Matthew Singer

Category: All Things Moscow

All Things Moscow!

This category will be a collection of posts promoting culture, events, and things to do around Moscow, Idaho.

  • Small hikes near Moscow

    Small hikes near Moscow

    The end of the semester is a busy time, and that often means foregoing larger adventures for some smaller ones closer to home. In the last week, I’ve been trying to keep active and take advantage of the local trails. One of these trails is the Headwaters trail on the western end of Moscow Mountain. In my five years here, I’ve never hiked this trail despite its close proximity and popularity among hikers, runners, and mountain bikers. Yet when all of my friends say they were on Moscow Mountain, they almost always mean the Headwaters trail.

    Headwaters is a 5 mile lollipop loop around the drainage that creates the headwaters for Paradise Creek, Moscow’s main water feature. There are no major attractions along this trail such as stunning views for waterfalls, but it does offer a nice walk in the woods with some great opportunities for wildlife sightings and enjoying the spring wildflowers.  Since I hiked this after work on Friday with limited daylight, I did not bring my camera and thus have no photos to share.

    [map style=”width: auto; height:500px; margin:20px 0px 20px 0px; border: 1px solid black;” gpx=”http://www.mineral2.com/wp-content/uploads/Headwaters loop.GPX”]

    I’ve hiked Kamiak Butte many times. But each time, I’ve stuck to the main loop and ignored the relatively new primitive trail that takes you around the west end of the feature. Saturday, I did just that, hiking with a group of geocachers from Spokane and finding the last cache in the park. The primitive trail is a bit more difficult than the main trail. It’s narrower, rockier, and steeper, but it’s not by any means a strenuous hike. Instead, it takes you away from most of the crowds into some nice wooded terrain. During the descent, there is a spot that opens up with some spectacular views of the northwestern Palouse. The wildflowers this time of year are also pretty spectacular. Arrowleaf balsamroot are past their peak, but still dotting the hillside with splashes of yellow. Meanwhile, the larkspur and wild hyacinth have become abundant, and the phlox carpets the ground with little pink clusters. In the woods, the western meadowrue and fairy bells have begun blooming. Calypso orchids have been out for a few weeks, but are still going strong.

    IMG_6328

    IMG_6327

    I have always liked Kamiak Butte, and with this extended loop, I like it even more. The full loop is about 4 miles long. Unfortunately, dogs are not permitted on the primitive trail, so plan on leaving your four-legged companions at home or just sticking to the main loop.

    [map style=”width: auto; height:400px; margin:20px 0px 20px 0px; border: 1px solid black;” gpx=”http://www.mineral2.com/wp-content/uploads/Kamiak Butte with primitive trail.GPX”]

     

  • The latest hype in Moscow

    The latest hype in Moscow

    Northern Hawk Owl
    Northern Hawk Owl

    The latest rage in Moscow, Idaho is the sighting of an immigrant that shouldn’t be here. A Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) has been spotted in Moscow across Rt. 8 from the Safeway parking lot. The earliest sightings on eBird show that this individual has been hanging around since Tuesday, reliably in the same spot.

    This is an exciting discovery because the Northern Hawk Owl isn’t supposed to be seen this far south. It’s native range is exclusive to Canada, and visits to the United States are few and infrequent. It’s unclear at this time how long the owl will stay in Moscow. It’s likely to be a short-term visit, though some Hawk Owl sightings in other locations have lasted an entire winter. With any luck, it’ll hang around long enough for me to get some more photos, and maybe even procure a nice telephoto lens to shoot it with. I expect that this sighting will bring in birders from across the northwest, and even beyond, who wish to add such a rare and magnificent species to their life list. For birders and wildlife enthusiasts who live in Moscow, we are incredibly fortunate, for an opportunity such as this may only come around once in a lifetime.

    The Northern Hawk Owl belongs to a minority group of owls that are diurnal, hunting during the day rather than at night.

    Northern Hawk Owl
    Northern Hawk Owl
    Northern Hawk Owl
    Northern Hawk Owl

  • Fireworks in the Mountains

    Celebrating Independence

    A garden update from the last post: I’m happy to announce that the lettuce that the chickens ate down to the soil is growing back quite nicely and will be ready for consumption within a few days.

    And now on to the main post:

    Elk River hosts an annual Independence Day celebration they call “Fireworks in the Mountains,” but they don’t necessarily hold it on the 4th of July, but on the weekend before or after if the 4th happens to be mid-week. The event attracts a lot of people and the general store stays open late to sell its famous huckleberry ice cream. Of course, the local bar wasn’t doing to bad on business either.

    The actual fireworks show was small, but the allure is that the loud bang can be heard reverberating off of the mountains all the way down the upper basin and back. However, the hoards of people visiting and camping had brought their own fireworks, and many bought some pretty big and expensive pieces, the kind that are illegal in most states. These added supplemental entertainment while waiting for the real show to begin.

  • Exploring

    The past week, my parents were in town visiting and we spent the week exploring and showing them our favorite places in the area. We’d usually leave fairly early in the morning and get back kinda late, always exhausted. As a result, I haven’t been able to post some detailed updates on the awesome places that we’ve been. I’ll try to summarize the week here.

    WWII era bomberSaturday, July 23: Picked my parents up from the Lewiston airport. Turns out, there was some kind of airplane festival going on so we decided to have a look. There were planes out on the tarmack for people to check out, mostly navy planes, but still neat to see them up close. It was hot and out in the open, so we didn’t stay long. We had lunch in Lewiston before making the scenic drive back to our house.

    Sunday: We started out the morning hiking the Potlatch River Trail near Little Boulder Creek in Helmer. It’s the little 5.5 mile loop behind us. We did the whole loop and it was much easier than the last time when there was still snow on the trail. We spent the afternoon in Moscow taking care of some shopping  and other errands to prepare for the rest of the week.

     

    Walking Among Giants. This is a great place to bring the family. It’s a short walk from the parking area to the “mine” where $10 gets you the privilage to sift through dirt and sand looking for the prized star garnet. Emerald Creek is one of two places in the world to find star garnets, the other being a place in India. We came home with some nice garnet pieces and later in the week, took them to the local rock shop to have them looked at. Turns out, we had a couple of star garnets, one of which was nice enough to cut into a pendant. After rock hunting, I took everyone to the Hobo Cedar Grove to walk among the awesome forest and big trees.

    Tuesday: We went to Spokane to shop and explore the city. After dropping a friend off at the airport, we headed to Manito Park where the botanical gardens are and finally got to see them in full bloom. Then we headed ot REI where Erin traded in her hiking boots for another pair that should hopefully be more comfortable. Surprisingly, I was good on this trip and didn’t buy anything. Then we went downtown to check it out. I was interested in Huppins, the local camera and electronics shop. I was disappointed to find they were more of a TV and stereo dealer than a camera shop. Looks like the nearest pro photography store might be in Seattle. We had dinner at Anthony’s, overlooking the falls and finished the evening with a walk through Riverside Park. Did I mention that we saw a moose on the way into the city?

    BeargrassWednesday: We had one “big” hike planned for the week, and for this trip, we kept it local and headed up to Freezeout Saddle. My initial goal was to hike to Lookout Mountain, but we ran into snow on the road that forced us to turn around and hike Grandmother Mountain instead. Last year, we hiked up there in early September and the area was showing signs of Autumn. Now, in late July, the area was showing signs of early Spring with tons of wildflowers in bloom including Beargrass! But what really surprised us was the ammount of snow up there so late in the season. I would expect a few patches here and there in some cool shady areas, but we were climbing over some good-sized mounds on the trail. The last push for the summit was nearly entirely on a snowfield under the trees. As a result, we stopped at Grandmother and did not continue to Grandfather Mountain on this trip. Nevertheless, that area is beautiful and quite awesome and a great place to go to beat the heat. I’m reminded that there’s such a short window to enjoy the high country between the time the snow melts enough to get up there and it becomes blocked off again by the next winter’s arrival.

    Me by the Giant Western Red CedarThursday: We can’t have visitors without taking them to Elk River. It’s such a neat place and so close that it’s impossible to pass up. We started at the Elk River Falls, hiking our usual route backward by starting at the lower falls and ending at the upper, giving the dogs a chance to swim in the pool below the upper falls before hiking back to the car. Then we stopped in the town itself to get some of their famous Huckleberry ice cream. Finally, we headed out to the giant cedar to show my dad… well… the giant cedar. Unfortunately, the road to the Morris Creek Cedar Grove has been closed all season for construction, so it looks like we’ll have to wait until next year to check it out.

    Friday: We took a down day, spent the morning at home, and the afternoon in Moscow walking around town since most of the shops were closed on Sunday when we were in. We had one last nice dinner at Nectar and then headed to Lewiston where my parents were spending the night to catch a 5:30 am flight the next morning. And thus concludes a week of exploring the sights of the Moscow area.

  • Kamiak Butte

    The Palouse, originally uploaded by Matthew Singer.

    The Palouse is made up of rolling hills covered in wheat and barley fields. This area was historically a prairie, so there were few trees to begin with. A few of these hills rise up well above the rest, remnants of a time when the region was more active volcanically.

    Kamiak Butte is one such high point, located less than 10 miles north of Pullman. The north slope is covered by a lush and beautiful forest, protected as a county park for all to enjoy. The park offers a picnic area, a campground, and miles of trails that ascend the butte and follow the ridge to the summit. There are views in all directions including views of both Pullman and Moscow. It’s a great little oasis amidst the sea of farmland. While it’s certainly not wilderness by any stretch of the imagination, it’s a great place to watch wildlife and look for flowers. On yesterday’s walk, I came across a Mountain Lady’s Slipper, but was unable to get a good photograph.

    Kamiak Butte is a good place to get away and enjoy nature. It’s close to Moscow and Pullman and caters to everyone from families to the outdoor enthusiast.

  • Moscow’s Music Scene

    I’ve been neglecting my duty to write here and update with my good fun. In part, I’ve been waiting for a nice epic hike or adventure to write about, but lately, either the weather has been crapping out on me, or I find myself busy with other priorities. So what have I been up to? In the lab, I’ve been breeding fish for the past five weeks. In classes, I’ve been worrying about exams and papers. And outside of school, I’ve gotten a chance to get out and enjoy some of the cultural scene around Moscow.

    The town, for its size, still has plenty to do after hours. On Thursdays, the Biology graduate students have been gathering at Mingle’s for ladies night at the local pool hall. When we have any ladies present, we can get tables for free. It ends up being a good time for all. The past two weekends, I’ve found myself at John’s Alley (http://www.alleyvault.com/), the home of live music in Moscow. The Alley is a bar with a stage and a dance floor and always seems to be a good time. It attracts artists of all generas from jazz and blues to hip-hop and punk. Lately, the bands seem to be on the mellower side. Two weeks ago, there was a jam band by the name of the Scott Pemberton Trio (http://www.scottpemberton.com/). They apparently show up in Moscow on a regular basis, so I’ll be sure to see them again. This past weekend, we had a treat. Tony Furtado (http://www.tonyfurtado.com/) was in town for two days while on tour promoting his new album, Golden. Tony is somewhat of a big name for the Alley and may be one of the best acts that the venue brings in. He apparently comes to town once a year or so, not quite as often as Scott Pemberton. Tony Furtado began his career as a bluegrass banjo player, but has gradually moved away from the genera to a more folk rock and Americana sound. He is quite good, but he’s also been at it for some time. You can find most of his albums on Amazon, though the new one is on an indie label and can only be bought from the website or downloaded from iTunes. I will definitely be on the lookout for his return to the area and I’ll be sure to bring enough cash to purchase an album or two next time.

    A few upcoming events have caught my eye, most notably a bluegrass-celtic rock band by the name of The Clumsy Lovers (http://clumsylovers.com) who will be in town on March 11. The Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival is going on this week at the U of I, but I don’t see anything on the schedule that catches my interest.

    Hopefully I’ll be out for some high adventure soon.