Kaniksu Land Trust: 'This is your sled hill'

SANDPOINT — Just before the last band hit the Sledfest stage, Kaniksu Land Trust officials stopped the music.

Then, KLT staff and board members got on the stage, circled by the community, and announced they'd done it. They'd saved the Sled Hill. The community had raised the $2.1 million needed to buy and begin infrastructure work at the site.

"We have saved the Sled Hill together," Katie Cox, KLT executive director, said. "This is your Sled Hill."

The news caps a fundraising campaign that began in March 2022 when KLT supporters financed the purchase of the Weiss family homestead for the land trust, and leased it back to KLT for $1 for 18 months.

That gave the land trust the time needed to implement a capital campaign to raise the $2.1 million needed to buy the property outright — and make the necessary immediate improvements to use the property to the fullest extent possible, board president Jim Zuberbuhler said.

The campaign followed an announcement by the land trust in the fall 2021 that it hoped to purchase the site after learning it would soon be listed for sale.

Since its start, the campaign has received over 500 individual donations, garnered the support of local businesses, and received multiple grants.

"Together, this collective endeavor has safeguarded a 48-acre parcel of land with forests, meadows, a picturesque pond, and historic homestead structures," land trust officials said in a press release. "Among these features, the iconic sled hill, a symbol of community recreation for over 80 years, stands as a testament to the shared memories of generations."

That drive was capped by a remarkable $50,000-plus raised at Sledfest, held Aug. 26, and a $600,000 U.S. Forest Service Community Forest grant.

The community support and its partnership with the Forest Service through the agency's Community Forest and Open Space Conservation program, made the acquisition possible, KLT officials said. The combined effort will mean the ability to uphold the region's forest health, wildlife habitat, and cherished recreational spaces. Pine Street Woods is also a Community Forest and Open Space Conservation property.

Another key recent donation was Schweitzer's gift of 50 chairlift chairs for the land trust to auction as part of its Sled Hill campaign.

The chairs, previously part of the Musical Chairs chairlift (also known as Chair 2), were replaced by the new Creekside Express high-speed quad. That donation was key, land trust officials said, in meeting a matching challenge and engaging the community in the campaign's final hours.

The Sled Hill had been the site of a community ski hill in the 1940s prior to Schweitzer opening in 1963, and later served as a community sledding hill until 2021. With the successful campaign, the homestead site — often referred to by the land trust as the property's front porch — joins the Pine Street Woods which has become a treasured community landmark since its purchase in March 2019.

"Seeing how well used and loved Pine Street Wood is already, after just four years has been highly motivating to the board and staff at KLT and contributed greatly to our resolve to make the Sled Hill the newest addition to the Pine Street Woods Complex.

The successful Save the Sled Hill campaign is really a celebration of the community’s collective heritage. KLT officials said the road ahead, while paved with success, calls for ongoing stewardship and financial support.

KLT’s commitment to preserving not just land but the memories and experiences it holds remains steadfast, land trust officials said.

"This land holds wonderful memories for so many people," Cox said. "The stories that were shared with KLT staff over the past two years have been so meaningful to hear. They worked to elevate the importance of the success of this effort." 

With the fundraising campaign reaching a successful end, land trust officials said their attention is now turning to what's next. With its rocky bluffs, serene pond, towering trees, and open meadows, KLT officials said the 48-acre site holds promising opportunities for many initiatives and will accentuate the existing conservation values of Pine Street Woods.

"Our $2.1 million campaign goal includes not only the purchase price of the land but also establishment costs such as planning, infrastructure development, and making the property safe for public use," Regan Plumb, KLT conservation director, said. "We look forward to opening the Sled Hill to the public as soon as we are able."

The site's story extends beyond the campaign's success; it intertwines with the rich history that shapes the community's identity, Marcy Timblin, land trust communications director, said. Once a thriving ski hill in the 1940s, the Pine Street Sled Hill later embraced generations of sled enthusiasts.

Without the support of the community, businesses, foundations, and agencies, Zuberbuhler said the land trust would not be able to take on — or accomplish — events like Sledfest, large capital campaigns like Save the Sled Hill, or its regular slate of conservation efforts, from building trails to delivering outdoor education.

While officially the campaign was launched in November 2022, work on what would become the Save the Sled Hill campaign can be traced to March 2019, when the land trust closed on the Pine Street Woods property, Zuberbuhler said.

Four years later, KLT successfully negotiated the purchase of the Weiss homestead property, and friends of the Land Trust financed the purchase, who then leased it back to KLT for $1 for 18 months. This gave KLT the time required to implement a capital campaign to raise the $2.1 million needed to purchase the property and make the necessary immediate improvements that will enable the land trust to use the property to the fullest extent possible, Zuberbuhler said.

Zuberbuhler praised Cox and the rest of the KLT staff, saying their ability to both run the organization and the Sled Hill campaign is unparalleled. All had the board's unwavering support and confidence, he said.

The board president also praised the land trust's Realtor, Nancy Dooley, who was not only crucial to the purchase negotiations but also donated her commission to KLT.

KLT officials said the campaign is a testament to the power of collaboration and a connection to the community's roots — and serves as a pledge to pass on the magic of the Sled Hill to future generations.

"Throughout the campaign, it has been heartwarming to see the generational gifts that have supported this effort. The gifts that were given came in all shapes and sizes," Cox said. "It goes without saying, it took every one of us to make this happen. We look forward to opening the property back to our community. Won’t that be an extraordinary day?"

Information: Kaniksu Land Trust, kaniksu.org, or 208-263-9471