An hour’s drive north of Chelan, on the Cascades’ eastern flank, sprawls the glorious Methow Valley, with all the ingredients required to attract skiers from around the nation. Start with a long winter blessed with both snow and sunshine. Add 175 kilometers of meticulously groomed and tracked ski trails winding from lodge to lodge, town to town, through groves of riverside aspen, and up into the mountains where hut-to-hut skiing awaits. Want to venture even higher? North Cascades Heli Skiing (800-494-HELI) takes downhillers, snowboarders, and cross-country folks to deep powder in the heart of the North Cascades. (
www.heli-ski.com)
Award winning Nordic ski hostelry, Sun Mountain Lodge, is the region’s flagship resort with 86 rooms, 70 kilometers of tracked trails, lessons, rentals and guided tours. (800-572-0493 or
www.sunmountainlodge.com)
Throughout the valley, a half-dozen or so quiet and cozy lodges tucked into aromatic pine forests round out accommodations. Consider the new Freestone Inn near Mazama (800-639-3809 or
www.freestoneinn.com) Built with stone and wood in the Cascadian tradition, the luxurious 12-room inn and first-class restaurant blends handsomely with the natural environment. Freestone’s lakeside lodges and historic cabins offer additional accommodations, all part of a projected 20-year development called Arrow Leaf. Nearby, Mazama Country Inn (800-843-7951 or
www.mazamacountryinn.com) also merits special mention with its tall stone “Russian fireplace,” access to ski trails, fine restaurant and rental shop.
Look in small towns like Winthrop, Mazama, and Twisp for rentals, eateries, nightlife, and Old West charm. To book rooms, restaurants, skiing, or other winter activities, contact Methow Valley Central Reservations. (800-422-3048 or
www.mvcentralres.com)
Local Tips:
- Hut-to-hut skiers can arrange to have their packs dropped at their huts each day.
- Looking for wildlife? The Methow boasts big herds of mule deer, bald eagles, and hawks.
- What you won’t find in the Methow are crowds, traffic, and pollution--no mega resorts clog up this peaceful valley. Big cities are at least four or five hours away.
