2013 Winter Wildlands Alliance Back Country Film Festival Trailer from Backcountry Film Festival on Vimeo.

WINTER SPORTS -- The annual Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival is coming to Spokane and Coeur d'Alene courtesy of several local outdoor groups. 

The lineup featuring all or portions of 10 films tapped by the Alliance committee will be screened:

• Friday Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Eagles Club, 209 Sherman Ave. in Coeur d'Alene. Tickets $7.
• Friday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. at the Spokane Community College Lair Auditorium. (Park free in the P1 lot. See campus map here.) Tickets: $12 general admission, $10 Spokane Mountaineers, $10 students (with student I.D.). Purchase tickets in advance (recommended) here.

The films spotlight a wide range of outdoor pursuits. This year the features include a trek in Mongolia in search of wolverines, the story of how a small community fought to save its local ski area, a poor man’s alternative to heli-skiing, and “Valhalla” – which was edited down in the Banff World Tour to its nude skiing scene. 

The festival highlights the efforts of the Winter Wildlands Alliance and other grassroots groups’ efforts to preserve and conserve winter landscapes for quiet users.

Read on for the list of films on this year's tour.

2013-14 BACKCOUNTRY FILM FESTIVAL LINEUP 

Best of Festival: Valhalla from Sweetgrass Productions is the tale of one man’s search to rediscover the freedom of his youth. 

Best Conservation Film: Bolton Valley from Red Reel Production is the story of how a small community fought to save their beloved ski area.  

Best Short:  Bigger, Braver. Filmmaker Luc Mehl turns the camera on a young female athlete who shares her insight into the courage and strength involved in seeking big mountain adventure.  

Other films include:

• Trail Break from Powderwhore is a beautiful black and white portrait of deep powder skiing.
• Morning Rituals, a day in the life of an undercover ski bum.  Presented by Chris Dickey of Orange and Purple.
• Youth, from filmmaker Corey Rich, inspires us to pack up the kids and proves that backcountry skiing is a family affair.
• Nokhoi Zeekh: In search of the Wolverine, from filmmaker Forrest McCarthy.  Five Americans set off on a month-long ski expedition through northern Mongolia to document one of the world's most iconic but least-known winter species 
• Strong from filmmaker and storyteller Fitz Cahall at Duct Tape then Beer captures Roger Strong’s reflections about moving forward after a tragic avalanche.  
• Poor Man’s Heli, skier Antoine Boisselier thinks outside the skin track and comes up with a new and unique way to the top of the mountain.  From Mike Douglas at Switchback Entertainment.
• Take the Ride, from filmmakers Jason Thompson and Drew Stoecklein, asks,, “When you have a dream will you buy the ticket, will you Take the Ride?”