Washington state’s cross
piumini moncler scontatissimi Snowshoers enjoy the fresh powder at Sun Mountain Lodge in the Methow Valley of Washington state. (Courtesy of Sun Mountain Lodge) piumini moncler scontatissimi
moncler outlet The stars arched over us through the winter sky as we made our way up State Route 20 along the banks of the Methow River in north central Washington state. We hadn’t encountered much snow since leaving Seattle, but then the temperature plummeted and the landscape got whiter. moncler outlet
We were approaching a place that pegged itself as the nation’s largest cross country ski area, nestled on the slopes of the Methow Valley and home to the towns of Twisp and Winthrop on the eastern flanks of the Cascades. The 7 million year old mountain range separates Washington’s temperate, rainy western coast from its colder eastern half, which gets plenty of dry powder in the winter.
moncler outlet serravalle Although you couldn’t see them from the road, 120 miles of ski trails lurked in the nearby moncler outlet woods. Among them were family friendly routes, dog friendly trails, snowshoe paths, fat bike trails and ski in ski out cabins. moncler outlet serravalle
We turned left onto Twin Lakes Road to drive to the house of Dick and moncler bambino saldi Pam Ewing, friends who had moved to Winthrop 31 years ago while it was becoming the winter sports center moncler uomo it is today. Their place was also home to Cleo, a gray tiger striped tabby who loves to bound about for hours in the snow. The snow was thigh deep out by their place, moncler saldi uomo the chilly air was fresh and the surrounding hills were quiet.
The piumini moncler outlet next day, we took off down the road for the rental barn moncler outlet at the Methow Valley Ski School in Mazama, a village down the valley. Dick was an instructor there. We drove through downtown, which has numerous buildings with faux Old West storefronts lining the main street. The town hall was a saloon in 1891.
outlet moncler The downtown is also the start of the Methow Community Trail, which runs some 18 miles between Winthrop and Mazama with several access points (ski huts with parking lots, toilets and drinking water) along the way. The road to Mazama was sparsely populated, with a moncler outlet trebaseleghe few farms here and there. outlet moncler
moncler saldi uomo It being the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend, the rental place was packed. Although all the state’s alpine ski resorts had good snow last winter, these crowds were after Winthrop’s laid back vibe and cheaper rates. Many people in the Pacific Northwest can do downhill and cross country but prefer what Winthrop offers: piumini moncler saldi a chance for a leisurely few days of schussing through a valley rather than a long day waiting in lines at the state’s alpine resorts. moncler saldi uomo
moncler outlet trebaseleghe I secured some classic skis. The ski school also rents out skate skis, snowshoes and pulks, which are small sleds for children. Don Portman, director of the Methow Valley Ski School, told me that all 120 miles of trail are groomed daily, and the clientele is growing every year. moncler outlet trebaseleghe
“The greater Seattle area is experiencing some of the fastest home and job growth in the country,” he said, “so when western Washington is doing well, we’re doing well.”
piumini moncler outlet [Jackson Hole’s first Nordic ski resort has 25 kilometers of cross country ski trails] piumini moncler outlet
piumini moncler uomo “But it’s not easy to get here,” he added. It was a five hour, 238 mile trip moncler outlet online uomo for us, and I was fortunate to have snow tires. Although Portman said his all season radial tires are sufficient for driving around the valley, more may be required on the mountain passes between the valley and Seattle. piumini moncler uomo
moncler saldi outlet The area attracted large crowds two winters ago when there was almost no snow elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest. The Methow landscape creates what Portman moncler donna called a “cool pool,” cool air that stays on the valley’s low elevation bottom, resulting in a snow pocket. moncler saldi outlet
moncler outlet online shop “Even if it’s raining at higher elevations, it’s snowing here,” he said. “That’s why our snow stays. It’s like a little moncler outlet serravalle refrigerated valley.” moncler outlet online shop
moncler bambino saldi East of the Cascades, more often than not, the weather is sunny. Plus, “our elevation here is 1,800 feet above sea level and Mazama is 2,150 feet,” Portman explained. “Most Nordic ski places in the West are at higher elevation, where you’re gasping for air. We have more oxygen, so when you’re skiing uphill, you can breathe more easily.” moncler bambino saldi
We headed toward a nearby meadow to try a short trail and encountered a Methow Trails volunteer at the head of the trail. She checked to make outlet moncler sure we had paid for the required yellow trail tickets, then handed us some mushy s’mores as free snacks. My daughter skied free, as she was under 17, but I had shelled out $24 for a day pass at the ski school. One couldn’t complain about the price, which was one moncler bambino outlet quarter that of a downhill ski ticket, plus the money pays for a small army of trail groomers operating four Sno Cats in the wee hours of the morning.
moncler uomo Pam stayed behind to help my daughter navigate her skis while Dick and I skied toward the Goat piumini moncler uomo Creek Trail. He then circled back to check on how his wife was doing. We agreed I’d continue down the trail for another five minutes, then turn back. moncler uomo
I’d been downhill skiing since I was a teenager, so I was used to having metal edges to help me stop. But these cross country touring skis didn’t have the edges. When I had learned how to cross country ski the year before in Alaska, no one had taught me how to stop while descending hills. Every time piumini moncler scontatissimi I headed down one, I collided with a tree. I figured the Methow terrain was pretty flat and didn’t bother getting any tips from Dick on how to stop.
[The slopes, the powder and the prices make Japan a worthy ski trip]
So off I went toward piumini moncler Goat Creek. Then I moncler saldi outlet encountered a gully on the way to a small bridge over the creek and wiped out on the way down. And discovered that I could not get back up again. The tricks that got me standing after a fall on downhill skis didn’t work on cross country blades. Every time moncler outlet online shop I tried to stand, the skis would slip out from underneath me and the bindings weren’t letting my boots release so I could stand up.
So there I lay like a beached whale. Fortunately, a group of friendly skiers soon came my way and helped me up. (I’ve since learned how to get up: Drop the poles, bring your feet together and swing the skis around so they’re below your body. Move your knees up and push down on the ground with your hands while moving your uphill leg back until you’re in a kneeling position on the uphill knee. From there, you should be able to stand.)
moncler outlet online uomo After I rejoined my friends and daughter, I recuperated over hot chocolate and pastries at the Mazama Store, a combination cafe and high end general store selling items including locally made olive oil soap, Arc’teryx outdoor wear, French made toys, baked goods, beer, wine, hot chocolate and gourmet cheese. moncler outlet online uomo
moncler bambino outlet Eventually, we left this skiing hub and headed east toward the house. Had we headed west, we would have run into the stunning North Cascades Highway. The continuation of State Route 20 goes all the way to the Olympic peninsula, but the mountainous portion is closed in the winter. There are mountain ranges almost everywhere you look; the Canadian border is only 28 miles north of Mazama. moncler bambino outlet
piumini moncler saldi Skiers hit the 18 mile long Methow Community Trail, which connects Winthrop and Mazama. (Methow Valley Photography) piumini moncler saldi
piumini moncler We repaired back to Pam and Dick’s three story log home, which is on the road to Sun Mountain Lodge, an elegant resort overlooking the valley and local peaks, such as Mount Gardner to the west. It is surrounded by 34 miles of cross country trails. I had wandered through its golden aspen forests during other visits. Several weeks after my Methow sojourn, I met Denise Waters from Redmond, Wash., who visits the lodge twice yearly with her husband and three boys, ages 14, 12 and 7. They plan to retire in the area. piumini moncler
moncler saldi “We like being off the grid,” Denise said, adding that the boys had lots to do outside: sleigh riding or skiing in the winter and biking in the summer. moncleroutlet-i If the adults wanted an evening alone, she said, the lodge located a sitter for the boys. The lodge has the most luxurious digs among the valley’s many lodgings, plus it has two outdoor hot tubs facing west toward the Cascades. moncler saldi
“It’s our little piece of heaven,” she told me, “the people, the weather, everything about it is wonderful.”
moncler donna If they tired of the nearby trails, it’s an easy six mile ski down the mountain on Winthrop Trail leading to their favorite restaurants: the Duck Brand Cantina and Three Fingered Jack’s Saloon. A local cab company is available moncler saldi to take Sun Mountain guests back uphill moncler donna.