Kootenai County may sell popular waterfall

COEUR D’ALENE — Kootenai County commissioners are considering selling a parcel of land that includes the Chilco waterfall, and that has some ice climbers and environmentalists upset. Hayden ice climber Jason Baker told the Coeur d’Alene Press the waterfall is the only ice climbing site in the region. Climbers like to traverse the waterfall in the winter, when it freezes solid. Commissioner Dan Green says visitors to the waterfall must cross private property to reach it, and the site isn’t maintained and is often unused. The commissioners think money from the sale of the property could be better used elsewhere. The Kootenai Environmental Alliance is also opposing the plan to sell. Adrienne Cronebaugh with the Alliance says it’s poor practice to liquidate public property for money to boost operating budgets.