Snow lovers, this weekend beckons

Perhaps you found a new pair of cross-country skis or snowshoes under the Christmas tree, or maybe you’ve been toying with the idea of trying these heart-nurturing winter sports.

This weekend will be prime time to hit the trails.

The Inland Northwest has more groomed trails than ever, and there’s never been a longer weekend list of special events and opportunities.

Saturday’s “Cross-Country Idaho” at state parks and Park N’ Ski facilities is just one of many options. Here’s a sampling.

49 Degrees North will cater to both telemark skiers and cross-country skiers on Saturday with Tele Daze ski demos and races on the slopes and group nordic skiing lessons on the trail system below.

Enter the free-heel downhill races in various categories or simply try out the newest telemark skis and boots 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The race fee is $20, or get an all-day lift ticket and race entry package for $30.

The group lessons for beginning cross-country skiers start at 10 a.m. Saturday. Cost is $20. Rentals will be available if needed. Beginner group lessons also will be offered on Jan. 19.

Mount Spokane State Park is the site for Snowfest on Sunday, featuring free lessons for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, as well as free rentals and a chance to try out snowshoes from various manufacturers. The event runs 10 a.m.-3 p.m. based at Selkirk Lodge. A Washington Sno-Park permit is required on vehicles. Info: Mountain Gear, 325-9000.

Mount Spokane, of course, is the region’s crown jewel for nordic skiing, with more than 35 kilometers of meticulously groomed cross-country ski trails, up from 25Ks last year. No other trails in this area are designed and groomed to this standard.

The new trails extend so far out of the park onto Inland Empire Paper Co. lands, people have become disoriented. Eagle Scout candidate Scott Strong and volunteers from the Spokane Nordic Ski Education Foundation have helped by putting up new trail signs plus signs indicating the shortest route back to the trailhead at Selkirk Lodge.

Ten foundation volunteers also have trained to operate a new snowmobile-pulled Ginzu groomer to touch up the trails as needed and even Tuesdays and Wednesdays when the trails aren’t normally groomed by State Parks staff.

Spokane Parks and Recreation Department has a full winter schedule of events for snowshoers and skiers. This weekend is no exception.

A guided snowshoe hike at Liberty Lake County Park is scheduled for Saturday. Snowshoe rentals are available if needed. A guided cross-country ski trip to Priest Lake is set for Jan. 13, including transportation.

Spokane Parks also arranges for individual cross-country skiing lessons in skating and classic techniques at Mount Spokane. Info: 625-6200.

Colville National Forest is grooming 17Ks of skate and tracked trails at Boulder-Deer Creek Pass east of Curlew, plus 19Ks of single track at Frater Lake east of Colville. Sno-Park or Park N’ Ski vehicle pass is required.

Priest Lake area is smothered under 4 feet of powder snow this week, leaving almost too much of a good thing for the local group that’s grooming ski trails in the area.

But Saturday is prime time to check out the 10Ks of groomed trails at the Priest Lake Nordic Sports Center (Golf Course). Skiing will be free at Priest Lake trails, which are being adopted into the Idaho Park N’ Ski vehicle permit program this year.

Note: The Washington Sno-Park Permit is reciprocal with Idaho Park N’ Ski Permit, which costs $25 for a season or $7.50 for three days. The exception is Mount Spokane, where an additional “grooming” sticker ($30 a year) is required for both Sno-Park and Park N’ Ski permits.

Other groomed trails at Priest Lake include nearly 20Ks at Hanna Flats on the west side of the lake, plus about 6Ks at Blue Diamond-Rocky Point trail system in Cavanaugh Bay and more trails at Priest Lake State Park’s Indian Creek Unit.

Farragut State Park, which reported about 14 inches of snow on the ground Wednesday, has about 10Ks of groomed ski trails, plus some snowshoe trails. The $4 park entrance fee will be waived on Saturday for both cross-country skiers and snowshoers.

Fourth of July Pass nordic trail system has expanded to nearly 45Ks of marked trails graced with two warming huts, but only a fraction of that system is groomed. With parking fees waived on Saturday, expect at least an 8K ski loop to be groomed plus the 7.4K round-trip snowshoe route called Janet’s Jaunt.

Dogs are allowed on several of the area’s snowshoe trails, which are groomed by the Panhandle Nordic Club. See trail maps and other info on the club’s Web site, panhandle nordicclub.com.

Weather and conditions permitting, 23 sites around the state will be participating in Saturday’s Cross-Country Idaho, including 16 Park N’ Ski areas and seven state parks. All sites will offer free parking and free skiing and snowshoeing. Some sites will also offer beginner ski lessons, free or reduced price equipment rental and refreshments.