Out There Outdoors // January February 2022

Page 7

I N T R O The Spokane Trail

A THIN RIBBON of desert singletrack threaded

a path through otherwise untouched saguaro, chollas, and mesquite. To my left, the White Tanks shot up out of the valley floor, radiating with a pre-dusk glow like a mirage. On my right, a brown haze mostly obscured the sprawling city of Phoenix, like it does many days of the year. Occasionally when I kicked up my speed a notch, diving in and out of washes, my breathing would drown out the dull roar of distant, jam-packed freeways, and I would forget there was a city there at all. I was racing daylight to complete one short section of the 315-mile Maricopa Trail before departing the desert for another year. For the past two years in November, we’ve been escaping the cold gloom of one of our least favorite

months by exploring the trails around Phoenix out of our VanDoIt adventure van. Living at campgrounds with easy trail access makes daily bike rides, hikes, and runs easy. It’s how we got introduced to the miracle that is the Maricopa Trail too. The route encircles Phoenix and connects many of Maricopa County’s awesome regional parks with a mix of singletrack, existing pathways, and other ridable and hikeable right of ways. As of yet I’ve only traversed a few dozen miles of the trail in different parks, but its mere existence inspired me to begin researching a bikepacking trip of the whole trail. It also got me thinking there’s no reason my hometown shouldn’t have a trail like this. Spokane already has an amazing system of parks and natural areas with trails that form a

partial ring around the city: Riverside, Little Spokane River, Mount Spokane, Antoine, the Centennial Trail, Liberty Lake, Mica, Iller, Glenrose, the Bluff, High Bridge, Indian Canyon, Palisades, and back to Riverside. There are a few substantial gaps in trails and public lands between those existing parks and trail systems, but the potential for land purchases, easements, and road-side pathways to improve those connections in the coming decades is totally doable. There is also plenty of infrastructure for local and visiting long-distance hikers and mountain bikers who would want to take such a trail on, including three public campgrounds, a rental cabin, a KOA, and hotels galore, plus plenty of stores, pubs, and restaurants.

The Maricopa Trail effort got started 25 years ago, and it’s still a work in progress but is largely completed. With Spokane’s much smaller population, more open space (at least for now), and amazing community of public land conservation organizations, agencies, and trail builders, I bet a similar Spokane Trail could materialize even quicker. I can already imagine bikepacking the Spokane Trail and getting lost in the rhythmic flow of well-built singletrack surrounded by towering firs, breathing in the sweet scent of mock orange or maybe pine. Relishing the quiet and solitude and smiling when I remember how close I am to the city and how far from it all I feel. // Derrick Knowles, Publisher

© 2022 Eagles Nest Outfitters, Inc.

PORTABLE RELAXATION, REIMAGINED. Brighten your adventures with our reimagined DoubleNest and SingleNest Hammocks, now updated with new features, responsibly made fabric, and refreshed colorways.

enonation.com

Enter to win a Stay & Play in Chewelah

It won't be cold and snowy forever 20% off CODE:

OutThere

When registration opens in Feb.

Learn more and sign up for updates! Stay updated about the Dad's Day Dash snapwa.org/ddd5k

The package includes:

Enter to win a Stay & Play in Chewelah

Enter to win a Stay & Play in Chewelah Enter to win a Stay & Play in Chewelah

The package includes:

 Two nights at the Nordlig Motel  Two nights at the Nordlig Motel  Two Day Lift Tickets to 49° North Mountain Resort  Two Day Lift Tickets to 49°The Northpackage Mountain Resort includes:  $200 in Chamber Bucks The package includes:  $200 in Chamber Bucks  Two nights at the Nordlig Motel  Two nights atDrug, theFarmers Nordlig  Shopping and Dining -Including United Drug, Fired Up Pizza, ShoppingAkers and Dining - Including Akers United Fired Up Motel Pizza, Farmers  Two Day Lift Tickets to 49° North Mountain Resort Sety’s ,Kitchen, Monica’sRusty Buttermilk Kitchen, Rusty Putter, Mountain Market Market, Sety’s , Monica’sMarket, Buttermilk Putter, Mountain Market  Two Day Lift Tickets to 49° North Mountain Resort  $200 in Chamber Bucks on Main and many more. on Main and many more.  $200 in Chamber Bucks  Shopping and Dining - Including Akers United Drug, Fired Up Pizza, Farmers Enter to win a Stay & Play in Chewelah  Market, Shopping and Dining - Including AkersKitchen, United Rusty Drug, Fired UpMountain Pizza, Farmers Sety’s , Monica’s Buttermilk Putter, Market

Enter win Stay Play Chewelah Enter toto win aa Stay && Play inin Chewelah

No purchase necessary. Purchase does not enhance the chance of winning. Void where The package includes:

Market, Sety’s Monica’s Buttermilk Kitchen, Rusty Putter, Mountain Market No purchase necessary. does not enhance theyears chance ofMain winning. Void prohibited. Must be over 18 oldon and a resident of the, where USA to enter. By enterThe package includes: and many more. The package includes: Purchase

ing, participants to allow image toenter. be usedBy in enterpromotional materials. Enprohibited. Must over 18 old and aagree resident of their the USA ontoMain and many more. Two be nights at years the Nordlig Motel ter between January 15, 2022 Winning entry willEnbe drawn February 15,  Two nights at allow the Nordlig Motel ing, participants agree to their image to be1—February used in promotional materials. Scan this QR code to  Two Day Lift Tickets to 49° North2022 Mountain Resort Scan this ter between 1—February 15, 2022 Winning entry will be drawn February 15, QR code to go  January Two Day Lift Tickets to 49° North Mountain Resort go to Chewelah.org in Chamber Two Day Lift Tickets to 49° North Mountain Resort to Experience Chewelah  $200 Bucks 2022 Scan this QR code to ScanNo this QR code to go Purchase does not enhance the chance of winning. Void where purchase necessary. go to Chewelah.org and$200 Chamber  Shopping Diningin - Including AkersBucks United Drug, Fired Upto Pizza, Farmers Experience Chewelah prohibited. Must be overPurchase 18 yearsdoes old and residentthe of the USAof towinning. enter. ByVoid enter $200 in Chamber Bucks No purchase necessary. notaenhance chance where Market, Sety’s , Monica’s Buttermilk Kitchen, Rusty Putter, Mountain Market ing, participants agree to allow their image to be used in promotional materials. Enprohibited. Must be over 18 years old and a resident of the USA to enter. By enteron Main andShopping many more. and Dining - Including Akers United Drug, Fired Up Pizza, Farmers ter January 15, image 2022 Winning entry will be drawnmaterials. February 15,  Shopping and Dining - Including Akers United Drug, Fired Up1—February Pizza, Farmers ing,between participants agree to allow their to be used in promotional En2022 Market, Sety’s , Monica’s Buttermilk Kitchen, Rusty Putter, Mountain ter between January 1—February 15,Market 2022 Winning entry will be drawn February 15, Scan this QR code to go Market, Sety’s , Monica’s Buttermilk Kitchen, Rusty Putter, Mountain Market 2022 to Experience Chewelah on Main and many more. Scan this QR code to go

 at the Nordlig Motel  Two nights

on Main and many more.

No purchase necessary. Purchase does not enhance the chance of winning. Void where prohibited. Must be over 18 years old and a resident of the USA to enter. By entering, participants agree to allow their image to be used in promotional materials. Enter between January 1—February 15, 2022 Winning entry will be drawn February 15, 2022 Scan this QR code to go

to Experience Chewelah

Scan this QR code to go to Chewelah.org

to Experience Chewelah

No purchase necessary.Purchase Purchasedoes doesnot notenhance enhancethe the chance chance of Void where No purchase purchase necessarry. of winning. winning. where prohibited. Must be over 18 years old and a resident of the USA to No necessary. Purchase does not enhance the chance of winning. VoidVoid where enter. By entering, participants to allow image to be used in promotional prohibited. Must be over 18agree years old and atheir resident of the USA to enter. By enter- materials. Enter between January 1 - February 15, 2022. Winning entry prohibited. Must be over 18 years old and a resident of the USA to enter. By enterwill ing, be drawn Feb 15, 2022 participants agree to allow their image to be used in promotional materials. Ening, participants agree to allow their image to be used in promotional materials. Enter between January 1—February 15, 2022 Winning entry will be drawn February 15, ter between January 1—February 15, 2022 Winning entry will be drawn February 15, 2022 Scan code Scan code to go 2022 Scan thisthis QR QR code to to Scan thisthis QR QR code to go

to Experience Chewelah to Experience Chewelah

goChewelah.org to Chewelah.org go to

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

7


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.