Please comment on Methow Valley skiing

Thanks to those of you who answered regarding Calgary skiing.

I'm also considering Methow Valley. I am interested in doing the Rendezvous Mountain Tour race and then staying a few more days to ski in the area. I agree with another post I read recently that "For me a perfect vacation should center around which trails should I
ski.....and where should I eat tonight?". So......

Can anyone with first-hand experience comment on the Methow Valley ski trails from a skate perspective? Has anyone done the Rendezvous Mountain Tour race?

I am also looking for comments on lodging. I don't want a fancy place - just a bed to sleep in and close to the ski trails.

Restaurant recommendations?

Jean Ciske wrote:
Thanks to those of you who answered regarding Calgary skiing.

I'm also considering Methow Valley. I am interested in doing the
Rendezvous Mountain Tour race and then staying a few more days to ski
in the area. I agree with another post I read recently that "For me a
perfect vacation should center around which trails should I
ski.....and where should I eat tonight?". So......

Can anyone with first-hand experience comment on the Methow Valley ski
trails from a skate perspective? Has anyone done the Rendezvous
Mountain Tour race?

I am also looking for comments on lodging. I don't want a fancy place
- just a bed to sleep in and close to the ski trails.

Restaurant recommendations?




Jean, it's been several years since I've skied the Methow, but as I
understand it, the grooming has just gotten better over the past couple
of years. -And it was always pretty darn good. I'll let someone else
comment on the trails and the specifics of the race, but here's what I
can say: I've never done an event in the Methow that wasn't done well.
The local organizers have always come up with first class courses,
grooming/marking, prizes, etc.
Food - restaurants come and go, but the Duck Brand Hotel and Cantina is
a constant. We drove from Minneapolis to Seattle last summer, and came
home via Winthrop just so we could go have dinner at the Duck. I
suspect there are a few other fine eateries in town as well, but the
Duck is still the same -and that's something to brag about.
Also on the list is the Wagon Wheel Motel - nice folks, good breakfasts.

Enjoy -

Marsh

Originally Posted by Jean Ciske

Thanks to those of you who answered regarding Calgary skiing.

I'm also considering Methow Valley. I am interested in doing the Rendezvous Mountain Tour race and then staying a few more days to ski in the area. I agree with another post I read recently that "For me a perfect vacation should center around which trails should I
ski.....and where should I eat tonight?". So......

Can anyone with first-hand experience comment on the Methow Valley ski trails from a skate perspective? Has anyone done the Rendezvous Mountain Tour race?

I am also looking for comments on lodging. I don't want a fancy place - just a bed to sleep in and close to the ski trails.

Restaurant recommendations?

Jean, I'm a Methow Valley resident... ...The Rendezvous Mountain Tour is tough but spectacularly beautiful. It's a point-to-point race that crosses 2 passes, taking a mountainous route. Long climbs and long descents. Also worth trying would be the MV Pursuit - a 2 day event (15km classic on Saturday, 30km skate on Sunday). Both are great and challenging. As a note, neither of these is a Huge Event - you might have about 100 skiers, but don't come with the hope/expectation of 1000 skiers lined up in waves...

Grooming is terrific here, and as one person said, it just keeps getting better. The skating lanes are wide.

If you want easy/flat skiing you can spend your time on the valley floor (MV Community Trail, Mazama, Early Winters area); if you want rolling terrain or hills you can spend time at Sun Mountain or in the Rendezvous trails. If you want long day tours, there is a shuttle van that can drop you off at some far point and you can ski back.

Hotels? Not fancy (as you requested, and i agree). My preference would be to stay directly on the ski trails (ski out the door). For this I'd recommend the Mazama Ranch House, or in Winthrop I'd try the Chewuch Inn. You can get info on these and others by looking around at the website www.methownet.com which is a local isp's site and has lots of local info. There are also lots of houses available for nightly rental and that might work for a big group or big family thing...

Good Luck!