North Idaho Sports & Outdoor Recreation
North Idaho Winter
Sports
Ski or Board
 North
Idaho gives winter sport enthusiasts every opportunity to
experience Idaho's winter beauty at developed ski resorts
and a network of groomed trails. Downhill skiers and
boarders can challenge Idaho's legendary powder at
Silver
Mountain (home of the world's longest single stage
gondola) in Kellogg. Silver Mountain added a tubing hill in
2006 that's popular with the whole family.
Schweitzer
Mountain Resort, one of the premier winter resorts in
the Northwest overlooking the town of Sandpoint and Lake
Pend Oreille, famous for its massive bowls and breathtaking
views. Lookout Pass Ski Area (the best learning hill
in the Northwest and a phenomenal value for beginners) is on
the Montana-Idaho border near Wallace. Its 'sack lunch'
style and home-town hospitality make this the local area
family favorite.
  Cross
country skiing is a great way to enjoy the beautiful
outdoors at a leisurely pace. A wide variety of terrain
awaits, including a well-maintained trail system at
Farragut State Park. A catalog of Nordic trails is
available from the Idaho State Department of Parks &
Recreation. Call 769-1511 or
www.idahoparks.org.
The Centennial
Trail, which runs from the east end of
Lake Coeur d'Alene to Spokane, through Post Falls is a
favorite for local enthusiasts. Over 8 miles of trails are
ready for exploration at Schweitzer Mountain Resort who also
hosts two fun Nordic races annually - the Cougar Gulch
10K/5K and the Great Scott 10k/5k. Each winter the Priest
Lake Golf Course becomes The Nordic Sports Center at Priest
Lake offering some of the finest groomed trails in the area.
 The
State Parks Annual Passport is $25 (plus tax) and is good
for day use at all of Idaho's state parks. Cross country
skiing at Priest Lake, Round Lake, Farragut and Winchester
Lake state parks is offered at no additional charge. Passes
are available at any state park or locally at 2750 Kathleen
Avenue, Coeur d'Alene.
The Park N' Ski Pass is $25 (plus tax) and allows you to
park and ski at 11 back country sites across the state.
Passes can be purchased at regional offices of the Idaho
Department of Parks and Recreation, as well as most cross
country ski shops statewide.
Snowmobile
 North
Idaho has the snow and terrain to create a snowmobiler's
paradise. Snowmobiling is one of the area's fastest growing
sports. SnoWest Magazine recognized The Silver Valley's
thousands of miles of snowmobile trails as "one of the best
full service snowmobiling hot spots in the world."
Boundary County
has ample snowmobiling opportunities. There are many
well-groomed trails higher than 7,000 feet. The two major
areas include Roman Nose in the Selkirk Mountains and Canuck
Basin in the Purcell Mountains. Visitors to
Schweitzer Mountain
Resort in Sandpoint can enjoy guided snowmobile
tours through the backcountry. Kellogg offers thousands of
miles of groomed trails with a vast choice of lodging and
tourist services.
Wallace
encourages driving snowmobiles inside the city
limits and has a number of annual snowmobile events.
753-7151. Seventy-five miles north of Coeur d'Alene at
Priest Lake find an additional 400 miles of groomed
trails. Trails are mostly on forest service roads ranging in
elevation from 2,500 to 6,500 feet. Ample snowfall and
marked and patrolled trails along one of the world's most
pristine lakes make this a winter
wonderland.
443-3191. A history of timber and mining in the Coeur
d'Alene area has left an extensive network of trails through
the Idaho Panhandle National Forest.
www.idahowinter.org.
Snowmobiling regulations and trail maps are available from
U.S. Forest Service offices throughout the region. Machine
and equipment rentals are available locally. With the
eminent success of snowmobiling projects throughout North
Idaho, here's a recommendation: Make plans for your visit
before the rest of the world gets here!
Links
Idaho State Snowmobile Association -
Region 1
Mush Mush
 For over thirty-five years the US Pacific Coast Championship
Sled Dog Race has been held at Priest Lake. Each year 75 to
100 teams from around the country and as far away as Alaska
and Canada gather on the west side of the lake for the
competition. 509-447-5744 or
http://www.InlandEmpireSledDogAssociation.itgo.com
Snow Shoe
 Strapping
on a pair of snow shoes and making first tracks in fresh
snow on a sunny winter day is as good as it gets for North
Idaho outdoor recreation. If you're a novice or enjoying an
outing with younger family members, the
Centennial
Trail
is ideal. Park at the trailhead on Northwest Blvd. at I-90
Exit 11 in Coeur d'Alene and hike a flat trail along the
Spokane River, through Coeur d'Alene City Park along the
lake. Another popular route begins at Silver Beach on Lake
Coeur d'Alene Road, I-90 Exit 15 at Sherman Avenue, with
parking, year 'round restroom facilities and a stunning view
with no changes in elevation.
 Coeur d'Alene's Tubbs
Hill is a short loop trail
(3.2 miles) accessible from downtown that winds through a
120-acre natural park jutting out from the shore of Lake
Coeur d'Alene. Start your hike at the south end of 3rd
Street by the Coeur d'Alene Resort.
Falls Park in Post Falls is right in town. Exit 5 off of
I-90, south a block to 4th Avenue and west two blocks. The
park has family friendly trails and scenic overlook
platforms to best view the wide open gates of the
hydroelectric plant at the Spokane River falls.
For more advanced snowshoers, the following offer a
backcountry hike. The winter wonderland scenery of North
Idaho makes it worth your while. Don't forget to bring a
camera!
Gold Hill - 2 miles south of Sandpoint on US 95.
turn east on Bottle Bay Road, 4.8 miles to the trailhead
located on the right.
Length-3.7 miles one-way
Difficulty-moderate
Highest elevation-3400 feet
Elevation gain/loss-1200 feet
Panoramic views
Trail to Chimney Rock - a popular climbing
destination. Getting to the trailhead in winter may require
a 4-wheel drive vehicle. From Sandpoint-north on US 95, 13
miles to Pack River Road, turn west onto Road 231, 16 miles
to West Branch Road 2653. Turn left and then a half mile to
trailhead at bridge.
Length- 5 miles one way
Difficulty-last 2.5 miles are most difficult
Highest elevation- 6720 feet
Elevation gain/loss 1820 feet
The first 2.5 miles are along an old road, the last 2.5
miles are somewhat steep.
Moose Lake - from Sandpoint head east on Hwy 200
then 12 miles to Trestle Creek Road, turn left onto Road 275
then 16 miles to Lighting Creek Road 419, turn left and then
1.5 miles to Moose Creek Road 1022, turn right and 2 miles
to the trailhead. This is also a trailhead for Blacktail
Lake Trail 24 and Lake Estelle Trail 36.
Length- 1.6 miles one way
Difficulty-moderate
Highest elevation-6160 feet
Gain/loss-1240 feet
Depending upon snow conditions, accessibility may be
limited to the backcountry areas. There are no restrictions
to snowmobiles for both Moose Lake and Chimney Rock.
Sled the Hills
The local sledding hills
of yesteryear are still part of the fabric of North Idaho
small town life. Some are maintained by local parks
departments, some are just part of the neighborhood. For a
fun family day in the snow, here are some local favorites:
Coeur d'Alene -
Cherry Hill Park is located at 15th Street and I-90.
Generations of children have enjoyed this popular sledding
hill which is now part of the park. For all ages, paved
parking lot adjacent.
Post Falls - Black
Bay Park, just north of the main parking lot off of E. Third
Ave., has good sledding hills in the winter months.
Kellogg - Locals
enjoy sledding and tubing at Silver Mountain and at Kellogg
City Park, across from the football field.
Sandpoint -
Schweitzer Mountain is a great place to sled or tube. Great
Northern Park is a new 7-acre park which is slated to have a
sledding hill shaped by the time the snow flies. For the
younger children, Hickory Street Park has a small hill.
Priest River -
Right in town is a sledding park off of Highways 2 and 57.
Clark Fork - Locals
bundle up for sledding at the ball park on the north side of
the pond.
Ice Skating
Gliding across frozen
lakes and ponds on ice skates is postcard perfect in North
Idaho, when temperatures are cold enough for long enough to
freeze the water to safe depths (sustained temperatures
below the freezing mark are required to create ice that's
thick and safe enough for ice skating on local lakes.)
Smaller lakes, such as Fernan at the east end of Sherman
Avenue in Coeur d'Alene are the best bet most years.
Lakefront homeowners often create a groomed skating area
near the public docks. Twin Lakes and Spirit Lake are also
likely to freeze solid enough for skating.
In Bonners Ferry, Mirror
Lake is similarly swept for skaters, weather permitting, as
is Dawson Lake. In Sandpoint, Sand Creek, just below the
Cedar Street Bridge, is popular with the locals and near the
city beach, a skating area is often cleared for the public.
New for the winter of 2007
is a public outdoor skating rink on the grounds of the Coeur
d'Alene Resort. The rink opened in conjunction with the
Festival of Lights and will operate through the holidays.
765-4000 Indoor skating is open to the public in Coeur
d'Alene at the KYRO Ice Arena, where lessons for all ages
are available. 3519 W. Seltice Way www.kyro.org
Winter Facts
Annual precipitation in Coeur d'Alene is 25.9" with
average snowfall measuring 52.2".
The first real snow of the season often falls on or near
Thanksgiving Day.
January's average low temperature in Coeur d'Alene is 23
degrees above zero.
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