WINTER SPORTS -- Here's today's grooming report for Fourth of July Pass cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails from Geoff Harvey of the Panhandle Nordic Club: The last warm system that passed through condensed the dryer snow from Sunday and Monday and dropped a little new…
PREDATORS -- Idaho Fish and Game, in cooperation with the USDA Wildlife Services, killed 23 gray wolves from a helicopter near the Idaho-Montana border during February in an effort to relieve predation on the struggling elk herds in the remote Lolo Zone. The agency said…
WILDLIFE -- It's been a good week for Washington Fish and Wildlife researchers working with a helicopter to capture wolves so they can be fitted with tracking collars. At least five wolves were captured and released from Monday through Thursday. Two were in the Ione…
FISHING – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is inviting public comment through March 21 on a proposal to acquire and develop public access to Chapman Lake in Spokane County. Once a popular fishing spot, the 128-acre lake near Cheney has been inaccessible to…
SNOWMOBILING -- Don't bother driving your snowmobile -- or your sled dogs -- to Alaska in search of good snow conditions. Bob Jones of Kettle Falls drove up the Alaska-Canada Highway with his son in law, Josh Rindal, to make another 1,000-mile run on their…
UPDATED 3:55 p.m. on Feb. 28 with link to Associated Press story and comment from Pebble Mine official that EPA action is a "major overreach." FISHING -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today it will use its Clean Water Act authorities to review impacts…
BICYCLING -- Todays S-R story about long-coming proposals to begin developing the Palouse section of the abandoned railroad stretch known as the John Wayne Pioneer Trail is good news for bicyclists. Although the state of Washington acquired the railroad right of way in 1981, the…
WINTER SPORTS -- Stevens Pass has received 160 inches of snow this month as of today, making it the third snowiest February the resort has had in the last 50 years, resort owners say. February of the 1998-99 season holds the record with 226 inches…
WINTER SPORTS -- Schweitzer Mountain Resort announced today that it will shut down its lifts on April 13, a week later than usual to offer a "bonus" week of skiing and snowboarding to its patrons. Traditionally, the Sandpoint-area resort has closed at the end of…
FISHING -- Here's the harbinger of what should be a better than average spring chinook fishing season in the Columbia and Snake Rivers. "First spring Chinook of the year returned to Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery yesterday!" says Joe Hymer, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife salmon…
HUNTING/FISHING -- Today's Outdoors column highlights the debut of the Gonzaga University Rod & Gun Club, founded by the Student Bar Association. The legal angles of the organization were researched and negotiated for nearly two years by students and Law School professors before the club…
HIKING -- Spokane has a choice snow-free place for a winter walk at Palisades City Park thanks to a maintenance issue that prompted plowing of Rimrock Drive overlooking Spokane Falls Community College area. After Monday's snow storm, Fairchild Air Force Base crews plowed the road,…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- A Florida research project on endangered species in the hammocks of North Key Largo uncovered an unwanted cast of video stars: Cats perched atop man-made woodrat nests. "The cats are doing the things that cats do when they hunt," Jeremy Dixon, manager…
WEATHER -- February's storms are loading the region's mountains with snow, presenting a better picture for outdoor recreation that depends on water, including anglers and river runners. However, we need another snow dance or two for the Idaho Panhandle. March can be a good month.…
WILDLIFE WATCHING -- Groups tracking the reintroduction of the endangered California condor celebrated last year when a record four birds hatched near the Arizona-Utah border. This year has brought increased enthusiasm with the possibility that a condor hatched in the wild will produce the first…
UPDATED: 3:15 p.m., Feb. 26 with info about increase in cougar permits. WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS -- An 11-year-old girl shot a cougar that was following her 14-year-old brother to their home at Twisp, in north central Washington, the state Fish and Wildlife Department said. You've got…
OUTDOOR RETAILERS -- Looking for a job? Cabela's to hire 90 workers for new store in W. Montana city The third Cabela's store in Montana will open in Missoula this summer, and the outdoor retailer is taking applications for the 90 jobs at that Outpost…
OUTDOOR RECREATION -- The Outdoor Industry Association has high praise for Gov. Jay Inslee's recent executive order creating a blue-ribbon task force to support outdoor recreation in Washington state. Inslee’s task force demonstrates the state’s commitment to supporting and expanding the outdoor recreation and tourism…
WILDLIFE -- Oregon is reporting significant growth in wolf packs in its annual status report on gray wolf recovery released Tuesday. The status reports from all the western recovery states are filed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. At the end of 2013, Oregon…
WILDLIFE RESEARCH -- The region's wildlife researchers are flying high -- and low -- with this week's weather. The big dump of snow followed by clear weather is perfect for using helicopters to locate and capture critters so transmitter collars can be attached for research.…
FISHING -- The brands and products anglers purchased most frequently in 2013 are listed in a survey just released by Southwick Associates’ AnglerSurvey.com. The list was been compiled from the 18,559 internet-based surveys. It doesn't reflect my preferences, and it may not be the choice…
WILDLIFE RESEARCH -- More elk are likely to be wearing research "necklaces" in the Coeur d'Alene River drainage by the end of the week if Idaho Fish and Game researches get good weather for flying. The agency worked with a private helicopter contractor on Jan.…
WINTER SPORTS -- I feel sorry for those of you who couldn't call in sick and head up to a ski area to take advantage of today's clear skies and fresh pow. Here's the view from Quartz Mountain in Mount Spokane State Park.
ADVENTURING -- My recent multi-week winter rafting-hiking adventure on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon (see story here) prompts a few hints to people planning similar river trips as well as to anglers planning multi-day trips to places such as Alaska: CARE FOR YOUR…
WINTER SPORTS -- This is a great day to be in the mountains tracking something or somebody!
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.
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