WINTER SPORTS -- National forests are beginning to close some designated mountain roads to wheeled traffic to prepare for grooming snowmobile routes as well as some nordic skiing trails. Echo Ridge Ski Area will open this weekend on Forest Service routes above Lake Chelan with…
WINTERSPORTS -- 49 Degrees North ski area near Chewelah has just announced plans to open Sunday, Dec. 6, with limited terrain and discounted tickets. "We are out grooming right now, and we have a very good dense snowpack," the resort said in a media release…
RIVERS --Spokane River flows through Post Falls Dam will be reduced starting Monday, Dec. 7, to accommodate the Sullivan Road West Bridge replacement project, Avista says. The flows will be reduced to between 1,100 cfs and 1,500 cfs. The decreased flow will allow the contractor…
WINTER SPORTS -- Stevens Pass Mountain Resort opened today in a flurry of powder but still limited terrain for 2015-16 winter operations. Skiers and riders have access to Daisy chairlift, the Rope Tow with Rail Park and a Magic Carpet. The resort will continue to...
PARKS -- Riverside and Mount Spokane state parks are still working to clear blowdown trees from routes and public use areas following the Nov. 17 windstorm that hammered the region with gusts to 70 mph. The Riverside State Park Foundation announced Thursday that the annual…
ENDANGERED SPECIES -- Four canines, llikely wolves but unconfirmed, were spotted Dec. 2, 2015, crossing a seeded farm field near the Johnson cuttoff road near Pullman, according to photos circulating among Palouse landowners. Whitman County has had numerous reports of wolves, including a case in...
PREDATORS -- Yellowstone National Park biologists counted at least 104 wolves from 11 packs living in the park at the end of 2014. The figures released Wednesday were up slightly from the prior year, when 95 wolves from 10 packs were counted. Northwest states released...
PREDATORS -- While the number of livestock killed by wolves, coyotes and grizzly bears has declined in Montana, the state is paying a record amount this year to reimburse livestock growers' for losses. The Montana Livestock Loss Board was established by the state Legislature in…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.
