out there monthly

THE INLAND NORTHWEST GU IDE TO OUTDOOR RECREATION + WWW.OUTTHEREMONTHLY.COM

MONTHLYVOL.8 // NO.5 // JANUARY 2012

Everyday Cyclist: All Bike Lanes Not Created Equal - P.13 / Do You Have Gaper Notch? - P.22

What’s Your Gear: Jaime Reese, Downhill MTB - P.10 / Punish Stuff: Three Season Sleeping Solutions - P.12

News: Head Out to Winterfest - P.8BACKCOUNTRY SKIING 101HOW TO HAVE FUN

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2 Out there MOnthly / January 2012

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3January 2012 / Out there MOnthly

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p.6 / Editorial

Whose Safety?

By Jon Snyder

p.7 / out thErE NEws

Winterfest at 49, Kan Jam at Mt.

Spokane, The Irate Birdwatcher has

local screening

p.9 / hEalth & FitNEss

Meditation For Your Body

By Dr. Bob Lutz

p.10 / what’s Your GEar?

Jaime Reese, Downhil MTB

By Amy Silbernagel McCaffree

p.11 / Book rEviEws

Freedom Climbers and a review

of a Great Divide race book

by someone who’s done it

By Stan Miller and David Blaine

p.12 / puNish stuFF

Battle The Bulge Three Season

Sleeping Solution Reviewed

By John Speare

p.13 / EvErYdaY cYclist

All Bike Routes Not Created Equal

By Hank Greer

p.14 / sustaiNaBlE liviNG

Book Excerpt: Why Are We Throwing

Money At Wall Street?

By Juliet Sinisterra

p.16 / JaNuarY iNlaNd Nw outdoor calENdar &

6 MoNth traiNiNG calENdar

p.18 / BackcouNtrY skiiNG 101. How To Have Fun & Stay Safe Without Going Broke

By Mira Copeland

p.21 / photo oF thE MoNth

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By Kelli Milsap and Gavin Dahl

p.22 / last paGE

Beware The Notch: Think you’ve

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By Brent Emmingham

In�This�Is�s�ue

On the cOver: Backcountry Sking with Wallowa Alpine Huts. // Photo Michael C. Halle.

www.OuttheremOnthly.cOm

Out there mOnthly / January 2012

Publisher and editOr-in-chiefJon Snyder

[email protected]

art directOrKaitlin Snyder

managing editOrAmy Silbernagel McCaffree

health & fitness editOrDr. Bob Lutz

seniOr writersJon Jonckers, Derrick Knowles

cOntributing writers: David Blaine, Mira Copeland, Gavin Dahl, Brent

Emmingham, Hank Greer, Stan Miller, Erika Prins, Juliet Sinisterra, John Speare

distributiOn cOOrdinatOrBarbara Snyder

To request issues please call 509 / 534 / 3347

ad salesBill Bloom: 509 / 999 / 8214

Out there mOnthlyMailing Address: PO Box 559

Spokane, WA 99210www.outtheremonthly.com, 509 / 534 / 3347

Out There Monthly is published once a month by Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly. No part of this publication may be reproduced without

written consent of the publisher.

©Copyright 2012 Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly. The views expressed in this magazine reflect

those of the writers and advertisers and not neces-sarily Snyderco DBA/Out There Monthly.

Disclaimer: many of the activities depicted in this magazine carry a significant risk of

personal injury or death. Rock climbing, river rafting, snow sports, kayaking, cycling, canoeing

and backcountry activities are inherently dangerous. The owners and contributors to

Out There Monthly do not recommend that anyone participate in these activities unless they

are experts or seek qualified professional instruction and/or guidance, and are knowledgeable

about the risks, and are personally willing to assume all responsibility associated with

those risks.

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From�theEditor: WHoSE SAfEty?Our sOciety sets up a rather large apparatus to ensure our safety and we are lucky to have it. But it’s important to take a hard look at the safety apparatus policies to make sure we are putting emphasis in the right areas, and getting the most impact for our efforts, whether or not they are investments in time or money. That’s the spirit in which I recently checked fatality data in the City of Spokane. Here’s what I found out: As of this writing (near the end of December) the City of Spokane has had 3 homicides and 4 deaths from fire incidents. And 10 traffic fatali-ties. Of those 10 traffic fatalities 6 of the victims were bicyclists or pedestrians.

That’s just one year. If you go back five years and add all the yearly totals together the numbers look like this: 45 homicides, 13 fire deaths, and 47 traffic fatalities—24 of which had bicyclists or pedestrian victims. What do these numbers tell us? Fatalities are just one way to look at safety stats, but there’s an interesting correlation to our public safety expenditures. In the Spokane area, as in most local governments, law enforcement and fire safety/paramedic services take up over half of our government expenditures. Justifiably so. If people don’t feel safe, our whole societal fabric breaks down from education to economic devel-

opment and everything in between. I would argue it’s worth the tens of millions of local dol-lars we invest in these services. How much do we spend on dedicated bicycle and pedestrian safety? Almost nothing. What little is spent is generally from state and federal grants. The notion of spending measurable local money on things like bike lanes, sidewalks, handicap ramps and transit facilities is still relatively new. Asserting the importance of these safety features might get you branded a “divisive radical” and for demanding “frivolous ameni-ties.” Silly, I know.

But when we spend money on public safety we have the right ask whose safety we are ensuring. Is it the over 30% of Spokane County residents who can’t drive? Or the additional folks who may not be able to afford a vehicle? We all have a stake in making sure these folks are safe and have mobility. Mobility equals economic activity and no one wants to limit economic activity. It‘s a good time to do some rebalancing of our safety expenditures. Costs may be relative, but safety should be universal. //--------------------------------------------------------JON sNyDer, [email protected]

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try NEW SNoWSPortS At WiNtErfEStMountain Gear and 49 Degress North team Up

OutThereNews�

tHis mONtH, mOuNtaiN Gear and area snow sports organizations will come together for the 4th annual Winterfest at 49° North Mountain Resort on January 7-8—with gear and instruc-tors for an array of winter sports in tow.

Winterfest aims to resolve two barriers to try-ing a new snow sport: selecting gear and learning the basics. “You could come up and get on the gear, as well as have free instructions for an hour or so on how to do it,” says event organizer Rick Dethman. “The organizations involved have got it down to where we have almost everything offered free or for minimal fees.”

Dethman says at its inception, Winterfest combined multiple annual events that were not drawing enough participation on their own. “Rather than do all of these events individually, we decided to put [them] together and do a com-munity event.”

Now in its fourth season, organizers have broadened the scope of activities. “It’s kind of always had a tint of a back-country event, but we’re trying to move that more into a fully inclu-sive event,” says Dethman. “[It’s] definitely orga-nized toward the family.”

The weekend schedule includes demos, les-sons and tours for a wide variety of snow sports,

including telemark skiing, alpine skiing, snow-boarding, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and ice skating—as well as family activities like snow sculpting and a bonfire.

This year’s “Epic Hill Climb”—in which par-ticipants climb the mountain—will include a new, shorter course option.

Along with the bonfire, live music and bring-your-own-headlamp ski and snowshoe tours give guests a reason to stick around as the sun goes down on Saturday. The Sunday afternoon “Biathlon” equips skiers and snowshoers with paintball guns.

Participants must buy lift tickets or Sunday trail passes, depending on which sports they plan to try. Otherwise, all events are free—including Saturday trail passes. Overnight guests may book lodging at The Learning Center on the mountain for a special $15 per guest rate. //

mountain gear’s winterfest, January 7-8th at 49°

north mountain resort. visit ski49n.com for a full

schedule of events.

HAvING FUN AT LAST YEAR’S WINTERFEST. WHY NOT GIvE BACKCOUNTRY SKIING A TRY? // PHOTO COUR-TESY MOUNTAIN GEAR.

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KAN JAM iS CoMiNGMt. Spokane offers Competition for Shredders And Artists

OutThereNews�

KaN Jam Freestyle Festival offers a chance to let the creative juices flow—and this year, not just for skiers and snowboarders.

The alternative snow sports event will add a new artistic angle aimed at increasing participa-tion.

“In addition to the freestyle action, we’re also offering a contest for videographers and filmers,” says Mount Spokane marketing manager Kristin Whitaker. “To offer a video contest along with the freestyle contest is really unique.”

Film junkies can win prizes from sponsors just like the winners of the snow sports competitions. Capturing video footage of extreme sports has gripped the imagination of snowsports enthusi-asts and becomes ever easier with the availabil-ity of small, inexpensive and high-quality video cameras.

“We’re seeing a lot of kids posting clips on our Facebook [page],” says Whitaker. “This is a great opportunity to involve a lot of new people in the event.”

Sporting events include a Rail Jam, Slopestyle and Big Air contests, each occurring on a differ-ent day. Events are open to participants of all ages and skill levels.

“We wanted to offer something for the freestyle crowd and more than just a one-off event, so that’s

why we created the freestyle series,” says Whitaker. Each event offers a new challenge to the athletes.

Friday’s Rail Jam is the second event in February’s Friday Night Fights series—visit the Mount Spokane website for information on par-ticipating in the entire series.

While participants ride the rails, spectators can enjoy live music by the Spokane band Voodoo Church Blues.

“They can sit in the bar, listen to the music and watch skiers and riders compete,” says Whitaker. Event sponsors Monster Energy and Kokanee will offer deals on beverages for the over-21 crowd.

Unlike in past years, Kan Jam 2012 does not conflict with Superbowl Weekend—an attempt to boost participation in Sunday’s Big Air com-petition.

All participants qualify for a $15 reduced price lift ticket and free entry into their third event. Helmets are required for all events. //

5th annual Kan Jam, feb. 10-12 at mount

spokane ski & snowboard Park. $15 per event;

$15 lift ticket. for more information, visit mtspo-

kane.com.

irAtE BirDWAtCHEr filM to BE SCrEENEDChronicle of Northwest Naturalist Will Be Shown January 23

Harvey maNNiNG’s wOrDs comprise the entire script of The Irate Birdwatcher, a docu-mentary showing for the first time in Spokane this month. The film will screen on January 23rd at Mountain Gear. The event will benefit the Spokane Mountaineers Foundation. Manning wrote guidebooks for exploring Washington State’s wilderness and advocating for their protection. He died in 2006. Kathy and Robert Chrestensen, owners of Crest Pictures, created a film putting his words to their video footage of the Washington State wilderness. Since its 2009 premier, the film has screened across Western Washington and at environmental film festivals in the Western United States and Canada. “I read all of his stuff. I started pulling out things that had to do with wilderness con-servation and things I thought people would enjoy hearing about. I had about 26 pages of quotes, and I had to create a story,” says Kathy Chrestensen. “And it turned out that a lot of the footage that we had laying around fit his words perfectly.” Manning wrote eloquently about the Northwest wilderness. He used the pen name “Irate Birdwatcher” when he wrote for the Wild Cascades publication. His tenor on the political front, however, traded grace for shock value.

“In the last quarter of the film, he gets a little… testy,” says Chrestensen. “I guess the word I’d come up with is ‘curmudgeon’—he was a little pushy, not at all politically correct,” says Chrestensen. Nonetheless, the film aims to highlight Manning’s ability to draw attention to what he was trying to preserve—the beauty of Washington State’s natural areas. “People believed that he was just this really brash guy. But the truth of the matter is he’s just incredibly poetic and that’s what came out in the movie,” says Chrestensen. Manning wrote over ten books. He named many of the Northern Cascade landmarks including the Issaquah Alps and discovered new landmarks in the region. “All his books are sort of going out of print, but people are still hanging on to them and passing them on,” says Chrestensen. For the Chrestensens and their crew, she says, compil-ing The Irate Birdwatcher was an effort to keep Manning’s legacy alive. //

the irate birdwatcher film—spokane

mountaineers benefit, Jan. 23 at 7:00 pm at

mountain gear, 2002 n. division. $3 suggested

donation. for more information, visit crestpic-

tures.com.

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“meDitatiON” is DeriveD FrOm the Latin meditatio, from meditari, meaning “to think or contemplate.” It doesn’t matter whether it’s Western contemplative prayer, Eastern practices of sitting meditation, or the secular practice of transcendental meditation—meditative practices often come down to a defined technique that enables an individual to achieve a relaxed state on his or her own. Meditation doesn’t have to be solitary, how-ever, as churches, mosques and other places of worship serve as communal sites for meditation. And sanghas provide an opportunity for those studying Buddhism to practice together. Given the differences in the historical and philosophical backgrounds behind these diverse practices, while also recognizing their similari-ties, is it possible they’re all working through the same pathway when it comes to the identified health benefits? What are some of these, and does it make a difference if someone’s saying the rosary, praying five times a day, or chanting “Om”? Three pioneers have led the work in this area. Dr. Herbert Benson, a cardiologist, coined the

phrase the “relaxation response” in the mid 1970s. He defined this as a “physical state of deep rest that changes the physical and emotional responses to stress.” Robert Adler’s research in psychoneuroimmunology (www.healthline.com/galecontent/psychoneuroimmunology) demon-strated the interplay of the mind, body and immune system. And Jon Kabat-Zinn (www.umassmed.edu/Content.aspx?id=43102), a molecular biologist by training, became intrigued by the health benefits of meditation during his own exploration of Zen, and developed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and techniques by which simply attending to the moment could bring about significant health-related benefits. Collectively, their work has created a founda-tion for not only the growing body of research demonstrating the interplay of the mind and body, but also an appreciation of how medita-tion causes physiological changes. Additionally, health-related benefits are being recognized.

Healthan�dFitn�es�s�MEDitiAtioN for yoUr BoDyWhat Are the Physical impacts? / By Dr. Bob lutz

Not surprisingly, the strongest and most ben-eficial effects occur with psychological health and wellbeing. Physical illnesses that have a psy-chological component—for example, pain and/or situations that bring about a change in a person’s psychological state, such as depression following a heart attack—benefit from regular meditation. But this isn’t to say that it only works with psy-chological issues, as meditation (through MBSR) has been shown to help people with psoriasis, a skin condition, bring their disease under control, and people dealing with morbid obesity and eat-ing disorders have also been able to gain control. Type 2 diabetes, HIV/AIDS, inflammatory bowel diseases, arthritis, attention-deficit disorder and cardiovascular diseases are some of the other ill-nesses being studied. Mechanistically, it has been shown through functional imagery of the brain that activation of areas responsible for memory, learning and emo-tions (hippocampus), and those associated with attention and focus (prefrontal cortex)—as well as others causing empathy and introspection—occur during meditation. Interestingly, decreased activity in another area of the brain associated with fear, anger and stress (amygdala), also occurred at the same time in people doing 30 minutes of meditation a day for 8 weeks. Electrically, alpha waves—a sign of relaxed wakefulness—increase, in addition to theta waves found in deep relaxation, such as daydreaming. Conversely, delta waves—characteristic of sleep—decrease, as do beta waves associated with goal-oriented tasking. And neurochemically, increased concentration of 5-HT (serotonin) occur. This neurochemical has been identified as key to the feeling of well-being and affects mood, appetite, sleep, memory and learning. Not surprisingly, it’s been the target of the pharmaceutical industry (e.g., SSRIs, such as Prozac). These changes occurring both in the brain and hormonal system play out in the body by affect-ing such things as blood pressure and heart rate, as well as other hormones responsible for chronic stress, such as cortisol that is often elevated in people with a variety of chronic diseases. There is some speculative research demonstrat-ing that cellular aging may also be affected, as the length of the end of chromosomes that serve as protective caps (telomeres) is also decreased with chronic stress. While some of these changes can occur with only minimal time spent meditating (e.g., brain wave changes), others occur with repeated prac-tice. Very experienced practitioners have been shown to have thickening of regions of the brain associated with “interoceptive awareness” or the ability to know and regulate bodily functions such as heart rate. And lower overall heart rates and blood pressures have been identified with regular practice. Given all the issues around healthcare, wouldn’t it be ironic that something as simple as medita-tion may be effective where pills are not? While the science may be fascinating, it’s still more important to realize that mindfulness, or what-ever type of meditation you practice, fundamen-tally touches upon the universal human capacity to foster clear thinking and open-heartedness. It may not be a cure-all, but meditation may be the means to create a little space for your personal wellness in the frazzled day and age we live. //

there is some speculative research demonstrating that cellular aging may also be

affected.

MEDITATE FOR YOUR BODY. // PHOTO D. SNIDER.

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she was a preschooler—when she started rac-ing a BMX bike at age three. “My parents were motocross racers throughout the 70s and 80s, but decided to get my sister and me into BMX,” says Jaime. She won three consecutive Washington State BMX championship titles (1988-90) and raced in a Nationals race. Today, her sponsors include Loeka—a women’s clothing company based in Vancouver, B.C.—and The Bike Hub Racing, “which is a group of rad friends affiliated with The Bike Hub. Chris and Nichole Andreasen, the owners of The Bike Hub, have been friends of ours for a long time and have done so much for us and the bike community over the years,” says Jamie. Her favorite places to ride include Silver Mountain and Whistler, British Columbia. However, she says, “I have found that obscure and non-resort mountains are pretty epic. Being on a bike and up in the mountains makes me the most happy. Being on a single track, flowy, challenging trail gives me a feeling I just can’t describe. Racing does the same thing for me. I love the thrill of a challenge and I really enjoy having to learn and dominate a course in just a short period of time.” Although bikes and bike-related events are a major focus of her life—along with her husband, Jeff, who trains with her and travels along to competitions—she does maintain a day job: Social Studies teacher at Rogers High School. “I am very lucky to be off work by 3:00, have free weekends, and of course the ‘summer.’ I usually wait until dark to plan my lessons and grade my papers,” Jaime says. “And I do everything I can to get my work done before the weekend because most

likely I won’t touch it until late Sunday night.” Her racing season goes from March through October. Although it consists of mostly down-hill competitions, she also “did a few XC, super D’s, [and] Cyclecross races,” she says. “My most memorable race this year was finishing first on the podium at the SeaOtter classic in California.” Another highlight was “placing 3rd at the U.S. National Gravity Championships at Beech Mt.

North Carolina this past September.” As for training, Jaime says, “I have grown to love the pump track. It gives you the best workout by far. I am currently addicted to yoga. A biker’s body is extremely tight—especially the backside—and yoga has done wonders to my flexibility. Otherwise, I am on whatever bike feels right at the time. The weekdays I do a little DH, but mostly road bikes, XC bikes, and then my weekends are all DH. This off-season I will do some more upper body strength stuff so I can hold onto my handle bars a little easier.” With her busy schedule during racing season, Jaime says, “It’s a challenge to train during the weekdays when trying to balance work, getting your bike to the bike shop, and preparing to travel every weekend. That’s why training in the off sea-

What’s�YourGear: Jaim�e Rees�e (down�hill m�oun�tain� bikin�g) By Am�y Silbern�agel McCaffree

curreNtly raNKeD FOurtH in USA Pro Women’s Cycling and 92nd in UCI World, Jaime Reese, age 31, is a hometown athlete to brag about. She graduated from University High School, and then attended WSU on an athletic scholarship in Track and Cross Country. (She eventually trans-ferred to and ran for University of Montana.) “It wouldn’t be until college that I would decide that riding bikes was definitely my passion,” says Jaime. “I began riding for fun, then racing XC, and eventually learned that chairlift access and suspension was pretty cool—and that is how I made it to where I am today. I have been racing downhill for the last four years—two years in Cat I women, and two years as a Pro.” But her “racing career” technically began when

She does maintain a day job: Social Studies teacher at

rogers High School.

son is so important.” Here is Jaime’s gear list, including her four dif-ferent bikes.-------------------------------------------------------BiKes: Downhill – Giant Glory 00; XC – Kona Dawg Supreme; Road/Cyclecross – Redline Pro; Cruzer – 70’s Trek 420 with a basket, fenders and a bell.-------------------------------------------------------mtB wHeels & tires: Azonic Outlaws (blue) wheels and Maxxis Minion DHF tires.-------------------------------------------------------sHOes: 510’s Hellcat’s – clipless with my Shimano DX pedals.-------------------------------------------------------Helmet: Troy Lee Designes D2 History, full face.-------------------------------------------------------BiKe seat: Azonic Dunce Seat.-------------------------------------------------------clOtHiNG: Loeka everything, mixed with a little Royal; Sockguy—“my ‘chillin with my gnomie’ socks are my favorites, along with my Mustache’s.”-------------------------------------------------------BiKe GlOves: SixSixOne Royal.-------------------------------------------------------riDiNG Glasses: Spy goggles.-------------------------------------------------------car BiKe racK: Thule rear rack and a Decline tailgate pad.-------------------------------------------------------OtHer esseNtial Gear: SixSixOne chest pro-tecter, knee pads, and elbow pads. //

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BookReviews�

FreeDOm climBersBernadette McDonald, Rocky Mountain Books, 2011, 352 pages

ONce aGaiN BaNFF Festival Director turned author, Bernadette McDonald, wowed the Banff Mountain Book Festival jury. Her latest book, Freedom Climbers, garnered the Don and Phyllis Munday award for Mountain Literature—Banff ’s top award. McDonald received the award dur-ing the book festival ceremony on November 3, 2011. Scarcely two weeks later Freedom Climbers was tapped to receive the coveted Bordman-Tasker Award at the Kendall Mountain Festival on November 18. With Freedom Climbers McDonald continues to reward readers with in-depth biographies of noted mountain folk. This time, unlike her pre-vious works on individuals —Charlie Houston among others—she takes on a generation of climbers. Freedom Climbers chronicles the “gold-en age of Polish mountaineering,” the mid 1970s through the mid 1990s. During this era, Polish climbers summited eight of the fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, in winter, mostly by new routes. Freedom Climbers is much more than a chronicle of the success and tragedy of the era. McDonald digs deep into the socio-political envi-ronment in which this climbing culture evolved during and after the breakdown of the Soviet sys-tem. In approaching the subject of Polish climb-ing success in the Himalayas, McDonald consid-ers the impact of 60 years of violence, oppression and political upheaval on the tight-knit climb-ing community. In McDonald’s words, “Did the hard times forge their ambitions, or only toughen them, train them in stoicism?” Using in-depth stories of several noted Polish climbers, both male and female, McDonald probes for answers to these questions. Stories of triumph and tragedy abound; seem-ingly every climbing success is paired with a fatal fall or a climber who fails to return from a summit bid. Humor also appears at the most unlikely moments. White-knuckle tales of the underground economy (that is, smuggling) the climbers developed to help finance their climb-ing lifestyles often end on a humerous note. McDonald deserves the highest praise for shedding light on the remarkable stories of these Polish men and women; their story needed tell-ing—and McDonald does it well, very well. // Stan Miller

eat, sleep, riDe: HOw i BraveD Bears, BaDlaNDs, aND BiG BreaKFasts iN my Quest tO cycle tHe tOur DiviDe Paul Howard, Greystone Books, 2011, 272 pages

JON sNyDer tHOuGHt it would be interesting to get my take on Paul Howard’s book about the Tour Divide mountain bike race, Eat, Sleep, Ride. I have intimate knowledge of the event so it seemed natu-ral that I could offer a thoughtful review of a Brit’s adventure trying to tackle the longest mountain bike race in the world while experiencing America up close and personal. This was a bad idea. My failed attempt to break the singlespeed record in 2008 stays with me like a ghost and the witty but hapless travelogue portrayal of the event makes that ghost angry. The reasons for this are legion, but suffice it to say that if I spent time in a German POW camp I probably would like my story better

than the Hogan’s Heroes version. The book is light-hearted but snarky, and com-pletely devoid of bike geekiness. There is no men-tion of the author’s bike set up, equipment choices or training regimen. He instead focuses on the well-written but unnecessarily critical portrayals of the “bumkins” he comes across during his trek down America’s mountainous spine. The lengthy reiteration of cafe patrons discussing politics and his description of the “pitiful wretch” at Wal-Mart whose handshake left him nauseated ruffled my bald eagle feathers. Alas, the only real action in this tale comes from the last day of riding when fellow rider Brad Perry is knocked unconscious during a wreck that required some heroic action on the part of the author to get Perry to the hospital from a very inconvenient location in the desert of southern New Mexico. It is easy to see how the Tour Divide makes a great backdrop for a story. There have already been at least three books and three documentaries, but this book tells a story I am just not interested in. It is a shame because the same year that this book takes place, there are so many good tales to tell—Jay and Tracy Petervary overcoming great obstacles to be the first tandem to complete the route; Chris Plesko setting a stunning new singlespeed record; or the vegan fixie rider Deanna Adams fighting against incredible adversity to finish but then get-ting disqualified for not doubling back to complete a short section of the route she missed after getting lost. Like any sporting event, there are the fans and then there are the participants. This book is for the fans. For those that are compelled to compete, their own story will always be more captivating. // David Blaine

the book is light-hearted but snarky, and completely devoid of bike geekiness.

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You’ve Been Trumped (film still, above) is a David and Goliath story for the 21st century, in which a group of proud Scottish homeowners take on a celebrity tycoon. At stake is one of Britain’s very last stretches of wilderness.

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Pun�is�hStuff tHrEE SEASoN SlEEPiNG SolUtioNit’s lightweight And Warm / By John SpearetHe mOre BiKe campiNG I do, the more obsessed I’m becoming about dialing in the per-fect sleeping solution. The “sleeping solution” is defined as: sleeping bag and mattress.

I’ve experimented with a lot of different sleep-ing mattresses over the years. I’ve also relied on a couple trusted sleeping bags. Like all back/bike-packers learn over time: you can always pack enough stuff to keep you comfortable after a day of exploration, but the cost of that end-of-day com-fort can be extremely uncomfortable to haul.

Not surprisingly, I’ve tended to value lightweight over comfort and suffered some cold, sleepless nights as a result.

All of this changed last year with my discovery of the two pieces of equipment I’m covering here: the GoLite down quilt and the NeoAir mattress.

Behold.

summaryGoLite UltraLite 3-Season Quilt • price: $275• weiGHt: 1 lb 8 oz. (689 g) • prOs: super comfy, amazing warmth, packs

way down, includes storage sack and stuff sack• cONs: pricey • maDe: in China

Therm-A-Rest NeoAir mattress• price: $150• weiGHt: 19 oz• maDe: Made in USA• prOs: super light, great insulation• cONs: pricey, repair kit and stuff sack sold

separately

GOlite ultralite 3-seasON QuiltLast winter, the PR people for GoLite contacted

Out There Monthly and I ended up receiving an UltraLite 3-Season Quilt to review.

The idea of a quilt is that it’s just intended to cover the top of your body—since in a traditional sleeping bag, you’re compressing the down that you’re laying on, and therefore negating any loft or insulative value—what’s the point of adding that extra material and down? So, a quilt is basically a blanket with a foot box and straps to wrap around the sleeping pad. The sleeping pad provides insula-tion from the bottom.

The quilt is 800 fill down and rated to 20°F. It stuffs down into a bag about the size of a football. Compared to my current bag, the quilt is about a half-pound lighter, about half as bulky, 10 degrees warmer, and about twice as expensive.

Yep, pricey. But the fact is this is the kind of pur-chase where you spend the money to help shave the last pound or so and reduce the bulk from your sleeping solution.

I’ve used the quilt now for about 10 nights out. The lowest temperature was just shy of freezing. I slept with a stocking cap, mid-weight wool base-layer, and socks (and a belly full of 10-Fidy). I was happy and warm.

The GoLite Quilt has a waterproofed foot box and waterproof fabric around the top of the bag. That’s smart since these are the areas where con-densation can build up.

I’m skeptical that the quilt would be as effective with a lesser mattress, but with the new Therm-A-Rest NeoAir, it’s a slam-dunk for 3-season pursuits.

tHerm-a-rest NeOair mattressThe NeoAir deserves all the awards and rec-

ognition it has received since it was introduced over a year ago.

The NeoAir is just heads and tails better than any other mattress I’ve tried that is similar in weight and bulk. When inflated, the NeoAir is about 2.5 inches tall. By redesigning the internal baffling and adding reflective material on the bot-tom of the pad, Therm-A-Rest has figured out how

to make a crazy-light air mattress super insulative. It took a few nights to figure out that the secret to optimizing comfort with this mattress is not over-inflating it.

Given the price tag, I’m thinking a repair kit and a stuff sack should be included. But that’s a small gripe.

When all is said and done: at over $400, pair-ing the NeoAir with the GoLite quilt is an expen-sive sleeping solution. But the solution really has proven to be a game-changer for me. I now haul around a lighter, less bulky setup, and I’m warmer and more comfortable than ever when the day is done. //

http://www.golite.com/

http://cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest

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VisitLincolnCountyWashington.com

TWO GREAT SLEEP ITEMS GO GREAT TOGETHER. // PHOTO JOHN SPEARE.


iN my miND, the bike lanes in Spokane serve one of two purposes. Some of them take you places you’d like to go, and some of them allow you to answer in the positive when you’re asked, “Does Spokane have bike lanes?” The latter are what I’ve heard referred to as bike lanes of opportunity. Essentially, they were put there

because there was room for them, not because they connect people to destinations. Fortunately, Spokane is making improvements and rather than make my first “Everyday Cyclist” column a rant, I’d like to highlight a designated bike route and show why it works so well.

I live about three miles north of Spokane in an area flanked by Highway 395 and Highway 2. I work downtown. I started bike commuting about thirteen years ago, and when I look back at the experiences I suffered through I strongly encour-age new cyclists to learn from experienced riders instead of attending the school of hard knocks as I did.

I crazily rode on Monroe for a while before moving over to Wall and Post. The rush hour traffic during the trip home was always fast, crowded and frantic. Wall and Country Homes were exceptionally busy streets and getting from Country Homes to Highway 395 and Highway 2 was scary. Even though I was on edge for much of the commute, I hung in there because I focused on the positives. Riding was cheaper than driving, I didn’t have the hassle or cost of parking, and I got some exercise at least twice a day.

After a few years (I’m tagging myself as a slow learner), somebody told me about the designated north-south bike route that begins at Holland and follows Colton, Standard, Addison, Liberty, Lidgerwood, Mayfair, Foothills and Buckeye, and last of all Howard to Riverfront Park. Although it extended the length of my trip by a half mile, I found it was excellent for a number of reasons. It’s pleasantly quiet even during rush hour. There are painted bike lanes for the majority of the way so I don’t have to merge with traffic very much. And where there are no bike lanes, it’s mostly quiet neighborhood streets anyway. Anyone riding to north Spokane from downtown has to climb a hill at some point. I appreciate all the exercise I got from slogging up Post Street hill, but the short climb from Mayfair to Lidgerwood made the trip home so much easier and enjoyable. Lastly and most importantly, this route takes you places—it connects you to destinations.

Check out the schools along the way. Neighborhoods are linked to North Central High, Lidgerwood Elementary and Shiloh Elementary schools. If you need to run errands or do some shopping, you can follow this bikeway to a num-ber of big box stores, grocery stores, as well as small stores and shops. Medical appointments at Holy Family Hospital and the surrounding doc-tors’ offices are but an easy spin on two wheels. For your play and leisure needs, this bike route will take you to or near no less than six parks: Riverfront, Corbin, Byrne, Glass Playfield, Nevada Playfield and Friendship parks. And to top it off, the Spokane Transit Authority #26 bus overlaps some of this route.

Much of what I’ve described about this route relates to Complete Streets where using different modes of transportation should be easy and safe. When I’m rolling to and from work I see chil-dren and adults on bicycles, other bike commut-

ers, kids walking to and from school or a park, people on the sidewalk carrying shopping bags, folks patiently waiting for the bus to arrive or walking home after getting off the bus. While all this is going on, a not overwhelming number of cars hustle up and down the road. Whether you’re driving, riding or walking along this route, your mode of transportation has equal access to the schools, stores and parks along the way. Granted, it’s not perfect and there is plenty of room for improvement. Riding a bike across Division and Ruby and then trying to turn north onto Mayfair can be tricky at 5:00 in the afternoon when a ton of homeward bound motorists fill all four lanes on North Foothills. And there are many intersec-tions that could use curb ramps. Even so, I think this route still has a lot going for it in terms of safety and ease of access.

According to the U.S Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 17 percent of bicyclists feel threatened for their personal safety in areas where there are no bike lanes or paths. That drops to 10 percent when both bike paths and lanes are available. I rarely feel threatened on this bike route, whereas I almost always felt threatened before.

Spokane has been improving its cycling infra-structure over the last couple of years. Though the city’s potential still exceeds its reach, I’m very opti-mistic. In the meantime, if you’re looking for an easy bike ride from downtown Spokane to Highway 2 or if you’d like a small taste of what Complete Streets is about, come take a ride with me. //

hank greer was born in spokane, moved

around, came back and graduated from north

central high school, and retired from the air

force after 23 years of service. he has lived in

spokane since 1995 and is an avid cyclist and

runner.

EverydayCyclis�t

All BiKE roUtES Not CrEAtED EqUAlConnecting Destinations is Key / By Hank Greer

i crazily rode on Monroe for a while before moving over

to Wall and Post.

2011- 2012

MADELOCAL

The Inland NW(Spokane & Coeur d’Alene) Award-Winning Guide for Sustainable + Healthy Living

HUNDREDS OF LISTINGS ON GREEN + LOCAL BUSINESSES INCLUDING

Green Building Home + Garden Natural HealthTransportation Energy + Recycling FoodCommunity + EnvironmentMade Local

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FREE

HOWARD ST. BIKE LANE. // PHOTO HANK GREER.

2011-2012, 7tH ANNUAl EDitioN

oUt NoW. WWW.GOGREENDIRECTORY.COM


the SEC.The thick offering documents are frankly

worthless to the layperson for whom they were written to protect. They are filled with turgid, legalistic prose that lives on lawyers’ hard drives. Often these documents are printed IN A TINY FONT IN

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS THAT NO HUMAN BEING HAS EVER BEEN

OBSERVED TO READ. Besides ensuring full employ-ment for attorneys, securities law has had one stunning achievement: It has managed to keep small investors away from small businesses. Again, 98 percent of the American public cannot invest in more than half of the economy.

This exclusion is especially galling given that there’s overwhelming evidence that local busi-nesses are the most important sources of new income, wealth, and jobs for communities. At a time when official U.S. unemployment is at its highest levels since the Great Depression, the absence of either political party seeking to fix this problem by reforming securities law and promot-ing local investment is stunning.

Most Americans, of course, don’t really invest in individual companies. They take advantage of tax laws to place small percentages of their pay-checks into their individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and 401(k) accounts sheltered from income taxes. But for any investor—accredited or unaccredited—who wishes to put this money into a portfolio of local businesses, the market failure is just as bad. There is not a single mutual fund or investment broker in the country that gives “retail” investors the opportunity to invest in a portfolio of local businesses. The curious inves-tor who presses her broker or financial advisor for some local-investment options is told, con-descendingly, that these small businesses are too risky and their profits too insignificant to bother with, even though there’s compelling evidence, as we’ll see, that they are less risky and more profit-able than the Fortune 500. //

available.What stands in the way of this shift is obsolete

institutions and laws that make local investment extremely difficult and expensive. Securities laws from the Great Depression effectively enacted a system of investment apartheid, with “accredited investors” being able to invest in any business they wish and unaccredited investors being essentially told to get lost. Accredited investors make up the richest 2 percent of Americans—those who earn more than $200,000 (or $300,000 with a spouse) or have more than $1 million in assets, excluding their primary residence. As long as entrepreneurs don’t lie about their business plans, governance, and numbers, they can easily approach any “accredited” investor for money. The other 98 per-cent of us are “unaccredited” and presumed too gullible to invest in a company without massive legal paperwork. Before a business can make an investment “offering” to even a single unaccred-ited investor, it must pay an attorney to produce a private placement memorandum and various regulatory filings and documents; legal, account-ing, and government fees could easily run $25,000 to $50,000. If a company wants many unaccred-ited investors, it must create a public offering that could cost another $50,000 or more, and it then must make ongoing, exhaustive filings to

GoGreen�: Sus�tain�ableLivin�g

WHy ArE WE tHroWiNG So MUCH MoNEy At WAll St.? Tearing Down The Barriers to Local Investment / By Juliet Sinisterra with book excerpt by Michael H. Shuman

WHY IS INvESTING LOCALLY DISCOURAGED BY LAW?. // PHOTO A. YOUNG

micHael H. sHumaN, economist, attorney and author of The Small Mart Revolution and Creating Self-Reliant Communities in the Global Age, is research director for Cutting Edge Capital in Oakland, CA, economic-development director for the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), and a fellow of the Post Carbon Institute.

Most recently, Shuman led the Community Food Enterprise project, which was jointly funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. During that study, Shuman researched the amounts of money that local govern-ments were spending on economic development. He found that 80 percent of total program spending is being on spent on attracting outside businesses, while small local businesses, in actuality, generate more jobs. Shuman’s new book offers investors and policy makers an array of development of options for strengthening local economies and creating jobs. Shuman explores everything from reinstituting local stock exchanges to developing locally distrib-uted mutual funds for 401(K) investments.

Following is an excerpt from Local Economies, Local Sense: How to Shift your Money from Wall Street to Main Street and Achieve Real Prosperity, Shuman’s book to be released next month from Chelsea Green Publishers.

____________america’s iNvestmeNt system is broken. Even though roughly half the jobs and the output in the economy comes from local small business, almost all our investment dollars go into big corporations on Wall Street. The overall wealth of the country is more than $150 tril-lion. Some of this wealth is held in the form of land, buildings, and machinery, and considered “illiquid”—not very easy to convert into dol-lars. The most liquid assets held by household and nonprofits are stocks, bonds, mutual funds, pension funds, and life insurance funds, and at the end of 2010 these totaled about $30 tril-lion. To put this number in perspective, all the production in the United States each year—the gross domestic product (GDP)—currently totals

about $15 trillion. So Americans currently have double their GDP in long-term savings. Not even 1 percent of these savings touches local small business.

Were local businesses uncompetitive, unprof-itable, and obsolete for the U.S. economy, this gap would be understandable. But as we will see,

local businesses are actually more profitable than larger corporations—and their competitiveness is impressive despite decades of inattention from policymakers and economic developers. This investment gap represents a huge market fail-ure. It means that Americans are systematically overinvesting in Wall Street and underinvesting in Main Street. Were this $30 trillion allocated efficiently, at least $15 trillion would move into locally owned small businesses.

Imagine the kinds of new businesses and eco-nomic revitalization that would be possible with a $15 trillion shift. To put this number in perspec-tive, it represents twenty times more money than all the funding the federal government allocated in the first national stimulus program of 2009–2010. It represents about $50,000 for every American man, woman, and child. For even a small town of five thousand, this shift would make $250 million available for starting or expanding local business. For a suburban town of fifty thousand, it would mean $2.5 billion more of capital. For a metro area of half a million, $25 billion more would be

this investment gap repre-sents a huge market failure. it means that Americans are systematically overinvesting in Wall Street and underin-

vesting in Main Street.

MONTHLY

chEck out thE out thErE BloG:

WWW.oUttHErEMoNtHly.CoM(New posts all the time)


(January 6, 13, 20 & 27) Basic Urban Beekeeping Course. When: 6 PM - 9 PM. Where: Sun People Dry Goods Co, 32 W 2nd Ave, Ste. 200. The basics of keeping bees in the urban environment. $20 for general or $30 for complete State Certification. Pre-registration required. Info: 509-368-9378, sun-peopledrygoods.com.

(January 7 - 8) Soapmaking 101 Workshop. When: 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM. Where: Sun People Dry Goods Co, 32 W 2nd Ave, Ste. 200. 2 day workshop exploring the art of handcrafted soap. Make and take home roughly (12) 4.5 oz bars. Pre-registration required. $55. Info: 509-368-9378, sunpeopledry-goods.com

(January 8) Spokane Concentration Meditation Group. 10 AM – 12 PM. Community Meditation Room, 35 W. Main St. A new Buddhist meditation group focusing on concentration meditation. No experience necessary. Free. 509-263-7213, meetup.com/Spokane-Concentration-Meditation-Group.

(January 11) Public Workshop: liberty lake Surface Water quality Standards Public Workshop. When: 1:30 PM - 4:15 PM. Where: 22510 E. Mission Ave. Liberty Lake. Ecology will hold a public workshop to discuss potential changes to implementation tools in the Surface Water Quality Standards (WAC 173-201A). Info. Ecy.wa.gov.

(January 19) free film Showing of “the Economics of Happiness”. When: 4 PM. Where: Sun People Dry Goods Co, 32 W 2nd Ave, Ste. 200. Communities are coming together to re-build more human scale, ecological economies based on a new paradigm. Info: 509-368-9378, sunpeopledrygoods.com

(January 28) Seed Starting Workshop with Pat Munts. When: 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM. Where: Sun People Dry Goods Co, 32 W 2nd Ave, Ste. 200. Pat will show you how to pick pots, soils, seeds and lights and put them together to grow a garden full of vegetable starts. $15. Info: 509-368-9378, sun-peopledrygoods.com.

(January 28) organic Veggie Gardening 101 Workshop with Pat Munts. When: 1 PM - 3 PM. Where: Sun People Dry Goods Co, 32 W 2nd Ave, Ste. 200. Learn tips and tricks to build your soil and keep bugs at bay while growing healthy food for your family. $15 Pre-registration required. Info: 509-368-9378, sunpeopledrygoods.com.

(february 1) film screening of “the last Mountain”. When: tba. Where: The Bing. A passionate and per-sonal tale that honors the extraordinary power of ordinary Americans when they fight for what they believe in,. It is a fight for our future that affects us all. Info: cforjustice.org/river.

sustaiNaBlEliviNGcalENdarGoGreen�: Sus�tain�ableLivin�g

www.roasthouse.net


CLIMBING

(March 30 through April 1) the ninth annual Mountain Gear Presents: red rock rendezvous rock climbing festival. Info: www.RedRockRendezvous.com.

CYCLING

(March 11) Gran fondo Ephrata. Where: Ephrata, WA. 78 miles of some of the toughest, remote country roads central Washington has to offer. Info: beezleyburn.com.

(April 2012 - August 2012) Baddlands Cooper Jones twilight Series races. When: Tuesday evenings at 6 PM. Where: Cheney, Spokane, Rathdrum, Liberty Lake, Steptoe Butte. USAC Sanctioned bicycle rac-ing. Road races and crits. A, B, C, and Wms Packs. Info: 509-456-0432, baddlands.org.

(April 29) lilac Century. Info: northdivision.com/lilac.htm

(May 26-27) 24 Hours round the Clock. “Round the Clock” is a 24 hour team relay mountain bike race, beginning at noon on Saturday and ending at noon on Sunday. Info: www.roundandround.com.

(June 2) CHafE 150. Where: Sandpoint, ID. One-day, 150 or 80-mile ride. Info: 208-290-7148, chafe150.org.

MARATHONS

(May 19, 2012) Windermere Marathon, Spokane. Info: windermeremarathon.com.

(May 27, 2012) Coeur d’Alene Marathon. Info: 509-979-4370.

RUNNING

(february) Partners in Pain 5K. Info: brrc.net

(March 17) runnin’ o’ the Green in Bellingham. 2.7 walk/run and 5 mile run from Bellingham’s Depot Market Square. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/ser-vices/recreation/races/

(May 6) lilac Bloomsday run, the 36th. Info: www.bloomsdayrun.org

(September 8) fairhaven runners Waterfront 15K in Bellingham. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/services/recreation/races

TRIATHALON

(March 3) Methow Winter triathalon. Bike, Ski, Run. Check for updates. Info; www.mvsta.com.

(June 23) Padden triathlon in Belingham. A sprint and super sprint triathlon. Staples of the local tri-athlon scene. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/services/recreation/races.

(June 24) ironman, Coeur d’Alene. Info: ironmancda.com.

(August 11) Bellingham youth triathlon. Three races, start times and distances for kids 15 & younger. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/services/recreation/races/

MULTI-SPORT

(May 5) GorUCK Challenge. Where: Portland, OR. 15-20 MILES. 8-10 HOURS. GOOD LIVIN’™. Team Challenge event. Designed and led by Green Berets. Info: 202-885-9736, goruckchallenge.com

(June 11 & August 27) All-Comer’s track & field in Bellingham. Events for athletes of all ages and abilities. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/services/rec-reation/races.

(october 14) yMCA youth Duathlon in Bellingham. For kids 5 to 15. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/ser-vices/recreation/races.

(october 14) Klicks Mt. Bike Duathlon in Bellingham. Info: 360-778-7000, cob.org/services/recreation/races/

ALPINE SKIING/SNOWBOARDING,

(february 10th, 11 & 12) 5th Annual Kan Jam freestyle festival. Events include a Rail Jam, Slopestyle, and Big Air contests. Info: mtspokane.com.

(february 22-36, 2012) Master’s Ski race Clinics and races. schweitzer.com

NORDIC SKIING

(february 5) Skijorning at 49 Degrees North. Skijoring, literally ski-driving in Norwegian, is a dog-powered sport where canine athletes pull you on cross country skis. Info: 509-625-6200, spo-kaneparks.org.

(february 12, 2012) langlauf 10K Ski race. 34th annual XC ski race at Mt. Spokane. Info: spo-kanelanglauf.org

(february 18, 19) Group Health Pursuit. Where: Mt. Spokane. 10k Classic ski race on Saturday and Skate race on Sunday. Info: spokanenordic.org.

SNOWSHOE, ADVENTURE RACING

(february 4, 2012) Washington romp to Stomp. Stevens Pass, WA. Modeled after the highly success-ful Race for the Cure®, the Tubbs Romp to Stomp out Breast Cancer consists of a 3k or 5k snowshoe walk or a 3k snowshoe race. tubbsromptostomp.com.

PADDLE SPORTS

(May 5) Whatcom Classic in Bellingham. Open water, human powered, 13.1 miles and 5.5 miles. Info: 360-778-7000, soundrowers.org/default.aspx

OutdoorCalen�dar Subm�it your even�t at www.outtherem�on�thly.com�

Please visit www.outtheremonthly.com and click the “submit your event” link. // Events MUST be sent in by the 20th of the month to be listed in the following month’s issue. Please follow the when, where format as seen in the calendar. Ongoing events need to be re-submitted each month.

Have an� Even�t You Would Like to Lis�t? //

siXMoNthtraiNiNGcalENdarAny level of beverage enjoyer. Info: fbcspokane.blogspot.com.

RUNNING/WALKING

(January 10 + ongoing) Gals Get Going. When: 9:30 AM. Where: Downriver Golf Course. Get off the treadmill for a challenging workout for all abili-ties. Meets every Tuesday for 8 weeks. Info: 509-599-3413, galsgetgoing.com

HIKING

(January 12) GPS Basics. When: 7 - 8:30 PM. Where: REI Community Resource Room. Learn how to use your handheld navigator to pinpoint your location, mark waypoints and navigate to distant points. Register for free at rei.com/Spokane. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/spokane.

ALPINE SKIING/SNOWBOARDING

(January 7-8) Mountain Gear’s Winterfest. When: All day, Where: 49º North Ski Area. Join Mountain Gear at 49º North Resort and Nordic area. During the day, take advantage of free classes, a winter safety course, demonstrations, and gear demos. Stick around for live music, a bonfire, BBQ and night-time ski and snowshoe tours. Info: 509-935-6649, mountaingear.com.

(January 7 or 8) Ski and Snowboard School Mt Spokane. When: 7AM - 5 PM. Where: Mt Spokane. Pick your level of experience, add rentals, lift tickets and other options to make your lesson package per-fect. Info: 509-625-6200, spokaneparks.org.

(January 10) intro to Backcountry Skiing. When: 7 PM. Where: TBA, Learn how to take your skiing or boarding beyond the boundaries of the ski hill. Info: 509-998-3015, [email protected], spokanemountaineers.org

(January 10-11) Avalanche Class – level 1. When: 5 – 9:30 PM. Where: Mountain Gear Retail Store 2002 N Division. The Level I avalanche course is targeted at recreational skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers. It is taught over 3 days, with both classroom and field sessions. In the classroom, students become acquainted with the 3 contributing factors to avalanches, learn how to evaluate each as they relate to the probable hazard, and use this data during decision making. The field session (all day Saturday, January 23rd) focuses on route selec-tion, hazard identification and evaluation, decision making and rescue (beacon search, group and self-rescue). $225. Info: 325-9000.

(January 19) Ski Waxing Basics. When: 7 - 8:30 PM. Where: REI, 1125 N Monroe. This class will focus on basics of ski waxing, including base prepa-ration, structure, major and minor repair, and stone grinding. Register at rei.com/Spokane. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/spokane

NORDIC SKIING

(January 7) Cross Country Moonlight Ski and Dinner. When: 6 PM - 9 PMWhere: Selkirk Lodge, Discover the beauty of moonlight on snow on cross-country skis through the woods. Afterward enjoy Italian style dinner from Trezzi Farm Catering. Info: 509-625-6200, spokaneparks.org

CLIMBING

(ongoing Mondays & Wednesdays) Spider Monkey Climbing Club. When: 5 – 7PM. Where: Wild Walls, 202 W. 2nd Ave. For kids ages 4 – 10 years. Please call ahead. Come climb and meet new friends! Info: 509-455-9596.

(January 13) Discover rock Class. When 6 - 8 PM. Where: 2002 N. Division. Everything you need to harness up, tie in and belay with confidence. $20. Info: mountaingear.com/pages/retailstore/retail asp.

(January 14, 21, 28, february 4) Saturday Climbing. When: 1 - 4 PM. Where: REI, 1125 N Monroe. There are plenty of ways up the wall, with easy to moderate routes. We have harnesses & shoes. Members climb for free; others $5. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/spokane

(January 25) Discover rock Women. When 6 – 8 PM. Where: Mt. Gear Retail. Ages 15+ Sponsored by Mountain Gear. This fun filled all women’s class is your introduction to safety, knot tying, belaying and of course climbing techniques on the wall. You will be taught by certified and experienced instructors what you need to know for climbing at an indoor climbing gym. All equipment supplied for class. $20. Info: mountaingear.com/pages/retailstore/retail asp.

CYCLING

(ongoing Mondays & Wednesdays) Bike Hub Spin Classes. When: 6 PM. Where: The Bike Hub Basement 12505 East Sprague Ave. Just because it’s cold out doesn’t mean you have to stop riding! Bring your bike and trainer and come join us every Monday and Wednesday nights at 6pm for our spin classes. We have a huge projection screen and tons of videos! Info: 509-443-4005, thebikehubspokane.com.

(ongoing Saturdays) Weekly Urban Bike races. When: 6 - 7 PM. Where: Cda Park. Bike Races, Format by Popular Vote at time of Race. Formats are : Relay, Picture hunt, Follow the clues, Sticker slap race. Road bikes Suggested. Prizes! Info: 313-757-1888, facebook.com/event.php?eid&3050340401358

(ongoing) WoW Cycling Spokane. Great cycling is here and we’re out on the roads and trails! We’re now on FaceBook as Wow Cycling Spokane, friend us! Info: 509-951-6366, wowcycling.com.

(ongoing) Belles and Baskets. Whatever style your cycle, join other Spokane women for no-drop rides, treats, and friendship. Info: 509-951-4090, facebook.com/bellesandbaskets.

(ongoing) Spokane Bicycle Club. S.B.C. offers eight weekly rides of various lengths and difficulty for members and non-members. Check the web site for ride details. Info: 509-747-5581, spokanebicy-cleclub.org.

(January 1) Elk Drug Drop-outs Vintage and Cruiser Bicycle ride. When: 3 PM. Where: Starts at Elk in Browns Addition. Family friendly (although we do like our beer!) Info: 509-326-6949.

(January 9) full Moon fiasco. When: 8 PM. Where: The Swamp Tavern. A relaxed bike ride through Spokane during the full moon. Any bike.


OutdoorCalen�dar JAN 2012oUtDoorCAlENDAr

(January 7) Nordic Kids. When: 1 PM. Mt. Spokane Nordic Area. Registration for Nordic Kids (ages 5-15) is now open. A great opportunity to learn, develop and enjoy cross-country ski skills. Info: 509-385-1722, Spokanenordic.org.

(January 8, 16, 22, 29) Gals Get Going Beginning Ski team. Lisa Sunderman will be coaching a team for women interested in gaining confidence, fit-ness, and friendships. Women are welcome if they are beginning to intermediate skiers and will get a team hat and a 7-day/6-week training plan. This will compliment the one-day per week the team will meet to ski on Sundays- from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. from the Selkirk Lodge. Team members will need classic cross-country ski gear, similar clothing you would wear running in cold weather, bring a water bottle and some nutrition along, a snow park permit, and dry and warm clothes and boots to change into after skiing. Bring your lunch for eating together in the Selkirk Lodge if you can stay after-ward. $100. Info: galsgetgoing.com.

(January 14) Cross Country Ski tour49 Degrees North - Women’s only. When: 10 AM - 1PM. Where: 49 Degrees North. Tour the trails of 49 Degrees North! Your guide will give you tips leading to better control and more fun on your cross coun-try skis. Info: 509-625-6200, spokaneparks.org

(January 21) Nordic Ski Day - Deer Park Winter festival. When: 10 AM – 2 PM. Where: Deer Park Golf Course. Celebrate WinterFest. Free xc ski les-sons, snowhoeing, skijoring demo and information. Equipment provided. Classes at 10:30 and 12:30. Info: 509-292-2100, [email protected]

(January 26) Cross Country Ski Basics. When: 7 - 8:30 PM. Where: REI, 1125 N Monroe. Free your heels and your mind will follow! For tips and infor-mation about getting into cross-country skiing. Register at rei.com/Spokane. Info: 509-328-9900, rei.com/Spokane.

(January 28) Cross Country Ski frater lake with transportation. When: 8 AM – 5 PM. Explore this beautiful glacial lake that is part of the eight lakes of the Pend Oreille Lake Chain. Includes roundtrip transportation and ski area fees. Programs are oper-ated in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service. Bring your own lunch and water. All ski equipment provided! Pre trip information emailed with regis-tration. Ages 15 & Over. $59. Info: Info: mounta-ingear.com/pages/retailstore/retail asp.

SNOWSHOEING

(January 6 - 7) Avalanche Awareness and the Art of Snow Safety. When: 6 PM - 8 PM, 9 AM - 1 PM. Where: 49 Degrees North. This informative workshop will present a free Friday evening power point presentation. Then Saturday morning will offer a class on snow safety, and an evaluation. Info: 509-625-6200, spokaneparks.org

(January 7) Snowshoe Moonlight Hike with Dinner. When: 6 - 9 PM. Where: Selkirk Lodge, Travel through the winter landscape of Mt Spokane by the magic of moonlight. Return to the Selkirk Lodge for a delicious dinner. Info: 509-625-6200, spokaneparks.org

(January 14, 15, 21, 28, 29) Snowshoe Class. When: 6:30 PM. Where: Mt. Spokane. Learn the

basics of snowshoeing – you’ll learn about cloth-ing, equipment, and snowshoe technique. Enjoy traveling through the snow-covered trees and hills around Mt Spokane. 2 sessions, ages 14+. $35. Info: spokaneparks.org, 509-625-6200.

(January 15) iNlt Snowshoe in Stevens County. When: 10 AM-2 PM. Where: Stevens County. Enjoy an INLT snowshoe on our conservation easement in Stevens County. Expect a 3-4 mile moderate hike. Sign up now; space is limited. Info: 509-328-2939, [email protected].

(January 21) Mom and Me Snowshoe Hike. When: 11AM - 1 PM. Where: 49 Degrees North. Parents and babies are invited to enjoy a 60 minute guided snowshoe tour followed by hot beverages and delicious gourmet snacks. Info: 509-625-6200, spokaneparks.org.

PADDLING

(January 23) Spokane Canoe & Kayak Club Presentation. When: 7 PM. Where: Corbin Senior Center, 827 W. Cleveland. Voyage across the Continent, a series of kayak, canoe, and hiking trips across North America from Astoria to Hudson’s Bay. Info: 509-209-3066, sckc.ws

YOGA

(January 2 - february 24) iyengar yoga Classes for Beginners. When: Mon. 9:30 AM, Tues. & Thurs at 6 PM. Where: Sunflower Yoga, Iyengar yoga is known for its therapeutic benefits for all levels, use of props and clear instruction. Gentle and inter-mediate classes also offered. Info: 509-535-7369, sunfloweryoga.net.

EVENTS/MOVIES/MISC…

(January 2-31) last Chance Boot Camp. When: 5 AM & 6 AM, M-F. Where: Hayden ID. Last Chance Boot Camp is a personal training group that works out 2 to 6 times per week. Info: 208-457-2726, last-chancefitness.com.

(January 6 - 7) Avalanche Awareness and the Art of Snow Safety. When: 6 PM - 8 PM, 9 AM - 1 PM. Where: 49 Degrees North. This informative workshop will present a free Friday evening power point presentation. Then Saturday morning will offer a class on snow safety, and an evaluation. Info: 509-625-6200, spokaneparks.org

(January 7 & 8) Winterfest at 49º North. Come join us for a wonderful, winter-filled weekend at 49º North Resort and Nordic area. There will be excit-ing events for everyone – demonstrations, events, and races. We’ll offer free classes and tours along with a winter safety course. In the evening enjoy a band, bonfire and night-time ski and snowshoe tours. Info: ski49n.com.

(January 14 & 15) Health* Beauty Spa Show. When: Sat. 11 AM - 6 PM & Sun. 12 - 5 PM. Where: Spokane Community College Lair. Each year the health*beauty spa show brings the cutting edge of health and wellness technology to the average con-sumer. In addition to offering traditionally beneficial stress-busting and immune-boosting spa treatments like massage, The health*beauty spa show brings bite sized sample therapies and treatments to consumers at the same $5 price point from all participating

We’ve moved. And we need your help!We’re at 1527 E 16th Ave.Thursday 2-6, Friday 2-6Saturday 11-6Want to volunteer? Email [email protected]

salons and spas. Info: healthbeautyshow.com.

(January 19-22) inland Northwest rV Show. When: 12 – 4 PM. Where: Spokane County Fair and Expo Center. 24th Annual Inland Northwest RV Show. Browse through millions of dollars of motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels, campers and accessories. Info: [email protected], spokanervshow.com .

(January 23) film: the irate Birdwatcher. When: 7 PM. Where: Mountain Gear, 2002 N Division St, Spokane, WA. A benefit for the Spokane Mountaineers Foundation. Suggested donation $3. Celebrating Washington’s wilderness and the wisdom of NW writer and conservationist Harvey Manning. Info: 509-624-7120, spokanemountaineers.org

(January 23) leadership Workshops. When: vari-ous. Where: Various. Toastmasters will be offering free Leadership workshops to our community. Workshops will showcase the opportunities in honing leadership skills of mentoring, coaching, team building, motivat-ing, delegating, resolving conflict, goal setting and giv-ing effective feedback. Learn tips that you can put into practice at work, at home and at play. Info: toastmas-ters.wikia.com/wiki/District_9, [email protected].

(January 27 & 28) intro to Avalanche Safety. When: 7 PM. Where: TBA. Learn the basics of avalanche safety with Kevin Davis of the IPNF Avalanche center. Info: 509-998-3015, [email protected], spokanemountaineers.org //


By: MirA CoPElAND

BackcouNtrY skiiNG 101how to havE FuN aNd staY saFE without GoiNG BrokE

toP: Skiing with

Wallowa Alpine Huts. // Photo

Michael G. Halle.

BottoM: Backcountry

skiing in British Columbia with

the Spokane Mountaineers. // Photos Eric

ryan


Here cOmes a time for many skiers, who have reached a certain point in their ski-ing abilities and experiences, when they yearn to expand the skiing experience. Maybe you’re tired of battling crowds,

paying for lift tickets, the repetition of familiar runs, and skiing tracked-out snow. Maybe you’re searching for some solitude, a better workout, or simply a new challenge and a different on-snow experience.

With the explosion of ski films over the past few years, the allure of backcountry skiing has reached a broader audience; but, hand in hand with the rise of ski film production companies like Teton Gravity Research, Matchstick Productions, Powderwhore, and Sherpas Cinema has come a wave of high profile skier deaths and injuries in the backcountry—from Marc Andre Belliveau’s spine-ravaging fall in 2006, to the loss of ski-BASE jump-ing pioneer Shane McConkey in 2009, and most recently, Jamie Pierre, the holder of the record for the highest cliff jump on skis, who perished this fall in an early season avalanche in Utah.

The considerable peril to life and limb is not

the only hurt you face when you decide to take up backcountry skiing—it can also be debilitating for your personal finances. Anybody who has ever taken the family up for a day of resort skiing can tell you that skiing ain’t cheap. If you go backcoun-try, just because you are no longer shelling out for lift tickets and lodge lunches doesn’t mean you will be saving money.

First, there’s the gear: at the very least, you’re going to need an avalanche beacon, probe, and shovel. You might also need new skis to handle the bottomless powder you’re searching for, and you will need a way to get up to or into the back-country, which likely means climbing skins, Alpine Touring (AT) bindings, and AT boots; or, if you’re a snowboarder, snowshoes, or a split board with skins.

Then, there are the trips. This is where you might see some “savings,” because there are plenty of places to go for free (if you know what you’re doing), or at least for the minimal cost of a guide-book, map, compass, and maybe a snowpark per-mit. On the other hand, your backcountry trips might be the biggest drain on your wallet, with options ranging from a reasonable splurge on a day of guided backcountry touring to the full-blown dream heli-skiing experience, which might end up costing you more than you spent on your house. Of course, if you can afford that kind of trip, you probably live in a slightly larger house than most of us OTM writers.

But once you decide to go backcountry, you open yourself up to its many rewards and wonders. The majesty of the forest covered in untouched snow. The adventure of route-finding and skiing challenging terrain. The spectacular scenery you will encounter—if the weather holds. The camara-derie of touring with a group of like-minded souls. The satisfaction of earning your turns by hiking up the hill. There are a multitude of ways for skiers and snowboarders to expand their personal sport into the backcountry, with no standard skill level or set of gear required. However, it is paramount

that you understand the risks and are prepared for the journey.------------------------------------------------------GeariNG upThe first thing you should acquire for your jour-ney into the backcountry is knowledge. “Out back” is a different world than what you might be used to—even after years of skiing on the varied slopes of our five local resorts. You will need to know what you are getting into, including the threats posed by avalanches and other terrain hazards, what kind of gear you will need, where to find local powder stashes, and a healthy dose of emergency preparedness.

“Even strong resort skiers can sometimes get overwhelmed or surprised when they get out in the backcountry,” says Eric Ryan, Backcountry Ski Committee chair of the Spokane Mountaineers. “Be prepared to have your experience be a little different from what you’ve experienced in the ski resort.”------------------------------------------------------avalaNcHe saFetyThere are many avalanche awareness learning opportunities in the region. In Spokane, REI and Mountain Gear offer avalanche awareness classes

that range from free informative sessions to mul-tiday and more costly certification courses (dates and specific class information can be found on their respective websites). In addition, the Spokane Mountaineers (spokanemountaineers.org) offer a suite of courses and trips designed “to give people a place to start if you want to get into backcountry skiing,” says Ryan. “There’s a lot of wisdom you can gain from going out with people who’ve been out there for a long time, and the Mountaineers have a longstanding reputation for education in outdoor recreation.”

The Mountaineers offer an introductory ava-lanche safety course each year. This year’s course, scheduled for January 21-22, will be taught by Kevin Davis of the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center. The class includes two sessions: a classroom session on Friday night at REI and a Saturday field session on Mt. Spokane, where students learn how to use a beacon and assess snow safety. However, “if you want to get serious,” says Ryan, “you need to get a Level One certification.”

Mountain Gear is offering a Level 1 Avalanche course January 11-12, taught by Shep Snow— “arguably one of the best snow safety instruc-tors out there,” says Mark Beattie of Mountain Gear. The course includes a classroom day at Mountain Gear and one day on snow (usually at Schweitzer).

Avalanche safety accreditations come in sev-eral forms. The Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA, www.avalanche.ca) is an excellent resource for us in the Inland Northwest, with our neighbors to the North offering a multitude of snow safety courses just across the border. CAA also offers an online course, which provides an introduction to snowpack fundamentals, avalanche terrain, trip planning, and rescue techniques. There are sev-eral American organizations offering avalanche certifications, as well, including the American Institute for Avalanche Rescue and Education, the American Association of Avalanche Professionals, and the National Ski Patrollers.

As for avalanche safety gear, the key compo-nents are an avalanche beacon or transceiver, a probe, and a shovel—all of which are used to locate and dig out an avalanche victim. Beacons are the most expensive and significant compo-nent. Beacon technology is standardized across the industry, so all beacons will work together in a rescue situation; but there is a significant amount of variance in features and capabilities. “Find me” models, which typically have one or two antennas with weaker signal pick-up capabilities, will work fine if you’re buried, but might make it more diffi-cult to find a buried friend if you’re the one on top of the snow. Patroller models, on the other end of the spectrum, typically feature two to three anten-

nas, a longer signal range, and special features for multiple burial situations.

Do your research: user reviews on sites like backcountry.com and blogs like wildsnow.com are forums for discussion, and don’t forget your local experts. Mountain Gear, for example, has knowledgeable sales people and a wide selection of beacons.------------------------------------------------------BacKcOuNtry sKills aND accessTo earn your turns, you’ll need ski gear that allows you to access remote powder stashes. The methods vary widely, from snowshoes to snowmobiles, but the most common are Alpine Touring (AT) setups or Telemark skis.

An AT setup consists of the following: (1) Skis—technically, just about any ski could work, but you’ll probably want something at least 90mm under foot to handle the powder you hope to find.

(2) AT bindings, which allow you to switch between touring and skiing modes. Touring mode releases the heel so you can ski uphill Nordic style, while skiing mode locks in the heel so you descend in a traditional Alpine style.

(3) Climbing skins, which attach to the bottom of the ski for the hike up, providing traction on the ski’s slippery base so you don’t slide backward with every step.

You will also probably want AT boots, which are more flexible and lighter than traditional Alpine ski boots—making your slog uphill just a little bit easier. Also, many AT bindings are not compat-ible with Alpine boots, so if you’re not buying new boots, make sure the bindings you get are com-

patible with the boots you have. If you already telemark ski, lucky you! You only need climbing skins!

If you snowboard, you might choose to use snowshoes to access the backcountry, simply car-rying your board. Another option is a split board: a snowboard that, yes, splits in half lengthwise to make planks that resemble very fat skis, mounted with special bindings that rotate to give you a Nordic stance for the climb up, and rotate back to regular or goofy when you reach the top, lock your board together, and one-plank it down the hill. You’ll also need climbing skins, like your AT buddies.

Mountain Gear features a wide selection of AT, Telemark, and Backcountry Touring (lighter than AT skis, with a patterned base for traction, elimi-nating the need for climbing skins) skis for rent, so you can try out some gear before you invest in

------------------------------------------------------------------- SPoKANE iS AlSo SitUAtED WitHiN A DAy’S DriVE of

SEVErAl PriVAtE BACKCoUNtry HUtS, MANy of WHiCH offEr CoUrSES BotH iN AVAlANCHE SAfEty

AND BACKCoUNtry SKi SKillS. -------------------------------------------------------------------

tBackcountry

skiing in British Columbia with

the Spokane Mountaineers. // Photo Eric ryan


a setup of your own. Once you’ve got the gear, you’ll need to learn

how to use it. In addition to their avalanche safety course, the Mountaineers also offer a backcountry ski school, which covers some avalanche safety information as well as what gear to use, tips and tricks shared by experienced skiers, and a guid-ed first trip down the backside of Mt. Spokane. This class is scheduled for January 10 and 14, and costs $10 for members. Anyone who wants to take the classes are welcome, but membership in the Mountaineers is encouraged and, with mem-bership costs running around $35 annually, the Mountaineers courses are a steal compared to some of the other local options.

Spokane is also situated within a day’s drive of several private backcountry huts, many of which offer courses both in avalanche safety and back-country ski skills. For example, skiers who are just getting into the backcountry can take Wallowa Alpine Huts’ “New to Backcountry Skiing” trip, which focuses on teaching and practicing back-country travel techniques, including transitions (where you switch your equipment from uphill mode to downhill) and up-track techniques such

as how to turn a corner climbing uphill on skis. “That’s the weakest skill most people have—the uphill movement,” says Wallowa Alpine Huts pro-prietor Connelly Brown. They’ll even show you how to remove your skins without taking off your skis.------------------------------------------------------veNturiNG OutHere in the Inland Northwest, we have a slew of backcountry opportunities within a day’s drive, for costs ranging from a tank of gas to thousands of dollars.

ON a BuDGet: Once you’ve shelled out for gear and classes, it may be that the last thing you want to do is fork out a couple grand for a backcountry ski experi-ence. Good news! There are plenty of opportuni-ties to get out back for minimal costs. Nearly all of our local resorts have easily accessible back-country terrain, with or without purchasing a lift ticket. One way to start your backcountry adven-tures is by exploring the sidecountry: ski the backside or the powerline route at Mt. Spokane; duck through one of the backcountry access gates

at Schweitzer; or take a hike from Lookout Pass into the surrounding public land.

Members of the Mountaineers who are geared up and ready to venture beyond class-style trips can join one of the handful of local trips that the club organizes each year. “We try to make them as open as possible,” Ryan says, so that the trips can provide a forum for club members to meet like-minded skiers of similar ability levels, who often initiate excursions in addition to the club’s organized trips. The club also maintains an email list, so members can reach out to other skiers to organize ad-hoc trips when the conditions are favorable.

“Usually we have a pretty good mix of people on the trips,” Ryan says. “Some older folks who want to try something new, or younger folks who finally got to a point where, like I was when I started, they’re out of college, have a few bucks in pocket, and are able to get some new gear to explore the backcountry.”

Destinations for Mountaineers trips include the area around Lookout Pass, including St. Regis Basin, Steven’s Peak, and Boulder Basin near Mullan, ID. “They’re within a day’s drive, and it’s a little work to get in there, but it’s some of the best skiing,” says Ryan. Other local spots include Sherman Pass (north of Colville) and Kootenay Pass, which is right across the U.S./Canada border.

Leaders of the trips are members of the club who’ve been skiing for a long time and volunteer to lead a trip or two. “It passes down,” Ryan says, “for me, it’s just become a normal winter routine to share my experiences with those who want to learn. Once you get into the backcountry com-munity, there’s so much opportunity to do more trips.”

If you’re not a member of the club, you can create your own adventure. Online forums and route books can serve as resources once you’re ready to start choosing your own routes. The book 100 Classic Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Routes in Washington by Rainer Burgdorfer is one good option, though most of the routes are in the Cascades. Backcountry Ski! Washington: The Best Trails and Descents for Free-Heelers and Snowboarders by Seabury Blair, Jr. includes routes in the Okanagan. Many snowshoe routes can also be done as backcountry ski tours.

williNG tO splurGe:In addition to providing backcountry gates, Schweitzer Mountain also hosts the Selkirk Powder Guides, which runs guided snowcat and

snowmobile tours in the Schweitzer backcoun-try and abutting Priest Lake State Forest Land. Instead of putting your money toward a new AT setup, consider spending it on a day or two with Selkirk Powder Guides—they’ll help you navigate the avalanche terrain, find the freshest powder, and shuttle you to the top of the ridge so you get several runs in a day, with no hiking required. Two days with these guys costs you less than an avalanche safety certification and an AT set up, and lets you get a taste of the back side without necessarily risking it all—SPG’s experienced team of guides should keep you out of trouble.

Another option for backcountry skiers who want to get out there without blowing out their wallets is a hut trip. Huts can be any number of types of accommodations—from yurt-style tents to rustic cabins to small, remote ski lodges—which can be rented and used as a base camp for a few days of ski touring. One option from Spokane is Wallowa Alpine Huts (WAH, wallowahuts.com), located in northeastern Oregon. The company operates two “huts”—in this case, yurts—McCully Basin and Norway basin, each of which sleeps up to ten powderhounds on three-night or four-night trips. You can choose a self-service trip, where you hike in to the yurts and spend the days route find-ing and touring with prices starting at $200 per day, plus a first-day mandatory guide ($250) if it’s your first time visiting WAH. Or you can choose a guided, catered trip, where you can be shuttled to the yurt by snowmobile, along with provisions, and accompanied by a guide who can help you find the best and safest routes. They also offer options at several price points in between and optional ser-vices including catered meals, porter services, and snowmobile shuttles to and from the yurts.

Connelly Brown, the self-described “owner, operator, chef, porter, guide, witch doctor” of WAH says, “the specialty we’re famous for is the deluxe trip—it’s guided, catered; everything’s taken care of so the guests can relax. Our guests often recognize the value of having logistics managed and the local knowledge of the terrain and snow pack. For some people, figuring all that out is part of the experience, but for others who are on holi-day time they appreciate the efficiency.”

There’s no specific requirement for skiing prow-ess or safety skills at WAH and most backcountry touring options, but hut operations typically don’t rent the ski and safety gear you’ll need. Brown says “most people have their own gear or people who are new to the sport rent in town before they come out.” Most hut trip skiers are advanced skiers, but tours can include intermediate skiers, and on occa-sion, Brown says, relative beginners. “Those begin-ners are a courageous lot, because there’s so much effort to get to the skiing; if you’re going to be fall-ing down the hill you’ve got to ask yourself if it’s really worth it.” The majority of WAH customers have many years of experience skiing the lifts and are looking to build on that experience, he says.

Inland Northwest backcountry skiers can also enjoy the resources of the Backcountry Lodges of British Columbia Association (www.blbca.com), a network of nearly 30 privately-owned backcoun-try operations in British Columbia—a half dozen of which are located within a five-hour drive of Spokane. Prices for self-guided tours generally begin around $1,000 per person per week, with options to add catered meals or guide services.

Whatever your pleasure, and whatever your budget, there are backcountry skiing opportuni-ties to suit a variety of skiers and snowboarders. Says Brown: “There’s something magical about powder skiing. You don’t have to share the slopes. Skiing groomers—you can do that anywhere. But powder only comes to certain ranges—it’s unique to the Western states and the interior mountain ranges.” //

top and bottom: Backcountry skiing in British Columbia with the Spokane Mountaineers. //

Photos Eric ryan


Roadtrip�DJ: Jan�uary

Photo of the Mon�th

“New cascaDe” / Nice Nice (FrOm pOrtlaND) / extra wOwSoundtrack for getting up before dawn to get an early start to your journey.

“FiND a place (FeaturiNG raJNii eDDiNs)” / GaBriel teODrOs (FrOm seattle) / lOvewOrKUnsung activist emcee’s respect for life and rejection of exploitation at their absolute catchiest with help from a fellow youth educator.

“parKOur” / FiNN riGGiNs (FrOm BOise) / FrieNDs aND FrieNDs OF FrieNDs vOl. 4Running free is such a natural aesthetic for this talented touring three-piece.

“DON’t Give up” / laKe (FrOm Olympia) / let’s BuilD a rOOFFrom Whidbey Island via Olympia, this is one of the grooviest tunes in blue-eyed soul history.

“DaNciNG iN tHe sNOw (aetHer remix)” / erNest GONzales (FrOm saN aNtONiO) / BeeN meaNiNG tO tell yOuSo much complexity and emotion to get to your destination that upon arrival you may just sit still listening, captivated. //

GAViN DAHl88.1 FM KYRS Community Radio news director

Featuring (mostly) Northwest musicians:

pHOtO: Kelli millsapSomeone had to carry beverages. Doggie saddlebag. Rossi, backpacking to Heart lake, MT. Kelli wins an OTM carabiner. Send your vertical, 3 meg. or less submission with caption to [email protected]. Best photos entries will be picked for upcoming issues.

Kelli Millsap


DuriNG a receNt, but all too infrequent, gear upgrade trip to REI, I overheard a salesman use a term I was not familiar with—“gaper notch.” This just sounds like a bad thing. And my gear-head brain was thrust into an intense state of paranoia and resultant hypochondria.

What is gaper notch? Do I have it? Would someone feel awkward and not tell me if I did? What if it’s contagious? Could I catch it in a slug-gish lift line? Most importantly, would the pur-chase of expensive high-end gear save me from an unfortunate and insecure future? I hoped so.

Conscious of not appearing paranoid, I stole myself closer to the salesman intent on self-diagnosis. I must avoid this malady at all costs. Feeling fairly comfortable with the idea that my feigned interest in ladies ski socks would not raise suspicion, I listened in on the salesman deliver his carefully crafted spiel.

As he slyly convinced the now equally fright-ened customer that to avoid this clearly hideous disease would require purchasing the right gear, I was relieved to learn that gaper notch is neither contagious nor hereditary. However, it should indeed be avoided.

Sufferers of gaper notch are easily identified by the notch of exposed forehead skin between an ill-fitting helmet and goggles. Even those who

BEWArE tHE NotCHSo You Think You’ve Dialed In Your Ski Gear? Think Again. / By Brent Emmingham

Las�tPage

choose to wear headwear of the tuque variety or some sort of balaclava may experience gaper notch in a milder but equally obvious form. Those of us with more forehead than most risk suffering an exponentially greater form of gaper notch. In the less than clinical setting of a crowded bar or the brown-bag area of a stuffy ski lodge, gaper notch presents as a bright red strip between the eyebrows and the hairline. Further exposure to the elements can easily lead to frostbite, followed by tendencies to scream obscenities randomly.

It is human nature to stare. Perhaps even to verbally ostracize these poor souls, though I warn you; they may become quite defensive, even violent. “Hey! Dude! Beware the notch!,” I once yelled from the chair lift, safely quarantined from the aforementioned obscenities or a volley of snowballs. My experience is that these verbal assaults don’t help.

Clearly, the cure to gaper notch lies in edu-cation and self-assessment. If this enlighten-ment has caused you to inventory and identify improvements to your après ski ensemble, my work is done. Almost.

While skis, boots, and outerwear get all the press in the myriad of seasonal publications, ski poles are often neglected. To say that the less than glamorous ski poles are the black sheep of the ski

gear family is not too far off point. Don’t believe me? The Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap sees fit to “display” ski poles for sale in garbage cans. Garbage cans!!

Sure, they’re not sexy. No one says, “My skis are okay, but look at my poles!” Ski equipment manufacturers will argue that ski pole design is

an important part of their product line and spare no expense with their marketing efforts. But they lie. I mean, really!? Pity the school-loan shack-led engineer whose first job in the snow sports industry is in ski pole design. “Your resume and education is impressive. I think we have the perfect opportunity for you; a position in our Ski Pole R&D Department.” Great, kill me now. This is the corporate equivalent of working in the basement mail room. Entry level hell. But, I digress.

Name a piece of equipment that tries to com-pensate for its lot in life more than ski poles; aluminum, carbon fiber, graphite. Snazzy colors and odd designs. They come in different lengths, a cadre of shapes and sizes, even crazy grips. No less than 164 styles and variations have been identified and catalogued. That said, open your latest gear magazine or catalog and, I promise you, ski poles are all but ignored.

More evidence follows. Statistics show that after the single glove and all manners of smok-

ing paraphernalia, nothing falls from chair lifts more than ski poles. Spend a few minutes people-watching in a long lift line and I guarantee you will see someone with mismatched poles. There is an entire demographic on your local hill (per-haps 50-plus percent in some cases) that doesn’t even use ski poles. Although, one time, I did see a snowboarder using ski poles. How ridiculous and out of place those poles looked at the end of his Burton-jacketed arms. Snowboarders are already a different breed, but some, apparently, strive to be, well, more different.

Perhaps you are new to alpine skiing? Take a beginner lesson and your instructor might even say, “Forget the poles.” Yes, learning to ski involves not using these apparently extrane-ous ski poles. Who knew? I know your driving instructor didn’t say, “Ignore the steering wheel. It’s not important.”

In a twist that would make even Stephen King cower in fear, the ski pole has a darker and more terrifying side. The insidious ski pole—designed to improve balance and control acts— is, ironi-cally, the catalyst for a specific injury that is caused when you lose the very balance and con-trol that you seek. Skier’s thumb occurs when a fall with a ski pole in an outstretched hand cre-ates forces that stress or even tear the ligaments of the thumb. What was once an injury common to European gamekeepers from ringing the necks of fowl is now one of the most common snow sports injuries. Where is Ski Pole R&D when you need them?

This is the fate of ski poles—little more than an afterthought or the causal agent of a painful injury.

Wait! Some gaper-notched idiot nabbed my poles! Oh, who cares? Maybe those snowboarders are on to something after all. //

brent emmingham is a member of the all-volun-

teer mt. spokane ski Patrol.

GAPER NOTCH SPOTTED IN A LODGE AT MT. SPOKANE. // PHOTO BY BRENT EMMINGHAM.

it is human nature to verbally ostracize these

poor souls, though i warn you; they may become quite defensive, even violent. “Hey!

Dude! Beware the notch!,” i once yelled from the chair

lift.

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