UPDATED May 24, 2013

WILDLIFE WATCHING — While most snowy owls that migrated to the lower 48 states during winter are well on their way back to their arctic breeding grounds, at least one is still hanging out in Eastern Washington.

Last week, a snowy owl — standing out like a white beacon against the spring landscape — was reported by Inland Northwest birders in Whitman County.

Last month, Spokane author and naturalist Jack Nisbet reported seeing a snowy owl just north of U.S. Highway 2 in Lincoln County.

On Monday (May 20), Nisbet, traveling again in Lincoln County, snapped the photo above of a snowy owl — possibly the same one — 8 miles west of Odessa on Hwy 28.

Today (May 24), Carl Lundblad of Moscow made a repeat sighting of a snowy owl in Whitman County. It was in a field well south of Campbell Road two-tenths of a mile west of Farmington Road just south of Tekoa.

Some birders speculate the late-to-migrate bird could be sick or injured rather than smitten with the scablands or Palouse.

PARKS — Most of the trails are open for hiking and biking at Mount Spokane State Park.  If that's not enough incentive, the photo of a Calypso orchid above indicates the wildflower are providing additional attractions.

“These little blooms seem to have been out for a week or more at Mount Spokane,” said birder Mike Miller, who  photographed the “fairy slipper” today.

June is prime time to see the calypsoes farther up the mountain as well as many other blooming flowers, including beargrass. 

NATIONAL PARKS — Now through the next couple of weeks or so will be prime time for bicyclists to explore portions of Glacier Park's Going to the Sun Highway.

While plowing is underway from both sides toward Logan Pass, motorized traffic is prohibited but bicycles are allowed.

Currently 29.0 miles of the Going-to-the-Sun Road are open for travel.
Visitors can drive 15.5 miles from the West Entrance to Avalanche, and 13.5 miles from the St. Mary Entrance to Jackson Glacier Overlook.

Get updates here.

See photos of the brave equipment operators plowing the steep avalanche slopes toward Logan Pass.

FORESTS — A trail closure notice just issued by the Colville National Forest is a reminder that roads, trails and campgrounds are subject to the whims of nature, even on a holiday weekend.  

Call ahead to forest offices to check on any last-minute closures that could foil your plans.

Upper North Fork Trail #507 will be closed to public use until a washed out bridge can be replaced, Colville Forest officials announced this morning. 

The #507 trail is a connector trail that connects the upper portion of the North Fork of Sullivan Creek to the #515 Crowell Ridge Trail in the Salmo Priest Wilderness.

Info: Sullivan Lake Ranger Station at (509) 446-7500.

SHOOTING — The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia today dismissed a lawsuit brought by environmental groups seeking to force the Environmental Protection Agency to ban ammunition containing lead components.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in August. The court today agreed with NSSF that EPA does not have the authority to regulate traditional ammunition under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

The environmental groups are considering an appeal of today’s ruling, according to The Center for Biological Diversity, noting the federal judge dismissed the case on technical grounds but did not rule on the substance of the claim, namely whether EPA should regulate lead ammunition under the toxics law. 

Read on for media releases on today's ruling from these two groups representing both sides of the issue:

RIVERS — The level of Lake Roosevelt rose to an elevation of nearly 1,271 feet today and lake levels are expected to continue rising up to a foot a day over the next week into the 1,277 range by May 31.

Holiday weekend campers should prepare for water to rise along the lake shores.

Elsewhere in the region, the Coeur d'Alene and St. Joe rivers continue to drop after a short upward blip from the rain on Tuesday.

— Get links to river flows in this region at The Spokesman-Review Outdoors topics page.

— Get daily Lake Roosevelt level forecast by phone, updated daily at 3 p.m: (800) 824-4916.

— Check out this NOAA site with Roosevelt levels and a list of boat launching elevations on the same page.

FISHING — Anglers should feel confident that the spring chinook season will remain open on the Clarkston designated area of the Snake River in Washington through the Memorial Day weekend, according to Glen Mendel, Fish and Wildlife's southeast Washington fisheries biologist.

Regarding yesterday's update on the fishery, he just released this clarification:

A clarification regarding the Clarkston fishery. After further internal discussions there are no efforts at this time to implement an emergency closure that I am aware of, so the fishery remains open until further notice as it was established earlier. I don’t anticipate any closure that will affect fishing there this Sunday and Monday, but always check the emergency regulations section of our agency website to make sure the situation has not changed.

PUBLIC LANDS — Interior Secretary Sally Jewell will speak at the annual  Ducks Unlimited convention this week during a visit to Portland in her first West Coast trip since she was sworn in last month.

Today Jewell and Portland Mayor Charlie Hales are set to announce nearly two dozen conservation projects to help boost youth employment, the Department of the Interior says.

On Friday, she, Gov. John Kitzhaber and a representative from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee will sign an agreement to speed the review and permitting of energy generation and power transmission projects in the Northwest.

FISHING — The fine art of fibbing is in a fisherman's DNA.

But when $50,000 is involved, even anglers have to bite the bullet at one annual fishing contest in the East.

The New Hampshire Union Leader reports anglers in the Winni Derby will have to pass a lie detector test before they can claim a prize.  

Would you approve of a fishing contest in which all anglers weren't trusted? Honestly?

Even if you wouldn't cheat at a fishing derby, plenty of people would. Read here. And here. And the old lead weigh trick, here.

UPDATED May 24, 2013

WILDLIFE WATCHING — While most snowy owls that migrated to the lower 48 states during winter are well on their way back to their arctic breeding grounds, at least one is still hanging out in Eastern Washington.

Last week, a snowy owl — standing out like a white beacon against the spring landscape — was reported by Inland Northwest birders in Whitman County.

Last month, Spokane author and naturalist Jack Nisbet reported seeing a snowy owl just north of U.S. Highway 2 in Lincoln County.

On Monday (May 20), Nisbet, traveling again in Lincoln County, snapped the photo above of a snowy owl — possibly the same one — 8 miles west of Odessa on Hwy 28.

Today (May 24), Carl Lundblad of Moscow made a repeat sighting of a snowy owl in Whitman County. It was in a field well south of Campbell Road two-tenths of a mile west of Farmington Road just south of Tekoa. 

Some birders speculate the late-to-migrate bird could be sick or injured rather than smitten with the scablands.

FISHING — Anglers harvested 21 chinook in Washington's Snake River fishery area at Clarkston last week.  That leaves about 30 fish in the allocation for the Snake River.  

Washington Fish and Wildlife officials are considering whether to continue the Clarkston fishery through this next weekend (May 26 & 27), said Glen Mendel, Snake River fisheries biologist.  

“At this time, it appears likely that the fishery will remain open, but should that change,” he said, noting the emergency rule would be posted online and by email.

The future of this season's spring chinook fishing season after Memorial Day in the Washington portion of the Snake River depends on decisions the Technical Advisory Committee is likely to make after re-evaluating run size on Tuesday (May 28).

FISHING — Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fish managers will present information and take public input on proposed Tucannon River steelhead management changes at a May 29 meeting starting at 6:30 p.m. at Dayton Elementary School (Park Street and 2^nd Street) in Dayton.

New restrictions will apply to the steelhead fishery this fall and winter to comply with National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) requirements to protect wild steelhead that are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act, said WDFW southeast district fish biologist Glen Mendel. 

“We’ve already made several changes in Tucannon steelhead hatchery production and management to protect this small wild steelhead population,” Mendel said, “but we can’t maintain the current fishery structure. We don’t want to close this fishery altogether so we’re trying to craft fishing rule options that help remove hatchery steelhead while still protecting wild steelhead.”

Biologisgts will present summaries of the Tucannon River steelhead harvest, natural population estimates, and management issues involved, and take comments on several options for a restricted fishery.  All options include a hatchery steelhead retention requirement to reduce hatchery fish on the spawning grounds. 

Options being considered to focus on removal of hatchery steelhead while minimizing catch-and-release and incidental mortality of wild steelhead, include: 

• Option 1- Allow steelhead fishing Aug.1 – Dec. 31 when 40-50 percent of the hatchery fish and only 20 percent of the wild steelhead are present.  The river would be closed to fishing Jan. 1 – June 7 (when trout fishing opens). 

• Option 2- Allow steelhead fishing Aug. 1 or Sept.1 through Feb. 28 when 55-62 percent of the hatchery fish have entered the Tucannon River and when only 36 percent of the wild steelhead are present.  The river would be closed to fishing March 1 – June 7 (when trout fishing opens). 

Information about these and other options will be posted online sometime after Friday.

Email input by June 7 to teamspokane@dfw.wa.gov  with a “Tucannon River” subject line.

Outside magazine online is asking readers to vote for the nation's “best active town,” and Spokane is one of the 10 candidates for the distinction.

The cover photo for the Spokane listing features cyclists on the Centennial Trail along the Spokane River, which is a good start to the city's numerous outdoor attractions.

But note that the survey so far doesn't even barely scratch the surface of options for running, cycling, mountain biking and even downhill mountain biking, rock climbing, conservation areas, trails, wildlife, paddling, fishing, etc. 

Other cities in the running include Waitsfield, Vt.; Bozeman, Mont.; Carbondale, Ill., Park City, Utah; Greenville, S.C.; Honolulu, Hawaii; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Boston, Mass.

FISHING — Here's an update to with more and clearer details regarding my earlier post on Idaho's decision to close fishing for adult spring chinook salmon in the Clearwater River.  This was just released from Idaho Fish and Game's Lewiston office.

Tuesday, May 21, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game closed the lower Clearwater River from the Camas Prairie Railroad Bridge in Lewiston to the Cherrylane Bridge to all salmon fishing.  The other sections of the Clearwater previously open to salmon fishing will remain open for harvest of jack salmon four days per week, Friday through Monday. 

Sections of the Clearwater River basin that remain open to jacks-only harvest include:

• The mainstem Clearwater:  From Lenore Bridge to Greer Bridge
• The North Fork Clearwater River:  From the mouth upstream to Dworshak Dam excluding the perimeter of the Dworshak National Hatchery at Ahsahka.  Fishing from any watercraft is prohibited.
• The Middle Fork Clearwater:  From the mouth of the South Fork Clearwater River upstream to the confluence of the Lochsa and Selway rivers.
• The South Fork Clearwater:  From its mouth upstream to the confluence of the American and Red rivers.

Anglers are not be allowed to retain adult Chinook salmon anywhere in the Clearwater basin, but can continue to retain four adipose fin-clipped  salmon less than 24 inches total length (jacks), per day.  Jack salmon count against the daily limit but need not be recorded on the salmon permit. There is no season limit for jacks.

Jacks are salmon that return after one year in the ocean.  They are relatively abundant this year, are not necessary in the brood stock and are all available for harvest.  Managers estimate that over 2000 jacks returning to hatcheries in the Clearwater River will be available for harvest by sport anglers.

Fishery managers had consistently predicted that a relatively small number of adult hatchery Chinook salmon would return to the Clearwater River in 2013 and that over 50 percent would be needed to fill the hatchery brood stock quota.  With the support of the public, managers structured a conservative fishery framework that allowed fishing four days per week with a daily limit of one adult Chinook salmon per day.  The hatchery fish available for harvest are shared with Tribal fishers, resulting in less than 25 percent of the hatchery adults available for the sport fishery.  Excellent fishing conditions and a pulse of fish moving through the lower Clearwater River resulted in the sport fishery achieving the harvest objective more quickly than expected.

Salmon fisheries on the Snake, lower Salmon and Little Salmon rivers remain unchanged at this time.

• See Idaho Fish and Game's updates on seasons and limits here.
• See an interactive map of river segments open to Chinook fishing.

FISHING — The sport fishery for hatchery spring chinook salmon and hatchery steelhead will reopen Saturday (May 25) on the lower Columbia River as fish mangers get a better bead on the run and more fish become available in the season quota.

The fishery is scheduled to run through June 15 from the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line near the mouth of the river to the deadline below Bonneville Dam under an agreement reached today by fishery managers from Washington and Oregon. For boat anglers, the upriver boundary is Beacon Rock.

Anglers may retain one adult hatchery chinook salmon as part of their daily limit.

Read on for more details.

FISHING — Good conditions and a surge of fish into Idaho's Clearwater River provided excellent fishing for spring chinook over the weekend, as predicted.

But the turnout was so heavy and the fishing was so good, anglers virtually caught their entire meager allotment of this year's spotty run in one swoop.

Idaho Fish and Game has closed the river to fishing for adult spring chinook after anglers caught about 540 mature salmon over four days. The estimated season harvest share is about 640 fish.

The good news is that when the season on the Clearwater reopens on Friday (May 24) anglers will continue to have good fishing for a big run of about 4,000 jacks.

Read on for details and more explanation from Joe DuPont, IFG regional fisheries manager in Lewiston:

RIVERS – The best time to float the Priest River comes and goes, but the next couple of weeks will be worth checking out.

At its extremes – up to 10,500 cubic feet per second and down to 165 cfs – the river is basically too high for safe passage except for experts or too low to float without dragging a vessel over the rocks.

• Ideal flows for experienced canoeists are in the range of 1,200-4,500 cfs (recorded at the gauge near Priest River, Idaho).

During summer through early fall, when most people would be lured to portions of the river downstream from Priest Lake, the water generally is too low to float without bouncing and scraping along the rocks.

However, inexperienced paddlers running inflatable boats can have a safer, enjoyable float at flows in the 600-1,000 cfs range in the Eight Mile Rapids stretch from McAbee Falls downstream.  (See description below.)

Prime times for experienced paddlers farther upstream are:

• Spring runoff period of May and early June, but be especially ready for cold water and alert for new log jams or strainers.
• Early October, a glorious, fall-color period when mosquitoes are gone and flows pick up to the 1,200 cfs range as water is allowed to flow over Outlet Dam to lower Priest Lake to winter levels.

Read on for more details and notes on flows from Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club diaries.

PREDATORS — Gov. Jay Inslee today signed legislation that will provide state wildlife managers more resources to prevent wolf-livestock conflict and expand criteria for compensation to livestock owners for wolf-related losses.

• Increases the state's personalized license plate fee by $10, effective Oct. 1, with the proceeds to support WDFW's efforts to monitor wolf recovery and prevent wolf-livestock conflict in collaboration with farmers, ranchers and local governments, and to compensate livestock owners. The Department of Licensing estimates the fee will raise more than $1.5 million during the upcoming two-year budget cycle.
• Allows WDFW to compensate livestock owners for their losses at the current market value of the animals.
• Permits compensation regardless of whether livestock owners were raising the animals for commercial purposes.
• Revises other elements of state law to make it more consistent with the state's Wolf Conservation and Management Plan as adopted by the state Fish and Wildlife Commission in December 2011.

PUBLIC LANDS — The South Sherman Road (FSR 2020000) has suffered an impassible washout on the west or upper end of the road, the Colville National Forest reports today. 

The temporary closure will be from milepost 11.65 to milepost 11.85 (just off of U.S. Highway 20 near the top close to Sherman Pass between Kettle Falls and Republic).

Access to Barnaby Buttes Trailhead and the South Fork of Sherman Creek is still possible from the lower access point on Highway 20.  Forest crews are anticipating being able to repair the washout this summer. 

Info: Three Rivers Ranger District, (509) 738-7700.

TRAILS — The Route of The Hiawatha rail-trail near Lookout Pass is set to open for the 2013 summer season on Saturday (May 25).

The 15-mile route for mountain biking or hiking follows the abandoned Milwaukee Railroad grade between the old town site of Taft, Mont., (off Interstate 90) and the North Fork of the St. Joe River near Avery, Idaho.

Top attractions include seven trestles towering up to 230 feet over the creeks and forest and 10 tunnels, including the 1.7-mile St. Paul Pass Tunnel at the Montana-Idaho border.

The gentle 1.6 percent  average grade drops 1,000 feet  over the 15 miles length with shuttle buses available to transport trial users and their bikes back to the top.

Trail passes, shuttle tickets and mountain bike rentals are available at Lookout Pass Ski Area conveniently located off I-90 at the top of the pass on the Idaho/Montana border 12 miles east of Wallace, Idaho.

Basic trail passes cost $6 for kids and $10 for adults. Season passes and group rates area available, as well as shuttle bus service from Lookout Pass, lunch options and guided tours. 

The trail will be open daily, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. PDT, through Sept. 29.

Biking the Hiawatha is one of the Inland Northwest's top memorable adventures you can organize for an active outing with summer out-of-town guests.