We are enjoying the little amount of snow that we currently have here in Northern Idaho. We recently enjoyed two cross-county ski treks, one at Fourth of July Pass and the other at Hanna Flats. One of the many advantages of living in Northern Idaho is the close access to an abundance of places for winter recreation – when there’s snow. Below, please read about our experiences at these two locations.
Fourth of July Pass
Fourth of July Pass is about a half hour East of Coeur d’Alene and is the western gateway to the Silver Valley. How lucky we are to have an awesome cross-country ski area less than 30 minutes from our house, and we don’t have to sit in hours of mountain traffic to get there! It is a beautiful, peaceful location with full, snow-laden trees in every direction. There was plenty of snow for skiing and we wish we could go there regularly throughout the week! Sadly, we are limited to weekends since we have to work, much to our heart’s discontent.
At Fourth of July Pass, the trails are groomed with classic ski tracks, but it appeared they had not been groomed in a while because there were no set tracks. A positive, however, is the ample room on both sides of the trail to make your own tracks in the powder. We chose to do this using our Madshus Panorama M78 skis. And, it was a wise choice because the wider skis provide enhanced stability that was useful for my first time back on skis since my surgeries.
There is ample parking at Fourth of July Pass; however, this is also a Park N’ Ski location. There are 14 Idaho Park N’ Ski locations requiring a permit. It is highly recommended to obtain the pass before heading to the location because the cellular service is spotty at best. An annual pass is $25 whereas a 3-day pass is $7.50.
We began our journey from the parking area on the “Having Fun” trail, where you will soon encounter the Panhandle Nordic Club Hut. From there, we followed along “The Swoop” trail until we reached the Peaceful View Picnic Shelter and moved our way along “Elderberry” before turning about and retracing our track back to the trailhead. Total miles: 7.
This was my (Stella) first time back to backcountry cross-country skiing since my leg surgeries in 2023. I was quite anxious about this first time out because I did not want to be disappointed if everything I had gone through was for nothing. As I sat in the truck, putting my boots on, I did a lot of self-talk to build my courage to get out there and just give it a try. I almost said to Larry, “Let’s just snowshoe today instead.” Before I lost my nerve, I quickly jumped out of the truck, clipped my boots into my skis, and took off.
For the first few miles, I was so worried about my legs/ankles that I couldn’t relax and enjoy myself. I stopped frequently to determine if I felt any pain. As we continued our journey, I was finally able to let go a little and have fun. With this first cross-country ski trek under my belt, I have a little more confidence for upcoming skiing adventures. And, the fact that I was able to complete 7 miles on terrain that encompassed areas of mild elevation gain is very encouraging for my first time out!
Hanna Flats
Hanna Flats is located on the east side of Priest Lake in the Panhandle National Forest. It is another winter recreational area within the Idaho Park N’ Ski system. Lucky for us, the Priest Lake Nordic Club groomer was out and about while we were there, resulting in pristine tracks! That being the case, we donned our off-track skis (best described as a cross between a traditional cross-country ski and a Nordic backcountry ski) and eagerly set out to have a fun-filled day exploring Northern Idaho. NOTE: The trail system is only groomed with classic tracks (none for skate skiing).
For my (Stella) first time being back on classic skis since my surgeries, I was really surprised by how well I did. After a few miles, I was already getting back to a decent striding and gliding technique. Classic cross-country skiing is my ultimate passion, something I wish I could do every day in the winter. And, Hanna Flats is a great location to build upon and/or develop a solid technique because the trail system is mostly flat.
There are multiple trails to choose from; some are wide and open, while others are densely nestled between snow-laden trees. We were awestruck with the quiet beauty of the trails as we encountered very few people that day. After a quick loop to get our bearings, we headed out along Raven Ranch, a shared trail from the parking area, and then jumped onto Big Cedar until we ran into Buffaloberry as we made our way back to the trailhead at the parking lot. Our day did not end there, as we then headed back down Raven Ranch to loop Kinnikinick.
We had a blast skiing here, and we highly recommend it to those looking for a superb classic skiing location. As I continue skiing with my new legs my confidence builds for longer and more strenuous treks in the future. I am elated that I was able to complete nearly 8 miles for my first time back in the tracks! Now, the goal is to come close to doubling that distance by the end of the season! Total miles: 7.78
Beautiful area and so happy you were able to get back out there with no problems. So good to know your surgeries were a success.