Rich Landers: Spring brings plethora of outdoor opportunities

Assembling camping gear is a pre-Memorial Day weekend ritual for many Inland Northwesters, but don’t stop there. Remember one task that can make or break any trip into the region’s great outdoor destinations:

Call ahead to see if you can get there.

And while you’re at it, check to see if any permits are required.

November rains caused massive damage to roads and trails in Western Washington forests and parks. Idaho suffered damage, too, with extensive road damage in a few areas such as Lightning Creek northeast of Sandpoint.

Elsewhere, “be prepared to encounter trees blocking roads that might provide access to your favorite spots,” said Mary Price of the St. Joe Ranger District.

Massive numbers of blowdowns are preventing travel on roads normally open this time of year, she said, noting that crews won’t get to all of them by Memorial Day. Trail clearing is even lower on the priority list.

Snow still blocks many higher elevation roads, such as Freezeout, Heller and the Mallards areas in the St. Joe and the upper Trestle Creek area in the Kaniksu north of Lake Pend Oreille.

Farragut flourishes: If not this weekend, check out the new $1.2 million Gilmore Campground at Idaho’s 4,000-acre Farragut State Park.

The 38 individual and five companion sites are geared primarily to RV campers. Farragut now has a total of 246 campsites in five campgrounds plus three group campgrounds along the shores of Lake Pend Oreille.

Federal recreation passes: Don’t be confused by the announcement last spring that the federal government was eliminating $5 and $10 recreation access or parking fees it charges at about 500 picnic areas and trailheads.

The fees have never been charged in North Idaho and they are no longer charged at popular backcountry trailheads in the Blue Mountains.

However, the parking passes are still required at many areas, including the Colville National Forest Bead Lake Boat launch in northeastern Washington, all of the Eagle Cap Wilderness trailheads in Oregon, and most of the popular Forest Service recreation sites in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and eastward through Western Washington.

Day passes are available for purchase at many of these sites. (Bring $5 cash to deposit for each day your vehicle will be parked at the trailhead or picnic area. This requirement does not apply to campgrounds, which have their own fees.)

Annual vehicle passes, however, are the most economical alternatives for people who plan multiple trips to fee-access public land destinations during a year. Here are the options, which have been revised this year under the new “America the Beautiful” pass program:

“Interagency Annual Pass, $80 – Good for a passenger vehicle load of fun-seekers at most federal sites, this is a real deal for anyone planning more than several visits to national parks, forests, BLM or Corps of Engineers areas. (Note: A similar Parks Canada family/group annual pass costs about $140.)

For an additional $20, this pass can be upgraded to include vehicle entry to 26 Oregon State Parks.

“Interagency Senior Pass, $10 – A lifetime pass for people age 62 and older. (Replaces the Golden Age Passport.)

“Interagency Access Pass, free – For people with disabilities. (Replaces the Golden Access Passport.)

“Northwest Forest Pass, $30 – Good only at Forest Service areas in Washington and Oregon that charge vehicle fees. Pays for itself in a single six-day backpacking trip to the Eagle Cap or Alpine Lakes wilderness areas, or six trips to the Bead Lake public boat launch in the attempt to hook a burbot. (Note: You don’t need this pass if you have the Interagency Annual Pass.)

Purchase the interagency passes in Spokane at REI or the Bureau of Land Management office or call the national hotline, (877) 465-2727.

Purchase the Northwest Forest Pass at Sportsman’s Warehouse or call (800) 270-7504.

For more info on the interagency and Northwest passes with easy links for online purchase, go to the Web, www.fs.fed.us./r6/passespermits or the clearinghouse for federal recreation lands at www.recreation.gov.

State vehicle passes: Don’t forget, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department requires a vehicle access pass at public boat launches and other department-managed sites. Cost: $10 where hunting and fishing licenses are sold. (They’re free with the purchase of a hunting or fishing license.)

Free boat wash: Priest Lake boaters are on the cutting edge of battling the rampant milfoil infestations with a free wash station that opens today at Dickensheet Visitor Center at mile marker 18 on State Highway 57.

Cleaning boats and trailers that have been in other waters is critical to preventing the spread of the weed in Priest Lake. Idaho’s milfoil assault team will be washing boats all summer, Thursdays-Sundays, noon-5 p.m.

The high-pressure wash job takes 10-15 minutes.

Boaters can do their part by washing their vessels at home before going from lake to lake this year.

Rewarding work: Want to do something memorable on Memorial Day weekend? Roll up your sleeves and repair fences that keep livestock out of springs, creeks and other important wildlife habitat in the Colville National Forest. The Inland Northwest Wildlife Council and several conservation groups are leading the campout with a cause.

Info: Jeff Holmes (509) 868-3337 or basaltbone@yahoo.com