Inland NW Trail & Outdoor News Jan/Feb 2025

Free outdoor-themed entertainment 

• Washington State Parks will hold a fee-free day (no Discover Pass required) on both Jan. 1 and Jan. 20. Note that SnoParks on Washington State Park property are not included in fee-free days. 

• Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness will be offering several fun winter outings! Advance registration is required and some trips may fill up, so check calendars and sign up right away. Offerings include Regal Creek on Jan. 11, Dry Creek Wildlife ID and Tracking on Feb. 8, a full moon snowshoe in coordination with Kaniksu Land Trust on Feb. 12, and a Ross Creek Cedars Snowshoe on Feb. 22. 

• Spokane Nordic’s Winterfest is on Jan. 19, with a mix of free events along with some reduced-cost ski lessons. Among the free activities will be a kid’s treasure hunt (ages 4 & up), adaptive equipment demos, and a chance to meet Captain Ginge, Mount Spokane’s jolly Nordic groomer operator! 

• Methow Trails Association is holding its annual Backyard Ski Day on Jan. 31. The usual daily pass fees will be waived for trail use this day, and there will be limited Nordic ski and fat bike demos, along with free cross-country ski lessons. 

Film Festivals 

• Banff Mountain Film Festival returns to Spokane Jan. 10-12. A limited number of VIP event tickets are available as a fundraiser for several area nonprofits as well as regular festival passes. 

• Winter Wildlands Alliance’s Backcountry Ski Film Festival has several upcoming showings in our region! Selkirk Outdoor Leadership & Education (SOLE), Inc. will host a showing in Sandpoint on Jan. 10. Montana Backcountry Alliance will host the film festival on Jan. 16. University of Idaho Outdoor Program will host one in Moscow Jan. 29, and Wild Montana—Flathead Kootenai Chapter, will host a showing on Feb. 6. 

Fundraisers 

• Idaho Panhandle Nordic Club will host its annual Best Hand Poker Ski and Snowshoe fundraiser on Jan. 4. For a nominal donation to the ski club, enter either the ski or snowshoe category and follow the marked route to collect playing cards. Best poker hands get top choice of prizes, but sometimes even the poor poker hands earn swag, as local businesses sponsor many prizes for this fun event! 

Stewardship, Conservation, & Volunteer Opportunities 

• Join Okanogan Highlands Alliance on Jan. 24 for an in-person presentation on Whitebark Pine: Ecology and Conservation at the Community Cultural Center of Tonasket. The event starts with a dinner benefitting the Community Cultural Center from 5 p.m.-6:15 p.m. The presentation starts at 6:30 p.m. and is free to the public.  

• Washington Trails Association will host several snowshoe work parties through the winter months at Spokane County Parks and Mount Spokane State Park. Winter trailwork tasks consist of trimming encroaching vegetation, trimming low tree branches, removing downfall trees from popular snowshoe routes, and shoveling trail bridges. Gear requirements vary based on current snow conditions for each trail, from boots with micro spikes sufficient to snowshoes necessary. Please contact the event leader with any questions about gear.