Winter Fun Days
Snowy days can’t keep us inside! Spend the whole day outside, sledding, playing games, exploring, building snow forts, warming up around a fire, eating smores and drinking hot chocolate.
Come enjoy winter outside with us. Choose one of these two dates:
Friday, January 3rd ~ OR ~ Saturday, January 4th (choose only one day, please)
Time: 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. - meet at the Sled Barn promptly at 9 AM (or a little before)
Cost: $30 per child
Location: The Sled Barn at the Pine Street Sled Hill, 11735 W. Pine
Includes: snacks, drinks and lunch
What to bring:
A sled, if you have one
A small back pack with extra socks, gloves, and a water bottle (with water)
Give us a call with any questions - (208)263-9471 or email Brianna
Giving Back-tivities
Here at KLT, we tend to carve our own path. On Giving Tuesday, the national day of giving, we usually do something a little bit quirky or different. This year, we are hosting some "giving back-tivities" the week of Giving Tuesday (the first week in December).
It’s our way of thanking you for supporting the work we are all doing together. Join us for one or more of the following free daily* activities designed to connect us to the land and to our community. Each lasts about an hour:
Mon. 12/2 Marketing Trek & Talk with Marcy. 9 a.m. at the Sand Creek Trail. Join KLT's Communications Director for a back to basics class in marketing. Seasoned marketing professionals, newbies, and those who have marketing tasks added to their real jobs will take away tips they can use now. Freebies included. Meet at the Sand Creek Trailhead on Bridge Street with your warm beverage.
Wed. 12/4 Tree ID with Regan. 9 a.m. at Pine Street Woods. Join KLT's Conservation Director for a guided tree identification walk. Learn the names and useful facts about local coniferous and deciduous trees plus some fun facts about KLT's Pine Street Woods community forest. Meet at the main parking lot with your warm beverage and dress for December.
Thu. 12/5 Morning Run with Katie. 8:15 a.m. at Pine Street Woods. Join KLT's Executive Director on one of her regular morning runs and start your day with fun and inspiration at your community forest. Meet at the main parking lot at Pine Street Woods ready for some cardio!
Thu. 12/5 Build a Friction Fire with Bri. 4 p.m. at the Big Red Shed. Join KLT's Education Director to learn how to build a primitive friction fire for fun and self-sufficiency. All ages welcome. Park behind the Big Red Shed at the Sled Hill.
Fri. 12/6 New Trail Reveal with Jeanine. 9 a.m. at The Sled Hill. Join KLT's Development & Operations Assistant for a guided tour of one of the brand new trails at The Sled Hill at Pine Street Woods. Meet at the Big Red Shed with your warm beverage. Muffins are included.
Fri. 12/6 Tying Assorted Knots with Shaun. 4 p.m. at The Big Red Shed. KLT’s Education Assistant will show you how to tie some practical knots that are handy for life in the outdoors. The 10 or so knots he will teach are easy to learn for all ages and will help add to your wilderness know-how.
*Notice that we have nothing planned on the actual day of Giving Tuesday. It just worked out that way.
The Carousel Fun Fair
Introducing the Alternative Giving Market at the Carousel Fun Fair where your holiday shopping impacts your community! "Shop" nonprofit booths to donate in the name of a friend/loved one and receive a meaningful item symbolizing your gift - making this a present that impacts their community.
This event highlights the many ways we can support our local community.
When you visit the KLT booth, you’ll learn how your support protects the views, habitats, clean waters, and ancestral and working lands that have written the stories of your life. You’ll also discover many other vital nonprofit organizations that make this community thrive.
Nonprofit Alternative Giving Market with 25+ interactive nonprofit booths
Carousel curtain draw at 11 a.m.
BTAA Pet Vaccine & Microchip Clinic
Creations art station
Envision Center giant gingerbread house build
PonderPlay Bounce House
POP indoor bike skills course
Food trucks
who knows what else you’ll find!
Stop and see us at our KLT booth to play a tree ID game with us, discover the unique alternative gift that comes with your donation, and visit with us about the things we are all doing together to make our community go ‘round. We’ll have our buttery-soft hoodies and tees available along with some freebies.
Get Plowed
Did you know that fall and winter maintenance on the Pine Street Woods access road
costs nearly $,6000/year?
Plowing the road to Pine Street Woods may not be sexy, but it’s safe.
Help us keep the road to your community forest trails open all year when you put your pocket change toward plowing at Get Plowed this year. Show up at Mick Duff’s Beer Hall and they’ll kick back a percentage of profits that night when you kick back a cold one.
Don’t let the event name fool you - this is a family friendly event with:
COMFORT FOOD! Two soups from Eichardt’s served with focaccia from The Bank
fill a snowplow with your pocket change
raffles for KLT, SNC, & POP merch + exciting experiences (think, private XC ski lesson with tea & cookies, framed original artwork, guided full moon fat bike ride with s’mores, a massage, a rad knitted hat, and more)
live music by the No Name Band (really, they don’t have a name yet)
SPECIAL SURPRISE AT 6 PM
Can’t make it to Get Plowed?
Your donation will help keep the road to PSW open for all to enjoy.
Please note “Get Plowed” in the Comments field.
Spooky Spirits Halloween Festival
Tickets: $10/person, children 8 and under get in for FREE
The 2024 Spooky Spirits event will be frightfully fun. Experience a mysterious walk in the dark woods of the night set to an original story, plus a spooky boogie with hourly creature features, like:
Every half hour there will be a ten minute organized activity, the rest of the night we will play music for open dancing!
6:00 : Moonwalk Tutorial
6:30 : Magic Potion Brew Dance Game
7:00 : Costume Contest with prizes for the funniest, most creative couple, and most elaborate.
7:30 : Dips class followed by a snowball that gets everyone on the dance floor
8:00 : Dance Competition...dance until you are tapped out...the last dancers on the floor get a prize!
8:30 : Spooky Scary Skeleton Dance Relay! Learn it on Youtube or make it up as you go, line up and get your ten seconds to show off your moves before the next dancer hops in!
NOTE: parking is pretty much non-existent at the sled hill for now. Please enjoy our complimentary chariot ride (looks a lot like a school bus) from Sandpoint High School which will run every half hour.
SNC Winter Welcome
SANDPOINT NORDIC CLUB’S ANNUAL WINTER WELCOME
This SNC fundraiser and friend-maker event is all about community! Meet your fellow winter enthusiasts and your local cross-country ski group that does amazing things for youth and others in our community. Learn about their programs, lessons, rentals, warming hut hours, and how to become a member while enjoying bites and beverages.
Fall Forest Festival
Celebrate fall with frightfully foresty family fun. Enter the costume parade and trot through the trunk or treat area. Peruse vendor booths and play games. And don’t let the bears scare you - take part in the bear safety talk and enjoy a forest management walk.
Participation for vendors and Trunk-or-Treat cars can be found HERE.
This event is a collaboration of Thompson Falls Main Street, Sanders County Chamber of Commerce, Freinds of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, and KLT.
Winter Ridge Neighborhood Fair
Celebrate Sandpoint with Winter Ridge and friends at their annual community appreciation event. Enjoy danceable music, freebies, food, fun, beverages, and more. We’ll be there. You should be too! Find our booth to get in the loop about KLT’s exciting new conservation projects, education news, community work, and how you are in the center of it all!
See you there.
Priest River CLT Groundbreaking
Save the date - KLT, LEAP Housing, and City of Priest River are celebrating the groundbreaking of the exciting community housing trust project!
Location, time, and other details coming soon.
Fireside Dance
KANIKSU FOLK SCHOOL’S FIRESIDE FRIDAY DANCES
Learn bachata, salsa, tango and more at our outdoor fireside dance evenings. A variety of local dance teachers instruct beginner-level classes at the Big Red Shed. Kids welcome to dance or enjoy a folk craft (adults can do the craft too!).
All ages welcome, no need to register. Suggested $5 donation per person.
Discover more about Kaniksu Folk School - traditional skills instruction for adults 👇
Kaniksu Folk School Fall Class Line-up
Kaniksu Folk School offers year-round classes tailored for adults, spanning a rich spectrum of arts, crafts, and essential life skills. From the age-old craft of blacksmithing to the precision of woodworking, from identifying edible plants in our lush surroundings to exploring countless other subjects, our educational offerings are as diverse as your curiosity.
Whether you're eager to embark on a new adventure or honing existing skills, Kaniksu Folk School is your canvas.
Our mission is clear: to foster a vibrant community and a culture of hands-on, locally-rooted education. Through the power of music, the timeless appeal of traditional crafts, and the shared pursuit of knowledge, we invite you to join us in building a stronger, more connected community. Find your next muse and your people at a Kaniksu Folk School class.
Citizen Science Days
KLT and the Sandpoint Library partner again to get kids outside to learn and explore! Drop in any time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to make and record your nature investigations with microscopes and other sciency equipment from The Library’s STEM Trailer at Pine Street Woods on the following days:
Friday, June 14
Friday, July 12
Friday, Aug. 9
Wednesday, Sept. 11
No cost and no need to preregister. Just show up at the main parking lot at Pine Street Woods.
Health Hikes
August Health Topic: Longevity with Dr. Meg, Lakeshore Health
HEALTH HIKES happen on the first Tuesday of every month to help us get into the habit of getting outside. Doctors recommend spending time in nature, moderate exercise, morning activity, and social interaction as part of a healthy lifestyle. Each month, a local doctor shares expertise on a popular health topic for a few minutes before the group goes out on a 40-minute light cardio hike. Learn the trails at Pine Street Woods while you hike along with a doctor and new friends. Each month, the trail is selected based on the abilities of those present.
Health Hikes are free and registration is not required. Show up for the brief health chat and hike with the group, or strike out on your own. Please bring a water bottle and dress for weather changes.
To inquire about access road or trail conditions, join our Pine Street Woods Chat Group.
NOTE: Health Hikes will be discontinued after the final hike on September 3rd. Stay tuned for news about future guided hikes.
Clark Fork Pedal & Farm Tour
Clark Fork River Pedal & Farm Tour: Exploring Agriculture Along the Banks
Join us for our inaugural, sustainable 30 mile bike tour in Wild Horse Plains, while visiting farms in the forests and along the banks of the river in Western Montana.
Clark Fork River Pedal & Farm Tour:
Exploring Agriculture Along the Banks
You will ride through the sunlit shadows of the trees, and along the banks of the Clark Fork River, passing the farm meadows where agriculture has lived for generations.
Along the way are sustainable farms featuring local foods. Our farm visits include:
3H Simmental/Sheehan Quarter Horses
Marjerrison Mill
Wild Horse Lavender
Marjerrison Family farm
Cold Spring Ranch
Cavill Farm
The tour will end at our “last of the best” fairgrounds, where a locally grown and sourced meal awaits along with music from Spa City Sound.
Bike Tour registration is $85. The registration fee includes your ride, music, and lunch of local food from farms and producers. If you’d like to join us just for lunch the fee will be $40. Our bountiful meal includes pulled beef or bison sandwiches, roasted green beans, baked beans, cucumber salad, potato salad, corn on the cob, cubed melon, dessert, and a wine or beer drink ticket.
Registration and route details here https://www.bikereg.com/cfr-pedal-farm-tour.
We are inviting agricultural producers in Sanders County to join us as a vendor at the Sanders County Fairgrounds for lunch. Let us know if you’d like to join us!
Sponsorships are also welcome! See information in the discussion tab of this event.
Contact: Juli Thurston at juli.thurston@montana.edu or 406-827-6934 for more information or questions.
Fireside Dance
KANIKSU FOLK SCHOOL’S FIRESIDE FRIDAY DANCES
Learn bachata, salsa, tango and more at our outdoor fireside dance evenings. A variety of local dance teachers will instruct throughout the summer. Kids welcome to dance or enjoy a folk craft (adults can do the craft too!).
Join us from 7pm-9pm every first and third Friday of the summer months: June, July and August.
All ages welcome, no need to register. Suggested $5 donation per person.
Discover more about Kaniksu Folk School - traditional skills instruction for adults 👇
IN A LANDSCAPE - Classical Music In The Wild
IN A LANDSCAPE (TM) is an outdoor concert series created by American pianist Hunter Noack. A nine-foot concert grand Steinway piano is set in awe-inspiring natural landscapes instead of the traditional concert hall. The audience is encouraged to wander and explore the surrounding environment while listening to the music through wireless headphones, creating an immersive and intimate experience that fosters connection with the music, nature, and each other.
IN A LANDSCAPE: Classical Music in the Wild
Monday, July 29, 2024
6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (gate opens at 5 p.m.)
Tickets: $40
Pairings in the Pines
Our 4th annual Pairings in the Pines is a progressive tasting event through Pine Street Woods. Enjoy locally crafted food and thoughtfully selected wines while immersed in the sights and sounds of nature at the forest's edge.
Enjoy food crafted by local artisans; Beet & Basil, The Bank, Eichardt’s, Bluebird Bakery, and Rustique Bakery
paired with wines from the 2024 featured winery, Cabin View Winery.
Sorry, this year’s event is sold out.
EMAIL US to get on the waitlist.
StoryWalk (TM)
StoryWalks (TM) combine family and community connection with literacy and nature. Families enjoy a self-guided walk on a trail with pages from a children’s book posted in kiosks along the way. The Dover StoryWalk(TM) is a partnership of KLT, Sandpoint Library, and City of Dover. The Library’s Children’s Librarian selects titles and installs a new story each month (twice a month in the summer!).
It’s free, accessible, and dog friendly. The current title is:
Make More S’mores by Cathie Ballou Mealy and illustrated by Adriel Landy
The Dover StoryWalk(TM) is located at the Dover City Park next to City Hall and is open during daylight hours.
MT Trails & Tales
Trails & Tales gets little ones and their families outside for a summer story time and nature walk. KLT and the Thompson Falls Public Library collaborate to select children’s library books with a lesson in nature. Each week a new theme is woven through the stories and nature walk as children and families bond over books and connect with the land.
Each month will feature a different trail, and each week will highlight a different topic!
Sandpoint Trails & Tales
Rewild your little child with Trails and Tales, an outdoor story time and nature walk at Pine Street Woods! Join KLT and East Bonner County Library with an animated reading of a children’s book, a guided nature discovery walk, snacks, and community connection. It’s free, fun, and fosters a love of nature and reading!
Meet us at the Outdoor Rec Center at Pine Street Woods at 8:55 a.m. to say hi to the KLT interns, Elizabeth and Jezza along with Sandpoint Library staff. Make plans to join us every week!
SCHEDULE (All titles may not be read depending on the attention span of the audience)
June 18 - Titles: Be A Tree!
We Are Branches
Oak Tree Grows
Busy Tree
Picture A Tree
June 25 - Titles: Clouds
Little Cloud
Lizzy and the Cloud
Cloudette
NO PROGRAM JULY 2
July 16 - Titles: Butterfly Alphabet Book
Some Bugs
Monarch Butterfly’s Life
Very Busy Caterpillar
Fly Butterfly
July 23 - Titles: Around the Pond: Who’s Been Here?
In The Small, Small Pond
Over And Under The Pond
Little White Duck
Hello Puddle
July 30 - Titles: Sheep Take A Hike
We’re Going On A Bear Hunt
I Went Walking
August 6 - Titles: Very Grouchy Ladybug
Beetle Bop
Ant Ant Ant
Some Bugs
Let's Hike!
This summer hike adventure series is part of the Sandpoint Library’s Summer Reading Challenge. Designed for ages 6+, it is led by KLT summer interns, Elizabeth and Jezza.
Wed, June 12th @ 9 am – Pine Street Woods hike with Kaniksu Land Trust interns.
Meet at Outdoor Rec Center.
Theme: TBD by Interns.
Distance: 2 miles
Birds & Burritos
Meet at the Pine Street Woods parking lot for a 2-hour bird walk followed by a breakfast lecture at the Outdoor Recreation Center. Breakfast includes Evans Brothers coffee and tea with burritos crafted by breakfast burrito maker extraordinaire Celeste Grace.
Local birding expert and KLT Board Member, Rich Del Carlo shares his vast knowledge of birds in an intimate setting at Pine Street Woods. Learn to identify wild birds by sight and sound while discovering other fascinating facts about our local winged wildlife. Rich will also share some insights about the benefits of shade-grown coffee as we enjoy some from Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters.
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT
Nat'l Trails Day Mushroom Trail Project
Mushroom Trail at Pine Street Woods has mush-room for improvement as a result of the damaged tree removal done last fall. Fun-gi's and gals welcome to work together on a National Trails Day trail restoration project. No experience necessary. Tools, snacks, and water will be provided. Bring gloves, hardy shoes, sunscreen, eye protection and/or whatever you like to bring when you work on trails. If you are unable to help, you can come for morel support.
Meet at 9 AM at the PSW lower lot for instructions, task assignments, tools, and supplies. But, first…
CLT Community Conversation
GOT QUESTIONS?
What is a CLT (Community Land Trust)?
How is building houses “conservation"?”
Who qualifies for this program?
Is this a low income housing project?
Has the CLT model been successful in other communities similar to ours?
Is KLT working outside its mission?
Who is involved?
Join us for a Community Conversation about the Community Land Trust project we have been working on since Spring of 2022. Our work focuses on Bonner County given the challenges with housing prices fast outpacing what our workforce can afford. Find out where this project now stands, what it will mean for the local landscape, and how it will positively impact our area. Everyone is welcome to attend one or both of two identical presentations featuring KLT staff along with other members of the KLT Community Housing Advisory Committee. Both sessions will be 1 hour long including an audience Q & A.
Register for one or both sessions below:
Hike For Ethan
In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month, we are putting our boots to the ground - getting outside for wellness and to support the Ethan Murray Fund.
Join us for a purposeful hike at Pine Street Woods. This event aims to bring our community together, fostering a supportive environment and promoting mental health awareness. Our event, "Hike for Ethan," carries special significance as we endeavor to cultivate a sense of togetherness, compassion, and understanding while strolling through the beauty of nature. In every step, we honor Ethan's legacy, embracing his love for nature and hiking.
In a positive collaboration, we are delighted to share that NAMI Far North, Prummer Foundation, BGH Behavioral Health & Kaniksu Community Health will be present at the event, bringing valuable resources and expertise to enhance mental health awareness in our community.
~ OR ~
bring a picnic and cheer on the hikers
A slideshow featuring Matt and Justine’s photos and video from their recent thru-hikes on the Idaho Centennial Trail and Pacific Northwest Trail will run inside the Outdoor Recreation Center during the event for those who choose not to hike.
Event Details:
Date: Sunday, May 19th 1pm - 4pm
Location: Pine Street Woods Upper Lot
Registration: $25 per person (Includes a Nalgene water bottle designed by Cora Murray)
Limited Availability: 150 hikers due to limited parking (carpoolers welcome!)
Schedule:
1:00pm - 2:00pm: Registration and Community Hour
Featuring mental health resource tables, live music, and refreshments.
2:00pm - 4:00pm: Hiking Adventure
Choose from three different pre-marked trails or embark on your own adventure.
Fees and donations go toward EMF’s work of providing support to those experiencing and caring for those who experience mental health crises. The proceeds will directly contribute to providing therapy for teens and adults who may not be able to access health care or face financial constraints. Your participation will make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need. Early intervention not only promotes mental well-being but also contributes to the overall health and resilience of our community.
If you followed Matt and Justine Connery on one of their recent thru hikes and wished you could join them, now is your chance! Learn more about their adventures and the touching story of Ethan Murray Fund HERE.
Women In The Woods
Sorry! Women in the Woods 2024 registration is full.
Women in the Woods is a women-centric event that gives women landowners the opportunity to interact with a lineup of all-women forestry experts, creating an atmosphere where forest management training is tailored to female land managers.
There will be two classes offered by the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) and the University of Idaho Extension. The first class, the Women in the Woods Workshop, is a classroom day that focuses on supportive resources and funding opportunities for forest landowners.
The Women in the Woods Workshop will be held Friday, April 5 at the IDL office in Coeur d’Alene from 9 AM to 3 PM. While it is geared toward women, anyone is welcome to attend. There are no prerequisites, and no level of baseline knowledge is required.
The second class, the Women in the Woods Field Day, puts participants out in the woods, rotating through different exercises covering forest assessment, ecology, and forest management.
WOMEN IN THE WOODS FIELD DAY
Friday, May 10
9 AM to 3 PM
Pine Street Woods
Paved Pathways Earth Day Cleanup
Earth Day/Weekend/Week/Month is great for reflecting on the greatest planet humankind has ever known. But, really, it’s a time for showing how much we value it by doing good work, right?
Meet at the KLT office anytime between 8:30 and 11 a.m. to get your assigned area, garbage bags, bites and warm beverages and be on your way to clean up our community. Sign up in advance to help us manage volunteers! (not required, but super helpful for us)
Also…
We are looking for a few good volunteers to help us plant trees in the recently-logged area at Pine Street Woods with western white pine seedlings donated by our lovely logger, John Kinne. There will be an expert planter on hand to give a lesson and support the project.
Friday, April 19 I 9 AM
Come help restore a favorite trail, learn to plant trees, make new friends, and enjoy refreshments in the forest! Please RSVP
Kaniksu Folk School Spring Classes
Whether you're eager to embark on a new adventure or honing existing skills, Kaniksu Folk School is your canvas. Our mission is clear: to foster a vibrant community and a culture of hands-on, locally-rooted education. Through the power of music, the timeless appeal of traditional crafts, and the shared pursuit of knowledge, we invite you to join us in building a stronger, more connected community. At Kaniksu Folk School, the journey of discovery never ends.
The Spring 2024 Line Up includes 12 offerings - some favorites and some brand new!
Health Hikes
Got friends? Bring ‘em or meet new ones!
Meet at the at the Pine St. Woods upper parking lot at 8:30 a.m. for a 5-ish minute health chat followed by a group hike. Get 45 minutes of nature immersion, light cardio, and quality time with a local doctor, nurse practitioner, or surgical assistant. Experience a new health chat and trail each month. You might even find your new hiking buddy here.
Join us on April 2nd for a mental health chat and hike led by Danielle Kuykendall NP from Kaniksu Community Health. Bring a water bottle and dress in layers for Idaho weather. Free and no need to preregister - just show up.
Btw - if you’re wondering how hard the hike is - we choose our trail based on the ability of those present. Some choose to show up just for the health chat and a short walk on a trail on their own. Others stick with the group and enjoy asking further questions and chatting with the health practitioner. We keep it casual.
Have you joined our WhatsApp group yet? It’s a good place to get updates on trail conditions, etc. before you come up.
Kaniksu Folk School - Intro to Blacksmithing
Learn the basics and make a beautiful and unique bottle opener that you can use when sharing a beverage with your new-found blacksmithing friends, including instructor Nick Belfrey! Practice proper hammer technique and safety, while drawing, tapering, bending, twisting and scrolling hot steel. Cost: $45.
This class is full. Email us to be added to the waitlist and to be notified of upcoming classes taught by Nick Belfrey.
Kaniksu Folk School - Print making
In this introductory relief printing class you will learn the basics of making a single color print using a linocut block. Instructor Amy Stephensen will guide you through the process of designing a draft that is more suitable for printing, techniques for carving, and the process of hand printing. You will take with you your own set of hand-made prints, a solid knowledge base to get you started on your own block printing journey, and the beginning of new friendships! Cost: $ 45 + $15 materials fee.