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Group hikes planned

Crystal Gartner of Conservation Northwest leads a group of 24 hikers through a roadless portion of the Colville National Forest in August. The conservation group is seeking wilderness status for several roadless areas in the Kettle River Range. (Rich Landers / The Spokesman-Review)
Rich Landers Outdoors editor
Crystal Gartner of Conservation Northwest leads a group of 24 hikers through a roadless portion of the Colville National Forest in August. The conservation group is seeking wilderness status for several roadless areas in the Kettle River Range. (Rich Landers / The Spokesman-Review)

It’s never been easier to find hiking companions in the Inland Northwest.

Three conservation-oriented groups are leading group hiking trips from May through September to choice backcountry areas in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. The treks range from easy to rigorous.

Every summer the Idaho Conservation League encourages people to get out into the mountains, woods and desert to experience Idaho’s great outdoors through the annual hiking series, said Susan Drumheller, ICL spokesman in Sandpoint.

The Friends of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness is leading trips in the Kaniksu National Forest north of Lake Pend Oreille and in the west end of the Kootenai National Forests to introduce the public to choice wildlands.

Conservation Northwest members are leading trips in the Kettle River range and elsewhere in the Columbia Highlands to highlight areas they believe should be protected in the Colville and Okanogan forests.

Following are the hikes scheduled through early July:

Friends of the Scotchmans

June 3—Scotchman Peak, 8 miles, strenuous hike to highest point in Bonner County. Contact Jim Mellen, (208) 265-5261, e-mail jmellen@imbris.net.

June 9Antelope Mountain, easy hike. Contact Holly Clements (208) 255-4198, e-mail blckbr8@cs.com

June 12—Delyle Ridge, easy hike. Contact Lexie de Fremery, (208) 265-9421, e-mail lexie@nidaho.net.

June 17—Scotchman Peak, 8 miles, strenuous hike. Contact Rick Price, (208) 255-1499, e-mail prices@sandpoint.net.

June 23—Star Peak ascent, strenuous hike. Contact Holly Clements.

June 30—Native Plants of the Scotchman’s plant identification, moderate hike up Morris Creek. Contact Phil Hough, (208) 255-2780, e-mail nowhere_man97@ hotmail.com.

June 30-July 2—Savage Mountain multi-day trip, strenuous hike. Contact Cesar Hernandez, (406) 883-5019.

July 5-9—Compton Crags summer tour, strenuous hike. Contact SandyCompton (406) 847-2396, e-mail scenic.route@sandy compton.com.

July 6—Bear Mountain and Twin Peaks, strenuous hike. Contact John Harbuck, (208) 263-9894, e-mail harbuck@norlight.org.

July 14-15—Little Spar Lake overnighter with one-day option, 7 miles, moderate hike. Contact: Bill Martin, (406) 295-5258.

Idaho Conservation League

July 14—Pyramid Lake Family Hike, a easy 4-mile round trip in the Selklirks with optional side trip to Ball Lake, led by father-daughter team Mike and Megan Murray. Contact: Susan Drumheller, (208) 265-9565, e-mail sdrumheller@wildidaho.org.

Conservation Northwest

June 9—Thirteen Mile Creek from the Sanpoil River in the Kettle Range, 6 miles, moderate hike. Contact: Crystal Gartner, (509) 747-1663, crystal@conservationnw.org.

June 16—Columbia Mountain Lookout, 8 miles, moderate hike to historic lookout at 6,780 feet south of Sherman Pass. Contact: Crystal Gartner.

June 23-24—Kettle Range Rendezvous, weekend campout, barbecue and dayhikes to destinations such as Wapaloosie Mountain, Hoodoo Canyon and Sherman Peak. Contact: Crystal Gartner.

July 14—Hoodoo Canyon & Emerald Lake, 6 miles, moderate hike northwest of Kettle Falls. Contact: Crystal Gartner.