Laughing Dog Brewing hosts an exhibition of photographs taken last August when eight hikers participated in a backpacking trip across the Scotchmans. This trip was also a photography workshop with volunteer professional photographer Al Lemire. The exhibition takes place at the new Laughing Dog Brewing tap room (next door to Papa Murphy’s) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and some of the framed photos will be sold in a silent auction to benefit Team Laughing Dog and Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness. A slide show composed of the best of the “Secret Scotchmans” will also be displayed. Team Laughing Dog is a bicycle racing team raising money for autism research; their Race Across America takes place in June.
Spanning the Idaho/Montana border, the Scotchmans are one of the last, and largest, wild areas in our region. We conduct education, outreach and stewardship activities to preserve the rugged, scenic and biologically diverse 88,000 acre Scotchman Peaks Roadless Area. We believe the Scotchman Peaks deserve congressional designation as Wilderness for the benefit and enjoyment of current and future generations.
Scotchman Peaks Announcements
Secret Scotchmans photo exhibit opens at Laughing Dog Brewery February 4
January 20th, 2011
Lewiston Extreme Plein Air Show Brings Out 240 Folks.
January 19th, 2011
A collection of works produced during and inspired by the 2010 Extreme Plein Air hike opened to a big crowd and rave reviews in Lewiston, Idaho on January 14. Read more about it here.
Extreme Plein Air art to be exhibited at LCSC in Lewiston
December 26th, 2010
Paintings and sculpture inspired by the second annual Scotchman Peak Wilderness Extreme Plein Air Event will be on display at the Lewis-Clark State College Center for Arts & History, located at 415 Main St. in Lewiston, starting on Jan. 14. Read more here.
FSPW Winter Photo Contest begins with first hike on January 15!
December 23rd, 2010
The 2011 winter hike schedule is in place and ready for hikers to sign up for a look at the beautiful back-country under a few feet (or meters) of snow. To have a look at the line-up (a full dozen, with a couple of other possibilities waiting in the wings) visit http://www.scotchmanpeaks.org/hiking/current-hiking-schedule/
In conjunction with the winter walk series, we are running a winter photo contest, so make sure you slip that camera into your parka pocket before you strap on the snowshoes or skis. Rules and details are at http://www.scotchmanpeaks.org/hiking/put-your-cameras-in-your-packs/
See you all out there!
Survive winter with films, prizes and education!
November 23rd, 2010
Film (and great prizes) on the 10th, Winter 101 on the 11th!
Got your Christmas shopping all done? No? How would you like to win a Patagonia jacket for Mom and snag a full season pass at Schweitzer for Uncle Bob? (OK. You can keep the pass, if you insist.) These are just a couple of the prizes to be given away at the Backcountry Film Fest to be held December 10 at the Panida.
And the next day, you can start your winter survival education at the Sandpoint Community Hall with Kevin Davis, USFS avalanche expert; and Dennison Webb and Erik Yost of Selkirk Outdoor Leadership & Education.
To know more, click here.
Winter Events Schedule
November 16th, 2010
Yes, it’s true – busy “Friends” are happy Friends! Check out all the great events on the Friends of Scotchman Peaks’ winter calendar! http://www.scotchmanpeaks.org/news/busy-friends-are-happy-friends-were-rolling-into-winter/
Reception marks Plein Air art move to Foster’s Crossing in Sandpoint.
November 8th, 2010
Saturday, November 13, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., a reception will be held at Foster’s Crossing, 504 Oak in Sandpoint, celebrating the art produced during the 2010 Scotchman Peaks Plein Air Paintout. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served. Read more here.
Friends visit Friends in Spokane
November 3rd, 2010
FSPW exec Phil Hough and program coordinator Sandy Compton traveled to Spokane on November 1 to give a presentation to Jon Isacoff’s environmental studies class about the Friends’ mission to achieve wilderness designation for the Scotchman Peaks. Given the nature of the audience, Hough focused as much on the nuts and bolts of Friends-style advocacy as on the effort itself. FSPW is known for its grass-roots, non-confrontational style of political action. Part of the strategy of FSPW to stick to a very basic agenda and to not entangle the group in many of the aspects of the wilderness “argument.”
The following evening, Compton returned to Spokane as part of a panel on global warming, also presented at Gonzaga by the St. Aloysius Parish as part of the Faith and Environment Network.
StoryTelling Company show successful in several ways.
October 25th, 2010
The first StoryTelling Company of the 2010-11 season garnered new Friends for FSPW as well as several hundred dollars for the cause. About 70 people attended the show at the Panida’s Little Theater in downtown Sandpoint to enjoy music from the new Western Family Band, and stories from — and about — Sandy Compton.
Compton, who is also the program coordinator for Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, was taken totally by surprise when Mystery StoryTeller Bob Lange pulled a “This Is Your Life” routine on him. “I had no idea — and my mom was in on it!” was all Compton could say in response.
The outcome of the evening was a net of over $600 raised from ticket, donations and merchandise sales. The success of the evening was greatly enhanced by donations from Ivano’s Restorante Italiano and Eichardt’s Pub and Coffee House, as well as the efforts of FSPW volunteers Holly Clements and Deb Hunsicker.
The StoryTelling Company, which is entering its 5th season, is sponsored in part by Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.
$4,000 Cinnabar Challenge grant fulfilled.
October 12th, 2010
A few last-minute donations, and, voíla! We reached the $4,000 plateau in individual contributions needed to take full advantage of the matching grant from the Cinnabar Foundation. Thanks to all of the individual contributors, and thank you to the Cinnabar Foundation for your continued support of Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.
Summer hikes end. Winter hikes coming up.
October 12th, 2010
Our last hike of the summer season (OK, it’s really fall) is Saturday, October 16. And, it’s full. But, winter is on the way, in case you didn’t notice the frost on the grass this morning. So, get your thinking caps out, find the snow shoes, open your calendar to 2011 (or late 2010) and think about where you would like to go in the Scotchmans this winter. Winter hike forms will be available for filling out soon.
Thanks for all the great hikes this summer, hike leaders! We’ll have some more fun this winter.
Freinds will present the StoryTelling Company October 24
October 11th, 2010
Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness will bring the StoryTelling Company to the Panida’s Little Theater on Sunday, October 24, for an evening of fun, food, drink, music and stories. This is the second year that the Scotchman Peaks have benefited from the first show of the StoryTelling Company’s show season. The show begins at 5:00 p.m. Tickets for the show, priced at $15, will be sold at the door, and include hors d’oeuvres from Ivano’s, a beverage of choice and the show. No-host beer and wine will be available before and during the show.
In its fifth season in Sandpoint, the StoryTelling Company presents a dinner show monthly throughout the fall and winter seasons featuring local musicians as well as true and not-so-true stories about life in the West. Join us for Tales from the Trail, the Mystery StoryTeller, an update from Shoreline, Idaho and more during this fun evening to benefit Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.
Scotchman Peaks 2010 photo contest closes for the season. Keep an eye on Facebook!
October 6th, 2010
Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness thank all of you who have submitted photos for this year’s summer photo contest. Let the judging begin! Winners will be announced in our November-December Peak Experience. Sorting through the pictures will be a great treat, as always, but we want our Friends to help us find the grand prize winner. Watch the Scotchman Peaks Facebook page for a chance to vote for the top photo of Summer 2010.
Scotchman Peaks Plein Air event is a great success
October 5th, 2010
Seventeen artists, two days and a big beautiful wilderness to paint in and around = sixty-six new paintings and a great show at Kally Thurman’s Outskirts Gallery in the Hope Marketplace: Read more here.
Cinnabar matching grant total at $2599. Room for $1401 more.
September 17th, 2010
As of September 17, contributions toward a matching grant offered by Cinnabar Foundation (www.thecinnabarfoundation.org) stands at almost $2600. Donors to our group can double their money by contributing now and taking advantage of this match from Cinnabar.
Cinnabar, a home-grown Montana 501c3 non-profit, has been part of the conservation movement in the Northwest since 1983, when it was begun by Sandy and Len Sargent. They were and Cinnabar continues to be stalwart supporters of environmental and conservation organizations since 1969. Cinnabar has supported Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness in many ways.
A donation to FSPW now helps Cinnabar help us to move forward with our continuing campaign to achieve wilderness status for the beautiful Scotchman Peaks of northern Idaho and western Montana.
Mountains of art: The Third Annual Scotchman Peaks Paint Out
September 13th, 2010
Painters, get out your brushes. Art lovers, mark your calendars. It’s time for the Third Annual Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Plein Air Paint Out, to be held in and around the proposed wilderness September 24-26. To find out all about it, click here.
Our 3,000th Friend
September 8th, 2010
As suspected, the Huckleberry Festival in Trout Creek garnered our 3,000th Friend: Rick Dieterich of Thompson Falls, who was brought on board by FSPW volunteer Ernie Scherzer and his able crew in mid-August. Read more here.
Montana Headwall Magazine “reviews” the Scotchman Peaks.
September 2nd, 2010
Noël Phillips writes in Montana Headwall Magazine, “The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, a nonprofit group with almost 3,000 members, fervently advocates for a permanent wilderness designation to protect the area.” That’s a bit of a side-bar to the real theme of the piece, hiking with a new significant other.
Since she published “Thrill Peakers,” of course, we have surpassed 3,000 Friends, but it’s a fine read nonetheless. Check it out at http://issuu.com/missoulanews/docs/headwallv2i3/45
We could not have said it better ourselves.
September 1st, 2010
Our President has declared September as National Wilderness Month. Please take the time to read his great proclamation: http://www.leaveitwild.org/news/2882
Thank you, Mr. Obama.
We have identified our 3,000th Friend!
August 31st, 2010
Stand by!
Upcoming Guided Hikes
Additional Pages
Extras & Goodies
Scotchmans on Film
Check out the trailers for two soon-to-be-released documentary films by Wildman Pictures about the Scotchman Peaks!
En Plein Air captures the experiences of artists during a 5 day trek through the mountains. Grass Routes tells the story of the Friends of Scotchman Peaks' efforts to achieve official wilderness designation for this scenic wild area. Don't miss them!
Our Fundraising Efforts
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Our Thanks To:
- Mountain Meadows
- Merriweather Inn
- Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce
- Eichardts
- Outdoor Experience
- Pend d'Oreille Winery
- Common Knowledge Organic Cafe & Bookstore
- Keokee Publishing
- River Journal
- Only In Clark Fork
- The StoryTelling Company
- The Cinnabar Foundation
- St. Croix Printing
- Blue Creek Press
- Woodland RV Park
- Kally Thurman's Outskirts Galley
- Greasy Fingers Bikes n Repair
- Endow-Bio, Inc