Out There Outdoors // November-December 2021

Ou t T h er e Snow // ski + Snow boar d + w inte r f u n NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 // FREE

THE INLAND PACIFIC NORTHWEST GUIDE TO ADVENTURE + TRAVEL + CULTURE

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Local Holiday Gift Ideas 6 Fall Hikes

Oh Canada!

The Border's Open-Plan Your Powder escape

Sister Shredders Last Page

All Women Backpacking

Start 'Em Young

Family Winter Sports Guide

Local Resort & Trail News

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CONTENTS

Special Sections 25 | Family Winter Sports Guide 36 | Local Holiday Gift Guide 44 | Out There Snow

See You At

SPOKATOPIA SATURDAY JULY 9, 2022

62

WWW.SPOKATOPIA.COM

Features

34 | Shoulder Season Riding

eat at the St. Bernard

Ski In / Ski Out restaurant at Schweitzer

22 | Gear Room

restaurant - bar - condo rentals Schweitzer Village

LOWER Lot Chapel

Live Music Friday &

Saturday

Department

The St. Bernard

Columns 14 15 16 20

| | | |

The Trailhead Nature Run Wild Everyday Cyclist

In Every Issue 7 | Intro 8 | Dispatches 12 | Get Out There 18 | Provisions 54 | Last Page

479 NW Passage Rd Sandpoint, Id 4

208- 920-5521 @thest.bernard479

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COVER PHOTO: AARON THEISEN Lindsey McKahan, MacKensie Aspaas, and Roo find a mix of late autumn color and early-winter snow on Rochat Peak on the St. Joe Divide.

Go Run Idaho Trails June 2022

July 2022

North Idaho Trail Series Short Cut Long Cut Grand Cut

SMOKECHASER

M A RAT HON

September 2022

October 2022

Congratulations 2021 Finishers!

Grand Cut Erik Lewerentz Dave LaTourette Meleah McNair

Long Cut Chris Moan

Short Cut Josh Burt Dane Myers Paige Milatz Matthew Cochran

JP Arnaud Amanda Caswell-Burt Andrew Steiner Steve Altfillisch

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N OV E M B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 1 WWW.OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM PUBLISHERS Shallan & Derrick Knowles

SECRET LIFE OF BEARS

THE

UNTAMED

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Derrick Knowles

IMPROBABLE ASCENT

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

CONTRIBUTORS

Jon Jonckers

Olivia Dugenet

Lisa Laughlin

Trevor Finchamp T. Ghezzi

DIGITAL EDITOR

Powder Matt Mosteller

Amy McCaffree

Ryan Murray Suzanne Tabert

SENIOR WRITERS

Kate Vaughan

S. Michal Bennett Carol Corbin Adam Gebauer Sarah Hauge

ART + PRODUCTION

Summer Hess

Amy Jennings

Justin Short

Jon Jonckers

Aaron Theisen

Shallan Knowles

Holly Weiler

TO REQUEST COPIES CALL 509 / 822 / 0123

with Carnivore Ecologist Rae Wynn-Grant Photo Credit: Christine Jean Chambers, Michael Nichols and Ronan Donovan

JAN. 26, 2022 - 7PM

AD SALES Derrick Knowles: 509 / 822 / 0123 derrick@outtheremonthly.com

with Paraclimber Maureen “Mo” Beck

with Filmmaker Filipe DeAndrade

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MAR. 18, 2022 - 7PM

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North American Presenting Sponsor:

OUT THERE OUTDOORS Mailing Address: PO Box #5, Spokane, WA 99210 www.outthereoutdoors.com, 509 / 822 / 0123 Out There Outdoors is published 6 times a year by Out There Monthly, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. ©Copyright 2021 Out There Monthly, LLC. The views expressed in this magazine reflect those of the writers and advertisers and not necessarily Out There Monthly, LLC. Disclaimer: Many of the activities depicted in this magazine carry a significant risk of personal injury or death. Rock climbing, river rafting, snow sports, kayaking, cycling, canoeing and backcountry activities are inherently dangerous. The owners and contributors to Out There Monthly / Out There Outdoors do not recommend that anyone participate in these activities unless they are experts or seek qualified professional instruction and/or guidance, and are knowledgeable about the risks, and are personally willing to assume all responsibility associated with those risks.

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I N T R O The Local Silver Lining A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, when countries around the world closed their borders due to COVID-19, international travel came to a halt and global trade was disrupted. Suddenly, the concept of “living local” became more than a quaint notion to strive for. We took more trips here in the Inland Northwest, exploring “new” places right under our noses.

Attendance at farmers’ markets spiked and local food box subscriptions sold out.

We barbecued, gathered around bonfires with friends and neighbors, and talked to strangers in the park down the street. We remembered how important it is to shop from local businesses, not only to keep money in our community, but because those entrepreneurs are our friends and neighbors. We hunted for used bikes and outdoor gear online and at shops like Rambleraven Gear Trader because the supply chain on many things had gone berserk. Slowly, many of us really began living local more than ever before.

Although it’s yet to be seen, if we manage to hold on to some of those local connections in the years to come, the pandemic, despite it’s many tragic and terrible outcomes, will have had a silver lining for community involvement. I for one will always look back on life over these past two years with at least some fondness. For the first time in my adult life, I felt con-

nected to my community and neighbors in a deep, meaningful way. The degree to which our successes, failures, and fate have always been linked was made real before my eyes.

When COVID lockdowns first hit and the economy tumbled, many Out There advertisers began to cancel one after another. Who could blame them? People were scared and commerce slowed to a trickle. We thought for a while that the end of OTO was near and feared for our future. For a week or so, we had a lot of time on our hands. We took long family walks through the neighborhood with our new shelter dog Fernie, named after a favorite place north of the border we could no longer visit. We stockpiled food and cooked elaborate meals, took up longneglected house projects, and I even dusted off the old banjo.

Then, as suddenly as COVID had smacked us down, we were busier than ever with no time to worry about what would come next. When we couldn’t find a comfortable, quality facemask weeks before they became commonplace, my wife and Out There copublisher Shallan launched Spokane Masks, selling local, incredibly comfortable handmade masks out of all sorts of stylish fabrics.

Thanks to friends and family who bought them at first, and then, after some great publicity in local media, a broader swath of the community that chose her quality local

masks over cheap, mass-produced alternatives, we were living and breathing masks and barely keeping up on orders.

A year and a half later, some things are getting back to normal and other aspects of life will never be the same. For us, mask sales have slowed to a trickle, but what started as a niche pandemic business has evolved into Spokane Made (spokanemade.com), an online store that sells a wide range of local, hand-made goods, from paperless paper towels to market totes and more. Out There has bounced back too, and although we are publishing fewer issues these days, this is the biggest issue we have put out in two and a

half years. As we go about our lives now, we are more keenly focused on shopping local and supporting local businesses than ever before, and we hope you are too. In that spirit, this issue features our annual Local Holiday Gift Guide, which highlights nearly 100 gift ideas from local businesses, and other great gift ideas featured in the advertisements that make Out There Outdoors possible. You know what to do. Give them your love. Our community and the quality of life for all of us depends on it. // Derrick Knowles, Publisher

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IT'S TIME FOR

ECO DEPOT

R A L S

DISPATCHES BIG IMPROVEMENTS ON THE CENTENNIAL TRAIL SPOKANE, WASH.

Several significant improvements were finally wrapped up on the Centennial Trail last month. For starters, the Carlson Road trailhead near the north end of the trail included a re-route of the trail that takes it off of the road, down a hill, and directly into Sontag Community Park. This trail addition makes it much safer now to cross Charles Road and eliminates pedestrian traffic on the narrow, steep section of road right next to Nine Mile Falls Dam. While that project was wrapping up, so was the renovation on the Boone-to-Pettet segment closer to downtown Spokane.

This portion of failed and crumbling sidewalk received a major upgrade including safe separation from the road, better

curb accessibility, and new landscaping.

Underground utilities were also upgraded throughout the project, which was a major benefit for the entire neighborhood. Loreen McFaul, Executive Director for the Friends of the Centennial Trail, says, “Our Board of Directors and State Parks toured the span for our September meeting, and we were thrilled with the transformation. We challenged the City of Spokane to treat this span like High Drive’s renovation years back. They have exceeded our expectations with this project!”

Looking ahead, the Post Street Bridge renovation downtown is running smoothly.

When it’s completed, it will provide a muchneeded connection between Riverfront Park and Kendall Yards. (Jon Jonckers)

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE INLAND NW LAND TRUST

2,000 TREES & SHRUBS PLANTED AT REFOREST SPOKANE DAY SPOKANE, WASH.

On Saturday, October 23, Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, The Lands Council, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Avista Utilities hosted hundreds of volunteers at Rimrock to Riverside, a connecting corridor between Riverside State Park and Palisades City Park, to plant 2,000 native trees and shrubs. The area, home to moose, bobcats, coyotes, and smaller mammals, is being restored to a seasonal wetland. The plants will help shade the overhauled ponds, helping to retain standing water well into the summer months for passing wildlife, insects, and frogs that call the area home.

Reforest Spokane, an annual event for The Lands Council, brings the community together every year to learn about local ecosystems and work to make them stronger. Find out more at LandsCouncil.org. (Carol Corbin)

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SUMMIT MTB TRAIL AT MOUNT SPOKANE NEARS COMPLETION

COVID WON’T STOP ANNUAL OUTDOOR GEAR SALE & SWAP

MEAD, WASH.

MOSCOW, IDAHO

Upper 290 Trail in Mount Spokane State Park is a 2.7-mile connector between the snowmobile lot and the summit. Begun in 2019 with brush clearing, this trail has taken shape slowly as Evergreen East builders worked with State Parks for an approved route. The work has included professional trail builders machining in portions of trail below the tree line and dedicated volunteers hand-digging trail in the more sensitive ecological habitat higher up. Staying mindful of fire risk, crews have worked all summer and are within one-tenth of a mile of completion. Experienced riders will enjoy the top half of the trail with its steep, rocky, technical riding that moves into a fast, flowy ride as it nears the snowmobile lot and The Goods trail that continues down the mountain. The trail is expected to officially open in summer of 2022. (Carol Corbin)

The University of Idaho Outdoor Program and U of I Vandal Ski Team are holding the 46th Annual Outdoor Equipment Sale and Ski Swap on Thursday, Nov. 11, at the Student Recreation Center’s MAC court in Moscow. Admission is $5 per person from 6-6:30 p.m., $1 per person from 6:30-7 p.m., and free from 7-8 p.m. Admission is cash only. University of Idaho students and children under 12 are free for the entire event. Masks are required inside the SRC and there will be limited first come, first served entry.

Anyone is welcome to sell their own equipment for $10 and should arrive between 5-6 p.m. to set up their table. Revenue goes to the U of I Vandal Ski Team. All sales will be the responsibility of the individual. Make sure to bid on the custom, one-of-a-kind ski chairs in this year’s Silent Auction, and stop by the local ski resorts’ information tables.

Come out and take part in the amazing deals and great selection of new and used outdoor equipment, including skis, snowboards, rafts, kayaks, wetsuits, tents, PFDs, sleeping bags, snowshoes, canoes, dry bags, climbing equipment, bikes, and other outdoor-related items. For more information, contact the U of I Outdoor Program at 208885-6170, e-mail stownsend@uidaho.edu, or visit uidaho.edu/outdoorprogram. (OTO)

VOLUNTEERS DIG TRAIL ON UPPER 290 AT MT. SPOKANE. // PHOTO COURTESY OF EVERGREEN EAST

KANIKSU LAND TRUST LAUNCHES FOLK SCHOOL SANDPOINT, IDAHO

Kaniksu Land Trust’s Folk School (KFS) is offering an engaging and diverse line-up of fall programming in Sandpoint. Kaniksu Folk School is a nature-based educational program for adults with the purpose of enriching lives and fostering an ethic of stewardship through the sharing of tra-

ditional crafts and music. The program supports area craftspeople and artisans through paid instruction. Fall classes include making birch “shrink jars,” woven knife sheaths, art making with natural materials, spinning in the raw, and banjo workshops. Learn more at Kaniksu.org.

(Carol Corbin)

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DISPATCHES NEW OPPORTUNITIES WITH SPOKANE NORDIC SPOKANE, WASH.

Things were quieter than normal in Mt. Spokane State Park’s Nordic Ski Area last year. The trails were still full of skiers seeking a cure for cabin fever, but Spokane Nordic Ski Association’s (SNSA) lessons, races, and gatherings were mostly canceled.

This turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the organization, however, as a year without events gave SNSA time to plan for the future and expand their offerings to members and the Spokane community.

The pandemic presented two pressing needs: the ability to learn virtually and schedule flexibly. That’s why, for the first time ever, parents will be able to decide if they’d like to enroll their children in the full seven-week Nordic Kids program or select individual lessons a la carte. SNSA has also started building out a virtual learning center for their members, complete with howto videos, articles, weekly wax advice, and more.

Last year brought on another big change when beloved coach George Bryant retired.

SNSA knew it had big shoes to fill, so the group brought in Jason Jablonski. Jablonski’s

background is diverse and impressive. After getting his Bachelor's degree in Education from Central Washington, he spent three years as a professional triathlete and another five years as a professional mountain biker before starting his coaching career. He’s spent the last 18 years coaching cross-country skiing, in addition to serving 8 years as the coach of team USA’s Junior Mountain Bike Team.

If you or your family are interested in learning more about the programs and teams that Jablonski coaches, or any of SNSA’s other Nordic ski related events, you can learn more at SpokaneNordic.org. An SNSA Membership ($40 for individuals, $60 for families) is required to sign up for any of the SNSA lessons and teams, including Nordic Kids, Transition Team, Junior Race Team, Adult Lessons, and Master’s Ski Club.

(Trevor Finchamp)

PALOUSE TO CASCADES TRAIL UPGRADES VANTAGE, WASH.

While well-developed with campsites, trailheads, water stops, and other amenities on the western side of Washington, the Palouse to Cascades Trail becomes more remote and difficult the farther east one travels from the Cascades. The Palouse to Cascades Trail Coalition has been working with Washington State Parks to make upgrades to the trail, including repairing or rebuilding old trestles; installing tent pads; and placing portable toilets, water sources, and Wi-Fi hotspots. The Coalition is also partnering with businesses along the trail to carry supplies for long-distance cyclists, hikers, or horseback riders who might need aid on their eastern Washington journey.

While work on the Beverly Bridge near Vantage was put on hold following the death of one of the workers in early August, a soft opening of the bridge is anticipated for November 2021. The Coalition has been successful in creating camping in Ralston, working with State Parks and the Friends of the Tekoa Trestle on redecking the Tekoa Trestle, and continuing to partner with small towns and businesses along the trail for more amenities in the future.

Learn more at Palousetocascadestrailcoalition.org. (Carol Corbin)

MTB TRAILS AT BEACON SAVED SPOKANE, WASH.

The last of several key pieces of private property in the Beacon Hill Trail system have been protected through the Spokane County Conservation Futures Program.

This area—popular with trail users of all kinds, but known for its top-quality mountain biking—has been under threat of development for decades, with local advocates like Evergreen East Mountain Bike Alliance working tirelessly to keep trails open.

The final property, officially purchased by the county in mid-October, secures dozens of popular mountain biking trails. A total of 160 acres in the Beacon Hill/Camp Sekani 10

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

area have been purchased by the county in 7 transactions over 2 years.

In addition to Evergreen East’s financial support and advocacy, Washington Recreation and Conservation Office funding, and advocacy from organizations like Spokane Parks & Recreation and Inland Northwest Land Conservancy, these trails will remain open to the public in perpetuity.

The success of this project is thanks in no small part to Spokane County Parks special projects manager Paul Knowles, who stuck with the land deals to the end, creating a better future for the local outdoors community.

(Carol Corbin)

REGIONAL TRAIL GROOMING FOR FAT BIKES EXPANDS SPOKANE, WASH.

Those of us who waited on pins and needles for great fat bike grooming in Spokane last winter were mostly disappointed. Not by the amazing and dedicated volunteers and park staff who make groomed trails happen, but by Mother Nature who just failed to send us enough snow. But this year, La Niña promises a “harsh” winter with a good chance for lots of snow.

The great news for fat bikers this year is that land managers, park staff, and volunteer organizations from all over the Inland Northwest are poised by their groomers, just waiting for the snow to fly. One of many such organizations is the Pend Oreille Pedalers in Sandpoint. As they celebrate the opening of a brand-new trailhead at “VTT” (short for velo tout terrain–French for “mountain bike”), plans are in place to groom three loops in the popular Pine Street Woods.

These loops are beginner-friendly, 21”-wide singletrack with a total of 5.5 miles of riding for those who tackle all three loops. Jason Welker, executive director of Pend Oreille Pedalers, says grooming the VTT trail system, down the hill from Pine Street Woods, would add an additional 2 miles of trails with more elevation opportunity for riders looking for more of a challenge.

Closer to Spokane, Washington State Parks will once again partner with Spokane Parks & Recreation to groom Riverside State Park and designated areas of Mt. Spokane State Park for fat bikes. At Riverside, trails will be groomed for XC skiers and fat bikers.

At Mt. Spokane, fat bikers will be welcome to use shared-use trails such as the Kit Carson loop, but should avoid the Nordic area.

Sno-Park permits will be required at Mount Spokane, but Discover Passes will suffice for a visit to Riverside.

With the marked upsurge in outdoor recreation in all four seasons, good trail etiquette is paramount. The City of Spokane’s website includes best practices for fat biking, including yielding to all other trail users, avoiding XC ski tracks, leashing dogs, and using tires that are at least 3.8” wide with 4-6 PSI air pressure. With intermittent snowfall and warmer temperatures, snowy trails are difficult to maintain. Being aware of how each instance of trail use affects the trail is vital to ensuring they will last for others to ride as well.

North Idaho’s Boundary County is home to 9B Trails, a non-motorized trail group responsible for maintaining all four seasons of trails near the Canadian border.

This winter, 9B will be grooming trails off of Kootenai Trail Road in Paradise Valley called the Section 16 Trails. Beginners can enjoy a 2.5-mile inner loop that is mostly flat, while more experienced riders can use this loop to connect to a 5.4-mile outer loop.

The outdoor loop features more climbing

and descending, offering beautiful views of the Kootenai Valley. The trailhead for this system is located at 1099 Kootenai Trail Road in Bonners Ferry.

In Coeur d’Alene, Dave Dutro, Trail Maniacs founder and one of the volunteers responsible for the growing network of groomed fat bike trails on Canfield Mountain, notes that last year may have been the most disappointing year for grooming.

“We had plenty of snow above 3,000 feet, but not enough down low for the groomer to travel on.” That may sound like a bummer, says Dutro, but it forced them to adapt to the conditions by making some modifications to the grooming sled so it can travel on little to no snow.

Dutro also invested in a set of tracks for his ATV that allow him to groom all the road sections, which he says gives some relief to the groomer and operator, which “get punished with a heck of a workout.” Dutro is hopeful that this innovation will allow them to add an additional three or more miles of groomed trail this season that would make more loop options that won't require riding all the way to the summit. Eventually, Dutro hopes to be able to keep Forest Service road #1562 packed down all the way to road #1535, which would connect to hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails and endless riding possibilities. “That’s a lot of ifs,” he admits, “but if we get a snow apocalypse, we are prepared.”

Local resorts are also jumping on the wide-tired wagon with groomed trails for fat biking. To name just a few, Schweitzer Mountain Resort has 19 miles of groomed trails at the base of the resort. These trails are groomed seven days a week and trail passes are $15/day. The Nordic center at 49 Degrees North also features fat bike rentals for their 15 miles of trails. Red Mountain in BC offers guided tours through Kootenay Snowshoeing & Fat Bike Tours.

While most fat bike events have not yet been confirmed as of print time for this issue, one that will almost certainly go forward no matter what the world throws at us is Fat Pursuit, a winter endurance event held in Island Park, Idaho, near Yellowstone, that includes 60K or 200K distances that can be tackled on fat bike, foot, or skis. The 2022 60K event is set for Jan. 8, and the 200K version runs Jan. 7-9. Coeur d’Alene fat biker and endurance athlete Dave Dutro praises the event, noting that Fat Pursuit founder Jay P is “an innovator” and that “fat biking wouldn’t be what it is without him.” Sign up and make the Inland Northwest proud.

Find the organizations listed above on social media and give them a “like” or a “follow” to stay up to date on the latest trail conditions and any fat bike events and races that may happen this winter. (Carol Corbin)

domacoffee.com NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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GET OUT THERE 6 Fall Hikes

MIDNIGHT MOUNTAIN FALL FOLIAGE // PHOTOS BY HOLLY WEILER

Much of the fall color fireworks may have peaked by the time you read this, but these forested trails offer plenty more than dazzling foliage, from remote solitude and close-totown adventure to sagebrush and sub-alpine scenery. Fall is hunting season, so check the hunting seasons before you go and wear bright orange or pink on the trail. (OTO) FISHTRAP RECREATION AREA (SPRAGUE, WASH.)

Fishtrap Recreation Area boasts 9,000 acres of recreational land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The main Fishtrap trail system has three major access points and contains a looped trail system totaling nearly 9 miles. This area is easily accessible from I-90, where the beauty of the landscape far surpasses what one might expect while looking out the car windows.

The well-marked North Loop Trail is

12

located on Fishtrap Lake Road just west of the Fishtrap Resort. Follow it past vernal ponds and wetlands, copses of trees and shrubs, mima mounds, and basalt outcroppings. Extend the visit by adding on the South Loop Trail, which includes a kolk carved by glacial lake Missoula floodwaters and cliffs overlooking Fishtrap Lake. Rarely does this trail receive enough snow to require snowshoes or traction devices.

MIDNIGHT MOUNTAIN (REPUBLIC, WASH.)

Midnight Mountain is located just northeast of Republic on Lambert Creek Road. This hike can make an excellent out-and-back trail on its own, connecting to the Kettle Crest National Recreation Trail in 4.1 miles. It's also easy to combine Midnight with a short hike south on the Kettle Crest Trail and then connect via the nearby Old Stage Road #1 Trail to return

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

to the parking area in an approximately 10-mile loop. Midnight boasts some of the largest western larch in the area and offers sweeping views to the west and even north into Canada. This hike is classic Kettle River Range, with everything from large old growth trees to open grassy meadows and clumps of sagebrush. It is open range land, so watch for cattle and be sure to treat all water. Snowshoes may be required as fall turns to winter, so be sure to inquire on trail conditions with the Colville National Forest.

LITTLE PEND OREILLE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (COLVILLE, WASH.)

The Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge has several trails from which to choose, along with miles of hiking behind refuge gates. The Old Timers' Trail is a challenging option, although only from

SULLIVAN LAKE

the standpoint of locating and navigating the route, which is completely unmarked.

Get there via the Buffalo-Wilson Road off Kitt-Narcisse Road at an unsigned pull-off beneath the powerlines. The out-and-back trail consists of a mixture of singletrack and old road beds and is lightly traveled, making it an excellent place to watch for wildlife. The forest boasts both western larch and aspen groves, along with many low-growing native shrubs.

In the event locating the Old Timers' Trail proves too difficult, the Mill Butte Trail is an excellent alternative. The parking lot is at the park headquarters and the 4.2-mile trail begins just across the road.

SULLIVAN LAKE (METALINE FALLS, WASH.)

Sullivan Lake boasts a large campground at either end and is a popular summer camping destination. In the fall the campgrounds

WINTER CAN COME EARLY AT BLOSSOM LAKE

close for winter, and it becomes a quiet destination for fall color hikes. The Sullivan Lakeshore Trail is one of the main attractions in the area, with one trailhead at Noisy Creek Campground on the south end of the lake, and another near the boat launch at East Sullivan Campground. In the fall it may be necessary to park near the campground gates and hike to access the trailheads.

The lakeshore trail is 4 miles one-way and can easily be shuttled for groups with access to two vehicles. The trail has fantastic views of the lake and passes through aspen groves that will likely have lingering fall colors.

Other nearby options for exploration include the Noisy Creek Trail at the south end of the lake, the restoration area around the former Mill Pond site just north of Sullivan Lake (including barrier-free interpretive trails), and Elk Creek Falls.

BLOSSOM LAKE (MURRAY, IDAHO)

Blossom Lake is an easy-access alpine lake accessible from just off the pavement at Thompson Pass on the Idaho/Montana border. The lower lake is a 6.4-mile roundtrip hike with numerous options for extending the outing. At 1,300' elevation gain, it is a relatively easy hike through a forest featuring many western larch. To extend the main hike, continue on trail at Blossom as it ascends higher up the basin to Upper Blossom Lake.

Additional hikes are also accessible from the same trailhead parking area. Revette Lake has its own access trail but is located just one basin west of Blossom Lake. Just across the road from the parking lot is access to the Idaho/Montana Centennial Trail, the 1,311 mile-long distance hiking destination that can be sampled here. Do check road conditions for this hike before

GEAR

THE CALM AFTER THE SUMMER VACATION STORM. UPPER PRIEST LAKE.

leaving home, however, as the road will be closed by the first major snowstorm of winter. Snowshoes or traction devices may be required.

Navigation Trail to Plowboy Campground on Upper Priest for a 6-mile roundtrip hike.

This trail is mostly flat and deeply wooded, and fall mushrooms can be a main attraction. The trail doesn't access the water until reaching Plowboy, an excellent turnaround spot. For more lake access, hike the Lakeshore Trail instead. It starts just south of the boat launch and extends 7 miles along lower Priest Lake. It also has sections that stay within the trees, but it has frequent access to shoreline along the main lake. In the event winter snows prevent access to Beaver Creek Campground, it is generally still possible to access the southern end of the Lakeshore Trail for an out-and-back hike from that location. //

UPPER PRIEST LAKE (NORDMAN, IDAHO)

Fall is the ideal time to visit Upper Priest Lake. The majority of the motorboats have been placed into winter storage and the main campgrounds close, making the usually busy area quiet and peaceful. Access to both Upper Priest and the north end of the Lakeshore Trail remains available from the Navigation Trailhead at Beaver Creek Campground until the snow becomes too deep.

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The Trailhead

Free Park Days, Sno-Park Permits, Library Snowshoes & More

By Holly Weiler

FEE-FREE DAYS COMING UP: Discover Passes

will not be required to visit Washington State Parks on November 11 and November 26. Additionally, national parks will have a fee-free day on November 11.

WASHINGTON SNO-PARK SEASON BEGINS:

On December 1, if you snowshoe or Nordic ski at a non-motorized Snow-Park in Washington, you will need this permit. Season-long permits go on sale in November (available online or in local outfitter stores). Please note that the fee for Washington's Sno-Park permits is increasing this year, with the daily Sno-Park now at $25, the season permit at $50, and the special grooming sticker bumping up to a $70 add-on to the season-long permit (required at Mount Spokane's Selkirk Lodge Nordic ski area parking lot, among other areas).

The Sno-Park fee helps cover the cost of snow removal in parking lots accessed by winter recreational users.

IDAHO PARK N’ SKI PERMITS: Idaho operates a Park N' Ski permit system for its 17 plowed winter parking lots for cross-country skiers and snowshoers, with fees going into effect on November 15. The permits are $7.50 for

a three-day pass or $25 for the annual pass.

Idaho has a reciprocity agreement with Oregon's Sno-Park system too.

NEW TRAILHEAD & TRAIL AT ANTOINE PEAK:

Spokane County’s newest conservation area trailhead and trail addition is expected to be open soon. The Trentwood Trailhead to Etter Ranch (the soon-to-be southernmost access point to the Antoine Peak trail system) will open in late fall 2021. Check the Spokane County website to make sure the new trailhead is finished before planning a trip, or, in the meantime, access the new Etter Ranch trail from one of the existing Antoine Peak Conservation Area trailheads. The new trail connects to the southeast side of the Emerald Necklace Trail.

WAIKIKI SPRINGS TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS:

The Inland Northwest Land Conservancy has been making recreational trail improvements to its Waikiki Springs property, both to improve the on-trail experience and also to reduce environmental and wildlife impacts. The first new loop trail is now ready for hikers to enjoy just across the bridge over the Little Spokane River. Follow the newly

The TrailFlyer is portable fun designed to go wherever you do.

enonation.com

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OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

NORDIC

&

SNOWSHOE

CHECK OUT SNOWSHOES FROM THE LIBRARY: Want to try snowshoeing before GEAR

SWAP:

Spokane Valley’s Fitness Fanatics shop is hosting its annual Nordic equipment and snowshoe swap on November 6 at the store on Trent Ave.

purchasing equipment? Don't forget that the Spokane Public Library keeps a selection of various snowshoe sizes in its “Library of Things,” available for check-out with your library card. //

HIKE OF THE MONTH

FLYING L TRAIL AND INSIDE PASSAGE LOOP SPOKANE VALLEY The Phillips Creek Trailhead—a portion of the Glenrose Unit of the Dishman Hills Conservation Area in Spokane Valley—opened to the public in the fall of 2020.

Under the direction of the Spokane Mountaineers, with support from Washington Trails Association and Evergreen East, volunteer crews were working their magic to ensure the main Flying L Trail was ready in time for the trailhead ribbon cutting. In the early part of this year, the Spokane Mountaineers again spearheaded the second installment of this trail system by adding the Inside Passage Trail. It is now possible to create a loop of just over 4 miles using those two trails, or to extend the route by adding on the other trails within the Glenrose system.

From the parking lot, begin on the main Flying L Trail beyond the kiosk. This trail ascends gently through a pine forest, then breaks out into a huge grassy meadow as it climbs to the intersection with the Glenrose and Cliffs trails. For the loop, turn right at the Cliffs and continue a half mile to the connection with Inside Passage, which remains in the trees and takes hikers back to the bottom of the meadow. Return to the parking lot via the main Flying L Trail. This hike can be considered easy to moderate, and is 4.2 miles round trip with approximately 700 feet of elevation gain.

© 2021 Eagles Nest Outfitters, Inc.

MORE FUN, LESS BULK.

installed trail signage.

NATURE

The Good, the Bad, and the Needed

By Adam Gebauer

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN. PHOTO: ADAM GEBAUER

IT IS NOT TOO SOON to talk about fire

season. The PNW has just left a sweltering and smoky summer behind us, but we will see it all again. The severity and size of western forest fires is growing. The annual acres burned has risen from 3.3 million in the 1990s to over 7 million in the 2000s. It is not only a western problem. Eastern cities like Chicago and Boston are experiencing significant air pollution from particulate matter from wildlife smoke.

Our forests are facing multiple factors that are leading to bigger, more severe wild fires: for over 100 years, fire has been intentionally excluded from the landscape; annual average snowpack is lower and melting faster; forests have been harvested of the majority of the fire-tolerant, older trees and left to re-grow in dense thickets with less fire tolerant species; and on top of it all this year the PNW saw a spring drought and severe heat waves.

Added to this is the increasing number of people living in the wildland forest interface or the WUI, making fighting fire more complex, costly, and risky for both those fighting fire and those whom live there. All of this leaves us with a very combustible mess, and we need to take a multifaceted approach.

Forests with different elevations historically have different fire regimes, or the fre-

quency and intensity in which they usually burn. Low-elevation ponderosa forests historically burned with low intensity and frequent fires every 10-15 years. This creates a park-like forest with an open understory and large trees spaced relatively far apart.

Higher elevation, subalpine forests, on the other hand, historically had infrequent fires every 100-300 years, but they could be severe, significantly reducing the number of trees that survived. Recent studies are finding that an increased fire interval (<30 years) in these high-elevation forests are not providing enough time for recovery, thereby reducing tree regeneration and delaying carbon sequestration for more than 150 years.

The hard truth is we need fire in our Western forests, more frequently in some forest types and less frequently in others.

They have adapted to and are dependent on fire. Many of our conifer trees rely on the heat from fire to melt resin in their cones to release seeds. Fire also removes underbrush, creates openings in the canopy for sunlight, and prepares the soil for seedlings. Deer and elk use these open areas too, where preferred browsing plant species like ceanothus thrive after fires. Species of woodpecker will also use burned areas with standing dead snags, and their presence helps to significantly reduce bug infestations.

For thousands of years, the indigenous tribes of the West used fire to their advantage. They would burn riparian areas to open up the landscape for better hunting and clear higher elevation meadows to increase huckleberry yields. Once horses arrived, they used fire to clear pasture. These relatively small fires usually burned in the fall right before the first snow, creating a mosaic of burned, recovering, and unburned areas across the landscape. This formed many firebreaks that would prevent fire from spreading too far. There were also fewer people and human structures on the landscape, which meant there was less of a need to control lighting-caused fires deep in the backcountry.

Recent studies from the 2015 Carlton Complex fire in the Methow Valley and fires near Lake Tahoe and other areas show evidence that increasing the amount of thinning, prescribed burning, and leaving older, more fire-tolerant trees on the landscape has several benefits. It helps reduce catastrophic fire, protects homes, and reduces air pollution.

Active management like this has its own set of costs, however. Thinning smalldiameter trees and brush is costly and without much direct commercial benefit, yet there are some emerging markets for wood products made from the smaller diameter trees that need to be thinned.

By gluing small, irregular wood products together, cross laminated timber plants like the one in Colville create prefabricated construction material that can even be used in skyscrapers.

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and others are experimenting with using forest thinning byproducts for other purposes too, including biomass energy production and biochar, which can be used to enhance agricultural soils, remediate waste waters, or be left onsite to reduce soil compaction after road building and logging operations.

Another challenge is that the USFS

and other land management agencies have trouble completing their full suite of prescribed burns due to limited funding (even as huge sums of money are going toward fighting wildfires), lack of personnel, air quality regulations, and public perceptions about smoke from prescribed burns. Agencies in Washington only receive notice the afternoon before on whether they can burn. Although a recent improvement from notice the morning-of, this makes the logistics of planning prescribed burns difficult.

Many southeastern states have not only increased their breadth and training of who can burn, but they have also worked to educate the public about the benefits of prescribed fire. Florida in particular has been able to reduce air quality issues from forest fires through prescribed burning by near 30 percent. In California, officials are looking to Native American tribes to reinstate cultural burns, once outlawed, and train more people to be able to perform these burns.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, Ashland, Ore., has become an example of how a community, the USFS, and the timber industry can come together to start to restore our public forests. On the edge of town, 13,000 acres of forest are being managed through prescribed fire, thinning, and selective logging. This community was an epicenter of the timber wars of the ‘80s and ‘90s, where environmentalists were fighting to save the last old growth forests and the timber industry and the USFS were already having a harder time finding big trees. Yet, a coalition came together to find solutions, an example of diverse interests uniting to steward their home forest resources that can be replicated in communities throughout the West. // Adam Gebauer adventures on and advocates for collaboration and access to public land.

He last wrote about who fronts the bill for those lands in the September/October issue of Out There.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

15

RUN WILD

Injury Prevention with PT Screenings

OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, my

running life has been peppered with guest appearances by a rotating cast of unwelcome characters. Calf tightness. Small muscle tears. Stiffness in my right foot.

Occasional knee aches. Most recently, a tight left Achilles paired with ankle pain.

Nothing major, everything annoying.

When the more debilitating issues come up, I make an appointment for physical therapy, where probable causes are assessed and next steps are determined. This is helpful, but I’ve started to wonder: What if I could do this assessment before any sidelining injuries occurred? Could we all benefit from turning to PT for prevention versus a cure?

16

To ask about all of this, I talked to Dominic Severino, assistant professor in Whitworth University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program and a PT at Ne wp or t Hospit a l.

Through our conversation I learned that while preventive PT screenPHYSICAL THERAPIST ings are a novel concept KELLY RISSE. // to me, they’re certainly PHOTO COURTESY OF PT ASSOCIATES not a new one internationally or among physical therapists, and they’re promoted by the American Physical Therapy Association.

“This topic has been kind of simmering on the burner for quite a few years,” says Severino.

Severino sees several reasons why regular PT screenings to assess the musculoskeletal system would be beneficial. For one, if you’ve ever had an issue, your history is a strong predictor that you’ll have another one in the future. “Musculoskeletal injuries, they tend to linger, they tend to come back,” he says. Regular PT screenings can help address those recurring issues before your body loses its ability to compensate and they become larger problems.

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

By Sarah Hauge

When I mentioned my occasional knee pain, Severino talked me through what a PT screening or evaluation might be like. “The physical therapist would be looking at lumbar spine mobility, hip mobility, hip strength, quad strength, hamstring strength, foot position, and ankle mobility. Can we find errors in the system? And what might be the recommendation to address it?” Next steps could include stretches, strength training, or new footwear.

For people transitioning between very different sports like, say, triathlons and downhill skiing, a screening between seasons could be very helpful. “It’s not a bad idea to have an evaluation or a check-up to make sure the joints, muscles, and systems that are involved are ready,” says Severino.

PT screenings also offer potential benefits for aging clients, assessing physical indicators like range of motion and balance.

Early signs of arthritis, Severino says, can easily be picked up in a PT screening, with next steps given to the patient, whether that be a handout for gentle stretching to do at home, recommendations for better footwear, or a course of physical therapy.

This all made a lot of sense to me.

There is just one major issue: cost. In the U.S., insurance generally covers PT when it’s referred by a primary care physician.

Preventive screenings are not a covered benefit, so they would require cash payment.

And because all of this is outside the norm, anyone interested in a PT screening would be wise to have a detailed conversation first with a trusted PT clinic about cost, what the screening will cover, and how long the appointment will last.

If cost weren’t an issue, Severino says he’d recommend for the average adult to receive a PT screening once a year (echoing the recommendation of the APTA), and for someone transitioning between two very different sports to come in as often as twice annually.

While I anxiously await the day when our healthcare system catches up and we recognize preventive PT as the time-, pain, and money-saving tool it is, I’m going to see if I can find room in my budget to cover regular screenings. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right?

Severino thinks so. “Our bodies, when they change or they have a new pain, that pain means something,” says Severino.

“Rather than ignoring it, or trying to drown it out with ibuprofen, [we should be] trying to find out what that is.”

Sarah Hauge is a writer, runner, and editor who lives in Spokane with her husband and two kids.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

17

provisions

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

PNW PLATTERS FOR PARTIES, PICNICS, & HOLIDAYS

QUINOA, VEGGIE, AND HERB-STUFFED PUMPKIN

Pumpkins and squash on the table add a festive and nourishing touch to autumn meals.

INGREDIENTS:

TUBBS COFFEE ROASTERS

3-INGREDIENT FUDGE

These three ingredients are simple to have on hand, which means you can whip up a batch of great-tasting fudge that’s healthier than store-bought alternatives anytime.

Making fudge couldn't be any easier.

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup coconut oil 1/3 cup cocoa powder 1/3 cup maple syrup DIRECTIONS:

Melt the coconut oil and pour into a blender, adding the cocoa powder and maple syrup. Pulse on high until smooth. Pour into a loaf pan greased with a small amount of coconut oil. Place in the fridge for 1 hour. Cut and enjoy the smooth texture and superb taste! It'sw a bit addicting, so make two batches. You can also make larger batches to store in the freezer for gifts and get togethers.

(Suzanne Tabert)

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Tubbs Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster based in Hayden, Idaho. They’re a small, family-owned coffee roaster and retailer with a strong focus on ethically sourced coffees and conscious packaging.

While their coffee is stupendous, the thing that really caught my eye was this Tubbs Coffee Roasters post on Facebook: “Roasting coffee is as seasonal as the cherry that is harvested. We collect and process preroast data such as country and farm or co-op of origin, lot number, elevation, process method, ambient shop temp and humidity, plus green bean density, moisture content and temp before the hopper is loaded and roast is charged.” At Tubbs, they work to create a balanced cup that preserves the natural sweetness and acidity of the coffee bean through varied drying phases. When everything lines up just right, they say, the result is “symphonic, blissful, and quite sublime.”

The Double Eagle dark roast blend is just that. Sipping it reminds me of sipping coffee while watching bald eagles at Higgens Point.

It tastes rich and dark and strong. However, if it’s too strong, you might try the Teacher’s Pet blend. Even if you weren’t the teacher’s favorite, you can certainly appreciate a coffee blend that gets it right every cup.

Make a tasting bar reservation or place an order online at tubbscoffeeroasters.com.

(Jon Jonckers)

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

6-8 pound pumpkin or squash of choice 1 cup quinoa or wild rice 2 cups chicken or beef bone broth or veggie broth 2 stalks diced celery 1 large diced carrot 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms 1/2 cup chopped onion 3-6 minced garlic cloves 1 cup chopped kale 3 tablespoons butter or coconut oil 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped nuts of choice 1/2 cup cranberries 1/2 cup chopped dates 1 tablespoon each of fresh thyme and rosemary Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup cooked, ground sausage (optional) DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a Dutch oven. Cut the top off the pumpkin or squash and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits. Set seeds aside to clean and roast. Place the pumpkin/squash on the cookie sheet or Dutch oven.

In a saucepan, add tricolor quinoa, wild rice, or a mix of the two, and then add the stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low and simmer with a lid on until tender (10-25 minutes). In a medium pan, melt butter/coconut oil and add the olive oil. Sauté the veggies until soft.

Combine the ingredients and spoon into the pumpkin or squash. Bake 1.5 to 2 hours or until soft when pierced with a knife.

(Suzanne Tabert)

Desi Freeman admits that she has the hospitality industry in her blood. She grew up working in the many restaurants that her parents owned, and, as an adult, bought and operated the Post Falls Caruso’s Deli for over five years. She is now the hospitality retail manager at Kootenai Health, but has continued to seek out a side pursuit that could bring people together around food. “That’s always been my heart,” says Freeman. “Serving people is my passion.”

In June 2020, she came across some food platters online that inspired her. She called her daughter Taylor Woodman and proposed they start a side business making charcuterie to-go boxes and holiday platters.

Woodman, an insurance agent running her own full-time agency, had to Google “charcuterie” to make sure they were pronouncing it right. In those first days of conception and research, they learned a lot about crafting food platters, but once they made one for themselves, the rest seemed to come naturally. “I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to work with my mom,” says Woodman. “And balancing both jobs hasn’t been as hard as I thought it would be!”

The weekend before July 4, 2020, they created social media accounts and a website, then posted their first holiday-themed platter. It was so last-minute, they anticipated around three orders. When 12 orders came through, they discovered the challenges and joys of shopping for, creating, and delivering those platters according to their strict quality standards. And the two loved every minute of it.

Their business has grown with each passing holiday, gathering, and event.

From charcuterie boxes for up to four, brunch platters for up to 10, and grazing tables for a minimum of 15 people, each delicious creation brings people together over something we all share and delight in: food. Follow PNW Platters on Facebook and Instagram or order for delivery or pick up online (Pnwplatters.com).

(S. Michal Bennett)

Standing tall through it all #StillAwesome

Over the past two years we hunkered down and through creativity, resiliency and strong communities we came out the other side, still awesome. We hope you can come visit, soon.

We still have great beer, still have epic pow, still have quirky restaurants, and still have boutique places to rest your head.

NELSONKOOTENAYLAKE.COM

Photo by Sean Cameron

Dear American friends, we’ve missed you!

AINSWORTH HOT SPRINGS | BALFOUR | EAST SHORE | KASLO | NELSON | NORTH KOOTENAY LAKE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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20% off NiteRider and Bontrager Lights in stock!

EVERYDAY CYCLIST

Shoulder Season Rambles

By Justin Short

Through 12/30/21

ILLUSTRATION BY JUSTIN SHORT

Light SALE! We’re fully loaded on cold weather gear to keep you warm on your fall/winter rides

THERE’S SOMETHING PRECIOUS about late season rambles, whether it’s a gentle ride for an hour or two with friends or an adventure so absurd you couldn’t possibly con anyone into joining you. The windows of fair weather that open up in the fall encompass some of the most comfortable riding one can do in the Inland Northwest, yet at night you’ll be piling on every scrap of clothing that you brought and wishing for a few more layers.

The closer we get to ski season, the stronger is the pull of a favorable forecast coinciding with free time for a turn of the pedals. Obedient to the call of good autumn weather, I recently rode out of Harrison, Idaho, up the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, greeted by e-bikers smiling ear to ear. Even the fish swimming about in the creeks along the path seemed to agree that this was a fine day to be out. I only made it 50 miles before the call of the sleeping bag dragged me to a halt in Wallace, Idaho.

The next day promised to be as lovely as the first, and I would need all the sleep I could get if I wanted to finish the remaining 200+ miles of my intended route. There was a huckleberry milkshake with my name on it in St. Regis, Montana, and I was determined to get to it by the most interesting route I could find before milkshake season closed out. (Does milkshake season “close”?)

And “interesting” was just what I got the next morning before dawn when the route turned north from Mullan, Idaho, up the Idaho Centennial Trail. I step-step-DRAG, step-stepDRAGGED myself up to a 6,500-foot ridge that overlooked Lookout Pass on I-90 and the ski hill next to the pass. Farther up the ridge was a breathtaking view of Upper Glidden Lake, a spot I’m definitely eyeballing for the dog days of summer in 2022.

SPONSORED BY

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OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

After a quick gas station hotdog in Thompson Falls, Montana, I headed over the next mountain to St. Regis and the aforementioned milkshake. It was a comparatively gentle climb on Cadillac gravel (luxuriously smooth) up to 5,000 feet, with some rather inviting campgrounds on both sides of the mountain.

With the milkshake down the hatch, I embarked upon the Route of the Olympian, a truly delightful rail trail that is often overlooked because it lives in the shadow of the Hiawatha.

The big tunnel of the Hiawatha was closed for the season by a castle gate built to withstand an attack from an army of mountain trolls, so I took the bypass that climbs up to the elevation of Mount Spokane.

A bright and shining moon peeked over a mountainous horizon, guiding my way, though I skipped the rest of the Hiawatha on account of the lions, tigers, and bears (moose, more likely) that my imagination placed in each of the remaining tunnels.

Along the highway to St. Maries, I gazed by moonlight upon all the swimming holes that my wife and I had jumped in on a much warmer ride in years gone by.

What I thought was the final push for the finish turned into a quandary about why the sun was rising in the west, ending this late season ramble a little later than I’d anticipated. But I eventually got there. I think. // Justin M Short’s rambles will continue into the snowy months; however, he’s justifiably concerned about sub-freezing temperatures on The Big Lonely, a 350-mile bikepacking race out of Bend, Oregon, that he may or may not have finished by the time you read this.

Spokane UNIQUE

-

HANDMADE

-

USEFUL

www.Spokane-Made.com

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

21

GEAR ROOM Gear Gift Ideas for the Holidays

By Derrick Knowles

BIG & LITTLE GENNY PORTABLE EMERGENCY POWER GENERATORS

These portable, rechargeable battery-powered generators help you keep your electrical devices running at home or work when the power goes out or at camp when there’s no electrical outlet to be had. Plug the generator into a standard AC electrical outlet for charging or charge from a solar or wind power source. When you’re off-grid, you can also charge the generator with the solar panel that comes with it.

These Simpliphi generator kits are silent, non-toxic, cobalt-free, and are sealed and weather-resistant. The

Big Genny is larger, but both generators will fit under a desk or table or in a car, RV, or tent.

Mounted with heavyduty wheels and a collapsible handle, you can easily haul them around where you need them.

Each generator includes a 5-volt USB port for cell phones and tablets, as well as outlets to charge laptops, fans, lights, small appliances, and more. Big Genny MSRP: $2,998. Little Genny MSRP: $1,489.

Available locally from Spokane’s Eco Depot.

Email bruce@ecodepotinc.com or call 509216-4472 with purchase inquiries.

BEDROCK CAIRN 3D ADVENTURE SANDALS

There’s a reason why most of the river guides we ran into rafting the Lower Salmon River this summer were wearing sandals from Missoula, Montana-based Bedrock Sandals. Bedrock’s industry-leading designs and thorough field testing have produced a light, flexible sandal that is equally at home in the mountains, on river, or at the beach. The sculpted footbed and Vibram traction have unbeatable grip with the feel of a minimalist running shoe, and with three points of adjustment, ensuring a tight fit and making adjustments when

needed takes seconds.

The one thing about the Bedrock design that I was concerned about is the two thin pieces of cord that make up the toe thong.

I’ve never liked the feel of a toe thong or the rubbing that usually occurs. Yet, after several months of wearing my Cairn 3Ds, I barely notice the strips of cord between my two toes and have had no rubbing issues.

Bedrocks are by far the best adventure sandals I’ve ever worn. MSRP: $115.

Available at Hyper Spud Sports in Moscow, Idaho, or online at Bedrocksandals. com.

PCH HOODIE FROM CALIFORNIA COWBOY

Nothing beats a fullzip hoodie when the weather turns colder, and this one from California Cowboy has a weight and warmth to it that reminds you you’re wearing something substantial. It’s made with rugged French Terry fabric and features a doublelayered, voluminous hood. And then 22

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

there are the many fun features that truly set this hoodie apart: an overengineered, secure bottle pocket holder; a zip-dry pocket for phones and other dry goods; a bottle opener pocket; kangaroo pockets; a hidden pen pocket; a loop for hanging your sunglasses; and California-inspired style.

It’s not just a hoodie; it’s a party. MSRP: $148.

Californiacowboy.com.

SEA TO SUMMIT STRETCH-LOC STRAPS

TENTSTILE CONNECT TREE TENT

With so many applications, from skiing and biking to bikepacking and camping, they make a great stocking stuffer. StretchLoc Straps come in varying lengths and thickness for different applications.

MSRP: $8.95 - $15.95.

Seatosummitusa.com.

Similar to the traditional Voile-style ski and bike straps, these new StretchLoc Straps have added function with the unique keeper straps that allow you to secure strap ends so they don’t flap about wildly. The strap ends also have ridges to make gripping and tightening with wet or gloved hands easier.

VOITED SOUL SLIPPER

I’ve been wearing these toasty, comfortable slippers back and forth from the yard and house since the temps cooled this fall and absolutely love them. These slippers are lightweight, fleecelined for warmth, water repellent, and made from recycled fabric. The memory foam footbed explains

why they are so incredibly comfortable, and the hand-stitched rubber soles provide the grip you want for moving back and forth from indoor and outdoor use.

Perfect at home, at the ski hut, in your van or RV, or any laid-back office setting. MSRP: $49.90. Voited.com.

CALIFORNIA COWBOY OLYMPIC VALLEY PLAID FLANNEL

The print choices for California Cowboy’s High Sierra flannels are awesome, but the new Olympic Valley Plaid is my favorite as it reminds me of a longlost grunge-era flannel I had in high school. This shirt is the first-ever to be designed specifically as après-ski apparel. It features luxury Portuguese cotton, a warm

thermal lining, pockets for an adult beverage, a bottle opener, and a lined and zippered pocket to keep your phone dry. New features include a reinforced bottle pocket lining and a hidden seltzer pocket for slimmer drinks. Comes with a bottle opener and a beer koozie too. MSRP $148.

Californiacowboy.com.

Other than being a cool way to camp—suspended off the ground in the trees in something much like a big, weather-proof hammock—there are some practical reasons why you might want to consider a tree tent like the Tentstile Connect.

First, there’s the critter consideration. I was once kept awake half the night by racoons trying to get in my tent. Rattlesnakes slithering about at night are another concern in some places. And then there are the spiders and creepy-crawlies that come out at night. Second, with the best campsites at many destinations often taken these days, the Tentstile Connect gives you more options to pitch your tent above what may be rocky or un-even ground where terrestrial tents can’t

be pitched, opening up a whole new world of campsites.

Once attached to three, sturdy trees with the ratchet straps, the 2-person, 4-season Connect sets up in around 10 minutes (longer your first few times) and has plenty of space for two adults and their gear (52 square feet). Features include underfloor mesh storage for packs and gear, an interior mesh pouch, and a removable threetier pocketed dividing screen that provides storage and separation between two sleepers.

The bug-netting roof allows for stargazing without the bugs, and the rainfly is there when you need it. A super fun way to camp and a cool, bug-free hangout spot for kids or anyone else on lazy days in camp. MSRP: $549. Tentsile.com.

GREGORY BORDER CARRY-ON

A huge upgrade from my old, technical travel pack, the innovative Gregory Border Carry-on is loaded with travelwise features. At 40 liters, there’s plenty of room to stow your carry-on essentials or even one minimalist vagabond’s entire trip packing list. The splitcase design keeps your things organized and includes a main compartment that opens all the way flat with two zippered, mesh pockets and a separate zippered compartment inside. There’s also

a compartment for dirty clothes (that opens on both ends) that is treated to inhibit bacteria growth and odors.

The Border Carry-on includes a stowable, mesh water bottle holder and zippered, padded laptop compartment, as well as two more external zipped compartments, the large one featuring another mesh pocket inside.

Finally, the tuck-away shoulder straps and hip belt allow it to be stored neatly overhead or under the seat of a plane, train, or chicken bus. MSRP: $169.95. Gregorypacks.com.

PACKSTACK BACKPACK ORGANIZER

A tough, light, and waterproof packing system that has an interior mesh pocket, top handle for easy carrying, and zippered main compartment with 11.1liter capacity for

keeping your backpacking or travel items organized and protected.

The PackStack comes in two sizes, fits the shape of most backpacks, and is made of weatherproof CORDURA ripstop fabric. MSRP: $18.

Hillsound.com.

DAKOTA GRIZZLY BOWIE SHIRT

features antique buttons and chambray and microsuede trim to class things up a bit. A warm, comfortable, and stylish choice for a fall and winter shirt that you can wear anywhere. MSRP: $74. Dakotagrizzly.com.

The softest buttonup shirt in my closet for sure; it feels like you’re wearing a giant, fluffy kitten. The plush, double-brushed, Artic fleece is stretchy, lightweight, and quick drying. The Bowie OUTDOOR RESEARCH SHADOW INSULATED HOODIE

JACK WOLFSKIN TASMAN JACKET

This jacket is made for highcardio activities in cold weather.

The arms and back are made from stretchy, breathable synthetic insulation to help regulate your body temperature and wick away sweat, while the front chest area is stuffed with wind-proof, 700-fill down insulation. And a down-insulated hood keeps

your head and ears warm when needed. Ideal for backcountry skiing, winter running and biking, and crosscountry skiing.

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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

23

“WINTER IS NOT A SEASON, IT’S A CELEBRATION.” Anamika Mishra

Photo © Stephen Shelesky

Madison Rose Ostergren

24

LEKI, CELEBRATING WINTER SINCE 1948.

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

LEARN TO SKI/SNOWBOARD PROGRAMS LITTLE RIPPERS + ALL THE RIGHT GEAR MOM & SON LEARN TOGETHER SPONSORED BY

PUBLISHED BY OUT THERE OUTDOORS NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

25

LOCAL MOUNTAIN LITTLE RIPPERS

BY AMY MCCAFFREE Perhaps you’ve seen the hashtag #mykidskisbetterthanme. Is that true for you? I’ll admit it—my son skis faster than me, and I’m okay with that. (Falling hurts more when you’re in your 40s.) Which is why I like watching the next generation tear it up at local mountains. They motivate older skiers and riders to get (and stay) in better shape and to push ourselves. This winter, you might catch a glimpse of one of these four little rippers sending it and swooshing past you on the mountain.

BRIGHTON TURCOTTE, AGE 10 (SKIER/ SNOWBOARDER)

Home Mountain: Silver Mountain.

OLIVIA LOKKEE & PENELOPE PICABO WHITE (TWIN SISTERS), AGE 9 (SKIERS)

Home mountain: Lookout Pass.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF PARENTS

WINTER SNEVA, AGE 7 (SKIER)

Home Mountain: 49 Degrees North and Silver Mountain dual season passholder.

Taught by mom and dad at 49 Degrees North, Winter learned to ski when she was age two. Her current ski set up is pretty special: Sneva MFG 137 Jr skis made by the family business, Sneva MFG, a ski manufacturing company founded in 1994 that moved to Spokane in 2009. Sneva MFG also makes snowboards, snowskates, and wakeskis. When not skiing this season, Winter says she’ll be “sledding on our sledding hill and making skis with Dad.” Favorite Run: King Loves skiing because: “I like to go fast and go off jumps.”

Mountain routine includes: Eating French fries in the lodge.

Most memorable day on the mountain: First time riding the chair all by herself (January 2021).

Greatest accomplishment(s) so far: Skiing Mahers Gold run.

Future Ambition: “Do a 360 off a jump.”

Ski Advice: “It’s all about fun, family, and French fries!”

The girls started out at age 3 and skied with their papa at Lost Trail for two years before attending Lookout’s Free Ski School at age 5. They then followed that up with a year of private lessons at Lookout and joined the Lookout Pass Ski Team at age 7. This year, they are starting their 3rd season with the Lookout Pass Ski Race Team. "Ski racing is the best way to spend your winters,” says Olivia.

Favorite runs: Dilly Dally Alley, Idaho Face, Bonanza.

Love skiing because: As racers, they get to travel to other mountains, make new friends, learn new skills on training days, and ski fast. “It’s like we live outside during the winter!” says Penelope.

Most memorable day on the mountain: Olivia’s first run on Idaho Face, and Penelope says the first time she “went down the hill really fast without any help.”

Greatest accomplishments so far: Olivia’s 2nd-place finish against more experienced ski racers. Penelope says it was winning Lookout’s cardboard box derby race.

Future Ambition: Ski in every state.

Ski Advice: “It’s okay to start with pizza legs but try to end the day with French fry skis!

Never give up, do your best, and never be afraid. All those days at Lookout Pass will be worth your time. And most of all, speed is your friend!”

Mom and grandpa taught him how to ski at age 5, and dad taught snowboarding also at age 5 with additional instruction from friend Shane Brosius. “Brighton is a much more accomplished skier than snowboarder,” says dad, Mike, who works at Silver doing gondola and lift maintenance. “He still snowboards and [got] into it more this past year.” Mike says it’s really the mountain family itself at Silver that’s responsible for how Brighton is advancing so quickly as a skier.

Favorite Runs: Moonshine, Silverbelt, Noah's Park, Upper Terrain Park, Heaven.

Loves skiing/riding because: “I like going fast with the wind in my face. I also love shredding the pow.”

Typical day on the mountain: Doing jumps in the terrain parks, meeting up with friends at the snack shack, and warming up by the fire. “Both my parents work at Silver Mountain, so I basically roam the mountain.”

Greatest accomplishment: Making two attempts at the Pond Skim and being the youngest competitor.

Future Ambitions: Ski Shady Lady run, so he will have skied every double black diamond run at Silver; ski from summit lodge all the way down into town; learn how to do flips; and ski at other mountains (as many as possible), especially Brighton Resort in Utah “because I was named after it.”

Ski Advice: “If you fall, don't quit, get back up. If you don't fall, you're not pushing yourself. Once you get better, SEND IT!”

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JAXSON HAMM, AGE 6 (SNOWBOARDER)

Home Mountain: Mt. Spokane.

Jaxson started learning to ski as a toddler (before age 2) and learned how to snowboard at age 6. His parents helped him learn and progress, and he has also been in group and private lessons at Mt. Spokane’s ski school where both of his parents work. “Several other instructors take him to ski and coach him on their private time. This is where his mountain family has really helped him learn,” says his dad, Mike, who is the head trainer for Mt. Spokane’s snowboard program and a divisional staff member for the American Association of Snowboard Instructors. “Plus he has put in a lot of time himself just trying things he sees others do on a snowboard.”

Favorite Runs: Old Northwest, Lamonga.

Loves skiing/snowboarding because: “I love the freedom of being able to ride anywhere and keep up with everyone else.”

Most memorable day on the mountain: “The day I learned to ride the rainbow rail while riding with my mom last season at Mt. Spokane. I finally got to try the rainbow rail and I rode it on my first try without falling.”

Typical day on the mountain: “I get to go ride where I want. The lifties know me, and I have friends all over the hill. So I can go a lot of places and ride some lifts alone.”

Greatest accomplishment so far: “Learning to tail grab.”//

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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

27

BEGINNER TERRAIN GUIDE

BY AMY MCCAFFREE Friends don’t take friends who are new to skiing or snowboarding or kids who are learning to the top of the mountain for a first run. (Believe me, I’ve seen it happen.) Luckily, all the Inland Northwest ski mountains make it easy to be a newbie. You or your kids will never be the only one snowplowing on the bunny hill. There’s plenty of beginner-friendly terrain to practice stops and turns on green circles, too. Then, when you or your kids are ready, move to the more challenging terrain of blue squares. Here are recommendations from mountain staff members about where to go for a first day on skis or snowboard— and, when ready to get off the bunny hill, which beginner terrain to venture to next.

49 DEGREES NORTH Surface Lift: Gold Fever, located near the lodge in the ski school teaching area.

Snowsports School Director Alison Pasino says it “is the ideal place for little ones to have their first experience sliding.” It’s open to both children and adults, regardless of ability level.

Bunny Hills: Access the beginner area using the Payday Lift (Chair #3). For skiers, Pasino recommends Easy Slide, Gold Chute, and Fool’s Gold. For snowboarders, Lower Gold Pan Alley has a gentle pitch and wide-open slopes.

Beginner Runs: Great trails for new skiers and snowboarders are found in all areas of the resort, which is the second largest in Washington State. Pasino recommends Huckleberry Ridge and Big Bear located in Sunrise Basin; Quartzite Ridge off Angel Peak; and Lost Dutchman to the 4800 Road in the West Basin. In Central Basin, the trails off Beaver Slide include a “mellow, meandering route for those who want to cruise and enjoy the beauty of Colville National Forest.”

Don’t Miss: Hobbit Forest, where you can search for iconic bells hanging from branches alongside the trail. It provides a “first taste of the epic tree skiing that 49 North has to offer,” says Pasino.

Other Recommendations: 49’s Mountain Host program offers free guided tours of the alpine terrain. It’s like an orientation to find the best runs, groomers, and powder stashes for all ability levels of your family.

LOOKOUT PASS Bunny Hill: Success Slope via Success Triple chairlift. “This slope is designed to allow you to get comfortable on snow without the fear of going high up on a mountain or riding a high lift,” says Lookout’s marketing director Matt Sawyer.

Beginner Runs: Sawyer recommends taking Huckleberry Ridge to Grub Steak run—a “longer run with a mild pitch,” he says.

Get there via the Peak One Quad chairlift, which takes you to the mountain summit.

“Tell the staff member who is loading the

lift that this is your first time on this lift and they will slow the chair down for your load,” Sawyer says. “You get to enjoy awesome views and you have reached the summit, which is a goal for most beginners.”

Next Level: Tamarack on the Montanaside of mountain (referred to as the “backside”). At the bottom is the base of the Timber Wolf Triple chair. Sawyer says a ride on this chair offers the best views that Lookout Pass has to offer a beginner, including Stevens Peak and St. Regis Basin.

Other Recommendations: Huckleberry Jam Progression Park has “very low and mild progression style features that are ideal for a first foray into a terrain park,” says Sawyer. Parents and kids can learn to ride on small terrain style features, including flat boxes with a ride on lip, a wide dance floor feature, and even a very casual rainbow feature.

Bunny Hill: Ego Flats via Chair 5 that’s now named Beginner’s Luck. Mt. Spokane’s outdoor recreation manager Katrin Pardue, who is also Ski and Ride School director, says snowboarders should stay center on this run.

At the top of the chair, turn right to access the lower section of Johnson’s Run. Because it is narrow, she advises staying skier’s left.

MT. SPOKANE Magic Carpet: Located just below Lodge 2 (main lodge) near the ski school building, ski patrol lodge, and bunny hill chairlift loading area.

Beginner Runs: Northwest Passage, via Parkway Express (Chair 3). Pardue says to stay center and then go skier’s left. Also try Half Hitch, staying skier’s right to avoid the terrain park. Both runs lead to the cat track where you can head back to the base of Chair 3 or 5, or continue along to access chair 1. If you don’t turn off Half Hitch onto the cat track, you go straight onto Lamonga, which has some terrain features and leads to the bottom of Chair 4.

HUCKLEBERRY RIDGE AT LOOKOUT PASS. // PHOTO COURTESY OF LOOKOUT PASS

TIPS FOR TEACHING YOUR KIDS TO SKI

Teaching your kids the basics can be fun, rewarding, and challenging. However, unless you are a ski or snowboard instructor, at some point professional lessons are a great idea. In the meantime, here are some pro tips for teaching kids.

• LEARNING THE FOUNDATIONS: Start with “pizza!” and “French fries” for little skiers. These basics, including the snowplow to control speed and stop (pizza) and moving downhill with skis parallel (fries), are foundational. Then move on to making turns back and forth across the mountain and practicing stopping.

• TRAINING GEAR: An “Edgie Wedgie” (ski tip connector) helps keep little skis connected and in a pizza/snowplow formation. Some kind of harness for hoisting kids on and off chairlifts and picking them up after falls is also invaluable. Some harnesses come with a leash to keep the little shredder connected to mom or dad and in control.

• CHAIRLIFTS: Chairlift loading and unloading can be scary for kids and parents.

Have your child watch with you while other kids and adults are getting on the chair to see how they do it. When it’s your turn, ask the liftie to slow it down for you if necessary, then have your child look at you as you wait together in the loading zone and then grab the chair pole and keep ski tips up as the chair scoops you up. When it’s time to get off the lift with little kids, you may need to wrap an arm around them to help guide them off the lift safely. Older kids need to be reminded to keep their ski tips up and to stand straight when they dismount.

• MOTIVATION: When they are learning, kids can get tired or frustrated quickly, so having a small treat like a piece of chocolate, gummy worms, or fruit snack at the top or bottom of each run can keep them motivated to not give up too early.

Making sure they are dressed properly for the conditions to keep them warm enough and not too hot is also key. (OTO)

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Next Level: Take the Vista Cruiser lift (Chair 1) to ski/ride a series of linked runs— Gold Cross to Upper Northwest Passage (“stay close to the trees”) to Skookum (“stay skier’s left until you hit the flat section”) to Northwest Passage.

Don’t Miss: The triple chair (#6) on the backside, Northwood. Pardue recommends taking Yellow Brick Road to Jim’s Gem (stay along the tree line, skier’s left; it gets flat at the bottom, so snowboarders should be careful) to Big Timber (stay skier’s right at the lower part for the “most mellow pitch”).

SILVER MOUNTAIN Surface Lift: Prospector Adventure Lift—a new, covered conveyor lift (640 feet long) located by the Mountain House.

Bunny Hill: Easy Street—near the surface lift and Mountain House.

Beginner Runs: Silver Mountain’s marketing director Gus Colburn recommends Ross Run, which follows the gondola line down to Dawdler, Bear Grass, or Huckleberry before ending up at Chair 5.

First Blue Square: Colburn recommends taking the Alpenway run down to Junction, “which is the best progression run to build your skills to eventually take laps on Silver Belt.” //

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!

Just present your passport at the ticket window, it’s that easy! *$20 processing fee.

Visit skinwrockies.com/5th-grade-ski-passport

to apply online!

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

� 49 Degrees North Chewelah, WA

� Silver Mountain Kellogg, ID

� Lookout Pass ID/MT Border 1-90

� Loup Loup Okanogan, WA

� Mt Spokane Spokane, WA

Learn More Online!

skiNWrockies.com

SPONSORED BY NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

29

LEARNING TOGETHER

BY DERRICK KNOWLES

FROM THE BUNNY HILL TO BLACK DIAMONDS. // PHOTO COURTESY OF CINDY DILG

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE in life to learn to ski or snowboard, and there’s no better way to learn than with a loved one. Last season, mother-son duo Cindy and Levi Dilg of Spokane were looking for a winter time activity to keep them moving and having fun outside once they put their mountain bikes away for the season. They decided the time was right for them to learn to ski and snowboard, and Cindy signed them up for the EZ 1-2-3 lesson program at 49 Degrees North as a Christmas present.

Cindy (age 38) chose to learn to snowboard, while her then 12-yearold son Levi picked skiing. “I wanted to snowboard because the ski boots were really uncomfortable,” admits Cindy. Levi, on the other hand, chose skiing because he thought it looked easier. He figured out skiing and picked it up really quick, says Cindy. “By the third lesson, the light switched on and he was going down the blue trails. Now he wants to learn to snowboard too.”

The EZ 1-2-3 package, available at all four Ski the NW Rockies association resorts (49, Silver, Mt. Spokane, and Lookout), is a great deal for all ages who have never skied or snowboarded before and want to learn and have fun doing it. This comprehensive package includes three days of rentals, lift tickets, and professional lessons. “I really liked the package deal. You not only get the lessons, but you get rental gear and can ease into the sport without having to jump in and buy all the stuff right away,” explains Cindy.

Cindy and Levi each faced their own challenges during the first few lessons, but the payoff, getting to ski and snowboard together all winter, was huge. “I was pretty nervous the first day,” admits Levi. “I saw a couple of videos of people on skis falling, and

it looked like it hurt.” Cindy struggled at first to build the confidence to go faster and trust herself to go straight down the mountain instead of just back and forth. “Each day in the class as we advanced the instructor would give you more pointers and tips to get better,” explains Cindy. The skills she learned made her more confident that she could stop safely, which allowed her to go faster down the mountain.

By that third lesson, says Cindy, they had both learned so much and Levi was skiing the cat tracks and going down steeper slopes with his cousin. They continued to ski and ride all winter long, and each time Levi got faster.

“Before the end of the season we even went down a black diamond trail,” says Cindy.

Learning at the same time turned out to be ideal for the two of them. Cindy says it was great to spend that time together that they don’t always get with their busy lives.

The rides up to and back home from the mountain together gave them a chance to chat, and then they could ski and snowboard together after the lessons. But because they each chose different sports, it also allowed Levi to learn on his own with the instructor and other students and not have his mom hovering over him, explains Cindy. And, she adds, it was great to watch Levi progress. “At first he was slower than me, and then he got more confident and was faster than me.”

Once their three lessons were over, Cindy and Levi kept going up to ski and snowboard at 49 Degrees North and other mountains, including Lookout and Mt. Spokane. After learning to ski last season, Levi plans to follow his mom’s lead and learn to snowboard this winter. Cindy says they can’t wait for the snow to fly and to spend another winter up on the mountain enjoying nature together. //

PHOTO COURTESY OF SKI THE NW ROCKIES

PLENTY OF LESSON OPTIONS AT LOCAL RESORTS Ski and snowboard lessons are not just for beginners and little kids. Why take a lesson if you already know the basics? Learning to ski and snowboard well is a life-long progression, and no matter how good you or your kids are, there’s always something to learn from an expert and things to improve on. Kids and adults of any age and ability level can benefit from taking lessons. Here are some different options from local Ski the NW Rockies association resorts—remember to reserve and schedule your lessons in advance.

• FIRST-TIME MULTI-DAY GROUP LESSONS: One of the most popular programs for adults or kids (7 and older) who have never skied or snowboarded before is the EZ 1-2-3 package. Available at all four Ski of the NW Rockies association resorts (49 Degrees North, Silver Mountain, Mt. Spokane, and Lookout Pass), the program includes three days of rentals, lift tickets, and lessons.

• ADULT & KIDS CAMPS: Several local resorts offer skill-building camps that also have a social element. Examples include Mt. Spokane’s Ladies Day Clinics and Park Club for skiers and snowboarders ages 9-17 who want to work on their park skills, which takes place February 11, 2022.

• PRIVATE LESSONS: All local resorts offer private lessons, and some mountains like Silver Mountain also offer semi-private group lessons where a small group of your friends can take a lesson together.

• MULTI-WEEK LESSON PROGRAMS: Take your pick of multi-week group lesson

programs for kids or adults from your favorite local resort. This is a great way get better by committing to multiple weeks of skiing or snowboarding.

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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

31

ALL THE RIGHT KIDS' GEAR

by Derrick Knowles

Making sure your child has the right gear to stay warm and happy on the slopes is crucial. I once made it all the way to Mt. Spokane with our 4-year-old before realizing I forgot his socks. Turns out a kid can ski without socks, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Another time, I brought thin gloves and his fingers froze. (There were tears.) I’ve made the opposite mistake too, piling on way too many layers until he could barely move and looked like the overdressed Randy in “A Christmas Story.” These gear tips should help you do a better job of dressing your little shredders for a day in the mountains.

nal ot optio N : T E M HEl g cap a stockin d d A . e r it’s anymo et when m l e h e under th cold.

Gloves / Mittens: Choose wind and waterproof/ water-resistant gloves or mittens with plenty of insulation.

Mittens are warmer for littler kids, while gloves let older kids adjust their gear.

5TH GRADE SKI/RIDE FREE PASSPORT

This popular program helps get 5th graders out on the slopes for free. The passport provides three free days at each of the participating ski areas with a parent/guardian present (49 Degrees North, Lookout Pass, Mt. Spokane, Silver Mountain, and Loup Loup). To participate, parents need to submit an application with a $20 processing fee at 5thgradeskipassport.com and check their email for the passport. Print the passport or pull it up on your phone at the ticket office to receive a lift ticket. Please note blackout dates for each resort listed on the passport website, which include but may not be 32

ece, ers: Fle y a l id M , or eatshirt puffy, sw irt ved t-sh e e l s g lon e nd fleec up top a pants r sweat pants o toms. for bot

Base Layers: Synthetic thermal underwear tops and bottoms are breathable, wick moisture, and keep their core warm .

Skis / Boots / Bindings / Poles: Gear that fits well will help your little one learn faster and have more fun. Buy used gear from swaps or lease expert-fitted equipment each year as kids grow from a shop like Spokane Alpine Haus.

KIDS LEARN TO SKI/ SNOWBOARD PROGRAMS

Goggles: Help protect eyes from glaring sun, wind, and blowing snow.

limited to Saturdays and holidays. Some of the participating ski resorts also offer discount rental gear and lessons as part of the 5th grade passport program. More info: Skinwrockies.com

Socks: Warm wool or synthetic-blend socks like these from Spokane Alpine Haus fit well in ski boots.

To sign up, pick one of the three ski areas, call the ticket office at the resort and purchase your EZ SKI 1-2-3 package, and then follow their instructions to schedule the lessons. More info: Skinwrockies.com/ezski-ride-123

EZ SKI/RIDE 1-2-3

The EZ Ski or Ride 1-2-3 programs make learning to ski or snowboard for the first time affordable and easy. And both kids and parents can sign up! All four Ski the NW Rockies association resorts (49 Degrees North, Lookout Pass, Mt. Spokane, and Silver Mountain) are offering a three-visit package to first-timers at an incredible price that includes three lift tickets, three rentals (boots, poles, skis or snowboard), and three lessons.

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Neck Gaiter: Prevents cold from creeping down the neck and keeps faces warm.

LOOKOUT PASS FREE SKI SCHOOL

Over the past 81 seasons, Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation area on the Idaho/Montana state line has been offering its Free Ski School. Since that first year, the ski resort has introduced over 78,000 kids to the winter sports of skiing and snowboarding.

The program is available for boys and girls between age 6-17 who want to learn to ski and ages 7-17 for snowboard lessons. The

Ski Jacket & Pants / Snowsuit: The outer layer should have insulation and be waterproof/waterresistant. A hood and pockets are ideal, and the jacket should be long enough to keep snow from creeping into their britches.

A snowsuit rocks at this, but can make potty breaks challenging for younger kids.

lessons range from beginner to advanced, so there are lessons for all abilities and kids can move up levels as the season progresses.

While the lessons are totally free and a lift ticket is not required to ski or snowboard during the lessons, rental equipment is not provided and a season pass or day ticket is required for kids who want to continue skiing or riding after the lesson and on non-lesson days. Rental equipment can be reserved and paid for at the Lookout rental shop, or kids can bring their own gear. Parents should also pre-purchase any season pass or lift tickets if desired.

More info: Skilookout.com/famous-freeski-school. //

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33

SHOULDER SEASON RIDING

Nowhere is the collision between seasons more apparent than fall and winter, where conditions can transition from fall colors to a skiff or even drifts of snow overnight. And although March might come in like a lion, late autumn often comes in like a snowball to the face. The upside for mountain bikers? Every ride is a bonus after the mad scramble of peak riding season. And low stakes along with snow-day excitement usually only reserved for elementary school can combine for some of the most surprisingly satisfying rides of the year.

This page, left side: Seasons collide quite literally on a ride through Riverside’s first snowfall of the season.

This page, upper right: Sliding in snow, skidding in leaves, stomping in puddles; lowstakes late-season riding is a reminder of the pure child-like joy of cycling.

Opposite page, top: The best way to maintain traction on early-season snow on Bernard Peak? Stay in the air.

Opposite page, lower left: Snowfall on the High Drive Trails doesn’t often linger, so it’s a race to put in first—or any—tracks.

Opposite page, lower right: Cold, clear mornings on the Spokane River often bring sun, steam, and frost, as well as the opportunity to ride in a puffy.

34

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

35

Holiday

LOCAL

This year’s gift guide features a range of locally-made products as well as other items made far away but sold here by local businesses. Every dollar spent here in our community during the holidays means that much more prosperity for all of us. Every year many of the gift recommendations we include in our Local Gift Guide are from Out There Outdoors advertisers.

Along with you, the readers, they make this publication possible, and we ask you to show your support for Out There by spending some of your holiday shopping dollars with them!

GIFT GUIDE

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CAMPING SILKY POCKETBOY FOLDING SAW

This 170-mm. compact, lightweight, curved-blade folding saw will come in handy on the trail, at camp, and around home. Available at Outdoor Experience in Sandpoint ($60).

BEDROCK SANDALS

In an evolution of the adventure sandal, this Missoula, Mont., company builds light, comfortable, and tough sandals that will live up to whatever trails and rivers you throw at them. Get a pair as a gift and another for yourself from Hyperspud Sports in Moscow (prices vary).

SEA TO SUMMIT AEROS PREMIUM PILLOW

Comfort without the bulk. Perfect for travel, short backpacking trips, and camping where a couple extra grams for a great night's sleep is more than worth it. Pick one up at REI Spokane ($42.95–64.95).

FLYSHAKER ONESIE

Makers of fine flannels, Spokane’s Flyshaker has put its own twist on the traditional union suit. This cotton/poly heathered fleece onesie has a hood, kangaroo pocket, and full-front zipper. It makes for great around-the-house loungewear and camp apparel. Keep warm and deploy the emergency rear zipper when nature calls ($74.95).

UNIQUE GIFTS ARCHIE MCPHEE GLASS ORNAMENTS

Add some weird to a loved one’s Christmas tree with these unique glass ornaments, including a meditating Bigfoot, “Creepy Horse Head,” “Lederhosen Unicorn,” an introvert nose-deep in a book, and other strange and funny options (available at The General Store in Spokane).

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PUFFIN BEVERAGE VEST

Koozies are so yesterday. This vest for a cold beverage is practical, but the real joy of giving one is the laughter it will elicit. Pick one up at The General Store.

member and their family may be transported at no cost when medically necessary due to an emergency by Life Flight Network ($69 per household).

Add the Idaho state fruit to Dry Fly Distilling’s award-winning vodka and you get a delicious, high-quality gift that can be enjoyed in various creative cocktails.

Buy a bottle for yourself and another as a gift from the new Dry Fly Distilling tasting room and gift shop downtown Spokane.

ZIP LINE TOURS GREAT PNW WOODSY TEE

This hilarious, edgy shirt featuring two bears in a compromising pose is already a classic. The design is also available in socks and air fresheners. Available at Apex CannaGear ($27.99).

CLASSIC STANLEY LUNCH BOX

Anyone from your aging hipster cousin to grandpa will love this classic metal lunch box.

Available at The General Store in Spokane.

EXPERIENCES NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE! TICKETS

Give the gift of immersive storytelling and unforgettable imagery with behindthe-scenes stories straight from National Geographic's photographers, scientists, filmmakers, and adventurers. Presenters will be live on stage at Spokane’s Fox Theater with iconic National Geographic footage accompanied by a live symphony orchestra. Choose from “The Secret Life of Bears” with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, “Untamed” with filmmaker Felipe DeAndrade, “Improbable Ascent” with paraclimber Mo Beck, or a package of all three. Foxtheaterspokane.com.

The Inland Northwest has several zip tours that would make a great adventure gift. Try Mica Moon in Liberty Lake, Timberline Adventures in Coeur d’Alene, or Silver Streak Zipline in Wallace.

HEALTH & BEAUTY PEACHES AND CREAM MEGA CBD BATH BOMB

These peaches-and-cream bath bombs are fun and relaxing. Whoever you buy them for will enjoy the aroma of fresh peach and vanilla essential oils as they soak in the CBD and relax their worries away.

Available for $15 from Bath by Bex online or at the new retail store in Spokane.

APEX TERPENE-ENHANCED CBD TINCTURE

Apex Cannabis CBD tinctures include terpene-enhanced options that have the terpenes from favorite cannabis strains and all of the benefits of CBD but without the psychoactive effects. Also available in “raw” plain CBD ($24.99-399.99 based on dosing).

FOOD & DRINK

WILD WALLS CLIMBING GYM GIFT CARD

MOCCAMASTER COFFEE BREWERS

You can purchase a gift card from downtown Spokane’s Wild Walls online, which can go toward a month or year membership, a class, or a youth program.

These brewers available from DOMA Coffee Roasting Company make amazing coffee with brewing backed by science. But they have another major selling point— they’re modular, which means if something breaks it can easily be replaced, equaling less trash in landfills. A Moccamaster tagline is “built to last a lifetime,” and they mean it. Available at DOMA headquarters in Post Falls.

LIFE FLIGHT NETWORK

This practical gift is the investment in the health and safety of any skiers, hikers, mountain bikers, hunters, or adventuring families. As a member of Life Flight, the

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

SIDE HUSTLE SYRUPS

Natural and flavorful syrups for making cocktails, sodas, or flavored tea or coffee.

Manufactured in small batches in Spokane and available in a range of flavors at the Kitchen Engine.

BARATZA GRINDERS

DOMA Coffee Roasting Company carries several models of these award-winning, high-quality grinders that can handle all styles of brewing, from French press to espresso. Available at DOMA headquarters in Post Falls ($170-560).

LYTE BALANCE ELECTROLYTE CONCENTRATE

A tasteless, calorie-free, additive-free electrolyte concentrate, Liberty Lake-based Lyte Balance can be added to any beverage and is a game-changer for anyone who struggles with maintaining proper hydration, from athletes and middle-aged weekend warriors to retirees who don’t drink enough water. Give the gift of health and hydration. Available at many regional natural food stores and online (16-oz. bottle, $25).

LOCAL, HEALTHY FOOD FROM LINC FOODS

Want to give someone you love a nudge toward healthier eating? Give them a gift certificate to LINC Market, where they can shop from over 60 small, Inland Northwest farms. You can also give one of the popular LINC Box subscriptions that comes with local, seasonal produce and other foods by signing up the gift recipient like normal on LINC’s website and then emailing lincbox@ lincfoods.com to prepay.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

37

H ANDMA DE - FA IR TRA DE - L O CA L

Celebrate the Season at BIKING TIFOSI SLEDGE LITE GLASSES

Just because someone doesn’t ride like a badass doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to look like they do. These light, comfortable, high-performance shades from North Division Bicycle will do the trick ($80).

45NRTH NOKKEN WINTER GLOVE

Keep digits toasty during fall and winter rides without bulky insulation. Soft, grippy, and wind and water resistant. ($65 at Wheel Sport Bicycles in Spokane.)

45NRTH RAGNAROK CYCLING SHOES

35 West Main

Monday-Saturday / 10 am to 5:30 pm Sundays in December / 12 pm to 4 pm shop online at shopkizuri.com

One Downtown Spokane Stop.

Two Goldmines of Unique Gifts.

The Achilles heel for many winter riders is actually their feet. These shoes available at Mojo Cyclery are designed for cold, wet weather and include hook-and-loop neoprene ankles to keep those pedal pushers dry ($190).

SPECIALIZED TACTIC 4 HELMET

Exceptional coverage and seamless integration with goggles or glasses. “The best helmet we've ever seen at this price,” say the bike junkies at Wheel Sport ($110).

PARK TOOL CORKSCREW & BOTTLE OPENER

Who doesn’t need an adult beverage while fixing bikes? Slip one of these quality-made openers from North Division Bicycle in a stocking or wrap it up with a bottle of local wine as a bribe for future free bike maintenance ($50).

GARMIN VARIA RTL515 REARVIEW RADAR WITH TAILLIGHT

Stay aware of approaching cars with rearview radar. It pairs with your Edge bike computer or compatible smartphone to alert you of vehicles approaching from behind up to 153 yards away. (Wheel Sport, $199.)

NITERIDER LUMINA MAX 2500 HEADLIGHT

SPECIALIZED ANGI CRASH SENSOR

Ever worry about a loved-one’s crazy solo rides? If this sensor, available at Two Wheeler Dealer, detects a crash, it starts a countdown so if you get hurt and don’t stop it, it will send an alert to your selected contacts with your last-known GPS coordinates and a message that you need help ($50).

MUC-OFF 8-IN-1 BICYCLE CLEANING KIT

Protect your investment in your bike by keeping it clean with this all-in-one kit from Spokane’s Wheel Sport ($74.99).

OTSO CARBON VOYTEK FAT BIKE

Just in time for fat bike season, Mountain View Cyclery has Otso Voytek fat bikes in stock that simulate the pedaling style of a normal mountain bike, helping to eliminate that "ski-style” pedaling and allowing better traction in the deep snow.

SARIS FLUID ROAD BIKE TRAINER

Train for spring rides or just stay sane this winter getting some exercise while binge watching your favorite show ($329.99 at The Bike Hub).

SALSA BEARGREASE CARBON DEORE 11 FAT BIKE

Atticus Coffee & Gifts 222 N Howard St.

Don’t miss another year of winter snow riding. The one bike for all seasons with racebike technology and fat-tire-bike capability.

Available at Wheel Sport ($2,699).

Boo Radley’s 232 N Howard St.

DYNAPLUG MICRO PRO TUBELESS TIRE REPAIR KIT

Shorter winter days don’t need to mean shorter rides with this versatile, featurerich, rechargeable headlight. All bike lights will be 20% off at North Division Bicycle this holiday shopping season too ($250).

45NRTH NAUGHTVIND WINTER CYCLING BIB

Riders who know that biking season never ends will thank you to the moon and back for a pair of these cold-weather-destroying thermal riding bibs from Mojo Cyclery ($245).

NEW CUSTOM BIKE WHEELS

New wheels are the best upgrade you can make to your bicycle. Spokane’s Mathew Larsen Wheelbuilding hand-builds and ships wheels for all types of bikes right here in the Inland NW. All wheels are made to order (prices vary).

SPECIALIZED NEW TACTIC MOUNTAIN BIKE HELMET

With an unprecedented combination of fit, ventilation, and protection for trail and enduro riding, the Tactic helmet available at Two Wheeler Dealer in Hayden provides exceptional coverage and seamless integration with goggles or glasses ($110).

45NRTH NOKKEN CYCLING GLOVES

A great combination of warmth, water resistance, and full-finger movement on brisk rides. Available at Mojo Cyclery ($65).

AVENTON E-BIKE

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OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

This light and compact tubeless tire repair kit comes with everything you need to fix a flat on a tubeless tire quick and easy ($54.99 at Spokane’s The Bike Hub).

E-bikes sold like hotcakes during the pandemic and continue to do so. Mountain View Cyclery in Hayden has Aventon electric-assist bikes in stock starting at $1,299, an affordable option for putting an e-bike under the tree this year.

100s of pendants starting at $19 Includes chain and box!

KIDS SALLY KIDS APRONS

Little kids love to help in the kitchen, and these child-sized aprons with kid-friendly designs (ages 3-8) will make them feel like a pro and help keep their clothes clean. Find them at the Kitchen Engine in Spokane.

BUCK & BEAR TRAIL BLAZING RACE GAME

This two-player game is a perfect gift for traveling kids and families. It’s a crowded trail through the wilderness, and players don't want to get caught up with the wildlife or get run off the trail! Who will be the first out of the woods? Available at Wonders of the World at the Flour Mill in Spokane.

PETS DOG LINE STONEWARE MUG

Dog lovers will howl over one of these mugs by Fringe Studio with dog decal art from Prairie Dog Pet Mercantile ($18.99).

Pair it with some PNW-inspired tea from Winterwoods Tea also available at Prairie Dog ($14.99).

PUPPY PAWS PET CBD OIL

KIDS’ BIKING GLOVES & HANDLEBAR BAGS

Little riders love to accessorize their bike riding too. Spokane’s North Division Bicycle has kids’ biking gloves from Giro, FLY, and Pearl Izumi ($19-25) and kids’ handlebar bags from Electra, Bontrager, and MSW, including options with kidfriendly artwork ($22-28).

There are so many benefits to giving your dog CBD. From helping with joint pain to anxiety relief, aging pups will feel younger and have more energy. This pet-approved CBD tincture made with hemp extract, olive oil, and coconut oil is made in the Inland NW by Bath By Bex. Order online at Bathbybex.com ($34.99 for 500 mg or $59.99 for 1,000 mg).

5-Minutes From Costco - open 7 days a week

12120 N Market St. 509-821-8767 www.etsy.com/shop/MyCrystalStop

GENERAL STORE TOYS

The entire upper level of the General Store is dedicated to kids’ toys and gear. Find a wide range of toys for several age groups, from Pokemon to Legos, PlayDoh, Barbie and much more at Spokane’s General Store.

CAT BALL BED

These spherical beds available at Prairie Dog Pet Mercantile allow cats to feel safe and cozy while relaxing and come in a variety of cool patterns and colors. As they say, your cat will figure it out ($61.99).

JJ’S CANOE KNIFE KIT

The perfect tool to teach kids about knife safety (ages 7+). Kids get to build their own spring-action wooden pocket knife from the kit (Wonders of the World, Spokane).

BLOC YARD BOULDERING GYM PASS

A one-month, three-month, or year membership to north Spokane’s Bloc Yard is a great gift to kids and parents, since parents can choose to climb with their kids or watch them climb rope-free on the many short walls that have climbing pads below them for falls. There are climbing shoes for rent too.

NOBO DOG LEASH

NOBO leashes, assembled and packaged in Spokane, incorporate a built-in bag dispenser into the handle, are made with climbing rope, and have a quick-release handle loop for easy dog anchoring when you need your hands. ($59.99 Nobopets. com.)

WHIMSIES PET-INSPIRED METAL ART

Prairie Dog Pet Mercantile caries a variety of pet, animal, and nature ornaments and decorations to help you celebrate your fourlegged best friends ($12.99-32.99).

TEEN OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

BOCCE'S BAKERY DOG TREATS

Sandpoint Idaho’s Breakwater Expeditions offers three summer trips for teenagers that range in length and activities, from sea kayaking in the San Juan Islands to canoeing and canyoneering in Utah, backpacking in Yellowstone, and canoeing the Missouri River in Montana. All trips are led by experienced guides. Check online for pricing and summer 2022 trip dates.

Bocce's makes some delicious-sounding dog treats in a variety of sizes and flavors, including some new holiday ones: Figgy Pudding, Holiday Feast, and Santa's Smores. $9.99 at Prairie Dog Pet Mercantile.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 40 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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Bath By Bex All-Natural Handmade CBD Products

BOATING & WATERSPORTS NRS OUTFITTER DRY BAG

These magical bags available at the NRS store in Moscow, Idaho, or online, keep camp gear, bedding, or clothes dry while rafting, paddling, or boating. Choose from 65-, 110-, or 140-liter sizes ($94.95– $114.95).

CBD Bath Bombs

Paws Approved CBD Pet Oil

CBD Muscle Stick

CBD Soaps

Find our entire catalog at www.bathbybex.com We are also excited to announce the Grand Opening of our new local retail store this November!

Find us for Black Friday and Holiday Shopping this season at the East Sprague Shopping Center: Bath By Bex 4808 E Sprague Ave. Suite 201 Spokane Valley, WA 99212

Contact Us: Phone: 509-993-9023 Email: bathbybex@gmail.com

HYPERLITE HO ADMIRAL INFLATABLE PADDLEBOARD

These paddleboards are durable and stable and come in at 11' tall, 3' wide, and 6" thick. The extra width and thickness help stabilize the board in choppy waters or with more riders on board. Available at Spokane Alpine Haus ($499).

BICYCLE PIZZA CUTTER

Created by metalworkers in Moradabad, India, this fair-trade stainless-steel pizza cutter is the perfect gift for a cyclist, pizza lover, or both. Available at Kizuri downtown Spokane.

PREP WORKS FRESH GUACAMOLE KEEPER

The press-fit lid on this container keeps precious guac from turning brown. Available at the Kitchen Engine in Spokane.

TREE OF LIFE BREADWARMER

Fair trade and made in Bangladesh, these bread warmers will keep loaves toasty at the table. The whitewashed terracotta stone is etched with the “tree of life” and sits within a handwoven kaisa grass basket. $29.50 at Kizuri downtown Spokane.

CAREFREE BOAT CLUB

The Carefree Boat Club of North Idaho offers members unlimited access to a variety of quality boats. With 95+ locations, members can visit and enjoy boats nationwide too. A great gift for the whole family.

Details at Cdasports.com/club-membership-packages or call 208-620-9050.

SOUL FLOWER MUSHROOM DESIGN RECYCLED NOTEBOOK

From nature lovers and mushroom hunters to writers and journal keepers, all will love one of these useful and beautiful notebooks ($14.99 at Wonders of the World).

CRYSTAL PENDANTS

NRS WOMEN'S H2CORE RASHGUARD

Books to

educate, entertain & enlighten everyone in the family.

402 W. Main Ave (509) 838-0206 www.auntiesbooks.com

This long-sleeved rash guard from NRS has a silky feel that wicks away moisture and protects skin from the sun. Perfect for all watersports when a little extra warmth or sun protection are needed ($49.95).

ART & HOME PAPERLESS PAPER TOWELS

A gift for your loved ones and the planet.

These absorbent, washable, 100% cotton flannel paper towels are hand-made in Spokane and will brighten any kitchen with their beautiful patterns. More importantly, they will replace disposable, plastic-packaged towels that often come from virgin forests. Each set comes with 6 ($18) or 12 ($32) towels that naturally stick together.

Order online at Spokane-Made.com THE ORIGINAL GREENPAN FRYPAN SET

For Sci-fi fantasy book, game, & comic fans in the

Pacific Northwest.

15 W Main Ave (509) 624-0957 www.merlyns.biz 40

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

GreenPan is the pioneer of healthy ceramic non-stick cookware that doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals or persistent pollutants.

This set from the Kitchen Engine includes 10- and 12-inch frypans ($99.99).

RE-USABLE PRODUCE BAGS

Anyone trying to limit their impact on the planet (or cost at the grocery store) will appreciate one or more of these locallymade, reusable produce bags. Produce can be washed and stored in the bags in the fridge.

Bags are machine washable and can be dried on low. Pick up a couple at Kitchen Engine near Riverfront Park in Spokane for $12.99.

Hundreds of pendants to choose from, including options from local artists or pieces from around the world. Pendants range from gemstone, semi-precious, and varietal rocks and minerals with some in copper, silver, and sterling silver ($19 at My Crystal Stop in north Spokane).

OVER THE RAINBOW WOODSTOCK WINDCHIME

This beautiful windchime is tuned to the opening notes of the ballad of the same name. This chime was designed with a removable windcatcher that can be taken to a trophy shop, printer, or jeweler to be engraved or silk-screened. Find them at Spokane’s Wonders of the World.

SPOKALOO INLAND NW-INSPIRED MAPS

Illustrated maps of your favorite places around the region, from lakes to ski resorts, golf courses, neighborhoods, and more.

Available online at Spokaloo.net, with custom maps upon request.

CRYSTAL MYSTERY BOX

Let the universe decide your gift with this crystal-inspired mystery box. All mystery boxes are some combination of rocks, crystals, minerals, and other cool, cosmic stuff.

If the person on your gift list loves rocks and crystals, you can’t go wrong. (Starting at $10 at My Crystal Stop in north Spokane.)

CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

From free powder refills to an inversion on Inspiration to time well spent with friends and family, we’ve got the skiing and all the ingredients to make your good day on the hill a great one.

Buy a Frequent Skier Card for your visit to Whitefish Mountain Resort at SKIWHITEFISH.COM for just $50 and adults ski for only $59 a day, other ages for less!

We’ll see you on the mountain.

W H I T E F I S H , M O N TA N A SKIWHITEFISH.COM | 877-SKI- FISH Partially Located on National Forest Lands

Photos © GlacierWorld.com

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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HIKING RUNNING FITNESS TRI RIVER WALKING STICKS

IMPORT SHOP (509) 328-6890

TWO SHOPS , UNIQUE E R A R S G N I H FOR ALL T FUL! AND WONDER

BEAD SHOP (509) 325-2867

CRYSTALS MINERALS JEWELRY SCULPTURE TOYS INCENSE BEADS & AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER INTERESTING THINGS LIKE HIMALAYAN SALT LAMPS FROM PAKISTAN

These made-in-the-U.S.A. wood walking sticks have character and function.

These walking sticks are natural wood, finished with a leather strap and rubber tip (Wonders of the World, Spokane).

ARCADE ADVENTURE BELTS

Arcade belts are light, functional, comfortable, and have a flexibility that moves with you, making them perfect for keeping your pants in place during all kinds of outdoor sports. Super cool designs, too ($26-40 at Shred Sports).

KAVU HILLROSE SWEATER

A relaxed-fit, acrylic and cotton sweater with some pretty sweet colors and designs.

Pick one up at Outdoor Experience in Sandpoint ($70).

NATHAN STREAK REFLECTIVE VEST

Lightweight and comfortable, this vest stands out in low light to keep the runner on your holiday list safe on fall and winter runs. Pick one up at Fleet Feet Spokane ($27).

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

MICROSPIKES

TRACTION

Any hiker will appreciate the unrivaled traction on icy winter trails. Some of the easiest traction devices to use with almost any shoes, and they are strong and compact enough to fit in your pocket. Find them at REI Spokane ($69.95).

CEP COMPRESSION SOCKS

With a range of height options, these compression socks from Fleet Feet Spokane are designed to reduce swelling and muscle strain while you run and recover (prices vary).

BOOKS THE GREAT GLORIOUS GODDAMN OF IT ALL: A NOVEL

From singer-songwriter Josh Ritter comes a lyrical, sweeping novel about a young boy's coming-of-age during the last days of the lumberjacks (Auntie’s Bookstore, $27.99).

Local author Jason Luthy created this excellent resource for anyone who might find themselves in a position to provide first aid when resources are limited and help is delayed. Pick up a copy at Outdoor Experience in Sandpoint ($24.95)

Local publisher Scablands Books released this anthology this fall. Edited by Sharma Shields and Maya Jewell Zeller, 56 Northwest writers share their singular stories, essays, and poems that center on what Shields calls "the literature of despair." Pick up a copy at Atticus Coffee & Gifts downtown Spokane ($24.99).

686 EVERYWHERE PANT

A do-it-all, 10-pocket pant that can take you from a work meeting to the hiking trail in comfort and style. The breathable, stretchy fabric has a water- and stain-resistant finish. A great gift for travelers ($94.99 at Shred Sports).

THERAGUN PERCUSSIVE THERAPY DEVICE

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KAHTOOLA SYSTEM

EVERGREEN: GRIM TALES AND VERSES FROM THE GLOOMY NORTHWEST

These entry-level, recreational men’s skates feature great support, comfort, and stability at an excellent price. Available at Fitness Fanatics in Spokane Valley ($99).

Spokane, WA | In the Flour Mill

A breathable and durable jacket that traps in heat and wicks moisture. Reflective elements and zippered pockets make it a great go-to winter running layer. Available at Fleet Feet Spokane ($120).

LONGLEAF WILDERNESS MEDICINE REMOTE FIELD CARE GUIDE

ROLLERBLADE ZETRABLADE INLINE SKATES

621 W. Mallon, Suite 412

BROOKS CANOPY RUNNING JACKET

These smart, percussive therapy devices from Shred Sports provide deep muscle treatment tailored to your body’s needs and help reduce tension and soreness from athletic pursuits and everyday life ($199-399).

RISE AND ROAR: A GUIDED JOURNAL FOR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

This book by author Sharisse Steber meets women where they are in life and challenges and inspires them to get outside, define their motivations, and examine their fears (Auntie’s Bookstore, $19.99).

FUZZ: WHEN NATURE BREAKS THE LAW

New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach explores the curious science of human-wildlife conflict, a discipline at the crossroads of human behavior and wildlife biology. Roach’s signature witty humor brings a light voice to complex topics, making this an interesting and enjoyable read.

Available at Auntie’s Bookstore downtown Spokane ($26.99).

The largest selection of professional knives in Spokane SNOWSPORTS

fortable thanks to 100% merino wool. Find them at Spokane Alpine Haus ($100-$110).

SKIING/SNOWBOARDING GIFT CARD

Winter is long in the Inland Northwest, and giving someone a gift card for lift tickets or a season pass can make it the best season of the year. Check your local resort of choice for any Christmas gift lift ticket deals and put a little stoke under the tree for someone this year.

KINCO 901T MITT

Pick up a pair of these lined, heavyduty suede pigskin mitts at Spokane’s Rambleraven Gear Trader for skiing, snowshoeing, or just shoveling the driveway.

Includes Nikwax waterproofing that comes with them ($36.99).

HESTRA ARMY LEATHER PATROL GAUNTLET GLOVES

Warm, versatile, and durable, these classic ski gloves stand up to professionals who use them day in and day out in demanding situations. Perfect for riding lifts or the backcountry, these gloves have been a top seller at Spokane Alpine Haus for years ($160).

RETROSPEC ZEPHYR SKI & SNOWBOARD HELMETS

Great head protection and comfort at an affordable price at Rambleraven Gear Trader ($44.99).

BEGINNER CROSS-COUNTRY SKI PACKAGE

Cross-country skiing is a great way to enjoy nature in the winter and get plenty of exercise. A full package with everything needed to start skiing is only $335 for adults and $259 for kids at Fitness Fanatics in Spokane Valley.

BLENDERS AURA SNOW GOGGLE

Everything a skier or snowboarder will want from a pair of goggles, plus some pretty sick, psychedelic styles. Rambleraven Gear Trader carries all styles and colors of Blenders goggles and helmets.

KARI TRAA BASE LAYERS

Technical base layer built for women by women with prints and patterns that will stand out on the mountain. These tops and bottoms will keep the wearer dry and com-

UNION ROVER APPROACH SKIS

Tired of crowded resorts and long lines?

Explore your local hills, backcountry, or resort sidecountry, all while enjoying the rideability of your favorite snowboard in your quiver. The Union Rover works in perfect harmony with the Union Explorer bindings, and easily swaps onto your regular snowboard in seconds so you can enjoy the ride down. $399 at Shred Sports.

ALTAI SKIS TIAK POLE

If you know someone who has a pair of Curlew, Wash., based Altai Skis Hoks, they need one of Altai’s Tiak poles to try this ancient but incredibly functional and intuitive style of skiing with one pole. Available from Altai Skis online ($41.75).

TUBBS WAYFINDER SNOWSHOES

A best-selling snowshoe with plenty of modern technology incorporated into a classic snow-walking tool. Anyone who can walk can snowshoe. Help someone on your Christmas list be more active this winter. Available at Rambleraven Gear Trader ($189.99).

SMITH 4D MAG GOGGLE

Smith's new 4D lens technology offers one of the widest field of views in a goggle. Anyone who has struggled seeing the terrain in harsh conditions knows how important a good pair of goggles can be.

Included with this goggle available at Spokane Alpine Haus is a second lens to help cover all spectrums of light that might be encountered, as well as a hard case and cloth to protect your investment ($320).

FASTSTIK SKI/SNOWBOARD ALTERNATIVE:

WAX

What shredder wouldn’t be stoked to find Faststik in their stocking? This microfilm polymer blend is designed to deliver superior performance at temps from -10 to 32 F. The light and portable easy-to-apply Faststik handles it all like a pro with none of the hassle and fuss of traditional ski and snowboard waxes. Pick some up at Shred Sports for $40.

SHOP LOCAL!

Wusthof Shun Zwilling Kershaw Kyocera 621 W. Mallon, Suite 416 in the flour mill 509-328-3335 TheKitchenEngine.com NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

43

OUT THERE SNOW 44

OUT THERE SNOW LOCAL RESORTS

THIS PAGE: NEW QUAD LIFT AT 49 DEGREES NORTH // FAR LEFT: SILVER MOUNTAIN // LEFT: MT. SPOKANE OPPOSITE PAGE TOP: MT. SPOKANE // BOTTOM LEFT: THE GLASS COVER GROUND LIFT AT SILVER MOUNTAIN RESORT. // RIGHT: LOOKOUT PASS NEW EAGLE PEAK TERRAIN ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE RESORTS

WHAT’S NEW AT LOCAL RESORTS

BY DERRICK KNOWLES

LOOKOUT TO OFFER CAT SKIING IN NEW TERRAIN

According to the resort, a team of loggers has been out in the woods cutting the 14 new trails that comprise Lookout’s new Eagle Peak expansion. Once that work is completed, Lookout will be offering cat skiing by reservation this winter so guests can experience these new trails. A quad chair that the mountain has already purchased will be installed next summer to provide lift-served access to these trails in the Eagle Peak expansion area for next winter.

MT. SPOKANE’S CHAIR 2 GETS AN OVERHAUL

A needed upgrade to Chair 2 (now named Illuminator) will include a $1 million investment in the replacement of the drive terminal. Chair 2 is key to moving skiers and snowboarders around the mountain, and this investment will help provide reliable service all year long.

NEW HIGH-SPEED QUAD SET TO OPEN AT 49

This fall, 49 Degrees North is putting the finishing touches on an all-new Doppelmayr High-Speed Quad Chairlift to replace Chair 1. According to 49, a top-notch team from Doppelmayr has spent the summer and fall constructing the 6,644-foot-long lift that extends from the base area of the Central Basin, just west of the main lodge, to the summit of Chewelah Peak parallel to

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

the existing Bonanza lift that will eventually be removed. When opened this season, it will be the longest high-speed quad in Washington State, extending over 1.25 miles. At the same time, the lift will cut ride times to the summit in half. With midmountain loading no longer available with the new lift, 49 has created new terrain and trails below Beaver Slide to give those accustomed to skiing and riding that area additional options.

MT. SPOKANE GOES ALL IN ON 7-DAYS-AWEEK SHREDDING

Last year, Mt. Spokane started offering seven-days-a-week service that ran from the holidays through February, and this year they are extending that new schedule from December 15–March 13.

WEEKEND & HOLIDAY TICKET SALES MAY BE LIMITED AGAIN THIS YEAR

Some resorts report that they once again may limit the number of lift tickets sold on weekends and holidays to keep capacity at a safe and manageable level. Season pass holders at all four Ski the NW Rockies Resorts will once again get unlimited access to their home mountains, which makes having a pass your best bet for unrestricted access. If you do plan to ski or ride on a weekend or holiday period, purchase your tickets in advance online to get ahead of

any possible limits on tickets sold for your preferred days as the date gets closer.

GLASS COVER ADDED TO CONVEYOR LIFT AT SILVER

A new glass cover was installed over the conveyor lift that serves the beginner run and tubing park at Silver. The cover will shield riders from the harsh winter elements and will make beginners’ first days on skis and tubers’ experience much more enjoyable.

MORE MAN-MADE SNOW

The evolution of 49 Degrees North’s new snowmaking system continues this year, extending farther up Silver Ridge all the way to where Blastface meets the Silver Ridge. All of this increased snowmaking capacity means earlier opening of some terrain and a longer season for the resort.

INTERACTIVE MAP SHOWS TRAIL STATUS & CLOSURES

A new interactive trail map right outside the Mountain House at Silver Mountain will show which runs are open, closed, and groomed. The map is sure to become a popular spot for people to meet and serve as a backdrop for selfies and social media posts.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE RENTAL & DEMO GEAR

The rental shop at 49 Degrees North has

added more new skis and boards to enhance the experience of guests young and old, including a whole new high-performance demo fleet for anyone looking to test the latest skis and snowboards. If you’ve ever wanted to try telemark skiing, 49 is your place to rent tele gear and give dropping a knee a try.

EATING & DRINKING EVOLUTION

One of the few positives that came out of the pandemic last year was how it spurred innovation in the eating and drinking options at our local resorts. It’s now easier than ever to grab a quality bite to eat or a beer without ever having to step boot into a lodge. One new outdoor eatery that will enter the scene this year is Pablo’s Taco Revolution, a new taco truck at 49 Degrees North.

year, Mt. Spokane is planning to bring back terrain park competitions, demo days, live music, and the very popular Ladies’ Day.

lifetime skills on the snow. This is a great way for parents and kids to spend time together and get to ski or ride apart on Friday nights.

CHAIR 2 NOW A TRIPLE AT LOOKOUT

Chair 2 on the backside of Lookout (the Timber Wolf Chair) is being upgraded from a double to a triple this year with new American-made triple chairs. This modification means a huge increase in the capacity of riders the lift can serve, and it also removes the center bar to make it more family friendly. The chair upgrade is a key linchpin in Lookout’s forthcoming expansion to Eagle Peak, as it will provide transport for guests to get back to the lodge and parking lot on the front of the mountain after experiencing the new terrain that will increase skiable acres from 540 to 1,023.

EVENTS MAKE A COMEBACK

FRIDAY NIGHT CLUB SHRED PROGRAM AT MT. SPOKANE

Expect more events to return this year at our local resorts as long as the COVID situation continues to improve. A sign that this season may look more normal than last

This season, Mt. Spokane is expanding on its extensive camp offerings by adding a Friday Night Club Shred program so that parents can hit the slopes while kids learn

EARLIER STEEP TERRAIN OPENING AT SILVER THANKS TO NEW EQUIPMENT

Improved early-season conditions will be possible thanks to a new D3 cat with a mulcher. This new equipment helps Silver staff to brush-cut steeper runs and glades, allowing the mountain to open more terrain earlier.

MIDWEEK LODGING, LIFT WATERPARK DEAL AT SILVER

TICKET,

&

If you’re looking for an affordable family ski vacation, Silver Mountain is offering a mid-week deal on lift tickets, lodging in a family studio, and access to the indoor waterpark for $55 per person based on quad occupancy. The mid-week offer runs from January 3 through April 10, 2022. Use the code “SAVEBIG” when booking. //

NEW CHEWELAH HOTEL WILL CATER TO SKIERS

The Mistequa Hotel in the works at Chewelah Casino will bring a modern, comfortable lodging option to Chewelah, serving out-of-town skiers and snowboarders looking to spend more than a day up on the mountain. Amenities will include ski lockers, an indoor pool and jacuzzi, extended patio seating, a lounge, and a large fireplace in the lobby.

SILVER MT. POW. PHOTO COURTESY OF SILVER MOUNTAIN RESORT

sponsored by NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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OUT THERE SNOW TRAVEL

LEFT: MISSION RIDGE // RIGHT: SITZMARK. // OPPOSITE PAGE: 49 DEGREES NORTH // PHOTOS: RYAN MURRAY

SKIING THEM ALL A QUEST TO SHRED WASHINGTON'S 15 RESORTS

BY RYAN MURRAY

SITTING IN THE OFFICE of a work-sponsored counselor talking about the wintertime blues, I received some of the best advice I had ever heard. Like most good advice, it was obvious and simple, but I needed it said to me to understand. “Find things you enjoy doing, and make time for them,” said the counselor. Let me explain how I got to this point.

I was almost 40. Having spent over two decades focused on developing marketable skills to support my family, I had forgotten how to have fun. It was winter, and winter had come to be a cold dreary ball of suck. My employer offered free wellness counseling, and I thought, “Why not?” It helped me realize I had forgotten to make time for things I enjoyed in the winter and instead had been slogging through work and home responsibilities without much respite.

Thinking back to my younger years, I used to start dreaming of winter before summer was over, not dreading it as I did now. I wondered why. I remember eagerly anticipating ski swaps to comb through the deals and pick up gear. Once the snow came, I would hit the hills as often as I could bum a ride up to the lift area. Was skiing what was missing from my life?

The Toyota Free Ski Days happened to be going on and I drive a Toyota. It seemed like a good chance to find out if strapping on a pair of planks was the winter elixir I needed.

I took a day off work, loaded up the car, and took off. It was fantastic. This was the high I had been missing, the rush of adrenaline 46

flying down the hill. However, the problem I quickly hit the next week was that as a goaloriented person it was hard to schedule time for “fun.”

The solution was simple: I would make skiing into a goal. I realized that I had never been to many of the ski areas on the Toyota Days calendar, and that gave me the idea to find and ski every resort in Washington state. I’ve lived here most of my life, why not ski it all? This goal was achievable, fun, and ridiculous enough to get me out of the house all winter. If people can hike the highest mountain on every continent, why couldn’t I ski every resort in Washington?

Like the state’s population, the ski resorts of Washington are diverse and each special in their own way. Check out the list in the sidebar for my personal take on each Shortly into my ski odyssey, I tore my knee apart. Being out of shape and having bad form was a disastrous combination that derailed my goal for four years. Every skier should know how to prevent an ACL injury.

I wish I had taken 15 minutes to read these tips to prevent injury (Vermontskisafety. com/research/tips/) BEFORE I tore my ACL and spent countless hours in surgery, recovery, and rehabilitation. The basics for knee protection are: 1) Arms forward, 2) Feet together, 3) Hands over skis. ACL tears are different for everyone. I had a hard time walking without my ACL and decided to get the reconstruction surgery.

After my surgery, I started drifting more toward cross-country skiing to take it easy

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

WASHINGTON STATE’S 15 PUBLIC SKI RESORTS

By Ryan Murray BADGER MOUNTAIN (WATERVILLE)

A lift ticket and lunch special (burger, chips, and drink) will run you less than $20, making it the least expensive lunch and ski in the state. Perfect rope tow to take the kids on to learn and the T-bar can be fun if the snow is cooperative.

BLUEWOOD (DAYTON)

A fun hill with some good tree skiing. One visit I witnessed a convoy of off-roading trucks trying to get to the top of the hill just outside the ski area boundary. You never know what you’ll come across on local hills.

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN (ENUMCLAW)

Great bowls. This is the largest ski area in Washington by acreage.

ECHO RIDGE (MASON)

The second-best terrain served by a poma lift in Washington.

HURRICANE RIDGE (PORT ANGELES)

A long haul from Spokane to get to a little ski area. It boasts a long platter pull deep in Olympic National Park with some great views.

LEAVENWORTH SKI HILL (LEAVENWORTH)

A couple rope tows, but the real draw is the faux Bavarian town après-ski.

LOUP LOUP (OMAK)

I’m pretty sure they send out high school kids with chain saws to cut down trees and leave them along the edge of the hill because I have never seen so many jumps lining a run.

MISSION RIDGE (WENATCHEE)

With an average snowfall of 200 inches and 300 days a year of sunshine, there's often not a lot of snow cover in some spots and I usually hit a rock or two. Free stone grind!

The terrain is surprisingly respectable on a good day.

MT. BAKER (BELLINGHAM)

Epic snowfall. They had so much of the white stuff in the ‘98/’99 ski season they had to cut into the snow to allow room for the chair lift. It’s a strange feeling akin to scuba diving when your chair lift goes under the level of the snow surface. They had 1,140 inches of snow that year, which is enough snow to keep most places running for years.

MT. SPOKANE (SPOKANE)

The terrain park acreage is huge. And there are four to choose from. When I was there, one of the table top jumps dropped off on the hill behind it, and if you fully committed to the needed speed, you’d get absurdly-huge air.

STEVENS PASS (SKYKOMISH)

Some great terrain up the 7th Heaven Chair, just look out for the crowds on the weekend.

SITZMARK (TONASKET)

on my knee. The type of downhill skiing that I enjoy (going fast, jumping off things) is more scary than fun now that I know what can go wrong. But before I hung up my alpine skis, I needed to finish my goal.

This last winter I picked up the one ski area I was missing, Hurricane Ridge.

Completing a ski journey that started on a rolling carpet in Bellevue and ended 34 years later in the Olympic Peninsula, I skied every public resort in Washington.

Having a defined ski goal not only made winters fun again, but it gave me a better perspective on life. It reminded me to schedule time to inject some silliness and fun into my routine. This has not only helped

my wintertime blues but also spilled over as a strategy to get more enjoyment from the rest of the year. While I may be transitioning to more cross-country skiing, these days, I’m more committed than ever to making goals and getting out to do things that bring me joy. // Ryan Murray works as a chemical engineer in Washington state. He enjoys dragging his three kids on adventures and hopes that one day they will realize how much fun they are having. When not playing in the snow, he enjoys hiking and is trying to section hike the Washington stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail.

Largely a beginner area. Consequently, I could find untracked powder after lunch visible from the lift.

THE SUMMIT AT SNOQUALMIE (SNOQUALMIE PASS)

This is really one pass to four separate ski areas (Hyak, Ski Acres, Snoqualmie, and Alpental). You can listen to the sound of skis scraping over ice echoing into the night with the most illuminated acres in the state. The real draw is Alpental, which has some of the best lift-served backcountry skiing around. After a short walk to Denny peak you can ski down from what feels like the top of the world.

WHITE PASS (PACKWOOD)

Nice intermediate terrain serviced from a high-speed quad. I heard the area was built by world cup racers, and you can tell from the trails.

49 DEGREES NORTH (CHEWELAH)

This Northeast Washington ski area is growing, and the best thing is that it has a small-town hill feel with big terrain. I’ve always had fantastic powder whenever I go.

TAP. tap. PAY. pay.

BE be ON on YOUR your WAY. way.

OAC. Membership fee and restrictions may apply. Insured by NCUA.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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Ebikes are Fun!

OUT THERE SNOW SEASON'S PREDICTIONS

SNOWBRAINS.COM

~

LA NINA HINTS OF A GOOD WINTER

BY ADAM GEBAUER

Wheel Sport Is

Your E-bike

HEADQUARTERS Great workout ~ Get outside Go faster & farther Exercise on your commute

Three Spokane Locations North Spokane

9501 N Newport Hwy 48

South Hill

3020 S Grand Blvd

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Spokane Valley 606 N Sullivan

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR when I get phone calls from friends I haven’t talked to in a few months, checking in to share ski plans.

Any new gear? What pass did you get?

Any chance there are trips planned for (insert friend’s location) Tahoe, Bozeman, Colorado, Maine, Canada?

With so many winter prediction options to consider—looking at Pacific Ocean temps, jet stream locations, trade winds, meteorologists talking about teleconnections, bands on a wooly caterpillar, reading tea leaves— planning out your winter fun is always a gamble. But we are more than willing to roll the dice to spend time slashing turns down a mountain with good friends. So here is what the experts are saying.

For the second year in a row, the buzzword we like to hear is “La Niña,” a cooling of the Pacific equatorial waters. This pushes the jet stream north over the Pacific Ocean before it dives south over the North American landmass, bringing cold temps to us folks in PNW. This year’s La Niña is predicted to be a bit weaker than last year, leaving most meteorologist less confident in their forecast, which means their predictions are somewhat unpredictable.

The stalwart Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts, “most western areas will remain relatively dry, with all but the Pacific Coast itself and portions of the Southwest experiencing the frigid cold predicted for much of the rest of the country.”

NOAA, on the other hand, forecasts below-average temps in our corner of the country from December through February, with Idaho and Montana having an equal chance of below or above average temps, while Utah, Colorado, and New England having a good chance to be warmer than normal. NOAA also predicts a 50 to 60

percent chance of above average precipitation for the Pacific Northwest.

Ont hesnow.com t a l ke d wit h a meteorologist with ski trail maps on his wall who analyzes equatorial water temperature.

Here’s what they had to say: “La Niña tends to organize the wintertime jet stream in a way that favors the Pacific Northwest and Northern Tier of states with the most consistent winter snowfall.”

Unofficial Network taped a meteorologist with Accuweather who concludes that, over all, this winter will be the coldest in the last seven years, with the PNW and Colorado seeing an early start to the season.

Snow Brain features Direct Weather with a wild ride of map animation. They call for above average snowfall for the PNW and typical snow through most of the Rockies.

Take note, though, that as of the time of this writing, Direct Weather stated a confidence of moderate to low in their forecast probability at the end of their forecast. At least they are honest.

Our local folks at KREM 2 are calling for a cold, wet winter with a 70 to 80 percent chance of a weak La Niña through January.

And, worth checking out, they have one of the better descriptions of how ocean temps may affect our winter outlook.

On average, these predictions are looking stellar for a cold and snowy winter here on our home turf. Booking a trip to California might not be the best plan, with warmer temps and lower precipitation down south. And the Rockies should have an average season, which means your best bet is to convince your friends to come ski right here in the PNW. // To make up for last season, Adam has already planned a few ski trips this season, including some time in a yurt.

OUT THERE SNOW SKI FILMS

Visit us on lessonline to purch s, and lift ticase passes, kets!

Get your pass to freedom & Fun! FINDING THE SOUL OF SKIING AT 49 DEGREES NORTH. PHOTO COURTESY OF TETON GRAVITY RESEARCH

3 SKI & SNOWBOARD FILMS YOU CAN WATCH AT HOME

BY DERRICK KNOWLES

IN PURSUIT OF SOUL (TETON GRAVITY RESEARCH)

Teton Gravity Research and Indy Pass created this short film in honor of exceedingly-rare independent American ski resorts.

In 1970, there were over 1,000 independent resorts across the country, but by 2021, there were less than 400 left, as many went out of business or were bought out by big corporations. As the number of small, locally controlled, and culturally unique resorts have dwindled, the cost of skiing and snowboarding has risen just as much of the quality of and access to skiing and riding has declined. “In Pursuit of Soul” is a great reminder of the origins of skiing in the U.S. and of the important role independent ski hills play in holding on to some of the soul of the sport. It’s also a challenge to the notion that our winter sports have become an elitist pastime of the rich. A dozen resorts where families and anyone living on a tight budget can still afford to spend their winters on the mountain are featured in the film. Our own local 49 Degrees North is highlighted, as well as several other regional mountains, including Mission Ridge, Lost Trail, and Brundage, which says something about the authenticity, quality, and affordability of the skiing we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by here in the Inland Northwest.

SOUTHWEST SCRAMBLE (PART OF THE PICTURE FILM FEST)

Last winter was tough on a lot of people, and after a challenging season filled with a pandemic, avalanches, and injuries, skier Cody Cirillo was more than ready to get away from it all. Sound familiar? This film,

part of the Picture Family Film Fest that will tour retail shops this fall before being available to watch online later this winter, follows Cody on a bike-to-ski adventure from his home in Telluride to the mountains of Utah. Along the way he rides hundreds of miles of road, faces gale-force winds, grinds up some gnarly climbs, and eventually the journey turns him inward.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE BANDITS (MONTANA BANDITS)

Possibly the strangest ski movie I’ve ever watched (and not a good one to watch with young kids), this self-funded, DIY film is a reaction to what its makers say is an industry that takes itself far too seriously. The film features plenty of wipeouts, quality music, some legit skiing, and occasionally bizarre yet mostly creative and quite funny McConkeyesque antics. If there’s one takeaway from this collection of clips, it’s that these guys had way too much fun making this thing, their first foray into ski movie making. If you’re expecting a traditional, professionally-made ski film, you probably won’t get very far before making it stop. If you ever wondered what it would be like to relive your college days with a bunch of sub-adult dudes in Montana ski country, this is your chance. Take the film makers’ advice and grab yourself a couple of oat sodas before hitting play. In fact, I recommend having at least a few before you sit down to watch in the first place. It will certainly help get your head in the game. If you’re old, these 31 minutes of screen time will make you feel older. If your years on this Earth are fewer, don’t try this stuff at home. Or, if you do, at least make sure the camera is rolling. //

Purchase your 21-22 season pass by Nov 11 for lowest prices.

A season pass is the best way to experience everything Mt. Spokane has to offer, including unlimited access to the mountain with no blackout dates. With the shortest drive from Spokane, seven-day-a-week operations (from January until mid-March), and more than fifty night ski sessions, Mt. Spokane is the ultimate place to get your turns in this winter.

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49

OUT THERE SNOW PROFILES MADDIE WITH A BIG METHOD AT SCHWEITZER’S STOMPING GROUNDS TERRAIN PARK. PHOTO: ADAM HALL // BELOW: THE HALL SISTERS, EMMA (LEFT) AND MADDIE (RIGHT), WAITING FOR SNOW. PHOTO: T. GHEZZI // THIS PHOTO: EMMA IN THE STARTING GATE AT SILVER MOUNTAIN’S DOUG E FRESH BANKED SLALOM. PHOTO: T. GHEZZI

SISTER SHREDDERS MEET THE HALL SISTERS

BY T. GHEZZI ONE EARLY MORNING in Schweitzer’s lower parking lot, a group of mostly skiers circled up for an Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center Avalanche 1 course. Being one of the only snowboarders in the course, it was easy to spot the other soft-boot powder chasers, and that is where I met Emma Hall for the first time. Over the next two days, Emma’s riding, attitude, and ability to learn and perform the recently acquired avalanche skills were incredible.

In hindsight, I can’t image what it must have felt like for 15-year-old Emma (now 16) to take the course solo with a group of mostly male skiers twice her age.

A few weeks later I spoke with Emma’s dad Adam Hall at Silver Mountain’s Doug E Fresh Banked Slalom event, and he talked about her passion for learning more about the backcountry and that Emma wasn’t the only teenage shredder in the family. It turned out younger sister Maddie Hall (14 years old) is just as passionate and driven to spend time 50

up on the mountain.

The Halls’ home mountain is Schweitzer, and they are currently sponsored by the highly-respected 7B Skate Shop in Sandpoint. The past year both sisters have been working closely with a couple different snowboard manufacturers to get partnerships started. After competing in regional banked slalom races and getting multiple podium finishes, the two have been invited to this year’s highly exclusive Dirksen Derby at Mt. Bachelor, Ore. MEET EMMA HALL (AGE 16)

Emma’s relaxed and confident demeanor makes her seem in control of her snowboard destiny. Her love is big mountain riding, chasing powder, hitting cliff drops, and exploring the backcountry.

Attending online public school through the Connections Academy, Emma is stoked to take advantage of being home schooled this year so that she can go up to the mountain

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

every day. I asked her if she has thought about college, and her reply said it all: “I am living in the moment. College, I am not for sure.” The goal she does have in mind, she added, is to become a backcountry snowboard guide, and she has her sights on being a certified American Mountain Guide Association guide.

MEET MADDIE HALL (AGE 14)

Chatting with Maddie you’ll sense right away the fire inside her to be the best snowboarder she can. No doubt this will help her out as she continues to enter contests and hitting rails and jumps in the park. “Park laps are fun,” she says, “but it depends on the day.” If there is new snow, she says, you can bet she’ll be out riding powder.

SNOWBOARD HEROES

The sisters agreed their snowboard idol is Elena Hight, because of what she has accomplished in her career. To my surprise,

their second most inspirational rider was Jeremy Jones. Emma and Maddie said they respect his backcountry riding and say he is a “Rad Dad” just like theirs, which led the sisters to add that the most influential snowboarder to them is their dad. They treasure his love for snowboarding and for passing it on to them and point to his supportive and motivating approach to sharing the sport with them in a way that also gave them room to grow on their own.

The Hall sisters’ energy, passion, and drive is the core of what it means to be a snowboarder, and their energy and love for riding snow is contagious and exactly what the Inland Northwest snowboard culture needs. //

T. Ghezzi is Pacific Northwest raised and believes we should respect the land, spend time in nature, explore, adventure, hike, and never stop the pursuit to ride powder.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

51

OUT THERE SNOW BORDER OPENING

SUNRISE IN THE EAST KOOTENAYS MEANS MORE THAN A GOOD DAY AT FERNIE. MIDDLE: DREAMY VIEWS ALONG BC’S POWDER HIGHWAY. BOTTOM: DOWNTOWN FERNIE, BC. PHOTOS: POWDER MATT MOSTELLER

RETURN TO THE KOOTENAYS

BY POWDER MATT

THE FLAKES ARE ALREADY FLYING up north.

And your skis are calling, saying, “Hey you—this winter can we please do a BC adventure? I miss soft and fluffy snow on my bases.” Besides, you need to clear your head out, with everything that has built up over the past months (or years).

Let the powdery snow work its magic to refresh the mind, let your soul run wild, and harness all that’s good. Let it all come back. Point ‘em north and explore all the hidden gems we have to offer. But first, let’s go through what crossing that border looks like these days, followed by a few key places to shred this winter along British Columbia’s Powder Highway.

DON’T LET PAPERWORK GET IN THE WAY OF POWDER DREAMS

It's a sweet drive north to Canada from Spokane and North Idaho as farm fields give way to forested hills before you reach one of the many border crossings. In this evolving COVID era, reaching one of the Kootenay’s quiver of powder pleasers along the Powder Highway (Whitewater, Red, Fernie, Kimberley, and Kicking Horse) requires you to show proof of vaccination and get a COVID PCR test showing 52

negative results within 72 hours of your planned arrival into Canada.

Before you head out, visit ArriveCAN online to enter your proof of vaccination with approved vaccines (Moderna, Johnson, Pfizer and AstraZeneca). Find more details at this website, which is updated regularly: Tr a v e l . g c . c a / t r a v e l - c o v i d / t r a v e l restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellersentering-canada.

the moon. Don’t worry, there are endless gladed trails for tree skiing and real killer fall-line runs for the ‘rents’ to get their fix here.

SNOW DREAMS

There are many ways to experience a Kootenay escape this winter. Here are a few favorite options.

Living in a snow globe is so sweet. To experience it first-hand, head to Fernie, BC, with its cool authentic mountain town that has it all, from craft shops, to epic eats and some of the best artisan coffee in existence.

Let’s focus on Fernie Alpine Resort though, as it boasts the most alpine bowls, biggest vertical, and deepest snow in the Canadian Rockies—of course, that’s why you're here, isn’t it?

FAMILY ESCAPE

STEEPS, CHUTES, AND CHAMPAGNE

To make it easy, the key is slopeside stays.

Kimberley’s Trickle Creek Lodge comes complete with a pool and condo-style accommodations, including a kitchen to whip up delights. Right out front is the learning area, separate from regular skier traffic—voila, the kids are taken care of at Kimberley Alpine Resort. Throw in those epic kids’ trails through the woods for the little rascals, which they’ll dare you to follow them into, and the kids will be over

It’s still a secret, so keep it to yourself.

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is the real deal. We’re serious. Honestly, until you try this place, you won’t know what you’re missing. So don’t go another year without experiencing the most chute skiing in North America (over 80 chutes!). Just think how many people talk about Jackson Hole’s similar terrain when it only has a handful of chutes, and nothing to match the caliber and variety that this Horse has.

STOP STARING AT WEBCAMS—LET’S DO THIS

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

But it’s not all gnarly terrain. There are tons of groomers and intermediate trails too. Kicking Horse is also home to the 5th biggest vertical in North America and Canada’s highest restaurant to boot, perfect for that cheers, eh!

SOME DON’T DETAILS

MISS

AND

ADDITIONAL

Be sure to check each ski resort for their COVID safety update section before you go, so you are aware of any required protocols. Currently at ski resorts across British Columbia, all will require proof of vaccination to enter restaurants, and some have that mandate for all indoor facilities.

Be prepared with a mask for lift lines and gondola rides too. But double check the latest before your departure, because as of this writing, many are still working out final details and protocols. // Powder Matt is a professional ski bum and writer from Kimberley, BC, who lived in his car for 63 days one winter so he could ski every day. He wrote about skiing the Kootenays during the COVID border closure in the March 2021 issue of Out There.

A FEW SWEET KOOTENAY-LOCAL SECRETS ENJOY SKI-IN AND SKI-OUT. Only 50 feet from the lift at Fernie Alpine Resort,

stay at Lizard Creek Lodge with its newly-renovated main lodge. You won’t mind the sweet slopeside pool and hot tub either.

GET IN YOUR POD. A new pod hotel experience is now open at Raging Elk

Adventure Lodging. Save money, ski more, and enjoy this fun environment in downtown Fernie, BC.

PURCELL HELI SKIING. Same incredible terrain, awesome guides, and now new ownership are part of the CMH family. They are one of the few daily adventure heli skiing options, so book a date for heli skiing after you have skied a couple days at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. That's what we call a perfect powder combo.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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LAST PAGE A Woman's Place Is In The Wild

By Olivia Dugenet

FROM LEFT, KATE VAUGHAN, OLIVIA DUGENET, LESLIE DASHIELL AND CHRISTY DENISTON. PHOTO COURTESY OF BEST TRAIL FRIENDS STEVE AND RYAN. // RIGHT: THE AUTHOR AND HER GROUP APPROACHING A HIGH MOUNTAIN PASS. PHOTO BY KATE VAUGHAN

TINY IN THE MIDST of the string of mountains and knife-edge peaks, a barelyvisible ribbon of dirt trail meandered along a ridgeline. Three miniscule shapes moved along the track, slow beneath the weight of their heavy packs. Sounds of laughter and conversation faded into the wind and waterfalls. A group of friends—all women and moms in or approaching middle age— climbed switchbacks toward a mountain pass far from any trailhead. We were the only all-women group of backpackers we encountered in three days. We saw a handful of couples and mixed groups of men and women, but most backcountry campers we met were men traveling together.

This is typical of every backpacking trip I take, and yet somehow I am still surprised at how uncommon it is to see groups of women, especially those 40 and older, unaccompanied by men in wild spaces. It says a lot about how our culture continues to view women in the outdoors.

Maybe that’s why it didn’t occur to me at first to invite other women and moms on wilderness trips. I have been backpacking with my daughters every summer since they were six and eight years old, and I have never encountered another solo mom leading kids out on the trail. I always felt like an outlier.

I assumed, wrongly, of course, that women my age who aren’t already established in an outdoor activity or lifestyle are simply not 54

into that kind of thing. I was surprised and really delighted when women I’ve known for many years started asking if they could join me.

My daughters have grown into adult-size teenagers with adult-size packs to lend. So, I started putting together additional trips to include women friends who had never had an opportunity to try backpacking. Quite by accident, I found myself serving as an informal, volunteer backcountry guide with a patched-together gear library and a super nerdy zeal for planning and logistics. It’s a lot of work, and certainly worth the effort.

When we walk out of the wilderness after a beautiful, brutal multi-day trip, everyone is tired, dirty and hungry. I always wonder if my friends secretly hated the whole experience, especially those who struggled with self-doubt and discomfort along the way. Instead, they consistently report a feeling of euphoria, even describing trips as “life-changing.” What is it about walking outside for a few days that generates such a profound visceral response?

Author Florence Williams explores the transformative effect that wilderness can have in her analysis of the “Three-Day Effect”—a scientifically-tested phenomenon in which people who spend multiple consecutive days in wild spaces without digital devices experience an astonishing 47% increase in creative thinking and insight

OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

problem solving.

Not everyone enjoys equal access to that wilderness euphoria. In 2016, REI published a blog post called “Closing the Gender Gap in the Great Outdoors.” Author Katherine Oakes cited research from the Outdoor Foundation finding that 66% of boys ages 6-24 participated in outdoor activities, compared with only 55% of girls in the same age group. More interesting, however, is that as women age, their participation in outdoor activities drops off. By age 66, only 20% of women report engaging in outdoor activities compared with 40% of men. The Outdoor Foundation’s new 2021 report on outdoor trends still finds “stagnant female participation” despite “significant industry efforts to address gender disparities.”

It is not that women and moms don’t want to get out there. Many do, though I can see why some women stop participating in outdoor activities as they age. Motherhood is demanding. We put a lot on hold while raising children, giving much of ourselves away to our kids, families and jobs without always finding ways to replenish. Years pass quickly, we get into a routine, and soon it feels too late to start something new. So many youthful, vibrant women nearing the middle of their lives are already looking back and saying, “I wish I would have tried stuff like that when I was younger.” But we are younger, right now, than we will be later.

What better time to go?

Cultural narratives over many generations have created a distorted social reality where women, especially as they age, are made to appear inept or disinterested in wilderness.

These false stories may influence how women perceive themselves and their capacities. At the same time, through all the noise and distraction of everyday life, there is this other wild reality, vivid, physical and very close by. Some joyful part of me is always there, caked in dirt and sweat on the blue lake shore, diving into the icy water and then rising up again into afternoon mountain sun.

It is true that women must be disproportionately brave to enter wilderness, but not because we are afflicted with some special type of female weakness that makes us too scared or incapable to navigate the outdoors. Women are brave to challenge stereotypes and social expectations that try to convince us we don’t belong at home in our own wild world. // Olivia Dugenet is a writer and nonprofit professional living in Spokane. She holds a Master of Science in Cultural Communication from EWU, and spends a lot of time thinking about philosophy of nature. Her best adventures are with her husband, four wonderful grown-up children and their Yellow Lab Zizou.

L ive ’Snow’ like there's tomorrow

When you’re here for the deep powder and epic runs at Schweitzer — don’t miss the wow! of Sandpoint. Just 20 minutes down the mountain, Sandpoint is host to a bustling entertainment scene, more than 40 excellent restaurants and taverns, and that’s not to mention the eclectic shops, galleries and sumptuous spas for any non-skiers in your crowd.

Cross-country and snowshoe trails at nearby Pine Street Woods, the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail or Western Pleasure Guest Ranch are superb, too.

Make your visit the complete experience. We’ll see you in Sandpoint!

Get visitor information at 800-800-2106 • www.VisitSandpoint.com

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 / OUTTHEREOUTDOORS.COM

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