Out & About

OUTFITTER

REI boosts outdoor volunteers

Volunteering for environmental causes has never been easier. Recreational Equipment, Inc., has linked with VolunteerMatch, the online nonprofit that connects volunteers with community service.

Visitors to REI’s Web site can search and sign up for more than 37,000 volunteer opportunities and match themselves to preferred opportunities in 29 categories by ZIP code, personal interests and skills.

In 2005, REI-funded community service projects inspired 170,678 volunteers to collectively donate 572,140 hours working with youth and caring for trails, waterways and parks throughout the country, including Spokane.

Check it out: www.rei.com/volunteer.

OUTBACK

Check advisory before leaving

National Forests and other agencies have begun sampling conditions and issuing avalanche advisories on snowpack stability every Friday. Every backcountry skier, boarder or snowmobiler should check the advisories and weather reports before planning their weekend excursions.

The forecast sources are:

Idaho Panhandle – (208) 765-7323; toll-free (866) 489-8664; www.fs.fed.us/ipnf under “local conditions.”

Lookout Pass and West Central Montana – (800) 281-1030; www.fs.fed.us/r1/lolo under “current conditions.”

Sherman Pass – (509) 775-3305; www.fs.fed.us/r6/colville. (Web site may not be updated.)

North Cascades – (206) 526-6677; www.nwac.noaa.gov.

Overall source – An easy resource for finding avalanche forecasts for most of the U.S. and Canada is on the Web at www.avalanche.org.

OUTTRAVEL

Paddling Baja

If there’s a chill on your holiday plans, consider breaking away on a paddling tour in sunny Baja.

Coeur d’Alene-based Sea Kayak Adventures still has a few openings on its holiday trips. Outside magazine rated SKA’s Sea of Cortez kayak tour one of the 25 best trips of a lifetime.

Info: (208) 765-3116; www.seakayakadventures.com.

OUTLOOK

Best fishing times

Lunar tables from the U.S. Naval Observatory list peak fishing times. Be fishing at least one hour before and one hour after given times. Applies to all time zones.

(* indicates best days.)

Through Dec. 24

Today

9:30 a.m., 9:55 p.m.

Monday

10:20 a.m., 10:45 p.m.

* Tuesday

11:15 a.m., 11:45 p.m.

* Wednesday

12:15 p.m., 12:40 a.m.

Thursday

1:10 p.m., 1:40 a.m.

Friday

2:10 p.m., 2:40 a.m.

Saturday

3:05 p.m., 3:30 a.m.

Next Sunday

3:55 p.m., 4:20 a.m.