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BLACK MOREL // YELLOW MOREL/ FALSE MOREL. PHOTOS BY RICH LEON

GO SPRING MUSHROOM HUNTING

No single wild mushroom has captured the hearts and minds of the American public like the morel. Finding the first one of the season is just as exciting as finding the first buttercup after a long winter. Morel season can start as early as January in California and go into July in the Rocky Mountains as spring marches north. Here in Eastern Washington and North Idaho, the peak time can be anywhere from April into June, depending on temperature and moisture. I have found morels to be very fussy mushrooms. They don't like it hot or cold or too wet. They are almost like a three-year-old child in that regard. I have been in areas where they will do really well one year and then the next year, nothing.

Morels can occur singly or in small clusters. They can blend in with their surroundings very well. When out looking for these mushrooms, the first one is always the hardest to find. Once the image is burned into your brain, it makes it easier to find other ones. Keep looking in the area where you found the first one, and you more than likely will find others. It has been said that the best place to look for morels is the year after a forest fire. That may be true for some areas, but I have found over the years that it is not a 100 percent guarantee of finding them.

When cleaning your morels for either cooking or drying, be sure to cut them in half lengthwise to check for any bugs within the hollow confines of the stem and cap. You probably won't find any, but it is always better safe than sorry. You don't want any little hitchhikers ruining your meal. Morels dry really well and retain their rich, full flavor. Slice them in half and put them on a screen in a warm room, use a dehydrator, or even place them outside on a warm sunny day. Once they are fully dried, they can be put in glass jars and their flavor can last for many years.

There is plenty of debate about the number of morels in the genus morcella. The two most common in our area are morcella elata (black morel) and morcella esculenta (yellow morel). We do have a few other ones around, so a good guide book would be helpful to have when you go on your fungus foray into the woods. In early spring, we can also find verpa bohemica (early morel). A verpa looks like a thimble stuck on a finger. This species is not considered to be a true morel since the cap hangs from the apex of the stem, whereas in a true morel the cap is attached to the stem. Verpa is edible with caution; it should be eaten in moderation and must be well cooked. Verpa usually show up a week to a month before the regular morels.

Before you go out mushroom hunting, make sure you know the difference between the morels and the false morels. That is where a good book will come in very handy. A great paperback to have for your backpack is “All That The Rain Promises and More,” by David Arora.

So, you may be wondering, where is the best place to find morels in the Inland Northwest? That is one question you never want to ask a serious mushroom hunter, because they will never tell you their perfect spots, much like an angler or huckleberry picker not wanting to reveal the location

Lincoln County has 4.6 persons per Square Mile

That leaves a lot of room for YOU! Explore Washington’s largest lake and much more - within an hour of Spokane!

of her secret fishing hole or berry patch. This mushroom hunter will wish you happy hunting, and remind you to make sure you are 100 percent certain of a mushroom’s identity before you try any wild mushroom. (Rich Leon)

MOUNTAINFILM TOUR IN CDA MARCH 18

Enjoy an evening of inspiring films handpicked from the Mountainfilm festival in Telluride, Colorado, at the Archwood Hall in Coeur d’Alene.

Founded in 1979, Mountainfilm is one of the longest-running film festivals in the U.S. The films focus on people, art, stories, and ideas that motivate people to help create a more livable, better world. Mountainfilm.org. (OTO)

60TH ANNIVERSARY BIG HORN SHOW MARCH 17-20

The Big Horn Show is an annual tradition for seasoned sportsmen and women and a great opportunity for anyone who loves the outdoors and wants to learn more about procuring some of the food we eat through hunting and fishing. Each year, the Big Horn Show packs hundreds of outfitters, travel destination representatives, and hunting, fishing, and outdoor adventurerelated vendors into the Spokane County Fairgrounds, making it the place to learn about fish and wildlife, hunting and fishing techniques, bucket list destinations, and the latest gear.

Established in 1960, the Big Horn Outdoor Adventure Show, sponsored by the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council, is is a very athletic and aesthetic discipline that can also improve your overall skiing ability. Telemark skiing, named after the Telemark region of Norway, combines alpine and Nordic skiing, allowing for uphill, downhill, or flatland skiing all on the same gear. With telemark equipment, the heel isn’t locked down, and turns can be made using the signature and often beautiful knee-dropping tele turn or parallel turns. Telemark skiing had a rebirth in the early 1970s, gained popularity through the 1980s, and is now a World Cup Racing sport. If you don’t have your own tele gear, you can rent everything you need at the 49 Degrees North Rental Shop. Explore the free-heel world with a certified Telemark instructor at 49, and, as they say, free your heel, free your mind! (Derrick Knowles)

one of the oldest and longest continually operated sports and recreation shows in the United States and features seminars, demonstrations, and the most current information for outdoor enthusiasts of every kind. Get tickets at a Ziggy’s locations in Spokane or scan the QR code on the Big Horn Show ad on page 5 of this issue of Out There for online tickets. More info at Bighornshow. com. (Derrick Knowles)

TRY TELEMARK SKIING AT 49 DEGREES NORTH

If you have ever wanted to try telemark skiing, or improve your tele skiing with a lesson, 49 Degrees North is offering telemark skiing clinics this spring through March 20. Visit ski49n.com to select a clinic date and reserve your spot. Telemark skiing