Join the group for a hike
Regional conservation groups are putting their best foot forward to lead hikers through scenic backcountry areas worth protecting.
Three organizations are offering a full summer schedule of group hikes ranging from strolls to strenuous overnighters.
All of the organizations also are offering treks in July and August.
Conservation Northwest hikers explored an eight-mile route through Thirteen Mile Creek from the Sanpoil River into the Kettle River Range this weekend.
•Next Saturday the group will explore the six-mile loop trail around Columbia Mountain Lookout from Sherman Pass. Volunteer trip leaders help organize car pools.
Other Conservation Northwest hikes scheduled this month include:
•June 22 – Jungle Hill to Columbia Mountain, a challenging 14-mile hike offering a good glimpse of the Kettle River Range.
•June 28-29 – Kettle Range Rendezvous Hiking Weekend, an annual family-friendly weekend of dayhiking, car camping, and a potluck barbecue. Hike options include Wapaloosie to Jungle Hill, Hoodoo Canyon and Emerald Lake and the Sherman Peak Loop.
Idaho Conservation League summer hikes are focusing mostly on the Selkirk and Cabinet mountains areas.
The rest of the league’s June schedule in North Idaho includes:
•June 21 — Scotchman Peak, a steep, strenuous eight-mile hike just north of Lake Pend Oreille up and down the highest peak in Bonner County.
•June 22 — Fault Lake, an excellent 13-mile round-trip hike that follows an old road up from the Pack River Valley up above timberline to the Selkirk peaks.
Scotchman Peaks Wilderness advocates have been leading hiking and snowshoeing trips year-round into the 88,000-acre area they’re promoting for wilderness designation northeast of Lake Pend Oreille.
The rest of the the organization’s June schedule includes:
•June 16 — Delyle Ridge, a moderately strenuous four-mile evening hike to a fire lookout tower to watch the sun set over the Clark Fork Delta and the nearly full moon rise over the Scotchman peaks.
• June 21 — Scotchman Peak, a strenuous eight- miles round trip with 3,700 feet of elevation gain.
•June 24 — Delyle Ridge, this time an easier hike along the ridge featuring a fire lookout tower.
Leading group hikes
Contact the following groups for, schedules, pre-registration and details about group hiking trips this summer.
•Conservation Northwest: Contact Crystal Gartner in Spokane, (509) 570-2166, crystal@conservationnw.org; http://conservationnw.org/ columbiahighlands.
•Idaho Conservation League: Contact Susan Drumheller in Sandpoint, (208) 265-3511; www.wildidaho.org.
•Friends of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness: Contact Phil Hough, (208) 255-2780, nowhere_man97 @hotmail.com; www.scotchmanpeaks.org.