Join these Tri-Cities groups for some outdoor winter fun
As the weather improves there are more chances to join some of the organized group outdoor activities in the Tri-Cities.
Each group welcomes newcomers.
More information is available on each organization’s website.
Be sure to contact the trip coordinator to verify the event is still planned and has not been canceled by bad weather.
Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society
▪ Saturday Morning Bateman Island Bird Walks — March 2, April 6, May 4, June 1
www.lowercolumbiabasinaudubon.org
Meet at 8 a.m. at the Wye Park for a morning birding walk through the island’s inland bird habitat, the Yakima Delta and Columbia River. All birders are invited, especially those who wish to expand their birding knowledge by joining experienced birders. Average sightings for these walks are 45 to 50 species.
Washington Native Plant Society – Columbia Basin Chapter
▪ Washington Natural Areas Program — Feb. 6
Monthly Meeting: 7 to 8:30 p.m. – Room 117 SWL Building, Columbia Basin College, Pasco
Overview of the state Department of Natural Resources Natural Areas program in Washington. The DNR manages over 163,000 acres of land in designated natural area preserves and natural resource conservation areas. The areas provide opportunities for research, environmental education and low-impact recreation.
Intermountain Alpine Club
▪ McNary Wildlife Refuge Day Hike – Feb. 9
An eight-mile out and back hike on rolling, vegetated sand dunes in the Wallula Unit of the McNary National Wildlife Refuge, also known as Madame Dorian Park. Views of wetlands are lovely and opportunities abound for seeing winter birds and other wildlife. Rated easy to moderate.
▪ Meacham Divide Snowshoe Day Trip — Feb. 16
A 5- to 6-mile showshoe with less than 500 feet of climb to the Meacham Divide, the high point in the Blue Mountains between Pendleton and La Grande, Ore. The back-country trek goes up and down hills and through the woods, perhaps down a creek and offers good views on a nice day. Rated easy to moderate.
▪ Woodland Park Cross-Country Ski/Snowshoe Day Trip to Tollgate Area — Feb. 19
Starting from Woodland Sno-Park near Tollgate, in the Umatilla National Forest, this ski trip is eight miles round-trip. Sometimes it is groomed, sometimes it’s not. If conditions are too difficult to ski, we will snowshoe close-by instead (so take snowshoes and snowshoe boots in case). The Balloon Tree loop has wonderful views in clear weather, ups and downs but nothing too challenging.
▪ Escure Ranch/Towell Falls Day Hike — Feb 23
A wonderful four-mile winter hike on Bureau of Land Management land near Endicott, Wash., through the desert scabland topography with basalt outcroppings and rangeland along Rock Creek, to a beautiful waterfall.
IMAC Backpacking and Mountaineering Schools
▪ Classes starting March 4/ March 5
IMAC is offering two sets of classes, one covering backpacking essentials and the other, for more experienced people, Mountaineering. The backpacking classes are on Monday nights at the Richland Public Library starting at 6:30 p.m. March 4-April 22. Seating is limited to 80. Send email to imac.backpacking.school@gmail.com describing your interest in the class, name and email address.
The Mountaineering classes are at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays starting March 5, with outdoor practices on Wednesday evenings. The climbing classes go for nine weeks and end with an outdoor climbing trip in Washington or Oregon. Send email describing your interest to imac.climbing@gmail.com.
Fun, Fit and Over Fifty
▪ Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Special Events
The Fun, Fit and Over Fifty Club organizes group hikes up Badger Mountain every Tuesday starting at 9:30 a.m., and does river walks every other Thursday at 9 a.m., and Candy Mountain hikes every other Thursday at 9:30 a.m. There also are group bike rides at various locations every Monday and Friday and other special fitness activities and events.
REI - Backpacking the Wonderland Trail
▪ Presentation Feb. 21
https://www.rei.com/event/backpacking-the-wonderland-trail/kennewick/225995
7:15 to 8:30 p.m. at REI in Kennewick. The talk describes what you need to know to hike the 93-mile Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier. Some 200-250 people complete the trail each year, and thousands more hike or backpack parts of it. Learn what you need to know to decide to go, get a permit and prepare for your trip around part or all of the mountain.