Out & About: Radical Reels bring action to Inland Northwest theaters

OUTFILM – Radical Reels, the adrenaline-filled off-shoot of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, is coming to the Inland Northwest this week.

The edited package of 11 new action-packed films featuring free-skiers, longboarders, snowboarders, mountain bikers, kayakers and rock climbers will be shown:

• Friday, 7 p.m., at the Panida Theater in Sandpoint. Advance tickets at Outdoor Experience.

• Saturday, 7 p.m., at the Bing Crosby Theater in Spokane. Advance tickets at Mountain Gear, 2002 N. Division, 325-9000.

Films include “Being There,” about fun-loving free-skiers taking their sport into the stratosphere. “Endless Roads” follows seven female longboarders winding down in Spain. “La Dura Dura” features rock climbing superstars Chris Sharma and Adam Ondra vying for a first ascent the world’s first 5.15c grade climb.

Hunter: Wolf killed in self defense

OUTHUNT – A man who killed a gray wolf while big-game hunting in the Pasayten Wilderness told Washington Fish and Wildlife police he felt threatened by the predator and acted in self defense, according to the Methow Valley News.

The hunter called state officers on Sept. 20 to report shooting the adult female wolf, which is protected in the western two-thirds of Washington under federal law as an endangered species.

The investigation continues.

State purchases 50,000 acres

OUTBUY – Washington state has purchased more than 50,000 acres of private timberlands in the headwaters of the Yakima Basin watershed to be operated as a community working forest.

State officials on Monday hailed it as key in protecting the basin’s water supply, restoring fisheries, conserving habitat and enhancing recreational opportunities. It’s the largest single land transaction in the state in decades, and ensures the land remains a working forest.

The state bought the land in the Teanaway River Valley from American Forest Holdings with $87 million set aside by state lawmakers and a $10 million state loan.

Wild corridors focus of 5,250-mile trek

OUTDONE – Adventurer John Davis biked into Fernie, British Columbia, last week, wrapping up TrekWest, an eight-month, 5,250-mile hike/bike/paddle journey to raise awareness for protecting wildlife corridors.

Along the way he promoted what he calls the Western Wildway that needs to be protected and connected much as his trip was through Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and British Columbia.

Threats to habitat connectivity range from the U.S.-Mexico border wall to interstate highways and vast expanses of overgrazed public land, he said.

Info: trekwest.org.