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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Out & About

A climber reaches the top of a route in the UClimb event that introduces newcomers to the sport of rock climbing.Courtesy of Mountain Gear (Courtesy of Mountain Gear / The Spokesman-Review)
A climber reaches the top of a route in the UClimb event that introduces newcomers to the sport of rock climbing.Courtesy of Mountain Gear (Courtesy of Mountain Gear / The Spokesman-Review)

Beginner’s luck: clinics teach skills

OUTDO – Experts in three popular Inland Northwest outdoor activities have scheduled special clinics to introduce newcomers to life-long sports. Check them out:

•Climbing: Learn the ropes of scaling rock in small groups with qualified instructors at the UClimb sessions starting Friday night with camping and running through next Sunday with climbing instruction at Q’emiln Park in Post Falls.

Cost for weekend instruction plus camping and meals, $199 (youths $159).

Get a $300 package of start-up gear for $130.

Pre-register: www.uclimb.org

Info: Mountain Gear, (800) 829-2009.

•Fly fishing basics, one-day clinic, Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Silver Bow Fly Shop, 13210 E. Indiana.

Cost: $30

Pre-register: 924-9998.

•Shooting/hunting: Learn to shoot shotguns and archery as well as small-bore and high-power rifles during the Inland Empire Chapter Safari Club International New Shooters Day on Sept. 13 at Miller Ranch.

Club members provide the guns, bows, ammo, targets and instruction, all for free. And they’ll even feed you lunch.

A Laser Shot Shooting Simulator will be fired up and live pheasants will be released for those who want to try hunting. Instruction on cleaning birds for the table will be provided.

RSVP by Sept. 8.

Contact: Rick Osterback 993-3098, e-mail dumpster43@yahoo.com

Info: www.inlandempiresci.org

Businesses call for salmon policy

OUTCRY – Business leaders representing thousands of employees throughout the country have asked President Barack Obama to convene a stakeholders table to look at all scientifically credible and economically viable options for recovering wild salmon and steelhead and enhancing related communities and industries.

Signing the letter this month were leaders of groups such as the American Sportfishing Association, Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association, Northwest Guides & Anglers Association, Shimano and Eagle Claw.

We notice local names, too, including Swede’s Fly Shop of Spokane and Yakima Bait Co. of Granger.

He said it

“I’d rank the lower Big Hole River after sundown as one of the worst places I’ve ever encountered for mosquitoes. After a day on the water fly fishing from a raft, I swear the mosquitoes along the take-out at Glen were big enough that they all had wing numbers and landing lights.”

- Mark Henckel, Billings Gazette outdoors writer