November 4, 2020

Winter Activities in Spokane, Washington

Spokane, Washington, is a great place to live if you’re an outdoor lover. The wintertime is no exception to this.

Spokane Statistics

Spokane (pronounced spo-CAN) is the second largest city in Washington State. It’s located 280 miles east of Seattle and 375 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon. Within the city limits the population is listed at just over 200,000, but Spokane sprawls into several suburbs. If you include these surrounding areas, the current population estimate is pushing 600,000.

The daytime winter temperatures in Spokane are usually in the 30’s and the number of sunny days per year averages 174. Contrary to what I’ve heard some people say, Spokane is not gray and overcast all winter.

Skiing!

Skiing, both downhill and cross-country, is extremely popular, as is snowboarding. There are two ski resorts within 33 miles of Spokane; Mt. Spokane and 49 Degrees North.

Mt. Spokane is the closest at 21 miles. It offers 5 lifts and 44 runs for downhill skiing, including night skiing. There are 17 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails. There are snowboarding facilities as well as a tubing hill, complete with special inner tubes for sliding.

49 Degree North offers 5 lifts and 25 runs for downhill day and night skiing and many miles of groomed trails for cross country skiing.

In addition, when there’s snow on the ground you can often find cross -country skiers in any of the city’s dozens of public parks.

Ice Skating

Ice skating is another popular winter activity. During cold spells there’s a public pond 5 minutes from downtown that provides free skating. Downtown you can skate October through March at the Ice Palace, ranked by Kristi Yamaguchi, the1992 women’s figure skating Olympic gold medalist, in a USA Today interview in February of 2006, as one of the 10 best outdoor ice skating rinks in the nation.

Snowmobiling

Snowmobiling has eager participants as well. Mt. Spokane State Park contains about 50 miles of trails groomed specifically for snowmobilers.

Sledding

Sledding is a long-time winter favorite. You’ll see kids and adults sliding on sleds, saucers and inner tubes in various places around town on any weekend that has snow on the ground. An especially favored spot is “the sledding hill,” a large hill located in Manito Park, a 90-acre park located minutes south of downtown.

Birdwatching

Birdwatching is a hobby that continues throughout the winter for many in Spokane. The Turnbull Wildlife Refuge, 17,000 acres of bird and mammal paradise, is located 30 minutes from Spokane. Finch Arboretum, 65 captivating acres of trees, is located minutes from downtown Spokane. Both offer unique views of unspoiled nature.

Many species of bird are seen in the Spokane area only in the winter as they travel through while migrating to warmer winter quarters.

Another type of birdwatching increases in the winter. Great blue herons are present year-round in this area. While they can be a problem for pond owners at any time, I find them in my backyard only in the winter. Probably because it’s harder for these 4-foot tall birds to find food when the local lakes and rivers are iced over. Apparently my koi pond looks like a hot lunch cart.

Bald Eagles

A special kind of birdwatching is an annual winter event for many in the area. The annual Eagle Watch Week takes place between December 26 and January 1 near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, a 30-minute drive from Spokane. This is when bald eagles reach their peak numbers in the area. They come to feed on Coeur d’Alene Lake’s kokanee salmon as they spawn. The close-up sight of these amazing birds, whose wingspan can reach 8 feet, is something viewers never forget.