OUTDOORS

The Spokane River is located in northern Idaho and eastern Washington and flows approximately 111 miles. Beginning from Lake Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, the Spokane River empties the low mountainous area east of the Columbia River. From Lake Coeur d'Alene the Spokane River flows west into east central Washington towards the city of Spokane, Washington. After passing through Spokane, the Spokane River continues to flow west along the southern edge of the Selkirk Mountains, forming the southeastern boundary of the Spokane Indian Reservation. Next, the Spokane River is impounded by Little Falls Dam and forms the 15-mile Long Lake. Long Lake joins Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, which is the Columbia River impounded by the Grand Coulee Dam. Accordingly, the lower 29 miles of the Spokane River is known as the Spokane Arm of Lake Roosevelt.

Public lands of the Grande Ronde are managed in part by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and the States of Oregon and Washington. The river canyons in Oregon have been designated as both National Wild and Scenic Rivers and State Scenic Waterways, in recognition of their unique natural character and outstanding resource values.

The North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River – a western, freestone masterpiece – is what fishy dreams are made of: crystal clear waters, old growth forests, mountains for miles, and, of course, a healthy population of brilliantly colored, native Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Located just east of Spokane, the North Fork’s emerald waters originate deep in the Bitterroot Mountains, flowing south for 77 miles before its confluence with the South Fork in the Silver Valley before entering into Lake Coeur d’Alene. The majority of the system is accessible by paved and gravel roads, with a few stretches going deep into roadless regions accessible by foot.

The Saint Joe River is a 140-mile-long tributary of Coeur d'Alene Lake in northern Idaho. Beginning at an elevation of 6,487 feet in the Northern Bitterroot Range of eastern Shoshone County, it flows generally west through the Saint Joe River Valley and the communities of Avery and Calder.

The Home mountain for most residents living on the Spokane side. Mount Spokane has 1,704 skiable acres, 2,000 feet vertical drop, and 52 runs. Amazing mountain for Beginners and Intermediates with wide open, amazingly groomed runs. For experts, Mount Spokane offers great tree skiing, wide variety of off-piste runs, and moguls. For speed demons who love steeps and 60+ mph, try the other mountains in the area. Mount Spokane is only 1hr 14 mins from Liberty Lake.

The Inversion King! On top of 49 Degrees North being the best resort for value, they rarely have any fog! Say hello to the world of inversions and blue sky! With 2,325 skiable acres, 1,851 feet vertical drop, and 82 runs 49 Degrees North comes on top as the value king with season passes frequenting $400 during the spring sale. In this you get a ton of fun, great terrain that applies to all levels. It’s truly great whether you are just starting out or if you are an expert and want challenging runs. The beginner skier/snowboarders have two chair lifts for them, one is purely bunny hill separate from all other runs, while the other is a midmountain beginners’ area. If you are an Intermediate/Expert Skier, this ranks just behind Schweitzer for cruiser runs, steeps, and speed demon runs. In a sense it is the best mountain for speed as there are many areas where you can go 50-70 mph with a nice line of sight along with a long flat area to brake on after you build up your speed. If tree skiing is your thing there are tons of trees throughout the resort that are spaced nicely especially with all the 2,325 acres 49 offers. If you love off-piste, then 49 Degrees North is also great for you. They always have a wide variety of off-piste runs available, with some hidden gems that are out of the way, like Roller Coaster. 49 Degrees North is 1 hour and 26 minutes away from Liberty Lake.

Most convenient mountain in the area! Silver Mountain sports North America’s longest gondola – a 3.1-mile journey that takes you from Kellogg, Idaho to the base lodge. This means that not only is Silver mountain only 54 minutes from Liberty Lake, but it is 54 minutes of smooth freeway driving along I-90 with no twisty steep back roads. Silver Mountain has 1,600 ski able acres, 2,200 feet vertical drop, 73 runs, and 340 inches of annual snowfall. This mountain is great for skiers of all types, with a nice mixture of runs that will suite any type of skier. If you are willing to hike up Wardner Peak from chair 4 then you will be rewarded with deep steep powder skiing! If you want to kick it back and cruise, there are multiple great cruiser runs that are always pristinely groomed. There are also speed demon runs that are nice and wide that reach 60+ mph. Silver mountain also offers good tree skiing and some moguls.

The Premier mountain in the area that is regarded as the "The Best Kept Secret in North America" by Ski Magazine. Schweitzer has 2,900 skiable acres, 1,200 acres of tree skiing, 2,400 feet vertical drop, 92 runs plus open bowl skiing, High Speed Chairlifts, 300 inches of annual snowfall, and a great variety of terrain for beginners to experts (Love the steeps!). Great for all, regardless if you are a on piste or off-piste skier. Good variety of moguls and great tree skiing. Also, great views of Lake Pend Oreille, which is the 38th largest lake in the US. Schweitzer Resort is a 1.5-hour drive from Liberty Lake.

The Powder King! Lookout Pass is famous for their dry, fluffy powder snow that they get as their mainstream diet. It gets better, as Lookout Pass averages 400 inches of annual snowfall! Lookout Pass is your stop for waist deep powder! It actually gets better yet, as a season pass only costs $265! Lookout Pass also offers free ski/snowboard school for everyone 6-17 years old. Currently, Lookout Pass has 540 acres, 1,150 feet vertical drop, and 35 runs with a new high-speed chairlift being added this year. Despite the small acreage, this place is a trove for powder and with non-existent lift lines combined with a high-speed lift meaning that you can spend the majority of your time making new lines. Lookout Pass doesn’t have cruisers or speed runs, and their groomers are on the easy side. Go here if you want amazing tree skiing, moguls, and non-stop powder! With that said, they have an expansion in the way that will double their acreage and expand their vertical drop to 1,650 ft. The drive is also convenient, being only 1 hour and 18 minutes from Liberty Lake while staying on I-90 the whole way there. Not quite as good as Silver Mountain, as there is additional snow from cresting the mountain pass.