The first time University of Idaho students Olivia Dowling and Bill Sexton took their cat Bella hiking on Moscow Mountain, the cat barrel-rolled off a small cliff.
“She was OK, but she was visibly upset,” Dowling said. “It was very comical. I even recorded it.”
Dowling and Sexton have been dating for almost four years and adopted Bella one year ago as of last month. One day, as Dowling scrolled through Instagram, she came across an account named “Camping With Cats.” That”s when an idea began to take shape.
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Moscow Mountain rises from the Palouse Hills.
“I was like, “we have a cat, and we like the outdoors,”” Dowling said.
It only seemed natural to purchase a cat harness and visit the mountain with Bella in tow, Dowling said. The cat – stubborn as she is – decided to be deadweight at first, fighting against the harness. But within 20 minutes she warmed up to the mountain trail adventure.
“She normally leads the way,” Dowling said.
Despite the small cliff mishap, the couple and their cat now visit Moscow Mountain nearly three times a month when the weather is warm. They often bring along a picnic and make a day of it, Dowling said.
“I”d say it”s an amazing date place,” she said. “Since Bill and I are both from Alaska, we are always striving to find something similar – to see some big views, like we used to do in Alaska.”
Scott Metlen, head of the Department of Business at UI and president of the Moscow Area Mountain Bike Association (MAMBA), said that while Moscow Mountain is an incredible place to get out and play, it is important to remember that all of the land is privately owned.
“Everyone that gets to play on that mountain gets to do so because the landowners are gracious enough to let us,” Metlen said.
Standing at nearly 5,000 feet high and 130 square miles in size, Moscow Mountain is home to 70 miles of cross-country trails and 20 miles of forest roads available for exploration. Walkers, runners, mountain bikers and horseback riders all frequent the woodsiest place in Moscow.
“You look at it from (campus), it looks like this little Podunk mountain,” Metlen said. “But once you get on it, it feels like a big mountain.”
He said no state or federal funds go toward maintaining the mountain”s trail system – it is all done through MAMBA volunteer work. Metlen also said because the land is privately owned, it is important to respect the landowners” wishes. Fires are never allowed on Moscow Mountain, motorized vehicles are only permitted on the roads – not the single-track trails – and off-trail hiking is prohibited.
“There”s a list of “don”ts” that let us “do,”” he said.
Metlen said that although Moscow Mountain is located less than a half-hour drive from the middle of town, bears, cougars, bobcats and moose call the mountain home. These animals have yet to mistake a hiker for food, but Metlen said it is a good idea to enjoy the mountain with a buddy just to be safe.
“It”s just a great place to be, and it”s close,” Metlen said. “But it”s still a wild place, even though it”s so close.”
Metlen said that on a clear day the mountain offers views of Steptoe Butte, the Wallowa Mountains and even the Seven Devils Mountains – over 100 miles southeast.
“For a lot of people, that mountain is pretty sacred to them, because it is a place to get away,” Metlen said.
Dowling said once the weather warms up, she, Sexton and their adventurous cat will be back to enjoying their favorite weekend getaway.
“Bella is ready to get back outside,” she said.
Lyndsie Kiebert can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @lyndsie_kiebert