By Brian Lorenson

Imagine no longer being able to participate in the outdoor activities you enjoy. More specifically: hiking, backpacking, and sleeping under the stars at your campsite. This unacceptable possibility is what the founder of PasstoPass, Bill Meyer, faced with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). 

A 2022 Parkinson’s Foundation backed study estimates that approximately 90,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year. For those with PD, symptoms can vary. Slow movement, muscle cramping, poor balance and gait shuffle are some of the many symptoms. A common therapy, however, is exercise. Multiple studies have shown that vigorous exercise improves PD symptoms and may even slow the progression of the disease.  

A lifelong hiker, backpacker, and Pacific Crest Trail advocate, Meyer knew the key to a successful trip was in the support provided to those with PD. He and cofounder, Ken Kisch, set out in 2016 with four PD hikers, eight support hikers, and a mule team for packing supplies while hiking the 74 miles between Stevens Pass and Snoqualmie Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail. 

With pack animals, PD hikers carry only a light day pack. Support hikers assist, as needed, on the trail and in camp. Not only does this arrangement allow participants to have a more positive hiking experience, it encourages hikers to overcome the challenges of the disease, boosting morale and confidence. Furthermore, the shared experience between hikers creates deep bonds and lasting friendships. 

Now in its 10th season, PasstoPass has grown to meet the evolving needs of its participants. Pack llamas, rather than mules, are now used to transport gear. In addition to multi-day backpacking trips, the organization also offers base camp, car camping and lodge-based day hikes. Regional chapters in seven states work to host regular day hikes, all led and planned by individuals with PD or their close allies. 

Trip leaders (TLs), trained in wilderness first aid, must first complete a PasstoPass trip as either a PD participant or support hiker before being selected to lead the following year. Assistant trip leaders work closely with TLs and support staff to ensure every hiker’s safety and comfort on the trail.  

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, PasstoPass is volunteer-run and led by individuals with Parkinson’s disease. By the end of the 2024 season, a total of 479 hikers had participated in the annual multi-day trips since 2016, logging more than 10,000 miles on the trail. The organization’s operating expenses—including the cost of llamas, shared community gear, training and insurance—are entirely funded by donations. Want to get involved? Visit the PasstoPass website or Facebook page, share this article with someone living with Parkinson’s, or make a tax-deductible donation. You can also join a regional chapter day hike. More info at Passtopass.org

The post Keeping Hiking Dreams Alive for People with Parkinson’s  appeared first on Out There Venture.

Most people sign up for a wilderness first aid class after panicking their way through some type of backcountry medical emergency. Left with regret at having been unprepared, they want to make sure they’re ready for next time. The trouble with this approach, says Katie Luthy, co-owner of Longleaf Wilderness Medicine in Sandpoint, is that there usually is no next time. You aren’t likely to run into the same accident twice.  

After some close calls over the years, I’ve started worrying about what I’ll do if some benign misadventure ever deteriorates into an actual emergency. I recently spent 16 hours over a single weekend getting certified in wilderness first aid with Longleaf. Luthy taught everything imaginable, including accident prevention, building splints out of backpacking gear, how to seal up someone’s sucking chest wound with a Ziploc baggie until help arrives, how to use tincture of benzoin and Steri Strips together for lacerations, and how to intentionally stock and organize a first aid kit.  

Luthy recommends Adventure Medical for pre-stocked commercial kits because they’re organized according to accident type: wound care supplies together in one compartment, stop-bleeding-fast tools in another. You can do the same when packing or re-stocking your own kit. If you can’t take a class, research basics like how to stop bleeding, how to treat burns and wounds, how to splint a limb and how to identify problems such as hypothermia and shock. Bundle injury-specific supplies together for quick access and only carry what you know how to use.  

Preparation is the only control you have in a complex and unpredictable environment. In his poem “Lost,” David Wagoner writes about wilderness, “And you must treat it as a powerful stranger, / Must ask permission to know it and be known.” Here is a stranger who can heal and purify you as easily as break your bones and feed you to a bear. Go if you can. Go far, and often. Just don’t go unprepared. Visit Longleafmedical.com to find classes all over the Inland Northwest or get a bunch of friends together and schedule a group session.

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Cover photo courtesy Joel Sattgast

Since returning to the Northwest three years ago, I’ve been gently preparing my daughters physically, mentally, and emotionally to ensure they were ready to handle their first overnight backpacking trip. Recently, our family has tackled family camping trips in primitive areas, countless hikes, bike rides, runs, and even rehearsed an at home mantra of “We’re made to do tough things.”  

At 8 and 10 years old, it seemed my daughters were finally ready to embark on their inaugural backpacking expedition. Remaining flexible with dates and selecting a location less than two hours from Spokane allowed us to take full advantage of an ideal weather window in early June.  

After narrowing our inaugural dad-daughter backpacking trip to a few alpine lakes in North Idaho, we settled on one a short drive off I-90 in the Bitterroot Mountains. Having explored some of this area within the Idaho Panhandle National Forest in the fall of 2023 via day hikes, it would afford a sense of familiarity and, hopefully, ease some of the girls’ trepidation with backpacking into a remote area and spending the night. However, with the lake sitting at an elevation of around 5,500 feet, the tradeoff would be an increased potential for snow and higher runoff through the creek. All things considered, our destination was set.  

We planned to arrive at the trailhead early in the morning to allow ample time to hike the 2.5 miles to the lake and navigate 1,600 feet of elevation gain prior to a lunchtime arrival at our destination. Upon departure, the excitement quickly wore off, giving way to achy shoulders and backs, tired legs, and questions of “how much longer!?!” I knew this was going to happen—but so soon into the hike? Really!?  

Dipping into the chocolate stash helped, along with mental distractions of “Would you rather…” (e.g. would you rather wear high heels or ballet slippers for the rest of your life?) These strategies, combined with alternating 10-minute intervals of dad carrying their packs suitcase-style (farmer carry marches for the win) offered just enough reprieve, encouragement, and distraction to forge ahead.  

Lesson 1: Plan to Mitigate Mental and Physical Fatigue 

About one hour into the hike, we encountered the first major obstacle—the creek had swollen due to higher runoff and the usual easy log bridge crossing was now a tricky, and slick, rapid water crossing. After ferrying all the packs to the other side of the creek, the last challenge was helping the girls safely across. The packs had made it on my back, so naturally a piggy-back made the most sense—until it didn’t!  

Halfway across, my foot slipped, and into the water I went along with my passenger-daughter. Halting my fall, my knee and shin made immediate contact with a submerged rock. As my daughter would say, “Biscuits!!!” Thankfully, the water was only 2-3 feet deep, and socks and boots will dry, but falling into a creek with my daughter on my back on our first backpacking trip was not on the agenda.  

After recovering and offering thanksgiving no serious injuries were incurred, we identified a better plan to help my other daughter across without further incident. Had we taken just a bit more time initially, perhaps we would have come to a similar conclusion that would have kept us all dry and minimized our safety risk.  

Lesson 2: Take Time to Analyze All Available Options 

A short triage and assessment ensured nothing was broken or sprained post-creek fall (an added benefit of training as an orthopedic physical therapist), and we were quickly on our way to tackle the remaining climb toward the lake. Surprisingly, this moment of adversity renewed our spirits, and suddenly achy shoulders/backs and tired legs were replaced with thanks and optimism for the adventure ahead. What seemed like a major negative in my mind had brought out a greater strength and determination in the girls. Turns out, “We’re made to do tough things” was more than just a nice platitude – here we were turning words into actions!  

Lesson 3: Adversity Can Build Character and Perseverance 

Tackling the last remaining climbs and areas of snowpack proved beneficial as we were rewarded with picturesque views of the lake upon our arrival. After setting up camp, collecting dry branches and pinecones for an evening fire, and identifying the best locations for water filtration and answering nature’s call, we settled into our afternoon and evening by exploring the lake shore and the surrounding terrain. Despite significant surface ice on the water, the girls managed to endure the cold and do some knee-deep wading along the shoreline in the afternoon sun. A cool reward for enduring the strenuous hike to camp!  

That evening and into the next morning provided ample opportunity for adventure, campfire discussions about the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ of backpacking, a few life-lesson applications, and even some surprise treats. (Pro Tip: s’mores would’ve been hard to pack, but individually wrapped Rice Krispies roasted over the campfire were a major “win.”)  

Lesson 4: Keep It Short 

While it would have been easy to prolong our trip, the next morning we packed up camp and began the trek back to the trailhead. By targeting a 36-hour window for our first backpacking trip, the goal was to ensure spirits remained high and energy did not wane too much.  

If I’m honest, I’ve been imagining this trip for almost a decade. After our children were born, tempered with not wanting to wish away their younger years, I began looking forward to sharing my love for the outdoors via camping/backpacking, fishing and hunting, hiking, cycling, running and the list goes on. And while I do not expect they will immediately fall in love with every experience or adventure we undertake, I do hope that with an element of intentional planning, combined with varying yet frequent exposures, I can impart just a bit of the sense of excitement I have for outdoor adventures. In doing so, maybe I’ll gain a few adventure partners … and they’ll look forward to some one-on-one time with dad. 

Joel Sattgast is an outdoor enthusiast who loves sharing in adventures with his family. When not exploring, he’s a physical therapist, performance coach, and EWU faculty. 

The post Lessons From an Inaugural Dad-Daughter Backpacking Trip  appeared first on Out There Venture.

• Spokane County Library District just created an excellent opportunity to pair a visit to a popular trail system with a relaxing summer afternoon spent reading in a hammock. The new Parkside Books at Liberty Lake Regional Park is located within the Liberty Lake business office near the entrance to the park and is open daily from 9a.m.-6p.m. Book check-out is on the honor system, so no library card is necessary. Check out a book to add to your backpack and head for the lakeshore, cedar grove, or all the way to Mica Peak! Then find a cozy spot to read during the heat of the day. Return the book when you’re done with your adventure, or drop it off at any Spokane County Library branch.
• Join the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy for a fun and informative bug walk at Saltese Flats on July 14. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the newly restored wetlands while learning about the insects that are drawn to this unique habitat where the attention is generally focused on the birds! (Inlandnwland.org)
• Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness has a busy July lineup of fun events for a variety of interests. Offerings range from fun hikes with kids, foraging, and nature drawing. Or plan your own trip to the namesake peak on a weekend and consider signing up for the Ambassador Program to assist in offering mountain goat safety education to other visitors (Scotchmanpeaks.org).
• Okanogan Highlands Alliance is hosting its annual fundraising long-distance running event, Get Lost!, at Lost Lake on July 9th. The event options include 3, 7, and 14  mile distances. If volunteering is more your style, the group will also be doing some preparatory trailwork on nearby Strawberry Mountain Trail the day before the race. (Okanoganhighlands.org)
• Pend Oreille Rowing and Paddling Association, in conjunction with the US Army Corps of Engineers, is hosting the PORPA sprint races on August 12. The day celebrates non-motorized watercraft and will be held at the Priest River Recreation Area. There will be races for all ages and abilities, with a free kids’ division! (Porpa.org)

CONSERVATION & STEWARDSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

• July typically marks the beginning of wildfire season. Consider taking a closer look

at wildfire preparedness in your own backyard with a Firewise Risk Assessment, free for Spokane County residents through the Spokane Conservation District (Spokanecd.org/departments/forestry-department/firewise/). Those located outside Spokane County should check with their area’s Department of Natural Resources or other agencies for similar opportunities.

• July and August are prime time for summer backpacking. Raise the bar for your summer backpacking trips by joining a backpack-style stewardship project! Idaho Trails Association has trips to the Seven Devils and along the Coeur d’Alene River in July and to Hughes Fork by Priest Lake in August (Idahotrailsassociation.org). Washington Trails Association crews will be working in the heart of the Salmo Priest Wilderness as well as in the Pasayten Wilderness (Wta.org). Pacific Northwest Trail Association will be working along the Kettle Crest in addition to the Salmo Priest and the Pasayten (Pnt.org). Wallowa Mountains Hells Canyon Trails Association will be hosting projects in the Wallowas and the Elkhorn Mountains (Wmhcta.org). //

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Go over a pre-hike checklist: hiking boots and wool socks, favorite trekking poles, 10 essentials (see sidebar), light-weight pack, pocketknife, camera (and more…). While there may be other preferred odds and ends to include alongside your favorite gear, you’re ready to hit the trails, right? While these essentials are needed for comfort and safety, an often-overlooked ‘essential’ aspect of hiking and backcountry navigation is ensuring your capacity (i.e. physical fitness) is a good fit for the demands of the trail. As they say, it’s a good idea not to write a check your body cannot cash.

Fortunately, the performance demands of hiking and backpacking are well known. To increase your capacity and ensure a successful hiking season, prioritize the following areas of focus:

• Improve cardiovascular endurance with consistent walks — expand time-on-feet by walking progressively farther distances on alternating days. If you have a 10-mile hike planned, you should be able to tolerate the distance and duration of the hike. Further improve your readiness by incorporating a loaded pack or weighted vest into your training.
• As we age, our dynamic balance on variable surfaces diminishes. Use it or lose it! To improve safety, reduce fall risk, and increase confidence on uneven terrain, incorporating a simple marching routine significantly improves your fluidity of movement and overall control.
• Whether navigating glacial till, ascending Aasgard Pass, or enjoying the rolling terrain of the Palouse, improving quadricep, posterolateral hip, and calf muscle capacity is crucial to ensuring your ability to enjoy the outdoors . . . as opposed to constantly wondering, “How much farther to the car?!?”
• Finally, while adequate range of motion is necessary (read: “Should I be stretching?”), exposure to a variety of positions and loaded movements is adequate for most individuals to maintain mobility.

All together, each of these areas of emphasis contribute to your overall hiking capacity, allowing you to navigate uneven terrain, challenging ascents and descents, prolonged time-on-feet, and exposure to the elements.

Want more specifics, including guided top-10 exercise progressions and recommendations to prepare for your upcoming hike? Visit Trexopt.com/blog/hiking-readiness-2023 for more digital resources and information.

Joel Sattgast

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• On May 2, join the Methow Conservancy in conjunction with the Wenatchee River Institute for a Zoom presentation on how plants are coping with climate change. Methowconservancy.org
• Join the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy on May 13 for a free hike- or bike-in silent film held outdoors at Waikiki Springs Nature Preserve. Advance registration is required for this unique opportunity to watch a film at sunset in a natural setting.
• Birders across the state will migrate to the Wenas Wildlife Area’s Audubon Camp for a weekend of camping, birding, and campfire talks with guest speakers from June 2-5. The campground is free with a Discover Pass and this family-friendly event does not require advance registration. The Audubon Society will arrange for birding outings during the day and guest speakers at camp. Wenasaudubon.org
• Washington’s state-managed public lands will have a series of fee-free days in June. Plan a fun weekend for June 10-11, taking advantage of waived Discover Pass fees for National Get Outdoors Day on Saturday followed by Washington Free Fishing day on Sunday (campground fees will still apply). Discover Pass requirements will also be waived in celebration of Juneteenth on June 19.
• Ready for a little friendly competition on your stand-up paddle board? The second annual Kettle Falls SUP Cup is back on June 4, with both recreational and competitive divisions. The event will take place at Ricky Point Beach on Lake Roosevelt.

Conservation & Trail Work Opportunities

• Join the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness for a trailwork project at Star Peak in May. Scotchmanpeaks.org
• Backcountry Hunters and Anglers is partnering with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to help remove derelict fences near Winthrop in May. Join this conservation effort to remove abandoned barb wire fences, which otherwise have a negative impact on safe wildlife movement. Backcountryhunters.org/washington_calendar
• Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance is hosting a series of “May in the ‘way’” trail work events at Teanaway Community Forest. There are several nearby options for camping, free with Discover Pass. Evergreenmtb.org/calendar/work-parties
• Pend Oreille Pedalers hosts Thursday night trail work events near Sandpoint throughout May and June. Pendoreillepedalers.org/calendar
• Washington Trails Association Back Country Response Team and day volunteer work parties are happening across the state! Join a backpacking crew working on Clackamas Mountain in the Kettle Range in May, or join crews in June working on the Salmo Loop near Sullivan Lake or the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness in the far southeast corner of Washington. Wta.org/volunteer/schedule
• Idaho Trails Association has a full summer calendar of both day trip and overnight volunteer projects across the state. Join day work parties at English Point and Priest Lake in May or a women-only extended trip to the Selway River in June. Don’t miss their free webinar series in May, with topics on safety and first aid as well as backcountry cooking. Idahotrailsassociation.org/volunteer
• Wallowa Mountains Hells Canyon Trails Association will be following the receding snow as they gain elevation with trailwork events ramping up in May and June, holding both one-day and multi-day events. Wmhcta.org/upcoming-events/events-trainings.

Holly Weiler is a long-time contributor to Out There Venture and writes The Trailhead column for each issue. You can find all of her hike recommendations at Outthereoutdoors.com.

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In their rapture, they all got quite a bit ahead on the trail. I hung back with my youngest daughter, then age 12. Years earlier, she had been diagnosed with a mild version of Developmental Coordination Disorder, which is essentially a type of clinical clumsiness. Her body just didn’t always sync up with what her mind intended to do, and it took her longer than average to negotiate the uneven terrain. She had been left behind and she didn’t like it. She was also getting tired from the climb. She slumped, hung her head, and let her arms go limp and boneless at her sides. Her mood billowed out of her, gloomy and foreboding. She was a stormy little thunderhead on a dazzling summer day. Here it comes, I thought.

Daughter: “This is stupid.”

Me: Silently walking.

Daughter: “I don’t know why we have to do this. I hate this.”

Me: Silently walking.

Daughter: “I can’t even breathe. I feel like I’m having an asthma attack.”

Me: “You’re doing great.”

Daughter: “My ankle is hurting again. It might be sprained.”

Me: “I’m right here with you. Let’s keep going.”

Daughter: SIGH. “Can we just STOP TALKING? PLEASE? … This is so stupid.”

Me: Smiling, and not because I was laughing at her, but because I felt proud of her. She was coming up against and pushing through her own mind’s resistance. It isn’t easy to walk away from all the comfort and familiarity of everyday life, to haul a heavy backpack over miles of rough trail, and to confront the big quiet of the wilderness for days at a time without any buffer or distraction. 

Neither of us said anything more for maybe 20 minutes. We just walked. The old cedars smelled sweetly herbal under the sun, and the forest filtered hazy green light through its canopy. Everywhere, birds sang out.

Daughter: “Mom? Do you ever notice that you’re alive?”

Me: “What makes you ask that?”

Daughter: “Just being out here, I guess. Usually, I do things without really thinking.” She paused. “But look at us.” She held up a hand and stared. “We’re in the world. It’s weird.”

Me: Smiling again.

This was not the first time I had observed wilderness put young people into a state of sudden awareness and awe regarding their physical existence. For example, the day before his 14th birthday, out on his first real overnight backpacking trip, my nephew stood staring at jagged mountains layered up against the horizon at twilight. After a long silence, he dropped his hands to his knees in a sudden, semi-collapse and turned to look at the other kids and me over his shoulder. “Do you know where I am right now? I am here. Right now. In this place.”

In another moment, after days on the trail, a handful of 12- and 13-year-old kids stood knee-deep in a whitecapped lake during a powerful windstorm, letting the gusts come crashing in through their hair and clothes. They laughed with immense purity and pleasure and called out to each other over the storm’s howl, “I feel so happy! Why am I this happy?”

I love traveling into wild spaces with children. They are the best guides. Of course, we adults have to be logistical guides in charge of navigation, safety, etc. Kids, though, are more skilled when it comes to wonder, and can help us experience it, too, if we’re willing to show up and pay attention. What they offer, without even realizing it, is a translation of their physical, experiential conversations with the natural world. They are open to the world, and freely express everything they take in through their senses. In this way, the world speaks itself through them. And that’s what everyone wants to know—What is this wild mystery?

Pay attention to the murmurs and movements and offhand remarks of children who are let loose outside. It’s a way in. Let your guard down, play, celebrate alongside them and watch for the shining thread to emerge: We are happy. We are happy because we’re are alive in this place. Look at us. We ARE this place. (Mom, it’s weird.) And then, without warning, some young voice shouts “PARKOUR!” and a whole chaotic tangle of tanned limbs and trekking poles flings itself into a creek. Best be ready for anything.

Most adults—even those of us who work so hard to keep a clear view—cannot help but see the world through the filter of structured thinking. By the time we reach adulthood, we have learned and decided what is and is not possible, beautiful, desirable, sacred. From there, we are able to experience, imagine, and understand things mainly within those boundaries we create for ourselves. Let us not insist that children experience this world according to the same limitations. Try not to determine for them what is interesting, what to value, how to feel, how to hike, or what is possible. This kind of constrictive attitude prevents us adults from seeing what’s right in front of us, and teaches kids to turn away from the world. Instead, what if we just try to get some parkour points and notice that we’re alive?

In his essay “Illuminos,” author Brian Doyle said of children “they are unadorned and joyous, and patient, and radiant, and luminous, and not disguised or hidden or filtered in any way whatsoever, so that if you see them clearly, which happens occasionally even to the most blinkered and frightened of us, you realize immediately who they are, beings of great and humble illumination dressed in the skins of new and dewy beings, and you realize, with a catch in your throat, that they are your teachers, and they are agents of an unimaginable love, and they are your cousins and companions in awe….” //

Olivia Dugenet is a Spokane writer, backpacking guide, and frequent Out There contributor.

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No matter a child’s age, just one week of camp will improve their well-being and create lifelong memories. Northwest mountains, forests, and lakes provide a setting primed for adventure.

Here is a list of summer camps for 2022 that offer high adventure and intensive outdoor experiences, from backcountry expeditions and survival skills to mountain biking and ziplining. In addition to day and resident camps based in the Inland Northwest, multi-day travel expeditions take place throughout the Pacific Northwest region and mountain West destinations, including national parks.

Breakwater Expeditions: Teen Wilderness Trips

Specializing in backcountry trips (7-14 days) and high-adventure recreation, including canoeing, canyoneering, backpacking, whitewater rafting, and sea kayaking. Though Breakwater Expeditions is headquartered in Sandpoint, Idaho, their summer 2022 adventure travel destinations include Moab, Utah; Yellowstone and the Missouri River; and Puget Sound’s San Juan Islands.

Breakwater Expeditions also provides specialized travel retreats and experiences for families, couples, women-only, and private groups. (Learn more in this OTO story.)

Camp Spalding

Overnight camps for grades 1–12 (plus a family session) with waterfront and adventure recreation that includes paddling, water trampoline, and “The Blob”; horseback riding; archery; rock climbing; high ropes course and zipline; and mountain boards. Camp Spalding is located on 500 wooded acres at Davis Lake, near Newport, Wash.

Camp Spalding has a variety of recreation, including watersports and horseback riding (photos courtesy of Camp Spalding), as well as group games (photo: Amy McCaffree).

Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance: Dirt Camps

Kids learn technical mountain bike skills—including balance, obstacles, drops and jumps, and uphill and downhill riding—and gain confidence on their mountain bikes. Evergreen East, the Eastern Washington Chapter of Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, hosts its camps at Beacon Hill/Camp Sekani in Spokane for ages 8–13 (girls-only session available).

Other statewide chapters host Dirt Camps for kids as young as 6 years old.

Evergreen East Dirt Camp in Spokane at Beacon Hill Bike Park. // Photo courtesy Evergreen East..

Mt. Spokane Mountain Adventure & Mountain Bike Skills Day Camps

Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park expanded its summer day camps program for 2022, based on popularity and high-demand that led to sold-out camp sessions last summer.

Mountain Adventure Day Camps (three days, ages 5–14) feature outdoor games and activities such as hiking, climbing, and crafts, while teaching environmental stewardship within Mount Spokane State Park.

Mountain Bike Skills Camps (four days) teach technical riding skills, flat-tire fixing, and trail maintenance. Sessions tailored for beginners and all levels (ages 7–15) as well as advanced riders (ages 10–17). Includes daily bike games and trail-riding.

Peak 7 Adventures: Backpacking

Peak 7, based in Spokane, provides Introductory backpacking courses for high-school and middle-school age youth with multiday expeditions in either Olympic or North Cascades national parks. Backcountry and technical outdoor skills include compass navigation, map reading, gear management, food prep, risk assessment, and basic first aid. High-school course includes alpine snow travel with an ice axe.

Peak 7 also have offices in Seattle and Portland, offering a range of programs for youth and families throughout the Northwest.

Schweitzer Adventure Day Camp

Atop Schweitzer Mountain, Adventure Camp for ages 6–10 includes hiking, chairlift rides, swimming, village games, climbing wall, and trampoline jumper. Transportation is provided from the Schweitzer parking lot at the mountain base.

SOLE—Selkirk Outdoor Leadership & Education

SOLE designs and facilitates experiential outdoor education programs. Programs include Junior Naturalist day camp for ages 4–9; Outdoor Leadership day camp for ages 10–12, with adventure and service-learning activities; and Backcountry Expeditions for ages 13–17.

Spokane Parks & Recreation Day Camps

The City of Spokane’s Parks & Recreation department provides a fully-summer schedule of camps for kids as young as 6 years old.

Adventures day camps are based at Riverside State Park with sessions for ages 8–11 and 12–15. Three recreation-focused options are available: 1) All Adventures: hiking, kayaking, rafting, rock climbing, and other recreation; 2) Climbing Adventures: rock climbing instruction at indoor climbing gyms, followed by outdoor rock climbing with instructors from Peak 7 Adventures; 3) Wild and Wacky Water Adventures: survival skill-building plus the “All Adventures” activities.

Wilderness Survival Camps, based at Camp Sekani Park, feature hands-on scenarios requiring teamwork and problem-solving during introductory (ages 6–9) and advanced sessions (ages 9–14). Skills include fire and shelter-building, navigation, rope and knots, tool use, and knife safety.

Twin Eagles Wilderness School.

Twin Eagles day and overnight camps connect youth with nature while teaching survival skills, including foraging, making fire with friction, wildlife tracking, and natural shelter building, and much more. Due to high demand this summer, a waitlist is available.

Twin Eagles’ summer campers connect with nature with hands-on survival skills, including foraging, making fire with friction, wildlife tracking, and natural shelter building. // Photos courtesy of Twin Eagles Wilderness School.

Washington Trails Association: Youth Volunteer Programs

WTA offers community service projects focus on building and maintaining hiking trails in Washington State. Choose between Day Work Parties for ages 10+ and week-long Summer Volunteer Vacations for ages 14–18, which includes camping. Three teen trip options: Frontcountry, Backcountry (prior experience required), and Shared Identity (all girls crew and LGBTQ+ crew).

Wild Walls Climbing Gym: Indoor Climbing Camp

Located in downtown Spokane, Wild Walls offers week-long camps for ages 7–14. Although indoor, it’s no less adventurous to learn top-roping, bouldering, belaying, climbing technique, slacklining, and much more. No experience necessary.

Recreation at Camp Spalding includes ziplining, “The Blob” and other lakefront activities and watersports, and archery. // Photos courtesy Camp Spalding.

Not sure if your child is ready for an overnight camp? Here are some helpful stories and resources from past Family Outdoors Guides: “When Are Kids Ready for Summer Camp?” and “Choosing the Right Summer Camp for Your Kid.”

The post Inland NW Summer Adventure Camp Guide appeared first on Out There Venture.

Since those days, I can’t recall more than a few fleeting moments, mostly during work and social obligations, where the notion of boredom occurred to me. If you love the outdoors and live here too, you know what I mean. There are so many amazing things to do at any given moment in our corner of the planet that a lifetime seems far too short to make the most of it.

Nevertheless, every now and then, during the long, increasingly hot days of summer, many of us still find ourselves wondering, “What should I do this weekend?” I hope our annual list of trip ideas helps you have one of your best summers ever!

1. Explore nature at the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve: Hike the trails and appreciate the incredible native plants, wildflowers, and wildlife at this over 30,000-acre Nature Conservancy preserve in northeast Oregon’s Wallowa County. Scenic back road drives hug the Hells Canyon rim and rugged forest service trails nearby are waiting there to take prepared hikers into the deepest gorge in North America.
2. Trail run or hike the Little Spokane River Natural Area’s Knothead Loop: This 7-mile roundtrip route in north Spokane County gains 1,000 feet, rising from prime riverside wildlife habitat to open pine forest with views up top. Be aware that dogs and bikes are not allowed on this trail system.
3. Get your mountain biking or hiking in on a volunteer trail project: All of these trails we love don’t build or maintain themselves. Give back to your favorite trails by signing up for a trail work party with a local trails group like Evergreen East, Washington Trails Association, Pend Oreille Pedalers, or Idaho Trails Association.
4. Go paddling on Lake Spokane: Start at Riverside State Park’s Nine Mile Recreation Area boat launch and campground (less than a half hour from downtown Spokane) and paddle your arms off or find a quiet place to bird watch or go fishing.
5. Explore the best of the best paddling lakes around Spokane and North Idaho: Some of these lakes don’t allow gas motors, others may be quiet midweek and busy on the weekends, so plan accordingly. Then load up your SUP, kayak or canoe and go.
6. Hike a trail you’ve never been on in Dishman Hills Natural Area: Take your pick from dozens of miles of trails on over 3,200 acres of protected hills and prime wildlife habitat in the Dishman Hills Natural Area, located in Spokane Valley.
7. Learn about the geology of your favorite place: Pick up a copy of the “Roadside Geology” book for wherever your summer trips take you and learn something about the ancient geologic origins of the place where you’re hiking, biking, floating or camping.
8. Ride Montana’s first shuttle bike park: The new Legacy Bike Park above Flathead Lake near Whitefish, Montana, opened in 2021. It has 13 downhill trails, camping and the shuttles that make it all possible on those burley downhill bikes.
9. Take a North Idaho mountain bike road trip: These trails are all near Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry, or east toward Libby, Mont. Ride them all on one great road trip.
10. Ride or hike Moscow Mountain’s 60+ miles of trails: Located near Moscow, Idaho, this legal trail system on private lands continues to grow thanks to the hard work of groups like the Moscow Area Mountain Bike Association.
11. Take a paddling trip to Cranbrook, B.C.: A few hours’ drive north of Spokane takes you to the western slope of the majestic Canadian Rockies, which happen to host some great mellow paddling spots near the town of Cranbrook. Give Jimsmith Lake and St. Mary’s Lake a try. Learn more about Cranbrook-area paddling and whitewater kayaking adventure ideas.
12. Paddle a stretch of the Pend Oreille River Water Trail: The water trail stretches across approximately 70 miles of the Pend Oreille River in northeast Washington with environmental and historical points of interests, picnic stops, and overnight campsites along the way.
13. Take a cleanup hike along your favorite river: Hike, bike, or float along the Spokane River, Hangman Creek, the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River, Pack River, or another regional stream and bring your own garbage bag to help clean up along the way. Spokane River Keeper is also organizing summertime cleanups.
14. Hike the Nelson, B.C., area’s rare Inland Temperate Rainforest: Just north of the border a few hours from Spokane, ancient old growth trees up to five meters thick make up the last-remaining Inland Temperate Rainforest on Earth. Caribou, grizzly bears, wolves, wolverines, and a diversity of native plants and animals still thrive here, and there are plenty of trails to explore. Don’t forget your bear spray and passport.
15. Hike the trails at Pend Oreille County Park: Just north of Spokane and an hour or so west of Sandpoint, the over 7 miles of trails on 440 acres of wildlife-rich low elevation forest is the perfect place for a quiet day’s outing. Primitive camp sites are also available.
16. Raft or kayak the Clark Fork River through the Alberton Gorge in Montana: If you don’t have your own gear and experience in class III/IV whitewater, then sign up for a trip with one of several local outfitters like ROW Adventures.
17. Go paddle boarding or kayaking downtown Spokane: Bring your own boat and launch under the Division Street Bridge, or just show up in your paddling duds and rent the gear from Fun Unlimited and paddle up the mellow Spokane River toward No-Li Brewhouse and points beyond.
18. Take a ride on a Wallowa Lake Tramway near Joseph, Ore.: Enjoy incredible views as you gain 3,700 feet of elevation on the ride up to the summit of Mount Howard high in the Wallowa Mountains overlooking Wallowa Lake, vast stretches of prairie, and distant peaks. Indulge in a snack or beverage at the mountain-top restaurant and stretch your legs on the hiking trails.
19. Hike to remote swimming beaches along Christina Lake: Wander along the Deer Point Trail from the Texas Creek Campground to find your own hidden swimming spot at Christina Lake, B.C., one of the warmest tree-lined lakes in Canada that happens to be just north of the border from Kettle Falls, Wash.
20. Take a mining history tour in Idaho’s Silver Valley: Mine tours, ghost towns, historic districts, mining museums, historic buildings and more await in and around Wallace, Idaho.
21. Ride past lakes and wetlands on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes out of Harrison, Idaho: Harrison is a cool lake town with plenty of fun to be had on the beach, docks, restaurants and bars in town. And the fact that the 70+ mile paved Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes runs right through town makes it even cooler. Bring your bike or rent one in town and pedal east past wetlands and woods often teaming with birds and wildlife for an out-and-back cycling adventure anyone can do. Or arrange a shuttle at the bike shop in town for a longer one-way adventure.
22. Ride the Route of the Hiawatha Trail then check out one of these lesser-known rides near Wallace, Idaho: Learn more.
23. Take a multiday whitewater rafting trip on the Salmon River: You’ll need your own gear and experience on this class III and IV wilderness river. You can rent rafting gear from the University of Idaho Outdoor Program, but you’ll still need your own whitewater skills. Or sign up on a Lower Salmon River trip with Spokane-based FLOW Adventures.
24. Go river surfing in Missoula, Montana: Brennan’s Wave, a man-made river wave, provides year-round river surfing opportunities. Rental boards and lessons are available too.
25. Get away from the crowds on a hike near Libby, Montana: Many well-known scenic hikes can get crowded on peak summer weekends these days, but there are still plenty of lesser-known trails throughout the Inland NW where you can find solitude. For instance, there are hundreds of miles of backcountry trails near Libby, Mont., where you may not see another human while you hike.
26. Climb at a new-to-you bouldering area in the greater Spokane area:  A long-needed new bouldering guide to the Spokane area is now available thanks to the hard work of climbers and authors Nate Lynch and Shane Collins. Pick up a copy of Spokane Bouldering at Rambleraven Gear Trader and start exploring with your crash pad.
27. Go to Spokatopia July 9 to ride your bike, listen to music and paddleboard: Spokatopia is a one-day outdoor adventure festival at Camp Sekani Park on the Spokane River put on by our magazine, Out There Venture. It’s like having a whole summer’s worth of outdoor fun crammed into one long day. Don’t miss it!
28. Visit the Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge south of Colville, Wash.: Bears, elk, moose, bobcat, deer, hundreds of bird species, and other wildlife on over 40,000 acres of public land at the LPONWR. What more could you ask for? Explore on a few trails and gravel roads and reconnect with the wild tangle of rock, trees, and feral life that we all sprang from way back when.
29. Take the back road drive between Sullivan Lake and Priest Lake over Pass Creek Pass in northeast Washington: The highlight of this drive is topping out on the pass. Stop and take a hike, starting at the Pass Creek Pass trailhead (trails head north and south from the road) and pick a few huckleberries and watch for wildlife. Better yet, do it on your mountain bike and connect into some sick singletrack trails leading back down to Sullivan Lake.
30. Hike, mountain bike or trail run the Independence Creek Trail northeast of Coeur d’Alene: Make it a long loop using forest roads or an out-and-back along Independence Creek Trail #22, through beautiful North Idaho forest along a cool mountain stream.
31. Ride the acclaimed mountain bike trails around Helena, Mont.: Learn more.
32. Run or fast hike one of the regions popular backpacking routes in one day: Many of the most scenic backpacking loops and out-and-back or one-way trails in our neck of the woods are getting more and more crowded. Enjoy the trails and views and limit your impact by doing the whole Salmo Loop, Seven Devils Loop, Kettle Crest Trail, or other popular routes all in one fast push. Go prepared physically and with all the essentials you’ll need to avoid paying a hefty evacuation bill.
33. Rent a boat on one of the region’s big lakes: Many lakes can get crazy on weekends, but bigger lakes like Lake Pend Oreille and Coeur d’Alene Lake in North Idaho, Flathead Lake in northwest Montana, and Kootenay Lake in British Columbia, offer more elbow room to spread out and do your own boating thing at your own pace. For a quick-access boat rental experience from Spokane on Lake Coeur d’Alene, check out Cdasports.com.
34. Surf the world’s largest standing wave at Lakeside Surf in Chelan: Quite different than the ocean waves you may have surfed, this river-type wave where the water rushes toward you takes some getting used to, but it is a blast that anyone can get the hang of after a few sessions. After opening last spring, the wave at Lakeside Surf is quickly becoming an annual pilgrimage for landlocked Inland Northwest surfers.
35. Take a ride over the Columbia River on the Palouse to Cascades Trail: This 289-mile cross-Washington rail trail goes from Cedar Falls to Tekoa, and with the newly updated Beverly Bridge over the Columbia River, riders and hikers can now cross the bridge without a vehicle shuttle detour. Grab your bike and go check out this section of one of our region’s greatest rail trails!
36. Explore the waters and shorelines around Lake Roosevelt: This sprawling water body northwest of Spokane is a lake-lovers dream. Find great fishing, boating, beach camping, hiking, history and more along this 130-mile-long lake.
37. Explore the backroads and trails along the Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail: The Trail follows the route taken by many members of the Nez Perce Tribe in 1877 on their noble quest to dodge being forced onto a reservation. The 1,170-mile trail covers backroads and trails from Wallowa Lake in northeast Oregon to Bear Paw Battlefield near Chinook, Mont. Drive and walk part of the route and learn about the Nee-Me-Poo people’s tragic flight from pursuing white forces while you’re at it.
38. Look down into the deepest gorge in North America from Hells Canyon Overlook: Safely tucked in the middle of nowhere southeast of Enterprise, Ore., along the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway, the overlook offers a rare, vehicle-accessible panoramic view of Hells Canyon.
39. Go river rafting in Riggins, Idaho: The Salmon River, or River of No Return, is one of the longest un-dammed rivers in North America. Sign on with a local guide and spend a day splashing through class III and IV rapids and lounging on white sand beaches above and below the cool river town of Riggins.
40. Spend a few days riding sections of the Ferry County Rail Trail in northeast Washington: This 24-mile rail trail that extends from near the town of Republic to the Canadian Border is big on scenery and rural charm. Find an overnight basecamp in town or at a local campground and check it out.
41. Go fishing at Potholes Reservoir near Moses Lake: Great fishing for bass, walleye, and trout can be had via boat, paddle craft, dock, or from the shore on the vast waters of Potholes Reservoir. Choose between private resort, state park, or several developed public access areas.
42. Ride the Columbia Plateau Trail: Or maybe just a couple sections of it if you don’t have several days on a fat bike to dedicate to the trail. The 130-mile rail trail that stretches between Pasco and Cheney, Wash., is known for some rough trail surfaces (dreaded ballast rock) and detours around gated, unsafe bridges. But the wild, off-road scenery is amazing in places and well worth the challenge. More info:
43. Ride Spokane’s Children of the Sun Trail: This 10-mile, one-way paved path that parallels Spokane’s in-progress north-south freeway is a great afternoon or evening, close-to-home leg stretcher that runs between Hillyard and the Little Spokane River. The trail will expand along with the freeway and should eventually connect with the Centennial Trail.
44. Ride the Centennial Trail from downtown Spokane to Nine Mile Recreation Area: Set up a shuttle in advance then enjoy the one-way, nearly 20-mile trip with a picnic and swim in Lake Spokane, or turn around when you’re ready and ride back home to double your mileage. Or reserve a campsite and make it an overnight urban bikepack trip.
45. Explore some of the Inland Northwest’s remaining old growth trees: Big trees are cool and they provide plenty of benefits to people and wildlife, from harboring clean water and air to creating space for critters to live that need big trees. Check out these regional old growth groves.
46. Look for birds and wildlife along the scenic auto tour loop at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge south of Cheney, Wash: Be sure to check out wildlife viewing sites, boardwalks, and hiking trails that lead off the loop into the forest, grasslands and wetlands. And look up and around for birds and other wildlife. Don’t forget your binoculars!
47. Explore the Post Falls Community Forest: Hike through forest, canyons, and along the Spokane River or go rock climbing on the beginner-to-intermediate climbing routes, all accessed from the trailhead at Q’emiln Park (“ka-mee-lin”).

[Feature photo: Lake Pend Oreille is a paddle paradise. // Photo: S. Michael Bennett]

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A short drive east of Republic, rise the Kettle Range mountains (aka the Kettle Crest), a sub-range of the Rocky Mountains that typically gets plenty of quality snow during the winter months. The Kettles also boast two of the highest all-season passes in Washington—Sherman and Boulder—which means easy right-off-the-highway access to some of the finest snowshoeing and backcountry skiing in the Northwest.

Despite those winter rec credentials, there are thousands of uncrowded acres of National Forest land to explore where you’ll have plenty of elbow room. Just be sure to show up with your Washington State Sno-Park Pass or face the likelihood of a hefty ticket when you get back to your vehicle.

Avalanche Safety in the Kettle Range Backcountry

If you’re planning a winter trip to the Kettle Range backcountry, be sure to do so safely, as the Kettle Range includes many slopes that pose risk of avalanche to skiers and snowshoers. If you don’t have experience with assessing avalanche risk; rescuing buried victims; and do not have and know how to use an avalanche beacon, probe, and shovel, then stick to snowshoeing or skiing the plentiful lower-angled terrain off of Sherman and Boulder passes away from avalanche dangers. While there is no regular avalanche forecast site that covers the Kettle Crest, Avalanche Canada’s forecasting for the Kootenay-Boundary region to the north is a useful resource. You can also call for information from the Colville National Forest office in Republic (509-775-7400), although you should still know how to test the snowpack’s stability yourself and pay attention to changing conditions throughout the day if you will be skiing or snowshoeing in avalanche-prone areas.

Fire and Ice: How Wildfires Created Some Stellar Ski and Snowshoe Terrain in the Kettle Range

Over the past few decades, wildfires have played a significant role in clearing out underlying brush and burning trees in the Kettle Range, which has naturally thinned parts of the forest around Boulder and Sherman passes, creating some excellent backcountry skiing and snowshoeing terrain in the process.

In 1988, the White Mountain Fire, which was ignited by lightning, burned more than 20,000 acres in the Sherman Pass area. Then in 2015, Okanogan Complex fires burned thousands more acres around Boulder Pass to the north. Both fires created space for forest renewal and the growth of stronger trees while also shaping some incredible skiing and snowshoeing landscapes. These more open spaces offer plenty of skiing and snowshoeing choices once there’s a solid snow base.

Boulder Pass in particular is the perfect area for backcountry skiing, says Nils Larsen, founder of Altai Skis in the nearby town of Curlew. Larsen spends many days traversing the trails there. “It’s great for Altai Hok skis,” he says. A unique design with a climbing skin embedded into the bottom of the skis, Hoks offer quick up and down touring with no transition from climbing to descending required. “They are perfect for this type of terrain as a lot of the runs are short,” adds Larsen. Altai Skis has gained a solid reputation over the years, and they offer rentals and demos as well as skis for purchase.

Early in February, the company plans to host an Altai Demo Day at Boulder Pass (conditions and pandemic allowing). The event will include Altai Ski demos, tours, and clinics at Boulder Pass at no cost. You will need a Washington State Sno-Park Pass to park, but Larsen and his team will have those available at the event as well. Check their website or call 509-779-0030 for details.

Finding Northeast Washington’s Sherman and Boulder Passes

Both passes are around two and a half to three hours north of Spokane, depending on road conditions. Sherman Pass is situated along the Sherman Pass Scenic Byway on Highway 20 between the communities of Kettle Falls and Republic. Boulder Pass, also known as the Deer Creek Summit Sno-Park, is just south of the Canadian border along Ferry County Highway #602 between the small towns of Orient to the east and Curlew to the west.

Republic, Washington Lodging, Dining, Nightlife & More

The best way to explore the Kettle Range in the winter is to make it a multi-day trip from a home-base in the friendly, authentic mountain town of Republic, an easy drive west from Boulder and Sherman passes. There are several comfortable hotels, house and cabin rentals, and even an Airbnb yurt in Republic, and the Fisherman’s Cove Resort on Curlew Lake is open year-round and has 16 modern cabins as well as RV sites.

One of the cool things about staying in Republic is getting the chance to explore the town’s unique eateries and hangout spots after a cold day in the mountains. Republic Brewing is the preferred gathering spot in town for food, drink, live music and other fun, and the Ferry County Co-Op and Kettle Crust Bakery is a great place to start the day with quality coffee and baked goods. Explore the town’s other lodging, dining, and imbibing options at the Republic Regional Visitors & Convention Bureau or at Ferrycounty.com.

Republic, Washington Is a Summer Adventure Hub Too

While Republic is a fantastic place to play during the winter, there is plenty of recreation during the summer as well. Visit in the summer for hiking and mountain biking trails, ATV riding on miles of back roads and trails, birding, fishing, backpacking, river tubing or kayaking, road biking, and more. Find more Republic-area outdoor recreation suggestions and resources at our other recent Out There article about this special place here.

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