Outdoors is big; let's enjoy it all

It's as big as all outdoors, as the saying goes. That's why the Nevada Appeal is adding a second outdoor recreation page, this time covering just about everything people do outdoors for recreation other than fishing and hunting. Those will continue to be covered on Don Quilici's Outdoor page. This is the Great Outdoors page.

So what will we write about and photograph for this page? How about skiing, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, mountain hiking, canoeing, kayaking, national parks, scuba diving, rock climbing, boulder ascent, biking (muscle-powered versions, that is) orienteering, wildflower treks, hiking California, new gear ... the list goes on, but you get the idea.

This will replace the outdoor column that used to run on Fridays in the Appeal Sports section. Appeal staff writers will fill in at this location now and then (more now than then, we hope). And when a reader has an experience he or she would like to share, we'll pass that along as well.

Well, how many of you hike or ski or indulge in the other outdoors sports? No one seem to be able to tell. No license is required so no state agency can tell us. How many go to Washoe Lake State Park, the rangers know pretty well.

But how to tell local skiers from out-of-state snowboarders? We suspect the numbers are high, compared to ... well, who knows?

But this is a page dedicated to all who like the other outdoors. Tell us what you think.

NORTHSTAR HIKING

Northstar Resort's summer activities are the self-guided nature hikes that allow guests to soak up the sights and sounds of nature. The West Martis Creek Nature Trail highlights 16 points of interest along the 1 1Ú2-mile trail, which showcase local flora and fauna. The trail begins at the bottom of the Vista Express lift and winds its way through a vibrant forest and meadow. Hikers also have access to the Tompkins trail system, approximately 12 miles of trails on the resort's grounds, including 4 miles in Martis Valley. Call (800) GO NORTH.

NEW OWNER AT HOMEWOOD

The not-so-little resort that could on th west side of Lake Tahoe has been sold, on the heels of a controversy involving U.S. Rep. John Doolittle, who prevented the sale of the area to the U.S. Forest Service.

New owner is JMA Ventures, a firm that specializes in historic site redevelopment. JMA's president is Art Chapman, a Homewood skier who lives in Truckee. He says he wants to keep that pleasant, family-style air that the resort has offered for years.

"We're not proposing a bigger mountain," he said. "We're not going to expand the ski operation."

This is all good news for those of us who have enjoyed Homewood over the years. It's a neat little place, right on the edge of Lake Tahoe. It doesn't look like much from Highway 88, but once one gets up that first long, fixed chairlift. the backcountry opens up to a lot of fine runs. It's not exactly double black diamonds, but lots of good blues.

• Contact Sam Bauman at sbauman@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1236.