A Washington state appeals court has ruled cities must provide safe roadways for all traffic, including bicycles. According to the Associated Press, the three-judge panel found that cycling is a mode of “ordinary travel,” not just a sport, so cities must maintain roads for safe...
WILDLIFE -- The search continues for a grizzly bear that killed a Forest Service ranger riding his mountain bike on a forested trail in the Halfmoon Lakes area south of Glacier National Park, the Flathead Beacon reports. Brad Treat, 38, of West Glacier and a...
STATE PARKS -- The summer closure of the Mount Spokane State Park Road, which will begin at the end of June or in early July, is required for safety during road repairs and resurfacing, says Steve Christensen, park manager. The recently announced closure plans will...
OUTDOOR EDUCATION -- Think ahead if you want to participate in the free and popular Wednesdays in the Woods programs at Riverside State Park. Only five of 95 preregistration spots are open for tonight's Birds of Prey HOOT Show by West Valley Outdoor Learning Center....
FISHING FOR INFORMATION -- After weeks of queries, I still don't know too much about a behind-our-backs proposal (see attached document) by the Colville and Spokane tribes to assume authority over fishing at Lake Roosevelt. The tribes won't respond to my requests for information or...
FISHING -- The Snake River near Boyer Park (southwest of Pullman) was by far the richest area on the Snake and Columbia Rivers last week for pikeminnow anglers. Rewards are paid to anglers signed up to help save salmon by catching northern pikeminnows that prey…
PUBLIC LANDS -- A natural area in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon has been given a special distinction this week by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell The Mount Howard-East Peak National Natural Landmark has been designated the nation’s newest in that category of…
HUNTING DOGS -- Dog owner participant reports from recent snake avoidance clinics in the region have been positive. Eric Wesselman took his Brittany and reported it was "a really a good experience." "Thanks for putting the heads-up in the paper," he said. "Our little guy...
WILDLIFE -- It's no secret how skilled wildlife photographers live in harmony with the wild creatures they photograph. It's called a TELEPHOTO lens, which allows them to keep a distance that affords comfort for the animal and safety for the photographer. The advent of the...
WILDLIFE -- At 9:30 a.m. today wildlife managers were rushing to the scene of an injured moose on Northwest Boulevard near York. Not only are they dealing with an unpredictable animal, they're also dealing with clueless people trying to get close and take selfie-photos with...
WATERSPORTS – The Little Spokane River shuttle service for paddlers will resume this summer with an expanded season that starts on Saturday July 2 and will run hourly on Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., through Sept. 3. The shuttle is operated by Spokane Parks and Recreation...
HIKING -- The Lions Head is a formation of two 7,200-foot-plus granite peaks on the Selkirk Crest east of Priest Lake Idaho, often seen from a distance. But it's a tough cross-country grind -- bushwhacking and boulder-hopping -- to reach the faces that lure climbers. Brett...
WILDLIFE – Montana transportation officials are addressing a decades-old problem on elk in Interstate 90 in Granite County. The Missoulian reports that the Montana Department of Transportation is considering a $1.5 million fencing project to funnel roaming elk under the interstate at existing underpasses in…
FISHING -- Suddenly sockeye anglers have a fishery starting Tuesday on the upper Columbia, with more to come. Here's the announcement just posted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Effective date:June 28 through Aug. 15, 2016 Species affected: Sockeye salmon. Area 1: Columbia...
FISHING -- Sockeye fishing on the upper Columbia will be rationed this season to get more salmon up to spawning grounds -- however, the first season could open as early as Tuesday, June 28. And the popular Wells Pool area near Brewster should open in...
FISHERIES – Federal appeals judges say the state of Washington has violated the treaty rights of tribes to fish by building and maintaining large pipes that allow streams to pass beneath roads but also block migrating salmon, according to the Associated Press. A panel of…
WILDLIFE -- Always have your camera ready when driving through Wallace, Idaho. This young bull moose was looking for a parking spot in a neighborhood at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
PUBLIC LANDS --The Cascade River Road from the west side of the North Cascades has reopened to all vehicles to its end at Cascade Pass Trailhead. The road had been closed for the winter at the Eldorado Trailhead, three and a half miles below the…
TRAILS -- Sunday's outdoors feature on the region's rail trails might someday be expanded with the possible addition of a route that would be ideally located to serve the Washington State University community. The state-owned Colfax-Albion-Pullman Rail Corridor, running 19 miles between Colfax and Pullman...
PUBLIC LANDS -- About 52 miles of roads in the 2015 Tower Fire area west of Priest River drainage remain closed for safety as salvage logging is scheduled to begin in July and last for up to three years. Idaho Panhandle Forest Supervisor Mary Farnsworth…
BIRDS -- You have to love American robins and their comfort zone with American families. One year I wrote a column about having to postpone a family canoeing trip because I'd discovered robins raising a brood on the seat of my canoe hanging under the...
HUNTING -- Results of Idaho's 2016 elk, deer, pronghorn, fall turkey and black bear controlled hunt drawings have been posted online. Hunters can check the Idaho Fish and Game Department's drawings web page to see whether they were successful in the recent computerized drawing. Applicants…
WATERSPORTS – After a short hop from Port Townsend to Victoria, British Columbia, 55 teams are on their way to Ketchikan, Alaska as part of the second Race to Alaska. A total of 58 teams left Port Townsend on Thursday morning in the qualifying leg…
FISHING -- State fish managers have reopened Puget Sound marine areas, rivers and lakes that were previously closed because of an impasse between tribal and state officials. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said today that it has received federal approval for its salmon…
Rich Landers writes and photographs stories and columns for a wide range of outdoors coverage, including Outdoors feature sections on Sunday and Thursday.