We are seeking our 3,000th Friend of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, and we know we will meet them in August. We just don’t know – yet – who they are, or who will welcome them as a new Friend.
Two of our biggest opportunities to make new Friends and get our message to literally hundreds of people [...]
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.
Scotchman Peaks In The News
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3000th Friend is due in August. Will you sign them up?
August 7th, 2010
July 31 Yaak Wilderness Festival was a winner.
August 2nd, 2010
Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness program coordinator Sandy Compton took the opportunity on July 31 to meet Lincoln County Friends, catch some rays and listen to some stellar music at the Yaak Valley Forest Council’s 7th annual Wilderness Festival.
“The things I have to do for the Friends,” Compton complained, tongue firmly planted in his cheek. [...]
Serial work days improve the Big Eddy/Pillick Ridge connection
July 28th, 2010
Over the course of three days in July, two of the trails leading to Star Peak overlooking Bull River, the Clark Fork valley and Lake Pend Oreille got a makeover, applied by Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness volunteers and the Forest Service. But, the first day was separated from the other two by two weeks.
“It [...]
Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness and Forest Service personnel add up to a job well done.
June 21st, 2010
A total of seventeen Friends from Sandpoint, Spokane, Hayden, Noxon and even Utah showed up Saturday, June 19 to help put Scotchman Peak Trail #65 “back in order” for the hiking season. Last fall, a microburst storm uprooted dozens of trees along the trail, crisscrossing the tread with many blowdowns. FSPW volunteers Jim and Sandii [...]
Muhlenberg students arrive July 7 to begin filming FSPW documentary
June 15th, 2010
Three young film makers from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, will get an up-close-and-personal view of the Scotchman Peaks and have opportunity to film in and around the proposed wilderness this summer. Jake Glass, Matt Stauble and Joe Foster will arrive in Montana on July 7, just in time to pack their film equipment and [...]
Jack Gladstone comes to Libby June 11
June 7th, 2010
“Montana’s Troubador,” Jack Gladstone, will appear in concert at 7 pm, Friday, June 11, at Riverfront Park in Libby, Montana, courtesy the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.
Gladstone is a Native “PoetSinger” and lecturer from the Blackfeet Indian Nation of Montana. Regarded as a cultural bridge builder, he delivers programs nationally on American Indian mythology and [...]
Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness awards six scholarships to Idaho and Montana high school seniors
June 3rd, 2010
Olivia Guthrie of Sandpoint, Brittani Wilder of Hope, Amber Kardokus of Heron, Ryan Humphrey of Trout Creek, Thomas Roeder of Troy and Paige Ward of Libby were awarded scholarships by Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness for their winning essays in the annual FSPW essay competition.
Each year, FSPW sponsors a writing competition with themes about [...]
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 [...]
New Venue for Plein Air Art
December 26th, 2009
Have you been enjoying the amazing Plein Air Art inspired by the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness area, but wanted to see some of it in the flesh (or, more accurately, canvas)?
You’re in luck! The Scotchman Wilderness Plein Air Art Show now has a new venue where you can come enjoy looking at a few [...]
Scotchman’s Essay Contest 2009
December 23rd, 2009
The question “Does Wilderness Have Value?” was explored by students from four Sanders County schools, who submitted essays for a contest sponsored by the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.
Project coordinator Ernie Scherzer had high praise for the essays, saying he could think of few examples of student writing that could equal some of the [...]
2009 Plein Air Art Open House & Awards
October 16th, 2009
Fifteen talented plein air artists began arriving in Hope, ID, on Friday Sept 18th, from Washington, Montana, and Idaho. They met for dinner at Kally Thurman’s (Outskirts Gallery) home on the Sam Owen Peninsula to renew friendships and plan their painting strategy for the weekend. Before dawn they fanned out to the Clark Fork [...]
Support for National Wilderness Month Grows
September 13th, 2009
As you may know from last week’s announcement of President Barak Obama’s Proclamation commemorating of the 45th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act, September is National Wilderness Month.
Below are statements of support for the Proclamation from the Secretaries of Interior (Ken Salazar) and Agriculture (Tom Vilsack).
The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness hopes you’ll join us [...]
Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Fall 2009 Plein Air Paintout
September 12th, 2009
The fun of combining twenty talented plein air artists with the beauty of the Scotchmans Wilderness is returning this year to Hope, Idaho, at Kally Thurman’s Outskirts Gallery, located in the Hope Market Cafe adjacent to the post office.
The artists will begin arriving on Friday September 18th, and will fan out to [...]
September is National Wilderness Month
September 6th, 2009
On September 3rd, 2009 the President of the United States, Barak Obama, signed a proclamation declaring that September be designated National Wilderness Month.
What better way to celebrate than by becoming a Friend of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness? Help us continue our effort to protect the Scotchman Peaks area so it can remain accessible to all [...]
Extreme Plein Air Art 2009
August 1st, 2009
In 1871 Thomas Moran entered the Yellowstone wilderness and opened the eyes of the American public to the grandeur of the Rocky Mountain West. In July 2009 two talented plein air artists, Aaron Johnson and Jared Shear armed with brushes and paint, entered the heart of the Scotchmans Wilderness for several days led by their trusty guide and writer, Sandy Compton.
This unique and fresh vision of our wilderness will be available to enjoy and purchase at the Timber Stand Gallery on Cedar St in downtown Sandpoint this Friday Aug 7th from 5-8PM. Please stop by and meet the artists, enjoy the spectacular paintings, and have a glass of wine. Proceeds from sales will benefit the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness’ preservation efforts.
New Montana Wilderness Legislation
July 2nd, 2009
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 information.
First of all, Scotchmans is not included in this bill, and in [...]
The Scotchmans in Backpacker Magazine
June 2nd, 2009
If you haven’t already picked up your June issue of Backpacker Magazine, better do so quick before it leaves the newsstands! Turn to page 68 to read a terrific article they did on the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.
Lots of choices here for reading the article:
Online at Backpacker Magazine’s website:
http://www.backpacker.com/june_09_hike_it_save_it_scotchman_peaks_mtid/destinations/13167
OR:
Read the article as PDF (384kb)
Scanned from [...]
2009 Annual State Of The Scotchmans
May 1st, 2009
Join the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness at the new Ponderay Events Center (behind Sandpoint Furniture off the east entrance to the Bonner Mall complex) on Tuesday May 26th for our annual “State of the Scotchmans” celebration. Doors open at 5pm to meet and mingle with special guests Congressman Walt Minnick and Wilderness Historian Doug [...]
No News is…..No News
January 4th, 2009
The KIPZ (Kootenai Idaho Planning Zone) Forest process is awaiting further decision from the U.S. Forest Service. Additional updates will be posted as soon as decisions are made.
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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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