Landers picks region’s top early season backpacking trips

BACKPACKING — With the snow still a few weeks from clearing off mountain trails, early season backpackers don’t have to wait to hit the trail for multi-day trips.  The Inland Northwest has a good assortment of trails that some hikers have been enjoying since March.

Here’s my list of favorite early-season backpacking treks:

• Hells Canyon of the Snake River, from Pittsburg Landing upstream past Kirkwood Ranch to Hells Canyon Dam.
• Wenaha River out of Troy, Oreg.
• Rapid River out of Riggins, Idaho.
• Selway River upstream from Lowell, Idaho, to Moose Creek.
• Lake Chelan Shoreline Trail to Stehekin.
• Ancient Lakes near Quincy, WA (best March through May).