Out & About

OUTPLOW

Taking the high road to Mount Baker

Washington’s highest state highway is still buried under snow, but road crews have been working since the beginning of July with hopes of plowing Mount Baker Highway open by the end of the month.

Last week, the area at the end of the road near Artist Point, elevation about 5,000 feet, was still buried under about 20 feet of snow.

If the state didn’t spend about $50,000 to open the roadway, it’s unlikely the entire road would clear of snow on its own, state officials said.

Artist Point typically opens in July and will remain open until the first substantial snowfall of the year, usually in late September or early October.

Artist Point never opened during the summer of 1999 because of record snowfall that winter.

OUTCOME

Soaring efforts pay off for eagles

In 1979, Idaho’s first formal survey of nesting bald eagles found 11 pairs in the state. A 2006 survey documented 216 occupied eagle territories.

Conservation efforts and enforcement by wildlife managers in Idaho and other individual states contributed to the bald eagle’s national recovery from a few hundred breeding pairs in the 1970s to nearly 10,000 pairs today, leading to the bird’s removal from the endangered species list. Last month’s declaration becomes official on Saturday.

OUTSHOW

New outdoor shows scheduled in 2008

“Great Western Sportfishing Show, Feb. 29-March 2, Spokane Convention Center. Info: (509) 697-8208 or www.greatwesternsport fishingshow.com.

“National Vintage Snowmobile Show, sometime in July 2008 near Coeur d’Alene. Info: (509) 226-0649 or www.vsca.com.

OUTLOOK

Best fishing times

Lunar tables from the U.S. Naval Observatory. Be fishing at least one hour before and one hour after peak times. Applies to all time zones. (* indicates best days.)

Through July 29

Today: 7:20 p.m., 7:45 a.m.

Monday: 8:05 p.m., 8:30 a.m.

* Tuesday: 8:55 p.m., 9:20 a.m.

* Wednesday: 9:45 p.m., 10:15 a.m.

Thursday: 10:40p.m., 11:10 a.m.

Friday: 11:40 p.m.

Saturday: 12:05 p.m.

* Next Sunday: 12:35 a.m., 12:50 p.m.

See the Hunting-Fishing Report

every Friday in Sports