The The Stevens Peak Backcountry comprises the subalpine area in the vicinity of Stevens Peak, located on the Lolo and Idaho Panhandle National Forests, in the vicinity of the Idaho-Montana state line. The Stevens Peak Backountry:
- Offers prime terrain and snow conditions for backcountry snowboarding and skiing.
- Has historically been used primarily for quiet human-powered winter recreation.
- Is accessible during the winter from trailheads that can be reached by passenger vehicle, something uncommon for the public lands in our region.
- Is experiencing increasing patterns of snowmobile use primarily for high-marking.
- Is being threatened by the proposed expansion of the Lookout Pass Ski Area.
Proposed Stevens Peak Backcountry Winter Non-Motorized Area
The Proposed Stevens Peak Backcountry Winter Non-Motorized area (shown below) is an area of approximately 6,500 acres in the vicinity of Stevens Peak. It includes portions of the Copper, Saint Regis, East Willow (Stevens Lakes), West Willow, Boulder and Gold Creek drainages. The concept was originally proposed to the Forest Service in 2000 by members of the Spokane Mountaineers.
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The Inland Northwest Backcountry Alliance
The Inland Northwest Backcountry Alliance (formerly Stevens Peak Backcountry Coalition) is a grassroots organization of backcountry skiers and snowboarders, cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and climbers who value quiet human-powered winter recreation in the Inland Northwest. Our goals:
- Work toward the creation of a comprehensive and workable Winter Recreation Plan for the Stevens Peak Backcountry and other areas in our region.
- Educate others about the value of and opportunities for quiet human-powered winter recreation.
We seek to strengthen the traditional winter recreation community by formally identifying and connecting the growing number of non-motorized winter recreation enthusiast users in our region — eastern Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana, an area that includes the cities of Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, Missoula, Moscow and Pullman.
