Schweitzer Nature Trail: Sandpoint, ID
Steep Climbs, Cabinet Peaks, and Northern Idaho Lore
Sweaty. Breathless. I looked up toward the peak and sighed.
I’d endured the Nature Trail hike before and remembered that the descent was challenging, with the ever-present fear of my feet sliding down hard dirt and falling on my tush, or stumbling over rocks and twisting my ankle. But somehow, I’d forgotten that going up Schweitzer Mountain was hard, too.
I suspect the agony of the ascent was erased by the endorphins released each time I turned toward the spectacular view: Green pine trees, blue Lake Pend Oreille, and the glorious peaks of the Cabinet Mountains rising in the east from the lake like ancient loch creatures.
Of course, I hadn’t had to torture myself like this. I could have paid for a gondola ride, lazily sipped wine at the Sky House restaurant atop the peak, and been intoxicated by the landscape without a single drop of perspiration.
Maybe next year.
After dragging my legs to the top, I fell onto a picnic table bench. Sipping the warm water I’d carried in my pack and chewing a granola bar, I watched people exiting the ski lift with a look of superior disdain.
“Slackers,” I thought as I stared.
“Fool,” they thought when I stood, picked up my trekking poles, and began my descent back down.
I wondered, as I trudged, whether those tourists knew the strange legend behind the mountain’s name: Schweitzer. It brings to mind the European Alps and overpriced wristwatches, but oh no, locals here in Northern Idaho have more vivid imaginations and perhaps a more forgiving nature than most when it comes to naming their treasures.
The rugged surroundings are said to have been christened after an old hermit named Schweitzer, who lived in the hills as the town of Sandpoint was coming to life in the late 19th century. He fell in love with a happily married woman, threatened to kidnap her, and make her his wife. When the sheriff chased after him, Schweitzer was found in his small cabin, boiling kittens in a pot for dinner. The walls of his home were decorated with furry soft feline hides.
Ugh.
Thank goodness, as my mind was picturing the fate of those poor animals, a mountain biker whizzed by, stirring me from my reverie.
Anyway, despite whatever did or did not happen, in the summer of 18-something-or-other, between an old man and his cats in the Selkirk Mountains, today Schweitzer is home to the largest ski resort in Idaho. It was founded in the 1960’s, a mere 80 miles north of Spokane, Washington.
During the summer months, when the snow has melted, leaving huckleberry bushes to flourish, it’s open to nature lovers like me to traverse, enjoy its views, and admire the deer (and sometimes bear and moose) that decorate its landscape. The Nature Trail is just one of multiple treks to be enjoyed during the summertime for no charge at the resort.
JUST THE FACTS: Schweitzer Nature Trail
Distance: 5.3 miles (total out and back)
Estimated Time: ~ 4 hours
Elevation Gain: 1,676 feet
Key Highlights: Panoramic views of the Cabinet Mountains, Lake Pend Oreille, and serene wildlife.
· Difficulty: Hard. Steep hike to the top. Much of trail rocky, careful or you’ll trip!
Call for Comments: Have you hiked Schweitzer Nature Trail? Share your stories, tips, and local history in the comments, or submit to Reader’s Hike to have your adventure highlighted.
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Check out these References for more information about the history of Schweitzer:
Alterra Mountain Company. (2023, August 22). Alterra Mountain Company Closes Acquisition of Schweitzer in Idaho. https://www.alterramtn.co/en/news/alterra-mountain-company-closes-acquisition-of-schweitzer
Century 21 RiverStone. History of Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort, Sandpoint Idaho. http://www.c21schweitzer.com/schweitzer_history.php