July 2015

The Best of Priest Lake: Hikes, Resorts, Paddling, Fishing, and More

The Northwest has hundreds of lakes ranging from tiny alpine tarns to giant pools that sprawl for miles through the mountains. The region’s many diverse lakes each have their own unique feel and personality. While public land and access is limited at some, others like Priest Lake, nestled in the Selkirk Mountains, are a near […]

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Pitching in for Trails — Our Local Trails Need You

A well-known local hiker and trail maintenance project leader, Lynn Smith, ends his emails to other trail maintenance volunteers with these words: “Days spent on a trail are not deducted from one’s lifetime.” Another Spokane Mountaineers member and volunteer coordinator for Washington Trails Association, Holly Weiler, is famous among many U.S. Forest Service and state

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A Tale of Two SUP Races — Choosing the Right Paddleboard Can Make all the Difference

I bought my first stand up paddleboard about six years ago when the sport was really starting to take off. Knowing what I know now about stand up paddleboarding, or SUP, I spent an embarrassingly small amount of money on that first board that I hauled out of Costco. I remember thinking at the time

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Seven Summits Trail – The Pinnacle of Mountain Biking in the Inland Northwest

Last season I had conquered the rock rolls and jump lines at Beacon Hill, memorized every rock and root section at Mt. Spokane and ridden myself into boredom at the other local Spokane riding areas. For the trails in my immediate surroundings, I had reached a peak. I wanted a new challenge that would test

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Looking Back at the Spokane Mountaineers (1968-1976)

In 1968 the Spokane Mountaineers hosted then-Congressman Tom Foley at the club chalet on Mount Spokane to discuss conservation issues and other hot topics. Another piece of big news during this period included the opening of the North Cascade Highway to the public. On the skiing front, club members skied at Jackass Ski Bowl (aka

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If You’re Lucky Enough To Live At the Lake, You’re Lucky Enough

A friend of mine has a sign in his house which reads, “If You’re Lucky Enough To Live At the Lake, You’re Lucky Enough.”  As a fellow lake-side dweller, I frequently question the kind of luck that sign alludes to, especially when the boat breaks down, the dock needs work, or some other uber-expensive thing-a-ma-bob

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