From Selkirk
Lodge,
we followed the Valley View trail, which gives you some nice views of
spokane
off in the distance.Just 40 minutes from downtown Spokane, Mt. Spokane State Park is the highest point (5,883 ft.) in the surrounding area, and a great place to ride your bike.
The trail described here made up a part of the 1994 and 1995 NORBA Cross Country race held on the mountain. I was at the races each year, and the differences were quite remarkable. The 1994 race was held in July, and it was bone dry, dusty, and hot. The riders were making the runs with dust masks on, coming to the end caked with a thick paste of sweat and mud.
The 1995 race was held in May, and there was some question whether the snow was going to be gone by that time. NORBA was unable to use the downhill course they used the year before, because it was under about 6 feet of snow (It started at the top of the mountain and followed the ski trail down). They had to move it further down the mountain, starting at the Snowmobile parking area. This time the riders came in caked with mud again, but didn't need the masks.
From North Spokane:
Head north on US Highway 2 to State Route 206 (Mt. Spokane Park Drive). Follow State Route 206 for 15 miles to the park entrance, which is just past Kirk's Lodge. The Cross Country Ski Area is another 3 1/2 miles past the entrance. Turn right and go up the gravel road to the Sno-Park parking lot, where you will see the very nice ski hut. There is a map of the trails posted near the hut.
From Downtown Spokane or almost anywhere east or west of town:
Take Interstate 90 to the Argonne Road exit. Head north on Argonne until you come to a stop sign at Bigelow Gulch Road. Keep heading north, and the road becomes Bruce Road, which then intersects with State Route 206 running east and west. Turn right on 206 and follow directions as above.
Here is
the
Official Mt. Spokane Nordic Ski Area Map (© T. Frost, 1994) In
return
for graciously allowing me to use his map, Mr. Frost has asked me to
mention
that the trails and huts at Mt.Spokane were built by the Inland Empire
Nordic
Club and that all skiers and mtn bikers who use them are encouraged to
join.
Doing so will support trail building and maintenance, hut building, the
Jr. racing program, x-c races (Wild Moose Cup, an International Points
Race),
and gets you their swell newsletter. Memberships are cheap at $15/yr.
Address:
IENC, PO Box 1365, Spokane WA 99201.
From Selkirk
Lodge,
we followed the Valley View trail, which gives you some nice views of
spokane
off in the distance.
The course is not difficult for most of it's length. Following Valley View around, we came to the first intersection. We then followed the Larch trail, which is a long, swooping trail that took us to the Nova Hut.
A meadow along the
Larch Trail At the Nova Hut we continued east down Raven's Glide,
coming
to the final intersection about 1km later, where we took the Shadow
Mountain
trail. This is a loop trail, and we followed it in a counter-clockwise
direction.
About 200 yards east of the intersection you will come across a piece of
single track leading straight up the hill on your left. After a bit of a
climb, you end up at the top of Shadow Mountain.
The Larch Trail
Coming to the Top of the
Mountain.
Bruce, Zipping Down from the Top
of the Mountain