Scotchman Peaks Wilderness - In The News

PEAK EXPERIENCE - Our Newsletter published every other month.

NEW!! We now have a lower resolution copy of our newsletter for those of you with slower internet connections - choose from our two options below:

Our Current Issue:
PEAK EXPERIENCE Newsletter, Vol 5, Number 4, Jul/Aug 2009

Please note: Our newsletters are PDF files, which may require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software to open, unless your browser supports opening PDF files. For a free download of this Reader software click on this link: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readsetp2.html

Adoption Announcement

The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness are thrilled to announce that they have adopted a 2 mile section of Highway 200 just east of Clark Fork Idaho, at the foot of the Scotchmans. Highway signs with our organization's name will be up soon and opportunities to help keep this scenic byway free of litter will be found on our current hiking schedule. Both the FSPW and the Highway are doing well and visitors are welcomed.

2008 Annual Report Released

It's here! It's finally here! And the best news is that you don't have to line up and camp out all night like in years past to get your copy! You can download the Friends Of Scotchman Peaks Annual Report for 2008 - and it's free! I'm so excited I have to go sit down. Don't worry, I'll be okay, but hurry and get your copy while supplies last.

2008 Friends of Scotchman Peaks Annual Report - PDF (604kb)

Calling All Bird Aficionados

We've added a new page to our site - Birds Of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness (you may have noticed the NEW! link on the lefthand menu)......print out the list using our printable PDF link on the page and bring it along on one of our Hikes - see if you can check off a few! Don't forget your binoculars!

2008 Holiday Sip and Shop

The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness invites you to toast the holidays with us! On the Monday after Thanksgiving, the family has gone home and the holiday season is just getting into the full swing; so swing out in Scotchmans style....... Read More

Gonzaga Students Write About The Scotchmans

Students from the Environtmental Thought and Politics class at Gonazaga University recently competed to win FSPW swag by writing papers about the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Area - read the top four finalists' papers for insights from our future environmentalists..............Read the Class Papers Here

2008 Scotchman Peaks Photo Contest Winners Announced!

As difficult as it was for our judges to choose from the many terrific entries, they finally managed to pick the top three submissions from each of four categories. Our heartiest congratulations to all the winners and our sincere thanks to everyone who participated!

Check out the winning photos HERE

The Friends Take A Field Trip!

The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness recently enjoyed a day trip into the Ross Creek Cedars area with Larry Evans of the Western Mycological Society (based in Missoula, MT) to view the fall mushrooms that inhabit the Scotchman Peaks area...............(read more and view photos here)

1st Annual Scotchman Plein Air Paint Out & Art Sale

The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness in partnership with Jim Quinn at the Timberstand Gallery in Sandpoint and Kally Thurman at the Outskirts Gallery in Hope, ID, will host two dozen artists at the 1st Annual Scotchman Plein Air Paint Out & Art Sale Oct 9-11th, 2008. Our regional artists will take brush and palette to Nature as they capture on canvas the magical colors and lights of Fall that abound in our local wilderness.

On Friday morning Oct 10th starting at 9AM, the public will be invited to observe the painters in action at the Jenkins on Elliot Bay (follow Sagle Rd to Camp Bay Rd. Turn right and follow the signs). Completed plein air art will be available for purchase on Friday, Oct 10th, from 5-8PM at the Timberstand Gallery at 3rd and Cedar in Sandpoint (208-263-7748). A second art sale will be held in historic Hope, ID, (12 miles from Sandpoint on Hwy 200) at the Outskirts Gallery located in the Hope Market Café from 2-7PM (208-264-5379). Art purchases will help ensure the legacy of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness for our future generations.

Wild Idaho North!

“KEEPING NORTH IDAHO NATURAL” - Saturday, October 4, 2008. Come visit with experts in conservation, planning and natural resources about how we can protect our natural areas as North Idaho grows.

Sponsored by Idaho Conservation League, call 208-265-9565 for information or visit www.wildidaho.org, reservations are required.

Climate Change Speaker Series

The Friends of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness will sponsor a presentation on wilderness and climate change on Tuesday October 28th at 6 p.m. at the East Bonner County Library. Thomas H. DeLuca, a senior forest ecologist with The Wilderness Society, will present "Adapting to Climate Change: The Importance of Wilderness in an Uncertain World" as part of a series on the regional impacts of climate change and ways to tackle the challenge.

For more information, contact Carol Jenkins at 208-265-920.

View the Climate Change Speaker Series Flyer (PDF - 724kb file - will open in a new browser window)

Cinnabar Challenge Grant Announced for 2008

Yes folks, it's that time of year again - the snow has melted, the earth has warmed, the trails are ready, and the hikers are in full bloom. That can only mean one thing.........its "Challenge Grant" time again!

Once again the Cinnabar Foundation has generously agreed to offer a Challenge Grant, meaning that if we manage to raise just $4000, they will make a matchiing donation of another $4000! Our deepest thanks to our friends at the Cinnabar Foundation for their continued support.

You can read the Press Release

You can view our Challenge Grant Progress Chart

FSPW 3rd Annual Summer Kick-Off

Come joing the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness at one or both of two great summer events - the Montana Picnic Celebration (June 22nd at the Bull River Campground - beer, burgers, and soda will be provided, please bring a side dish to share), featuring special guest and Wilderness Historian Doug Scott, and the Annual "State of The Scotchmans" presentation (June 26th at the Pend Oreille Winery in Sandpoint). Both promise to be fun, interesting, and informative.

For more information please see the Flyers - you have a choice of which to open/download:
Read the Full Color MS Word Document (if you have MS Office installed - 543kb .DOC file)
Read the Text Only PDF document (if you don't have MS Office and have dialup internet - 96kb PDF file)
Read the Full Color PDF document (if you don't have MS Office and have high-speed internet - 4MB PDF file)

Inland Northwest Home and Lifestyle Magazine - April 2008

The April edition of the "Inland Northwest Home and Lifestyle" magazine, a 'Journal of Business' plublication based in Spokane, WA, did a nice two-page feature on the Scotchmans. Unfortunately they do not post content online, so we've provided scans of the article for your viewing pleasure. Please note that these scans will open in a new browser window, and are fairly large so that you can read the text.

View Page 1 (JPG file, 304kb)
View Page 2 (JPG file, 248kb)
View Both on One Page (PNG file, 368kb)

Second Annual Goat Mountain Hop sets record!

Led by Jim Mellen, a record 14 hikers summited Goat Mountain on March 22, 2008 during the second annual "Goat Mountain Hop". The Hop is a very challenging, but highly rewarding hike, and if you look at the photo printed in the Bonner County Daily Bee you'll noitce it seems like everyone did indeed have a good time. If you're counting, I believe the missing person is the photographer (I don't think they counted the dog)....

Friends of Scotchman Peaks - 2007 Annual Report

Yep, it's that time of year again! If you like numbers and pretty charts, you can view the full PDF here. It's a fascinating read - you won't want to miss it. Yes, really! (Note: 244kb PDF file - will open in a new browser window or download based on your browser's settings).

Bonner County Daily Bee - Progress 2008

On Sunday March 30th the Bonner County Daily Bee published their "Progress 2008" - a supplement to the Sunday paper. If you missed it, use these links to read the article and enjoy the photo gallery.

Photo Gallery

Article - Page 1 (PDF - 134kb)

Article - Page 2 (PDF - 128kb)

2006 Annual Report

"A real page turner - I couldn't put it down!" - New Belgian Times
"A classic! One of the best Annual Reports ever written!" - Tokyo Daily Standard

Read the Friends Of Scotchman Peaks 2006 Annual Report (660kb pdf file)

Walkin' Jim Comes to Sandpoint

Woody Guthrie meets Ansel Adams in Walkin’ Jim’s “Give Thanks for the Wild!” performance. Don't miss this rare opportunity to meet America’s one-of-a-kind wilderness troubadour. Join us for a multimedia show/concert, to be held Saturday November 24th at the Panida Theater in Sandpoint.

Walkin’ Jim Stoltz has trekked from coast to coast, Mexico to Canada (3 times), Yellowstone to the Yukon, from high in the Arctic to deep in the Utah canyons. All those years in the wild places and over 26,000 miles of walking have given him a great love for wilderness which Walkin Jim will share in “Give Thanks for the Wild!” Walkin’ Jim sings in a deep bass voice, plays guitar, and tells stories about his travels while projecting spectacular images of the wilderness he has photographed on his travels.

Doors open at 6:00pm, show starts at 7:00pm. Tickets are only $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Tickets are available in Sandpoint at Eichardts, F.C. Weskills, Monarch Mountain Coffee and the Outdoor Experience; In Trout Creek at the Huckleberry Thicket.

For more details read the Press Release (PDF), or view the Flyer (PDF).

Sanders County Ledger Article - November, 2007

US Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana) recently addressed the Sanders County Democrats at their annual dinner in Thompson Falls. Doug Ferrell (Executive Committee Member, Friends Of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness) had the opportunity to speak with Senator Tester regarding the possible official Wilderness designation for the Scotchman Peaks roadless Area. If you'd like to read a scanned JPG of the Sanders County Ledger Article, click here.

11th Annual Wild Idaho North! Conference

Please join the Idaho Conservation League and Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness for the 11th Annual Wild Idaho North! conference in Sandpoint on Oct. 20.

This year's conference theme is "Protecting Wild Places," featuring discussions on protecting wilderness in North Idaho - a landscape filled with wild places but no designated wilderness areas. Longtime wilderness advocate Brock Evans, now president of the Endangered Species Coalition in Washington, D.C., will be the keynote speaker. Evans was involved in the creation of the Salmo-Priest Wilderness Area in Northeast Washington as the Sierra Club's Northwest Reprsentative, served eight years as the head lobbyist for the Sierra Club's Washington, D.C., office, and spent 15 years as the Vice President for National Issues for the National Audubon Society.

Other presentations at the Oct. 20 event will cover wolf packs of North Idaho, the controversies surrounding public lands collaboration and wilderness politics. The $45 registration fee covers the day-long event, lunch, dinner and evening music.

For more information, contact Susan Drumheller, Idaho Conservation League North Idaho Associate, at (208) 265-9565, or at sdrumheller@wildidaho.org.

View the Flyer (pdf file - 260kb)

Challenge Grant Announced for 2007

Once again the Cinnabar Foundation has generously agreed to a donation of $3,000 in the form of a "matching grant", meaning that we need to raise that same amount in order to receive the award.....so the challenge is on! Now is an opportune time to make a donation to FSPW so that we can obtain this grant as soon as possible. Please consider sending your tax-deductible donation today to:

FSPW
P.O. Box 2061
Sandpoint, ID 83864

To view our progress check out our Fundraising Progress Chart featuring Monty, the mascot of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.

River Journal Article - June 27, 2007

Kate Wilson penned a nice article on the Scotchmans for the recent edition of the River Journal.....thanks Kate!..........You can pick up the recent issue or read a scanned PDF version here (note this article spans two PDF files):
River Journal Article - Part 1 (436kb)
River Journal Article - Part 2 (260kb)

Annual State Of The Scotchmans

Do you ever look up from Lake Pend Oreille at the towering turrets of the Scotchman Peaks and wondering why they aren’t yet designated as wilderness? We sure do! Well, wilderness takes time and community support, lots of support. Come join the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness for our annual "State of Scotchmans" event................
Read the Press Release for more information (226kb pdf)
View the Flyer (3.9MB pdf)

North Idaho Wilderness Advocate Awarded

Wilderness advocate Phil Hough, of Sagle, Idaho, was awarded the Idaho Conservation League’s highest award for environmental activism on May 19, 2007 during the organization’s Wild Idaho Conference in Stanley, Idaho. Hough received the Keith and Pat Axline Award for Environmental Activism for his work on the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.........Read the full press release here.

Great Old Broads Coming To Scotchmans!

Great Old Broads for Wilderness [GOB], a hard-working, tenacious national wilderness advocate organization, will visit the Scotchman Peaks area to help promote its designation as a Congressionally established permanent Wilderness Area. Headquartered at the Clark Fork Field Campus, all activities are open to the public including hikes in the Scotchman area, excellent speakers about wilderness efforts in Idaho and Montana, and a volunteer trail maintenance project with the Forest Service.

GOB was established in 1989 in Durango, Colorado. Membership is now nationwide, and includes, men and younger women (known as "Broads In Training"). It attracts public interest and attention in ways other organizations cannot. Its approach is one of perseverance rather than militancy and contentiousness. Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness has been working for over a year to bring Great Old Broads here and we're grateful for their support.

You're welcome to participate in the planned activities and assist in making their visit successful.

Dates: July 26-30, 2007
Location: near Sand Point, ID
Cost: $125 tent campers, $135 RV parking , or $190 for bed in shared room bunkhouse
Visit the Great Old Broads website for more information.

Jack Gladstone and Kendall Flint to perform in concert

The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness proudly present Jack Gladstone, with special guest Kendall Flint, in concert on Saturday February 3rd at the Panida Theater in Sandpoint! Read the full story here.

2006 Annual Report

"A real page turner - I couldn't put it down!" - New Belgian Times
"A classic! One of the best Annual Reports ever written!" - Tokyo Daily Standard

Read the Friends Of Scotchman Peaks 2006 Annual Report (660kb pdf file)

Spokesman Review Guest Opinion

Be sure to check out the November 8th Spokesman Review - Doug Scott (author of "The Enduring Wilderness") wrote a very eloquent Guest Opinion on wilderness protection for the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Area.........or Read the Article here

Challenge Grant Announced

We are excited to announce that the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness has been awarded a $5,000 Challenge grant by the Cinnabar Foundation!!

In order to receive these funds we need your help to raise matching contributions. The sooner we raise the matching funds the sooner that Cinnabar will release the grant money and the more effective our campaign will be. Click Here to read the full article

Scotchmans on the front page of the Daily Bee

Jim Mellen's recap and Rod's photo of their recent snowboarding trip to the top of Scotchman Peak were in full color on the front page of Today's Daily Bee, with a nice lead in to the presentation at the chamber this afternoon. Click Here to view the article (note that this is a .jpg file that will open in a new browser window).

The wilderness values expressed in this photo speak way more than a "thousand words" and the timing could not have been better with the release yesterday of the forest plan.

Thanks Jim & Rod!

KOOTENAI FOREST PLAN DECISION
Your Help Is Needed

The Kootenai National Forest, in their forest revision draft map, has eliminated ALL recommended wilderness, replacing it with a "wildlands" category. We need letters NOW to the regional forester Gail Kimbell expressing our over this outrageous decision and urging her to return wilderness to the Kootenai forest! Your letter does not need to be long, just make it clear that you want Wilderness for the Scotchmans and send it today.

There are two ways that you can help:

Visit the Montana Wilderness Association Action Center - this is a user-friendly and interactive website that allows you to compose and submit templated electronic letters to the elected officials that make decisions about wilderness lands designation and protection. It's a very easy way to make your voice and opinions heard.
Send your letter today! - If you prefer to sit down and put pen to paper, visit this page to read more about this decision and for a list of officials to whom your comments should be directed.

Please take the time today to let our government know how you feel on this subject. Together we really can make a difference.

Endorsements for Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Area growing

Read the latest endorsements for the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Area in our newest section of our site, most creatively named "Endorsements" . They like us! They really, really like us!

Lake Pend Oreille Cruises: Benefit for Scotchman Peaks

One of our 'Friends', Lake Pend Oreille Cruises, is offering for the 1st time Clark Fork Delta Cruise this Sunday, May 21 as a benefit to FSPW. Please see their press release for information.

The Spokesman Review - March 15, 2006

Wilderness Proposal Gets County Support - by James Hagengruber

Momentum appears to be building for North Idaho's first federally designated wilderness area in the Scotchman Peaks east of Sandpoint. Buried in a letter sent to the Idaho governor earlier this year was an unprecedented two-sentence statement from ........ <Read More>

The Daily Bee - March 16, 2006

County Backs Scotchman's Wilderness designation - by Keith Kinnaird

Bonner County commissioners are throwing their support behind an effort to designate the Scotchman Peak area as wilderness, adding an important voice to the growing chorus of people calling for the area to be protected.............. <Read More>

The Sanders County Ledger - January 12, 2006

Scotchman Peaks Offers Grand Wilderness Addition - (no byline)

(Please note: this is a scanned copy of the Sanders County Ledger article that will open in a new window).

The Spokesman Review - September 11, 2005

Roadless Areas Under Siege - by Rich Landers

The Scotchman Peaks region north of Lake Pend Oreille is among the darlings of Idaho's unofficial wilderness areas. Studded with peaks and ripe with lakes, streams and wildlife, the area was among the first in the state to be embraced by conservationists for a ....... <Read More>

The River Journal - July 13, 2005

Sandy Compton's column, The Scenic Route, on July 13th describes a 4-day odyssey into the heart of the Scotchmans.

Imagine you're a movie camera, focused on the broken edge of a sunlit surface of reddish-gray stone embossed with ripples of a 750-million-year-old sea bed. In your field of view, a sun-browned hand appears, getting purchase on the rock....... <Read More>

Photo of Sandy hiking in the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Area
(Sandy enjoying a hike in the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Area)

Bonner County Daily Bee - May 26, 2005

Exceedingly well-written Guest Opinion by Phil Hough and Jan Griffitts - don't miss it!

Wilderness is a vital component of a balanced strategy for managing our public lands. Multiple use should recognize the highest value for each area........ <Read More>