WINTER SPORTS — Spokane photographer Brian Jamieson caught the flavor of the fun and action at Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park's Pond Skim event last weekend.

WINTER SPORTS — Signs have been poking up on Mount Spokane warning snowshoers they're no longer going to be tolerated hiking popular routes up to the mountain summit.

Indeed, the signs let snowshoers, hikers, backcountry skiers and others who want to access the summit of Mt. Spokane that they're not allowed to go up through the downhill skiing concession area.

This rule has been enforced against snowmobiles for many years. But now it's getting personal with one of the newest and fastest growing state park user groups.

Local snowhoer Chris Bachman contacted Randy Kline, Washington State Parks environmental program manager in Olympia, and asked him who is responsible for the signs and why.

Below is Kline’s reply. Note that if the ski area's planned expansion on the backside of the mountain goes through, even more access will be lost to the non-downhil public.

Greetings Chris,

 

As I understand it, hiking up the mountain on groomed trails in the concession area at Mount Spokane is not currently permitted – in speaking to the park manager, this is a State Parks decision related to safety and risk management. Snowshoe folks and backcountry nordic skiers currently use an alternate route that is outside the improved concession area that gets them up to Vista House. However, the proposed expansion area will occur within a portion of the area currently used by snowshoe folks and nordic backcountry skiers so – if they will not be allowed on groomed trails - we should begin looking at alternative means to accommodate these users in their desire to get up to Vista House. Thank you for the letting me know that this is an issue of concern .

Tonight's program on trekking in an exotic land is aimed at funding a local issue at Mount Spokane.

Spokane mountaineer John Roskelley will present a program on trekking in Bhutan tonight, 6 p.m., at the Community Building, 35 W. Main.

Donations benefit Save Mt. Spokane Coalition. RSVP: aswan@landscouncil.org.

The Spokane Mountaineers has voted to join The Lands Council in opposing a plan to expand the alpine ski area at Mount Spokane.

Roskelley, a mountaineer and former Spokane County commissioner, has been an outspoken opponent to adding a chairlift and opening ski runs on what's now considered the “backside” of the Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park.

WINTER SPORTS — A flip-photography contest prompted local slope shredder Blake Sommers to create this nifty glimpse of folks giving a workout to the Mount Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park.  Check it out.

SKIING — Washington Fish and Wildlife Deparment biologists recently hiked through the sites on Mount Spokane where the State Parks Commission approved  new ski runs for the expansion of the Mt. Spokake Ski and Snowboard Park.

The WDFW formally opposed the expansion of the new runs on the back side of the mountain because of their potential impact on wildlife habitat.

Indeed, Howard Ferguson, district wildlife biologist, reported the group found several of the runs as currently planned will require logging in and around wetlands, old growth and perennial streams. Extensive landscaping and backfilling will also be needed. 

“We saw a bull moose and also found a lot of moose scat, wallows and beds scattered through out the area,” he said.

The biologists will make a report with suggested areas the ski area managers should avoid and evaluate mitigation for potential impacts.

Work on clearing the new runs is likely to begin in 2012, ski area officials say.

STATE PARKS — Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park will be allowed to expand into pristine terrain on the mountain’s northwest face.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission voted 4-0 Thursday afternoon to allow the expansion to move forward, after hours of discussion about recreational desires versus the need to protect old-growth forest, meadows and wetlands at Mount Spokane, the state’s largest park.

Click here to read all of SR reporter Becky Kramer's story.

STATE PARKS — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission today OKed environmental considerations in the conceptual expansion proposals for expanding Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park.

According to a press release just posted, the commission “issued a Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) for the proposed action.”

 The Commission is expected to consider this proposal at its May 19 meeting in Spokane. 

Comments on the proposal may be submitted through March 16, 2011 to randy.kline@parks.wa.gov. 

The SEPA determination, checklist, maps, and additional documents related to the proposal have been posted to the State Parks website.