State of the Scotchman Peaks program Thursday in Sandpoint

WILDERNESS — Once a year the Friends of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness gather for an little party and update on what they’ve accomplished and plan to do in their campaign to secure wilderness status for the 88,000-acre roadless area northeast of Lake Pend Oreille.

The annual State of the Scotchmans gathering will start at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 2, at the Forrest M. Bird Charter School.

Bruce Smith, a leading authority on mountains goats and author of Life On The Rocks, will be the guest speaker. The presentation is timely considering the group’s role in educating hikers on coexisting with mountain goats on the area’s namesake Scotchman Peak.

Last year, the popular Forest Service Trail 65 to the peak’s summit was closed after goats had become aggressive because of human interactions.

Friends group members will update progress toward getting Congress to consider wilderness designation and detail the past year’s stewardship projects.

The 2016 Old Goat —the FSPW volunteer of the year — will be crowned.

The public is welcome to join the group for the program, appetizers provided by the students at the Charter School and no-host bar by Eichardts.

Directions:

From US Highway 2 at the west edge of Sandpoint, turn south on Division Street. Watch for a sign pointing to the right toward the School. The meeting is in the building at the end of that street. Watch for the banner.