Spokane, WA Ballers

[davehr40]

Recently back in the area and much more recently back skiing, picked up a 1986 MC and having a great time. My son is enjoying skiing as well, learning quickly and getting addicted to chasing bouys. Just interested to see who else in the area? is an avid Baller?, scoop info on best spots for skiing/course any local clubs? etc.

[SDNAH2OSKIER]

There is a course set up on Anderson lake up the CDA river right next to Harrison. You can launch from Spokane Pt. and be on the course in 10 mins. I dont know who set it up, but that is a spectacular place to ski. I am only up for two weeks a year at our cabin in cottonwood bay and came and went earlier this summer.

 

[Nick Sullivan]

Grew up there, and skied on Long Lake a month ago. There are two courses on long lake but they aren't complete yet. Missing a few balls here and there. Spokane has lots and lots of place to ski. Great place to grow up.

[ToddF]

spokane river at the dam.

But I don't know how you would launch there.

[Nick Sullivan]

There is a launch at the airport but you have to know someone who lives on the river and has a gate key.

[ToddF]

That is kinda what I thought.

 

I wonder if there are any courses at any of the cheney lakes?

[SDNAH2OSKIER]

My bff's sister put the course up by the dam on the spokane river, I believe it is back to back so you can make two passes in each direction. I dont know where you would launch but other than her, she doesnt think it gets used much.

[davehr40]

The Spokane River would be great for us, about 10 minutes. We have only found consistent availability of a course at Long Lake (aka Lake Spokane) and that is about 45 minutes to launch. Wondering if someone would like to do a boat share/dock share on the Spokane river - I could provide the boat?

[ToddF]

The spokane river is pretty limited to the people who live on the river(lucky), seems like there is about 15 or so homes that have docks and access to the river. There are two courses set up end to end so that is pretty cool. Last time I jumped in there in August it was cold, I could be wrong but I doubt it ever gets much warmer than 73 or so.

[Nick Sullivan]

Thats exactly how I remember it. I used to ride my bike down there in the summers ans swim. It was COLD.

[JacStocks]

Hey Everyone, if you want to get out and ski on one of the most beautiful lakes in Washington, check out the Sun Basin Slalom Shootout on July 26-28th. We will have practice all day Friday, $10 for 4 passes. On Saturday, we'll do Round 1 & 2, Slippery Slalom Competition after (run the course on anything but a slalom ski), and a potluck. Sunday we'll do Round 3 & awards. Most of the time, there is plenty of time to ski Sunday afternoon. The theme for the weekend is country western, so bring your boots and cowboy hat!

[gator1]

Spokane river is "my" home site, so to speak. I maintain the downstream course, while another two guys who live on the river maintain the upstream course. You have to own property on that stretch of river to launch, and the environmentalists are taking a run at closing that down. We were notified that this is our last year of launching at the dam.

 

It is the coldest water I have ever skied. Warmest it gets is 63, and that is about now when the Cda lake is still running off into the river. This weekend it was 58. When they close the post falls dam, only aquifer water feeds the river. Last year in August, it was 48 degrees. You can see the bottom clearly, at 30 feet deep.

 

Plays hell with fin settings, and your stoke in general. The slight current plays all kinds of hell with ZO. We have to run PP or hand drive. The current won't quit running too hard to ski until about the 4th of July. My boat is in, but I haven't fixed the downstream course yet. Probably this weekend. The upstream course is more affected by the current, and we won't have that put in until end of July.

 

Its a small stretch of water, so on warm days after work there is a serious tuber issue. Pre-work morning runs are a challenge from a stoke standpoint. The other set of guys sometimes hit it, but I just am too much of a pussy to face 50 degree water at sunup. Mid morning weekends on crappy days seem to be kindof ok. But there is a surgeon and his wife who we're having a hard time explaining course etiquette to, they tend to get in there and take 20 or 30 passes. Gonzaga crew uses the course area for rowing. We've worked to keep a decent relationship with them, but once they get out there with their whole flotilla and chase boats we're screwed. Then, there is the joy of a sea plane landing in the course. That stretch of river is an official sea plane landing site.

 

The two sets of guys have the lunch hour split up. I can get there and get 5 passes along with my buddy from 11:45 to 12:30. The other three guys show up then and get their sets after 12:30.

 

With all those things to consider, give me a call if you'd like to try some weekend mornings. Even with all this crap to contend with, we sometimes get a few balls.

 

The downstream course on long lake has the same challenges. The current won't quit until about July 4, at which time Joe and Greg will get it up and running. You can ski on it till about 11am most weekends before the wallys screw it up. I don't know who owns the upstream course on Long Lake.