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trip report on Methow Valley WA
I just got back from a week of truly fabulous skiing in the Methow Valley of
Washington State. The trip was from 2 to 10 January. This pristine valley in the eastern side of the magnificent Cascade mountains of Washington boasts a true 200kms of superbly groomed trails......both for classic and skating skiing. The trails are centered in the cute town of Winthrop WA....which is in North Central WA............an area that gets very dry snow and temps mostly in the 20's. I arrived with an arctic cold front that kept conditions in the zero to 10 above range most of the time (Fahrenheit)....nights got down to -10 and even -16....but that was unusual. The trails were groomed daily and connect the town to the Mazama end of the valley...about 15 miles....and also wind around the resort of Sun Mountain about 9 miles from Winthrop. I have been to this area several times....but this last trip convinced me that it might very well be the finest system anywhere. The scenery is gorgeous....and get this.....every thing in the area is geared to cross country skiing. There is no major downhill area in the town. I guess it is close to the Norwegian ideal. Each day the skiing was perfect. They maintain the system with 5 Piston Bully machines.....and seem to groom every night. For me a perfect vacation should center around which trails should I ski.....and where should I eat tonight? For both of those questions, the answers brought delightful experiences. Here is a link for more information on the system. http://www.mvsta.com/ Too bad I am back to reality now. Mark Eastman Danville CA |
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#2
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trip report on Methow Valley WA
I'm glad that you had a good time, Mark. Green wax conditions are atypical here; indeed, we warmed up last weekend right to the freezing point. The tracks are fast. Life is good. Anybody truly dying for the Alpine ski experience, perhaps with snowboarding children in tow, can visit the tiny Loup Loup Ski Bowl (http://www.skitheloup.com/), a half hour (less, really) out of Twisp. Or you can do backcountry in Washington Pass via snowmobile or helicopter. But there is no Alpine presence in town, nor is it missed. Ben Mazama, WA, USA |
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