Latest from The Spokesman-Review

• Off-grid ski lodge reclaims mined-out Montana mountains

  March 11, 2012 in Outdoors on Page C12 High-mountain hospitality seekers aren’t likely to stumble onto Altoona Ridge Lodge. It’s off the grid in mountains riddled with old mining claims. No billboards advertise the three compact chalets for … 1

• Getting lost can cost – and taxpayers get hit

  February 1, 2012 in Outdoors, Idaho on Page A1 The first call came from snowmobilers near the old mining town of Murray, Idaho. Dusk had set in, and the caller was worried about a man who had gotten separated … 11

• Wolverine sightings curb Silver Valley snowcat skiing operation

  April 10, 2011 in Outdoors on Page C10 Evidence of wolverine activity on the Rochat Divide and St. Joe Mountains south of Cataldo, Idaho, has jeopardized the permit issued to Peak Adventures, a Silver Valley snowcat skiing company … 4

• Powder-light package for backcountry skiers

  February 27, 2011 in Outdoors on Page C11 Big Cottonwood Canyon, one of three iconic alpine valleys outside of Salt Lake City, was glaring in whiteness. Ten new inches of Utah fluff, was at my feet and sprawling …

• Canadian backcountry skier completes huge uphill goal

  January 9, 2011 in Outdoors on Page C11 Canadian backcountry skier Greg Hill, 35, must feel like a million bucks after completing his goal – with a day to spare – of logging 2 million vertical ski-touring feet, …

• Cabin fever feels just right for backcountry skiers

  December 5, 2010 in Outdoors on Page C12 If you’re lucky enough to see them at all, they might look like simple shelters in the woods. But behind the scenic backdrop, the region’s backcountry lodges – the ones …

• Find all styles of remote shelter

  December 5, 2010 in Outdoors on Page C11 The Inland Northwest has a wide range of options to cure “cabin fever.” Solitude and vacancies are more likely midweek. Here’s a sampling.

• Backcountry skiers tackle Haute Route

  November 15, 2009 in Outdoors on Page C14 Skiing through the wilderness of the Canadian Rockies and following the Haute Route through the Alps of Europe are both physically demanding and monumentally scenic. They both pose dire consequences …

• Report offers insight into Eagle Cap tragedy

  April 12, 2009 in Outdoors on Page C10 Persisting snowpack weakness combined with wind-loaded snow on steep terrain last month contributed to the first avalanche fatality in Northeastern Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains since 1982. Roger Roepke, 50, a former …

• Backcountry requires expert guide

  April 3, 2009 in Outdoors on Page B6 The lifts stop turning this weekend. But a hearty, intelligent breed of skiers will keep on turning long after resorts shut down. Until last weekend, 99 percent of my fun …