Yoke’s Outrageous Air Show at Schweitzer Mountain Resort
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Each year Yoke’s grocery stores and Schweitzer team up to bring the Outrageous Air Show to Sandpoint for Friday and Saturday night shows one weekend a year, usually at the end of February. The events start around 6pm in the village of Schweitzer Mountain Resort. The torch light parade starts the night with skiers, skiing from the top of the mountain down to the village with red glowing torches. Read the rest of Yoke’s Outrageous Air Show at Schweitzer Mountain Resort »
The Outback Inn is found on the backside of the Schweitzer Mountain Resort by chair 5, otherwise known as Stella. As one of the few structures left at Schweitzer that has not been recently remodeled, The Outback gives patrons a step back in time, with the feeling of a true ski lodge. The Outback provides skiers a convenient location to stop for a quick bite to eat or a ski in, ski out restroom break. If you are stopping for food you can leave your skis or snow board outside on the racks provided. 
I don’t mind the snow. In fact, I kinda like it, and sometimes I think I could live with snow year-round. But, I’ll admit, this winter is getting a little long in the tooth. It would be nice to take my 1-1/2 year old daughter to the park. I know she misses it, and I do miss getting out of the house. I wish there was a place that had an indoor playground… 
A recent snowy Saturday morning found us snuggled together under blankets in a horse-drawn sleigh. We were coasting through the peaceful woodland of Western Pleasure Guest Ranch. Pulling the three-seat sleigh were two mighty Percheron horses, Amos and Kate. Harness bells rang out through the crisp winter air as the horses touched noses, tossed their heads, and begin their sure-footed trot at the command of the skilled driver, Brad. On a winding trail we sped, cresting over hills and passing by meadows. Trees laden with snow stood sentinel and were our only witnesses to this wonderful excursion. 
Now that the first snow has fallen on Sandpoint, the boats have been put away, the boxes in the closet marked “Winter” pulled out and dusted off, most of us start anticipating the ski season at our local snowy playground, Schweitzer Mountain Resort. Of the three mountain ranges surrounding Sandpoint, the Selkirk, Cabinet, and Bitterroot Mountains, Schweitzer sits in the Selkirks and offers 2900 acres of skiing fun. 
Forecasted snow brings squeals of delight from children and adults. Giddy with excitement, we prepare to participate in our favorite winter time activity: snow shoveling. There are a few things you’ll need to enjoy your time spent outdoors shoveling. The first, and most important, is a good snowfall. 
One of the most exquisite cedar groves you’ll ever see is just a hop, skip and a jump from Sandpoint, Idaho. Walk along the easy path to see very old, very gnarled trees that grow to eight feet in diameter and a staggering one hundred seventy five feet tall. Striated, fibrous rusty red trunks take on fantastical shapes through time. The pendulous green, scaly foliage adds a drapey quality to the rarified air in the grove that’s been growing in peace for over two hundred years. 
Back in the old times, loggers used their teams of draft horses to fell massive Idaho trees and haul them, often in winter, to timber markets. These days, you’re more likely to see draft horses on beer commercials than in rural areas, helping people make a hardscrabble living.
