Three of us — and my new dog, Laddie — stood at the top of Sawtooth in the midst of the proposed wilderness last Saturday (August 28th), an internationally flavored group if there ever was one. Daniele Puccinelli is an Italian who lives in Switzerland visiting the US. Fellow hiker Kaca is from the Czech [...]
Roughly 60 miles south of Canada, the 88,000 acre Scotchman Peaks roadless area spans the Idaho-Montana border. Since the 1970s, when the U.S. Forest Service carried out extensive evaluations of lands suitable for wilderness, this rugged, scenic and biologically diverse portion of the Cabinet Mountains has been managed for its wilderness potential. The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness believe now is the time to preserve the Scotchmans, one of the last, and largest, wild areas in our region.
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Scotchman (singular) Peak is in the Scotchman Peaks (plural)
July 29th, 2010
Grammatically speaking, “Scotchmans” is not OK. Except sometimes.
I use this paraphrase of a verse from the song, A, Your Adorable, (”Alphabetically speaking, you’re OK.”) to make a point. And the disclaimer to make another. Funny how words are sometimes.
First of all, the name of the mountain is Scotchman Peak, not “Scotchmans” or “Scotchman’s.” The name [...]
Assimilation
July 23rd, 2010
Eight of us went to the wilderness, though we all often thought that we were nine. I’d turn to count us, strung out across a talus slope or gathered around an evening fire, and consistently come up one short. So, I’d take inventory: Jake, Matt, Jared, David, Aaron, Haas, Leslie, me. All accounted for. Only [...]
Making a Movie
July 13th, 2010
This weekend three young film makers, Jake Glass, Matt Stauble and Joe Foster, began shooting a 20 to 30 minute documentary film about the Scotchman Peaks area and our effort to preserve it as Wilderness.
The vision began as a student project, sponsored by Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, with a focus on conservation issues. The [...]
Further confessions of a reformed couch potato: We go now.
July 8th, 2010
Tomorrow morning, 8 a.m., a bunch of hikers, painters, film makers and at least one back-country EMT will gather in my front yard for a little face time before embarking on a five-day, four-night journey into stone heaven, the heart of the Scotchmans. My job? I get to say, “We go now,” in my best [...]
Independence Day
June 28th, 2010
There were times during this cool, rain drenched spring when it seemed like it would never happen, but summer is finally here! We know because July 4th is coming up this weekend and the sun has come out just in time to help us celebrate.
Summer is prime time to show your colors for Wilderness, and [...]
Extreme Pleinair prehike yeilds wolf tracks and waterfalls.
June 25th, 2010
On Wednesday, June 23, Thompson Falls artist Jared Shear and FSPW program coordinator Sandy Compton hiked into Ross Creek from the Cedars on a scouting mission for the upcoming Extreme Plenair event planned for July 9 through 13. Over the next 14 hours, they hiked 17 miles through the heart of the Scotchmans, garnering some [...]
First day of summer: a day of the future, past.
June 18th, 2010
Thanks to the Moody Blues, for understanding.
Golden, low-angle sunshine slants from the north corner of Billiard Table. The sun is so low yet that much of Scotchman is still in the shadow of Mike’s Peak. Ox-eye daisies and heavy-headed timothy hay nod under a full load of dew and saturate me from mid thigh down [...]
Further confessions of a reformed couch potatoe: Still willin’
June 10th, 2010
I been warped by the rain, driven by the snow
I’m beat down and dirty, and don’t you know
That I’m still . . . willin’
(Willin’ – Lowell T. George)
A couple of weeks ago, three other crazies and I climbed Star Peak. Not that it’s crazy to climb Star Peak, understand, but the weather wasn’t exactly cooperative. [...]
We’re Hiking in the Rain
June 8th, 2010
We are having a wet spring. At least the last three weeks have been wet and each forecast looks like a fire-hose’s nozzle shooting water at us from somewhere out in the Pacific, straight across Oregon and Washington. With only rare exceptions, the temps have been cooler and days damp. It’s a fine way to [...]
Scotchman Peaks volunteer opportunities abound this summer
June 1st, 2010
By Sandy Compton, FSPW Program Coordinator
Margaret Mead once wrote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Whatever group she was referring to, it is my guess that most of them were volunteers.
For nearly five years, Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness [...]
Wild Idaho was a wildly good time.
May 24th, 2010
By Sandy Compton
It’s 6:30 in the morning in the Stanley Basin and we are glassing a freshly whitened valley surrounded by sage hills. Air temperature is 20 ° F. The small herd of elk we just passed breath steam in the cold air, and snow is drifting out of the sky even as clouds rise [...]
Further confessions of a reformed couch potato: Why.
May 20th, 2010
In the beginning, there was stone . . . and then, came the ice.
If you have never hiked into the central Scotchmans, say to Sawtooth or the Melissa Crag or Davis Point, it might be hard to imagine what the place holds for us who have — and for those who will — and why [...]
Birds of the Scotchmans
May 17th, 2010
The Scotchman Peaks elevation profile, proximity to Lake Pend O’reille and many micro-climates create diverse habitats. We see that in the forests and native plants, from Cedar lined tree bottoms and lush meadows to high alpine zones. The careful observer will also notice the abundant variety of birds who either visit or call the Scotchmans [...]
A fine evening for the State of the Scotchmans.
May 13th, 2010
Thank you to everyone who attended our annual State of the Scotchmans at the Panida May 12. It was a fine evening, highlighted by the music of Dawnya Clarine (www.dawnyaclarine.com), volunteer recognition and a silent auction that garnered over $700. Also shown were the wilderness movie Forever Wild and Andrew Klauss’ video made while climbing [...]
And the winners are …
May 10th, 2010
One of the great things about the annual State of the Scotchmans meeting (Wednesday, May 12 at 6 pm in Sandpoint’s Panida Theater) is the opportunity to recognize the folks who make the wheels go around. FSPW has a great base of volunteers who step in and step up when the needs and opportunities of [...]
Brass Lantern Award – Bill Martin
May 6th, 2010
At the recent Montana Wilderness Association convention Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Board member and Cabinet Resource Group founder Bill Martin was honored for his volunteer work with a “Brass Lantern Award.”
Here’s how MWA describes the Brass Lantern Award: “Each year, the Montana Wilderness Association presents Brass Lantern awards to honor members, friends, and supporters [...]
Wilderness On Our Horizon
May 4th, 2010
This last weekend, the Montana Wilderness Association held their annual convention. The theme, “Wilderness on Our Horizon” is one that works on many levels.
With the nearly 700,000 acres of designated wilderness that are included in the “Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, Wilderness is on the legislative horizon in ways that have not been seen for [...]
May may be busy around here.
April 30th, 2010
On this last day of April, we are headed for the MWA Convention in Whitefish, “we” being FSPW staff members Phil Hough, Charlie Clough and Sandy Compton, as well as much of our board. We will join like-minded folk from around Montana to think, talk, plan and strategize about the coming year in wilderness advocacy [...]
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New Montana Wilderness Legislation
By now most everyone has heard about the legislation recently introduced by Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana), which includes almost 700,000 acres of wilderness. This message to the Friends of Scotchman Peaks will attempt to answer some common questions and provide links to more …
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