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Sunday, June 25, 2023

Washington Travel Series: Methow Valley, Washington



THINK IT'S TOO EARLY to be planning your next cross-country ski trip? If you’ve ever wanted to experience that quintessential winter wonderland small-town getaway where it’s just you in a log cabin surrounded by endless white powder, you’ll want to start planning now to visit the Methow Valley.

Heading out into the heart of Central Washington is a journey in of itself. The big city slowly slips away and the land opens up to endless freedom. Check conditions at the passes: Snoqualmie and Blewitt Pass are two big ones if coming from around the Seattle area, and Blewitt can be notorious to sending your car spinning out if not ready for winter driving. You’ll eventually leave the congestion of the city behind and wind further north, past Cashmere and Chelan, until it’s just you in the wide open country. Once you hit Twisp, you’re nearly there, and there’s a good grocery store just outside the rustic sign welcoming you to Winthrop.

Finding a place to stay near Winthrop is ideal for easy access to all the major cross-country ski areas. Not to mention it’s a chic frontier-style town straight out of the Wild, Wild West with wooden boardwalks, saloons, gift shops, breweries, and inns that are a ton of fun to explore, while deer and horses meander along the chilly Methow River. If you’re taking a break from skiing, there’s an outdoor ice skating rink, ice fishing further outside of town, and so many neat coffee nooks and eateries that it will be tough not to eat out every night.

Airbnb, VRBO, and Expedia all offer easy ways to search for accommodation, but be aware that this place books up fast. We’re talking world-class cross-country skiing. I’ve always been a downhill fan myself, but lately downhill skiing’s prices have been going sky-high. Cross-country skiing is a great workout, and try skate skiing to recapture the thrill of flying across miles of groomed trails with nothing but the mountains and the sun overhead.

Methow Valley Trails passes (available to be bought on the Methow Valley Trails website or at a local sporting store in town) run you around $78 for 3 days, or $30 for 1 day, and that covers four amazing areas—plus, kids under 17 and seniors over 75 are free! I’d like to highlight Methow Cycle & Sport which had pulks for rent if you’re here with toddlers.


Ski Areas

All four major Ski Areas around Winthrop are connected by the Methow Valley Community Trail. We stayed at WolfridgeResort, a bundle of log cabins with an outdoor hot tub, and you could wake up and walk out your door to start skiing the community trail.

This time was a different experience for us with a toddler on board. We
planned skiing outings around our little one’s naptime, and sure enough, the pulk lulled her to sleep and was relatively light to pull for long distances. If you have little kids or for beginners, I recommend Mazama and Jack’s River Run:

Mazama




This place is going to be a big hit for the little ones. It’s mainly a flat groomed trail system past an old farmstead with easy loops and picturesque landscape that could have inspired the lyric, “Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!” Plus you may get to see biathlon training in action. Check out the Goat Creek trail through the woods for a bit more intermediate excitement that will take you all the way to a suspension bridge.

Mazama Public House, operated by Old Schoolhouse Brewery



We could not have asked for a better lunch spot after skiing the trails at Mazama. Neighborhood vibes abound in this new pub house, which sports garage doors that overlook pristine mountains. It's family-friendly with savory food that was so good we came back again. I’m not usually a fan of nachos, but this take included a fresh, unique salsa and succulent pork that made me want to revisit the dish all over, along with quinoa bowls and great takes on hearty sandwiches and fries that was distinctly memorable. You can’t ask for much better to get off the track and grab an IPA or cider ice-cold from the tap, with a ton of local favorites to choose from. Mazama Public House was launched by a long-time resident and offers a fantastic experience with reasonable prices.

Jack’s River Run



Honestly, this was our first time at Jack’s River Run. Go until the highway ends (or Mazama has a trail that connects to this ski area) and you’ll find relatively flat trails with cliffs looming above you. It’s mainly forested until you break out to one of those gorgeous meadows with a warming hut. For a challenge, check out Doe Canyon.

Sun Mountain: Chickadee Trailhead

Once the kiddos (or you) have gotten the hang of things, the Chickadee Trailhead at Sun Mountain to the south is the “it” place for intermediate and advanced skiers. I have many fond memories exploring the diverse trails here, and yes, there are steep descents that will excite the downhiller’s heart. Take Thompson Road up to the top and enjoy the Upper and Inner Passage down (black diamond rating)—just be careful if it’s icy! There’s tons of fun loops through the forest like Criss-Cross and Rodeo, and even the easy routes take you by beautiful lakes and offer a trek back up to the famous Sun Mountain Lodge at the mountain top. Not a fan of steep ascents? Sun Mountain Lodge is worth a drive just to visit and see the view.

Rendezvous: Cub Creek Trailhead

If the weather’s decent and your heart is really set on a challenge, it may be time to embark on the drive over to Cub Creek Trailhead at Rendezvous Trailhead, easily the most difficult ski area with grueling uphill and in my opinion, not quite as much of the fun that you get at Sun Mountain. The shade and heavy forest adds an extra layer of chill to the remote experience. However, if you’re an advanced skier with thunder thighs, this is the place to go.

 

Overall, there are so many ways to build your trip to the Methow Valley—and that’s just in winter! This truly is a storybook gem we’ve fallen in love with and can’t say enough good things about. As for our toddler? It checked all her boxes, too.



*Disclaimer: This post is depicted as fiction, not fact