July 2017

Mission Mountain Lake Hikes

Get Out There, Hiking / By Aaron Theisen

The Mission Mountains make a familiar sight to travelers between Missoula and Flathead Lake, their serrated, snow-draped peaks, crowned by 9,280-foot McDonald Peak and its dozen or so neighbors in the 9,000-foot club. Despite appearing impassible to travel, the Missions boast some of the most easily rewarding, high-country day hiking in the Northwest. They have short, shallow-grade trails accessing hundreds of high-elevation tarns with one of […]

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The North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation Gets a New Director

Biking, Get Out There, News, Running / By Jon Jonckers

The North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation recently hired Todd Dunfield as its new executive director. Dunfield took over the job last month, and he’s already working on some big projects. “The Centennial Trail is a regional treasure because it connects our entire community with 63 miles of walking and biking trail. By spanning two states

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Ales for the Trail (Aug 12)

Events, Food & Drink, Lifestyle / By Siobhan Ebel

The fifth annual Ales for the Trail is back this year at the newly remodeled McEuen Park in downtown Coeur d’Alene. Brewers will be on hand and ready to pour on August 12 from 2-8 p.m. In addition to 25 of the Northwest’s best breweries, there will be also be three cideries at this year’s

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Syringa and river smells combine to usher in summer. // Photo: Derrick Knowles

The Plants and Creatures That Beautify Our States

Get Out There, Nature / By S. Michal Bennett

Regardless of who holds office in Washington D.C., citizens of the United States tend to have a deep sense of pride in their cities, states, and country. One illustration of this patriotic affection is the fact that we have state symbols and icons, not just national ones. These symbols represent the culture and natural marvels

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The McCaffrees loaded and ready to go. // Photo: Judd McCaffree

Falling in Love with a Pop-Up Tent Trailer

Camping, Columns, Get Out There, Outdoor Family / By Amy McCaffree

Big Agnes served her purpose well until last summer. My family’s orange and yellow 4-person Big Agnes tent was acquired early in our marriage, four years before our first child was born. Not only did she come with a cool name; Big Agnes had a vestibule (purchased separately) that made the tent more versatile and

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Photo of outdoors yoga class in the park by Derrick Knowles.

Down Dog Downtown

Columns, Lifestyle, Outdoor Living, The Urban Outdoors / By Erika Prins Simonds

At the end of a long day, there are plenty of reasonable excuses for skipping a workout: fatigue, evening plans, a growling stomach or simple laziness. But for eight weeks this summer, the cost of a fitness class won’t be one of them. Free evening exercise classes at Huntington Park’s main plaza, the Spokane Tribal

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Photo courtesy of the Coeur d'Alene Crossing.

The Coeur d’Alene Crossing (August 13)

Get Out There, Races & Rides / By Out There Outdoors

Fellow open water swimmers, the Coeur d’Alene Crossing on August 13, is a gem of a race you will not want to miss. This is open water simmers’ only opportunity to swim all the way across this beautiful lake protected from boat traffic. I love how its long, 2.4-mile, one-way course tests mind and body.

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Fat Bikes, Fat Smiles. Photo: Alan Lemire.

Trail Maniacs Foundation Aims to Groom Winter Trails for Fat Bikes

Biking, Get Out There, News / By Jon Jonckers

Trail Maniacs trail running club members run trails year-round, unless of course there’s too much snow covering the trails. Trail Maniacs race director and founder, Dave Dutro, recently created the Trail Maniacs Foundation, a non-profit organization, to provide more winter trail use opportunities for trail runners, riders and hikers to get out when area trails

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Photo of Rock Lake in spring by Harley McAllister

Fishing for Steelhead at Rock Lake

Get Out There / By Harley McAllister

Spokane is blessed with 76 regional lakes, and all of them harbor some combination of game fish. This can make choosing which lake to fish a little bit of a challenge. My family has had a degree of success fishing for steelhead the past two years at Rock Lake, which is located about 40 minutes

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