Backcountry film festival returns to Coeur d'Alene

COEUR d'ALENE - Start the year off with an evening of award-winning outdoor films from around the globe with the Winter Wildland's Backcountry Film Festival.

The festival makes its one-night-only, Coeur d'Alene stop at 7 p.m. Friday at the Eagles Club at 209 E. Sherman Ave. in downtown Coeur d'Alene.

Doors open at 6 p.m. Plan to arrive early as last year the venue nearly sold out.

Now in its ninth annual world tour, this year's festival consists of a diverse range of films.

The lineup includes an epic trip across Mongolia in search of the elusive wolverine, the story of how a small community fought to save their beloved ski area, a poor man's alternative to heli skiing, a day in the life of an undercover ski bum and "Valhalla" - the tale of one man's search to rediscover the freedom of his youth in the mountains of the frozen north.

There will be nine films in all.

The films come from renowned filmmakers who traveled around the globe to submit their best work, as well as from grassroots filmmakers who took a video camera out on their weekend excursions.

A panel of judges picked the top films and assembled them into this year's engaging festival.

Whether someone likes to ski, snowboard, hike, bike or sip hot cocoa by the fire, these films are worth a try.

Created to highlight Winter Wildlands Alliance's efforts to preserve and conserve winter landscapes for human powered users, the festival has grown from a single showing in Boise nine years ago, to hundreds of showings all over the world.

Funds raised from the films stay in local communities to support local, human-powered recreation efforts and to raise awareness of winter management issues, avalanche training and winter education programs.

The Coeur d'Alene festival will benefit its local sponsors, the Idaho Conservation League and the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness - two conservation groups working to protect quiet recreation areas, wilderness designation and wildlife habitat on our public lands in the Inland Northwest.

The evening includes a full no-host bar as well as great raffle and door prizes including ski tickets to local resorts.

Tickets are $7 and are only available at the door.

Information: www.idahoconservation.org or at (208) 265-9565.