worked at The Stretch Lab. After FST helped her heal from a bulging disc, she decided to get certified herself. She currently operates Sheridan Stretch Therapy, where in addition to FST she offers instrumentassisted soft tissue mobilization (sometimes referred to simply as Graston) and cupping.

Sheridan also works as the stretch therapist for the Eastern Washington University football team.

So what can we do to keep our fascia functioning at its best? “The best way to keep fascia healthy and laying the way it’s supposed to is movement,” Sheridan says. This can mean simply walking, stretching, exercising, shifting. But sometimes the problems are more difficult to overcome. Fascia can get adhesions, and it can become stiff and damaged from underuse or stress—sometimes what Sheridan describes as “fascia that’s become like scar tissue.”

“Practices like yoga, stretching, and foam rolling all serve the job of stretching and caring for fascia,” she says. If and when something more is needed, there’s fascial stretch therapy.

In FST, the client lies on what’s basically a massage table fitted with a couple of resistance straps. The therapist uses dynamic circular motions to actively stretch the body.

“It eases you into more flexibility,” says Sheridan. I can attest to this. I went in for a full-body FST session and left feeling like Sheridan said I likely would—relaxed and spacious, almost like I was floating. There was a sense of openness in my joints, a welcome looseness in my hips.

Unlike the stretching you do on your own at home—which is certainly also beneficial— in FST, you lay back and let the therapist do their thing, with a range of active postures that provide targeted, head-to-toe stretching.

A side benefit is the sense of relaxation that comes along with the therapy. “The person just relaxes and breathes and it calms the central nervous system,” says Sheridan. FST is great for people of all ages, including those who experience strain from repetitive use injuries or tightness from long hours of sitting, people who are overcoming injuries, and those with conditions that might limit their ability to do other forms of exercise or therapy, like fibromyalgia.

With a long list of potential benefits— increased mobility and flexibility, increased blood flow, a reduction in stress, injury recovery and prevention, increased relaxation, and decompression—it’s worth paying a little more attention to your fascia and giving a treatment like FST a try. //

W H I T E F I S H , M O N TA N A

Commitment to character.

In the ‘30s local skiers discovered good skiing on the “big mountain” north of town. Since then we’ve been committed to a life of good times,

SKI & STAY

great people and deep snow. In Whitefish you’ll find a community true to itself and a deep-rooted lifestyle where character is encouraged.

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FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 877-SKI-FISH *Terms and restrictions apply.

SKIWHITEFISH.COM | 877-SKI-FISH Partially Located on National Forest Lands

Photos © GlacierWorld.com

Sarah Hauge is a writer and editor who lives in Spokane with her husband and two daughters. She writes Out There’s Run Wild column.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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WAY OUT THERE

Crazy Cold Exposure The Wim Hoff Method

By Justin Short

Bike demos Trail run Watersports demos SUP race Live music Group rides Kids activities Rock climbing

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OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

ILLUSTRATION BY JUSTIN SHORT

I WAS OUT SHOVELING SNOW off the front

walk after one of last winter’s foot-deep dumps when a neighbor drove up with his window down. “I’m sorry,” he began. “I was driving down the street; now I KNOW that if I don’t take a picture of you, I’ll go home and tell my wife, who I’ve been married to for 34 years, and she will have me F***ING COMMITTED. I almost crashed!” I stood there, shovel in hand, and chatted a moment, barefoot in my underwear. Such are the things my neighbors endure since I began practicing the Wim Hof Method (WHM) last December.

So who is Wim Hof and what is his method? He’s a pretty way-out-there Dutch dude who paired a breathing exercise with cold exposure to improve strength, vitality, and emotional equilibrium. Wim himself has set more than 20 world records doing things like climbing Kilimanjaro and (almost) Everest, swimming under oceanic ice, and running Arctic marathons—all in his underwear.

Just to clarify, all WHM practitioners claim poetic license for the term “underwear” when they are probably just wearing shorts—probably. Over the last couple of years, WHM has become popular among endurance athletes as well as people with autoimmune issues like rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and allergies. I’d like to chat with a cyclist working with it, because as yet I’m the only one I know who is. I felt good enough after two weeks that the 711mile Cross-Washington Mountain Bike Race seemed like a good idea. I took eighth place.

The breath exercise is quick and simple: Take 30-40 deep breaths, then exhale and hold that exhalation as long as you can.

You’ll probably get around 45 seconds your first round. I now average a little over three minutes on my third round. Wim can hold his for 10. When your body is ready to breathe again (it will tell you), take a deep breath, hold again for 10-15 seconds, and then release it. That’s one round. Do three or four rounds, but don’t do it in a place where you might be in danger if you pass out, because you might. Best to do it on the floor or a couch, because that way if you need to fall down, you’re already there.

Cold exposure makes WHM a tough sell, but it begins gently enough with brief cold showers after running hot water for as long as you like. 30 seconds becomes a minute, then three minutes with no hot water, then five. Somewhere in there you begin twominute ice baths with your hands and feet and graduate to full body ice baths. And then there’s the endorphin release. How good would you have to feel to wander around in the snow, barefoot in your underwear?

If you’re interested in learning more, run down to Auntie’s Bookstore and get a copy of “What Doesn’t Kill Us” by Scott Carney, a dude who initially set out to debunk Wim Hof as a charlatan. You can also sign up for the WHM Fundamentals Course at wimhofmethod.com or come to a WHM workshop and mid-winter river dunk with Seattlebased WHM instructor Reed Wasser, date and location TBA. // Justin M. Short is a local rider whom you might meet commuting at some obscene hour, tearing up the jumps at Beacon, or grinding gravel in the middle of nowhere.

OUTDOOR CALENDAR RUNNING (January 18) 5K Frostbite Footrace. Where: Deer Park, WA. Part of the Deer Park Winter Festival, this 5K fun run includes a flat and fast course that starts and ends at Deer Park High School. Info: Runsignup.com (February 8) BRRC Partners in Pain 5k.

Where: West Central Community Center, Spokane. Proceeds from this run are used to fund the Bloomsday Road Runners Club Youth Fund, helping supply Spokane kids with the things they need to participate in track and cross country.

Info: Partnersinpain5krun.com

BIKING (February 6) The Bikes of Wrath.

Where: Magic Lantern Theater, Spokane. This film follows five friends from Australia that set out to bike from Oklahoma to California along the same route documented in John Steinbeck's book “The Grapes of Wrath.” The film showing is sponsored by Wheel Sport Bicycles. Info: Wheelsportbikes.com

(January 25) 6th Annual Fatty Flurry Fest. Where: Round Lake State Park, south of

(January 29) Backcountry Film Festival.

Where: Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre, Moscow, Idaho. The Backcountry Film Festival is produced each year by Winter Wildlands Alliance as a celebration of the human-powered experience and a gathering place for the backcountry snowsports community. Info: Winterwildlands.org

(January 23) Backcountry Film Festival.

Where: Garland Theater, Spokane. The 15th annual celebration of human-powered winter backcountry sports with proceeds to benefit the Spokane Mountaineers Foundation. Adventure, environment and climate, youth outdoors, ski culture—you’ll find it all in this lineup of awardwinning films. Info: Winterwildlands.org

(February 1) Ferry County Rail Trail Ski Day. Where: Curlew, Wash. When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Explore the Ferry County Rail Trail on cross-country skis. This 10th annual event is free to the public and includes instruction, gear, and refreshments. Check weather conditions in advance. Info: Ferrycountyrailtrail.com

(February 8) Western Pleasure Snowshoe Roundup. Where: Western Pleasure Ranch,

Sandpoint, Idaho. Free fat bike demos and group rides. Bonfire and refreshments after the ride.

You will need a State Park Pass available for purchase on site for $5. Info: Greasyfingersbikes.com

Sandpoint. Events include 5k and 10k, plus a 1-mile untimed fun run for all ages and the Buckaroo Race, an untimed short distance run for ages 12 and under. Info: Westernpleasureranch.com

(February 22-23) 4th Annual Spokane Great Outdoors & Bike Expo. Where:

(February 1) Radio Brewing Uptown Throwdown. Where: Kellogg, Idaho. Kellogg’s

Spokane Convention Center. Check out all types of bikes from local shops and reps; find deals on bikes, watersports gear, and other outdoor equipment; explore adventure travel destinations and clubs from around the region; and enter to win thousands of dollars of outdoor gear prizes. Plenty of kids’ activities, including a climbing wall, games, and kids’ demo bikes. Info: SpokaneOutdoorExpo.com

WINTER SPORTS (January 8) Women’s Snowshoe Basics.

Where: REI Spokane. Whether you’re looking for a fun winter sport or want to meet other women looking to get outdoors, join REI for a class on the basics of snowshoeing. Info: Rei.com/events

(January 16) Avalanche Awareness with Northwest Avalanche Center. Where: REI Spokane. This session introduces and explains where and why avalanches occur and provides a basic approach to managing risk in the backcountry. Info: Rei.com/events

(January 12) Pacific NW Wife Carrying Contest. Where: Lookout Pass.This decade-old 50-yard dash for love and money pits competitors hauling their significant others in one of three styles: Piggy back, Fireman’s Carry, or the Estonian style. Info: Skilookout.com

craft brewer and home town ski hill join forces to build a ski and snowboard course down Kellogg’s Main Street. Watch the fun and enjoy a cold one. Info: Radiobrewingcompany.com

(February 15-16) Extreme Ski-Jor & Snow Machine Races. Where: Wallace and Mullan, Idaho. Watch skiers and snowboarders get towed by ATVs down the snow-covered streets of Wallace over jumps and around obstacles for the Extreme Ski-Jor. Then motorized snow bikes compete in the third-annual Silver Valley SnowBeast Grand Prix Pro-Am, and vintage snowmobiles race around Mullan’s Drager Field.

Info: Wallaceidahochamber.com

(February 2) Souper Bowl Women’s CrossCountry & Snowshoe Event. Where: Mt. Spokane Selkirk Lodge. The 15th annual event is open to women of all skill levels. Proceeds benefit the Women & Children’s Free Restaurant. Info: Souperbowlspokane.com

(February 9) Langlauf 10k Nordic Race.

Where: Mount Spokane State Park. Info: Spokanelanglauf.org

(February 21-23) Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Festival. Where: Whitewater Ski Resort, Nelson, B.C. A one-of-a-kind festival for skiers, snowboarders, splitboarders and tele skiers. Clinics, competitions, parties, prizes, demos,

and more. Info: Coldsmokepowderfest.com

OTHER (January 12) Indoor Climbing.

Where: REI Spokane. Indoor rock climbing is a great way to stay in shape in the winter, and for this open climbing session REI provides certified belay staff, shoes and harnesses. Info: Rei.com/events

(January 18-20 & 25-27) Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Where: Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene. A three-day collection of mountain films on mountain sport, culture, people and environment. Each night will have different films, with 28 in total. January 18-20 shows are in Sandpoint and the 25-27 showings are in Coeur d’Alene. Info: Mountainfever.us

(January 23-26) 32nd Annual Inland Northwest RV Show. Where: Spokane Fairgrounds. The largest RV show in the region with over 200,000 square feet of RV’s and accessories. Info: Spokanervshow.com

(January 22-26) Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Race. Where: Joseph, Oregon. A challenging event where mushers and dogs take on one of several distances ranging from the 20-mile Junior race to the 200-mile Iditarod qualifier race. The only Iditarod qualifier in the western United States, the event attracts up to 400 spectators.

Info: Eaglecapextreme.com

(February 14-23) Sandpoint Winter Carnival. Where: Sandpoint, Idaho. This annual festival includes such favorite events as the K9 Keg Pull, fireworks and fun at Schweitzer, live music, parties, plus other traditional favorites like the Parade of Lights and the always-delicious Dine Around Sandpoint, loaded with great dining deals from Sandpoint’s terrific restaurant community. Info: Sandpointwintercarnival.com

(January 28) Fly Fishing Film Tour.

Where: Bing Crosby Theater, Spokane. The original and preeminent exhibition of fly fishing cinema, The F3T is a one of a kind experience.

Soak up films from around the world, spin a few yarns amongst friends, and dream about casts yet unmade. Info: Flyfilmtour.com (February 22-23) 4th Annual Spokane Great Outdoors & Bike Expo. Where: Spokane Convention Center. Check out all types of bikes from local shops and reps; find deals on bikes, watersports gear, and other outdoor equipment; explore adventure travel destinations and clubs from around the region; and enter to win thousands of dollars of outdoor gear prizes. Plenty of kids’ activities, including a climbing wall, games, and kids’ demo bikes.

Info: SpokaneOutdoorExpo.com

domacoffee.com

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

45

LAST PAGE Running Against the Cold

By Ana Maria Spagna

PHOTO: JON JONCKERS

NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO RUN IN WINTER.

Let’s be clear about that. Skiing should be enough. But. There’s rain on snow and slush and sometimes bare ground on the shoulder seasons. So. There’s the bike trainer in the living room next to the stereo. There are sit-ups and yoga

46

tapes. Hell, there’s the bathtub and the liquor cabinet, the bookshelves and the TV. There’s nothing that says you have to run in winter. But. There’s also age and lethargy. There are creaky joints and caking arteries. There are missing brain cells scattered haphaz-

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

ard along trails and beside campfires, on interstate highways and in drafty kitchens.

There are those glossy magazines that suggest the motivation should be filed under endorphins, desire for, when, in fact, it’s the flipside: entropy, fear of.

So. You dress by the fire and repeat: No one should have to run in winter. You sweep the snow from the porch and walk down ice steps chopped into the bank, too steep, in shoes flimsy as slippers, trail runners, they say, as though trails only count in summer, not when shin deep in slush. You wear shoes with chains, or gaiters, and an ipod despite the threat of predators. (Would you really hear them coming anyway?) You wait past the gloaming, the crepuscular hour when they roam.

Then you run.

You run in the tire tracks, the real driven snow, or if the road’s been plowed to ice, along the shoulder where a skiff of snow softens the slip. You run through the dark woods past berms waist-high and out into the open, past a meadow where snow level is true—the plow pushes the other way—and sometimes it’s over your head.

There were years you ran only in shorts or a thin sweatshirt. Years you ran through orange groves, the smell of blossoms and rotting godknowswhat. And smog. Years you

ran with a headlamp on drizzly bark-lined paths, the smell of wood pulp and commercial bakery. There are no smells now, none discernable, save the woodsmoke inversion, the only sound your shoes, the only tracks the deer.

This is what you get living here. Stuff you can’t explain. Solitude and silence, more prayer than play, more dark grey, a foothold, a footfall, one after the other, on the same stretch of sometimes-plowed road. There’s no gear, no training goal, even. Just morning.

Coffee, run, shower, life. Repeat.

At home, you peel off wet socks and hang them by the fire, pull on a dry sweatshirt, put smoothie ingredients in the blender, stream radio from the outer orbits, watch wet flakes feather down, and think about the long novel on the bed stand or the seed catalog in the mail or the soup ingredients in the pantry.

When the flu hits, you’ll be stuck. Warm and dry with nothing to complain about. So you’ll complain about the fact that you need to run, even in winter, but you can’t. The truth is: You want to. // Ana Maria Spagna has lived and skied in Stehekin, Wash. for the past 25 years. She is the author of several books including most recently “Uplake: Restless Essays of Coming and Going.”

For its 14th year, Whitewater Ski Resort takes Coldsmoke back to its roots.

COLDSMOKE POWDERFEST

2020

A CELEBRATION OF

BACKCOUNTRY EXPLORATION 3 day mountain festival with

backcountry clinics, professional competitions, evening socials and one of Canada’s largest ski demo villages.

February 21st - 23rd

coldsmokepowderfest.com

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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