Rich Landers

Alpine skiing Sign-up continues for the annual Adult Ski Camp at Schweitzer Mountain Resort Jan. 5-7. The $150 fee ($100 is tax deductible) includes instruction for novice to expert skiers, plus receptions, drills, videotaping and a contribution to the Jimmie Heuga Center for multiple sclerosis and the U.S. Disabled Ski Team. Info: 838-4300 in Spokane.

Margaret De Croff Milsap and her bike in Smilde.

Environment The latest Washington population forecasts are not encouraging for people who enjoy wildlife and outdoor recreation, considering that development already is gobbling up about 30,000 acres of wildlife habitat in the state a year. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that 2.7 million more people will move to Washington by 2020. "That means building a community the size of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater every 8-1/2 months for 26 years," said Bob Turner, state Fish and Wildlife Department director.

Fishing Washington has followed Idaho's lead to drop emergency steelhead restrictions on the Snake River beginning Jan. 1. Since enough Clearwater River steelhead are arriving to meet egg-taking goals at Dworshak National Fish Hatchery, steelheaders will once again be allowed to keep hatchery steelhead over 30 inches long. Hatchery steelhead have a clipped adipose fin.

CHECK IT OUT Distance: 6 - 11 miles Difficulty: Moderate

Wildlife watching is becoming big business. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the number of birdwatchers in the nation has grown from 10 million in the 1960s to more than 63 million in the early 1990s. A growing number of people are interested in other species, boosting sales of items such as guidebooks and binoculars.

Fishing Walleye fishing tournaments were illegal in Washington just three years ago. Now they're on the verge of becoming a series. The number of walleye tournaments in the state will expand to four events next year, beginning with Big Wally's Spring Walleye Classic May 18-19 at Banks Lake.

1. (photo of bighorn sheep) Photos by Rich Landers/The Spokesman-Review 2. (photo of tundra swans) 3. (photo of mountain goat) 4. (photo of great blue heron) 5. (photo of an elk)

Among Northwest elk hunting states, Washington was ahead of its time. Facing a serious decline in the number of bull elk in the Blue Mountains, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a controversial choose-your-weapons policy for elk hunting in 1984. The concept was to spread hunting pressure. Before buying a tag, hunters had to designate whether they would hunt with modern rifle, bow or muzzleloader, each of which had a different season.

Bird-watching The region's bird-watchers are busy this month with various activities including the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The bird count was started 96 years ago and has spread to include clubs all over North America. Clubs organize groups that count birds on a day in December or early January. Each group covers an area 15 miles in diameter.

Check it out Distance: 7 miles Difficulty: Moderately difficult Paddling time: 2-5 hours Season: Feb. through Dec. Maps: USGS Chewelah, Addy Info: USGS Water Resources Office in Spokane, 353-2633 Paddling trip notes

Snowmobiling The late arrival of snow in the Inland Northwest at least has given procrastinators time to register their snowmobiles. In Idaho, $12.75 of each $16.50 registration is returned to a county designated by the snowmobiler. The county uses the funds for grooming and associated services. The vendor keeps $1.50 and $2.25 goes to printing and administration.

Mountain biking Trail promoters are rallying interest among mountain bikers to write their congressmen for help in reactivating the stalled Taft Tunnel trail project The trail, also known as the Route of the Hiawatha, is a 20-mile route on an abandoned railway running from Lookout Pass to the North Fork of the St. Joe River.

After checking out the costs for a weeklong stay at a fly-in Alaska fishing lodge, I knew why they billed it the "trip of a lifetime." The CEO who manages our family budget said no way, not at $2,800 a visit. Forced to downscale my sporting plans, I learned to economize. I got to Alaska that summer with several fishing buddies, snug in a Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge cabin for $20 a night. Coastal cabins in Alaska are preferred by hunters seeking Sitka deer. Inland cabins situated on rivers in national forests and wildlife refuges are prime spots for tackling salmon, char and cutthroat trout, as well as photographing grizzly bears.

CHECK IT OUT Distance: 2-1/2 miles Difficulty: Moderate Hiking time: 1-1/2 - 3 hours Season: March through mid-Dec. Maps: USGS Chatcolet, Harrison Info: Heyburn State Park, (208) 686-1308 HIKING TRIP NOTES Access: From U.S. Highway 95 at Plummer, Idaho, drive 6-1/2 miles east on State Highway 5 and turn north at well-signed road toward Chatcolet (between mileposts 6 and 7). Follow paved road north nearly 2 miles - passing Hawleys Landing campground, Plummer Point picnic area and Heyburn State Park headquarters - to Y. Bear right to reach lower trailhead at picnic area. Bear left to reach trailhead at Chatcolet campground. Lower trailhead leads up from south side of upper picnic pavilion to campground entrance. Take upper campground road to main trailhead between campsites 13 and 15. Attractions: Aerobic hike over best preserved portion of original Mullan Road southern section. Built in late 1850s, road ran 624 miles between Fort Benton, Mont., and Walla Walla. Trail gains 1,086 feet in 1-1/4 miles to top of Shoeffler Butte. Good views of St. Joe River mouth and Hidden Lake.

Clothing America's astronauts no longer will wear cotton socks when they walk in space. Cotton is too cold and clammy, they say. After testing more than 30 sock styles and fiber combinations, ILC Dover, the company that makes NASA's multimillion-dollar space suits, chose DuPont's ThermaStat as one of the most effective sock fabrics for warmth, lightness and moisture-wicking properties. The fine filaments help block radiant heat loss, a DuPont spokesman said. NASA will be using over-the-counter Wick Dry and Wick Dry Turbo model socks made by Fox River Mills.

Check it out Distance: 3 miles round trip Difficulty: Moderate Hiking time: 1-3 hours Season: March through mid-Dec. Maps: USGS Chatcolet Indo: Heyburn State Park, (208) 686-1308 Hiking trip notes Access: From U.S. Highway 95 at Plummer, Idaho, drive 6 miles east on State Highway 5 and turn north at well-signed road toward Chatcolet. Follow paved road north 1-1/8 miles to trailhead, passing Hawleys Landing Campground, and bay of wild rice. Park on left just after crossing railroad tracks. Before beginning hike, consider driving 100 yards farther, turning right into Heyburn State Park headquarters to pick up interpretive brochure for Indian Cliffs nature trail (Out of stock until spring). Optional trailhead: Hike can be extended by hiking lakeshore trail that begins at Hawleys Landing and runs 1-1/8-miles to Indian Cliffs trailhead.

Fishing The Snake River is by far the favorite fishing destination for Idaho residents, a survey of 1,000 licensed Idaho anglers showed. Asked to name their favorite standing body of water, respondents pegged Henry's Lake. Fish species most pursued by Idaho residents are, in order of preference, rainbow trout, bass, steelhead, cutthroat trout, crappies, brown trout, kokanee and catfish. The Idaho Fish and Game Department commissioned the survey to help the agency plan future fish-management strategies.

1. (Photo of book cover) 2. (Photo of book cover) 3. (Photo of book cover)

(Photo of disc cover)

Big-game hunter's dream book A book released late last year puts a century of big game hunting at a trophy hunter's fingertips. "Trophy Deer and Elk of British Columbia," by Rick Berreth (Antler Publishing, 8205 Malaspina Ave., Prince George, B.C., Canada V2N 4J7, telephone (604) 964-8057, $28.95 ppd.) compiles 355 photos of the province's top mosshorns, plus the stories behind many of the kills.

Shooting More than 6 million shooters reload their own ammunition, according to a National Shooting Sports Foundation survey: More than one-third of hunters reload.

Winter recreation The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has purchased 80 acres at Snoqualmie Pass to create the state's largest official parking area for cross-country skiers and snowmobilers. The property, known as the Crystal Springs Rock Pit, had been leased and operated as a winter parking area for five years. A change of ownership forced closure of the area last year, cutting off access to 42,000 winter users.<

CHECK IT OUT Distance: 5 miles Difficulty: Moderate Paddling time: 2 hours