Rich Landers

National forests Topics ranging from wildflowers to weeds will be topics for free slide shows presented by Colville National Forest experts next month.

Jerry Hickman

Camping Beginning tonight, the Sullivan Lake campground and boat launch will be closed for renovation, Colville National Forest officials say. About 38 of the 48 campsites at the north end of the lake are scheduled to reopen on Aug. 8. Meanwhile, the Mill Pond and Noisy Creek campgrounds remain open. However, the road between the north and south ends of the lake is closed for construction daily from 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Info: (509) 446-7500.

Risk is the difference between a trip and an adventure. Risk makes for a tighter grip on the paddle, louder roars in the rapids, brighter flashes in the thunder, broader smiles on the summit, bigger teeth on the griz. And better stories at the end of the trail.

Two Idaho anglers who resisted the tradition of pitching non-game fish into the bushes have secured a moment of fame in the state record book. Tyler Nimke of Harrison became the first Idaho angler to submit a large-scale sucker for the record listings last spring. The 4-pound, 11-ounce fish was caught in Lake Coeur d'Alene's Squaw Bay.

Check it out Distance: 6-1/2 miles round trip Difficulty: Moderate Hiking time: 2-1/2 - 4-1/2 hours Season: March through Nov. Maps: USGS - Dartford Info: Riverside State Park, 456-3964 Hiking trip notes Access: West trailhead parking is at Indian Painted Rocks parking area just north of Little Spokane River on Rutter Parkway. To reach east trailhead, drive west from Mill Road 1-1/2 miles on Waikiki and take sharp left at sign toward St. George's School. Drive 200 yards to trailhead sign and parking area on left. Attractions: Exceptional wildlife habitat and chance of seeing variety of songbirds, hawks, owls, waterfowl, whitetailed deer and other critters. Trail gives higher overlook of Little Spokane River than trail heading west from Indian Painted Rocks. However, this route also includes two steep sections - price one pays for views. Comments: From east trailhead, route climbs immediately up more than a dozen switchbacks before contouring hillside above St. George's School

CHECK IT OUT Distance: 8-1/2 miles round trip Difficulty: Mostly easy Riding time: 1-1/2 - 3 hours Season: April through October Maps: USGS Bayview, Farragut State Park Map available at park headquarters Info: Farragut State Park, (208) 683-2425

Beargrass permits made more money for one district than wood cutting. Photo by Rich Landers/The Spokesman-Review

Dave Gordon

Boating Next time a sheriff's deputy boards your boat and finds you don't have proper life jackets, he may give you a loan instead of a ticket. Health Districts in Asotin, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens and Whitman counties have used federal funding to distribute dozens of high-quality life jackets to their sheriff's departments to help spread the word about the number one way to prevent boating deaths.

Using the Berry Master makes picking huckleberries easier, if done right. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Camping Big improvements are under way at Sullivan Lake campground, Forest Service officials say. But construction will close some of the campsites for most of the summer. Beginning Wednesday, the 10 sites in the west campground will be closed except during Down River Days, July 28-31, and Labor Day holiday, Aug. 31-Sept. 4.

Mark Eisbree

Ron and Gerry Krueger. Photo by Madonna Luers/Special to Outdoors

An Idaho rule effective this month allows bowhunter to use certain crossbows if they have handicaps that prevent them from using standard bows. One must have a special handicapped archery permit to use a crossbow for hunting. Approved crossbows can be used only in archery hunting seasons. Permit applications are available from Idaho Fish and Game Department offices.

HIKING TRIP NOTES Access: From U.S. Highway 95 at Athol (milepost 449), head east at well-marked intersection and follow signs to Farragut State Park. Just past park headquarters and visitor center, turn right on South Road and drive 1/4 mile to trailhead. Attractions: Easy-access three-season forest hike with options to suit walkers of all abilities. Full loop trail makes 500-foot elevation gain to views of Lake Pend Oreille and impressive rock formations - highest point generally accessible from Farragut. Shorter options eliminate steep climb and descent. Developed camping and day-use areas available in main area of park. Comments: From trailhead, hike loop trail clockwise. Full trip leads from bottomland vegetation to mountain penstemon displays in rocks near high point.

Spokane fly-fishers had big hopes. So did Michigan salmon fishers. But their triploid fish projects didn't pan out. A year ago, anglers were rubbing their palms, expecting the first rush of 40- to 60-pound salmon in Lake Michigan. Michigan State University's multiyear experiment with triploid salmon - those genetically engineered fish designed to exceed the normal fouryear life cycle and grow to unprecedented sizes - was about to bear fruit. But few of the fish returned. Those that did weren't monsters. They were midgets.

Most of the country has figured out that Sasquatch and other Western myths are a hoax. Fly-fishers aren't so savvy. Year after year, Dan Bailey wannabes make the annual spring pilgrimage to Montana for the fabled salmonfly hatch.

A scared little bunny rabbit, down in hostile territory, surrounded by aggressors taking potshots, tormented by cows... No, this isn't a rehash of pilot Scott O'Grady's Bosnian nightmare. The descriptions tell the plight of the wetlands scientist - a bad dream come true right here in the good ol' USA.

PADDLING TRIP NOTES Access: From Cheney, turn south on Cheney-Plaza Road toward Turnbull Wildlife Refuge. Continue south 17 miles (you might not notice name of highway changes to Rock Lake Road). Turn east on Miller Road. Drive 4 3/4 dusty miles on Miller and Belsby roads to put-in at one-lane Rock Creek bridge. Put-in also accessible from Pine City via Hole In Ground Road. Attractions: Undeveloped scabland canyon lake accessible only by snaking up small creek, which excludes large powerboats. Excellent area for up-close look at red-winged and yellow-headed blackbirds, canyon wrens, cliff swallows, redtailed hawks, turkey vultures, waterfowl, maybe rattlesnakes. Persistent anglers can catch crappie, perch, bass. Caves and natural bridge formed in terraced basalt walls that tower up to 600 feet above lake. Short hike leads to seasonal 150-foot waterfall. Comments: Launch boats at bridge, then park as far off road as possible on one side of road to allow passage of farm machinery. Don't block ranchers' gates! Creek can be as little as 6 feet wide and 2 feet deep as it winds through cattails, bullrushes. Flow varies from spring through summer, but upstream paddling rarely difficult. Expect to see small boats with outboard motors.

Fishing Tyler Nimke of Harrison, Idaho, has become the first Idaho angler to submit a large-scale sucker for the state record listings. Idaho Fish and Game Department officials in Boise confirmed the record fish at 4 pounds, 11 ounces. Nimke caught the sucker in April in Lake Coeur d'Alene's Squaw Bay.

Fishing At least 70 two-person teams representing nine states and provinces have entered the Washington Governor's Cup Walleye Tournament for June 24-25, sponsored by the Kettle Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.

Hunting Two trespassing turkey hunters gobbled a little humble pie in California this spring. George Lund, 27, and Steven Richard Avila, 37, were hunting without permission on private land near Happy Camp when they heard the sound of a tom gobbling in the distance. The hunters stalked the call and, sure enough, they found the gobbler. But instead of feathers, he was wearing a badge. Ken Taylor, California Fish and Game Department warden, had spotted the pair's truck near a private cattle ranch and suspected they were up to no good. But with a vast area to cover, he chose to take a stand and call the culprits to him. Twenty minutes later, he was writing tickets to Lund and Avila, each of whom faces fines up to $270.

Sea kayaking Washington's recently established Cascadia Marine Trail through Puget Sound recently was named a national recreation trail by the National Park Service. The 140-mile route has a series of campsites at 14 state parks and seven Department of Natural Resources sites for use only by wind and humanpowered boaters. Paddlers or sailors who wish to use the campsites must purchase a $14 annual permit. Info: (206) 902-8509.