methow valley winter 2011/2012

Open 7 days a weekGreat location with easy,

abundant parkingRent & return at any of 3 MV Ski School locations

We help you get outside and play!

Ski & snowshoe rentals for the whole family • Pulk rentals

Waxes & tools • MVSTA trail passes & maps • Winter clothing & gear

Full service ski shop

29 Highway 20 • Winthrop, Wamethowcyclesport.com • 509.996.3645

FREEm a p s

AND information

phot

os b

y: m

etho

w v

alle

y ph

otog

raph

y

W A S H I N G T ON

Methow Valley Winter 2011/12

Methow Valley

2011/12

Let’s do itWinter is the season of purpose in the Methow Valley.

Whatever you’re going to do, you have to think about it. Everything takes a little more time and a little more care – and in the case of winter recreation and activities, a little more planning. Except for when we’re blasting down a hill or along a ski trail or across the ice, winter pretty much slows us down.

We’re OK with that. People live here through the winters because it’s worth it. But it’s not our little secret. People also show up here because it’s worth it. Methow Valley Winter is meant to help locals and visitors alike be purposeful through the cold, white months. What to do, how to do it, where to do it – that’s what this publication is all about, and we hope you will keep it around and put it to good use.

–Don Nelson


eatherwatch welcomes readers of Methow Valley Winter to a commentary and a forecast on the winter-to-come. Your Weatherwatcher has experienced Methow Valley winters since 1982 when I skied Sun Mountain’s trails under the guidance of Don Portman.

Winter here has been something of a physical and a spiritual experience for me. A winter forecast will be both what it may be like for you in the valley out-of-doors, and what it might be like for you in your heart and mind as you experience a Methow winter. A Methow winter is a bold expression of snow – lots of it – and sub-zero cold – lots of it. La Niña is here again for the second year in a row. Be prepared!

“Crags that are black and wet out of the grey lake looming,Under the sunset’s flush and the pallid, faint glimmer of dawn;Shadowy, ghost-like shores,Where midnight surfs are boomingThunders of wintry woe over the spaces wan.”

–Wilfred Campbell, The Winter Lakes

Now for the Weatherwatch forecast, month by month, from November through March:

A bold cold front about the middle of November will bring single-digit temperatures to the valley. This first major cold snap will be followed by snow that will slowly build up to a foot or more in the high country by Thanksgiving.

Ski and snowmobile snow will be on the ground for the week after Thanksgiving with below-zero cold at the end of the month.

This vigorous cold will precede a 6- to 12-inch snowstorm in early December, followed by a let-up in the cold and more snow during the middle of the month. Christmas will have two feet of snow on the valley floor. The North Cascades Highway will have long since closed, so be ready to drive the long way ’round. And be ready with snow tires and/or chains for the whole trip!

January will be very cold, with snowstorms during the first and third weeks, and a big snowstorm at the end of the month. The second week will have a thaw – slush and slop – ugh. But it will be short-lived – it is not yet mid-winter!

February will be a month of frequent light snowfalls with single-digit temperatures in between. Cold rain will accompany a warm front during the third week, with another big snow event during Presidents Day weekend. Three feet of snow on the valley floor!

March will warm up faster than usual with spring flowers by the third week. Good-bye to snowstorms and sub-zero cold!

Weatherwatch strongly recommends that readers of this guide avail themselves of the blog created by Cliff Mass of the University of Washington. This blog will give daily forecasts and commentary on the weather of the Pacific Northwest. Go to www.cliffmass.blogspot.com.

Enjoy a Methow Valley winter with snow and cold for body and mind! “Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour” – so says John Boswell. T

Photo by John Hanron

METHOW VALLEY SKI SCHOOL

GREAT LESSONS GREAT RENTAL GEAR

GREAT FUN!

3 LOCATIONS SUN MOUNTAIN

(509) 996-4735 MAZAMA JUNCTION

(509) 996-3744 METHOW CYCLE &

SPORT (509) 996-3645

methownet.com/skischool


n a cold winter evening that snuggly warm couch in

front of the TV has a lot of appeal. One fine clear night take a break from Netflix, Fox News and the latest nonsense from would-be political candidates and go outside and stand under the wonder and silence of the winter night sky.

There is nothing wrong with taking a quick glance upward as you dash from your warm house to your cold car. I do it all the time. To spend some quality time out there, however, requires a little preparation. It is going to be cold, so dress accordingly. Stargazing is not an aerobic activity – pull out your fluffiest down parka and a hat and mittens too. For extended forays into a winter’s night, a thermos of hot tea would not be a bad idea.

For the best observing ex per ience, ge t away from distracting lights, particularly those pesky Chr ist mas l ights. The subtleties of the night sky cannot compete with your neighbor’s flashing Santa Claus and reindeer. One of my favorite places for looking skyward is out in the middle of frozen-over Davis Lake. One note of caution: Before you go tramping out on the ice at night, make sure it is solid enough to support your weight!

For your troubles you will be rewarded with the feel of frosty air on your cheeks, the soft crunch of snow underfoot and the dome of the night sky overhead, containing the brightest stars visible all year long.

Three bright planets are visible in the sky this winter. Jupiter, named for the Roman king of the gods, will be the easiest to see. Look for its steady yellowish light shining high in the sky on any clear evening. It will be the brightest thing up there beside the moon. A small

telescope or even a pair of binoculars will reveal its four brightest moons.

Low in the southwest just after sunset, Venus, the goddess of love, will be shining brightly in the twilight sky. You will have to be able to see low in the west to spot her.

Mars, named for the god of war because of its bloody red color, can be seen in the east later in the winter. It will not be as bright as the other two, but look for that orange-red color.

The stars themselves steal the show up above. Look for reddish Betelgeuse,

a giant star millions of times larger than our sun. It could explode as a supernova at any time. Its curious name means shoulder of the giant.

Below Betelgeuse, white Rigel is another giant star shining thousands of times brighter than our sun.

Orion’s two hunting dogs are embodied in stars also. Procyon, the smaller one, shines higher in the south, while Sirius, the big dog, is the brightest star in the sky because it is a close neighbor of ours in the cosmos. Look for it furiously twinkling lower in the south.

Aldebaran is another

reddish star not as bright as Betelgeuse. Its name means “follower of the Pleiades.” The pair Castor and Pollux shine more in the east and Capella, the she goat, is the northernmost of the bright stars.

The winter’s night sky is full of fascinating old myths and legends. The centerpiece is Orion, the handsome, boastful hunter and probably the most familiar constellation in the sky. One story has it that he assaulted Merope, the beautiful granddaughter of Bacchus, the god of wine. His punishment was to be

blinded and doomed forever to wander westward just as he does now across the sky. Another myth says he is really chasing the beautiful seven sisters, embodied in the Pleiades star cluster. Taurus the bull is above Orion and is sometimes portrayed as battling the famous hunter. In another story the bull represents Zeus, king of the gods, when he took the form of a bull to seduce the beautiful maiden Europa.

The Gemini twins can be found northeast of Orion. They are the brothers of Helen of Troy and accompanied Jason and the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece. In the north the lame Roman god Vulcan is driving his new invention, the chariot, around the North Star.

On Christmas Eve about 9 p.m., look for the Northern Cross standing upright in the northwest. Enjoy all those wonderful winter activities and the beauty and silence of a long winter’s night. T

Photo montage by Sue Misao


ach winter, the Methow Valley transforms into a delightful Nordic ski Mecca in the North Cascades.

I t i s a n enchanting com-

munity with amenities of comfort, the largest groomed trail system in North America and glaciated peaks that inspire comparison to the Alps – a classic destination for winter fun.

At the center of the valley’s winter activities is the Methow Valley Sport Trails Association (MVSTA), which aspires to “develop and promote environmentally sound recreation.”

T h e n o n p r o f i t organization maintains an excellent trail system that is accessible year-round. During warmer months, the trails are open for hiking and biking.

When the snow falls, the trails metamorphose into a glistening wonderland that celebrates the very essence of the Methow Valley: blue skies, great views and sustainable recreation.

MVSTA headquarters is nestled in the heart of Winthrop, a charming Old Western town that in winter evokes the spirit of a European-style ski village with its enticing bakeries, warm bookstore and friendly shops offering winter gear and unique gifts. You can get trail passes and information at many local merchants and on the MVSTA website, www.SkiTheMethow.com.

The website is updated daily and displays the weather forecast, photo of the day, rates and trailhead information. A new feature on the trails this year – unique among all other Nordic ski destinations – is the Quick Response tags at MVSTA trailheads. These

QR tags can be scanned via a smartphone to view the grooming report for all trails in the MVSTA system. You can also download the free grooming app from the website.

The highly acclaimed MVSTA trail complex is recognized as one of the finest groomed Nordic ski networks in North America. The three distinct areas of Sun Mountain, Rendezvous and Mazama are all connected by the Methow Community Trail, a scenic valley trail stretching from Winthrop to Mazama.

The system features more than 120 miles of g r o o m e d t ra i l s w i t h suspension bridges spanning the picturesque Methow River, majestic views of the North Cascades, wide-open

hillsides, warming huts and local cafes and lodges all within easy trail access. New this year is the Spring Creek suspension bridge con nec t i ng dow ntow n Winthrop to trailheads and the ice skating rink. Also new are the 135-foot Wolf Creek Bridge and the 40-foot Beaver Pond Bridge.

One of the more enjoyable aspects of the MVSTA trail system is its close proximity to the Pacific Northwest coastline and the North Cascades mountain range. James DeSalvo, executive director of MVSTA, notes that these two geological elements create “the perfect s tor m of topog raphy, precipitation and scenery that makes an ideal Nordic ski trail system.”

The topography of the

Photo by Ashley Lodato

From beginners to experts, the extensive MVSTA trail system has something for everyone.


area is so varied that within one run you can experience challenging climbs, high-elevation views, smooth valley trails and village skiing. The spires of the North Cascades keep valley temperatures cool and create a pocket of moisture that yields a distinct snowfall perfectly blended for Nordic skiing.

Meteorologists predict this year to be another La Niña season for the Pacific Northwest, which could mean 20 percent more snowfall than average years. La Niña conditions also create cooler temperatures – keeping the snow pack in place for longer. Consider those prime snow conditions plus the fact that the Methow Valley has on average over 300 sunny days a year, and you can be sure to find a great ski day in the Methow Valley anytime between mid-December and March.

The “perfect storm” of geology and weather is just one fine attribute of the MVSTA trails. The highly experienced grooming team is another boon for the Nordic ski area.

“Our grooming staff is superb. The average tenure of our groomers is around

13 years,” says DeSalvo. “This is very rare in the ski industry. The hours and hours our groomers have spent working with machines out on our trails is definitely one reason why our trails are so acclaimed.”

The years of experience on the same trails give the groomers a sense for the right touch during different snow conditions, creating quality trails for Nordic skiers. Groomers are out nearly every night, so each morning you can always find freshly groomed routes for skate skiing or striding.

MVSTA hosts many fun, family-oriented events throughout the year. This season, the popular StorySki returns with two illustrated stories by local author Erik Brooks: Polar Opposites and Polar Polka. Full-sized story panels line a 1-kilometer stretch of trail, encouraging young ones to ski and read along the trail.

Other fun events include the MVSTA Holiday Loppet Tour on Dec. 28 – a must-see scenic tour of the Methow i n wh ic h par t ic ipants experience the variety of terrain. The Ski Rodeo on Dec. 31 is a chance for valley families and visitors

to hit the trails in costume. Several events are scheduled throughout the winter season, including a triathlon, a competition of running, biking and skiing.

The signature two-day race on Jan. 21-22, the Methow Valley Pursuit, starts off with a timed classic Nordic-style race, followed by a free-style race the next day. And don’t miss the ever-popular Groundhog Day (Feb. 2), when Wilbur the Winthrop Whistlepig delivers his winter forecast. The day starts with a naturalist-led ski trip to find out if the meteorologist marmot will see his shadow. Following the ski will be a town trailhead party and an official proclamation from Wilbur.

Jan. 27 is a Backyard Ski Day for locals – residents can obtain a free ski pass from MVSTA and free equipment rentals from participating merchants. The Methow Valley Ski School will provide free lessons at town trailheads in Winthrop and Mazama, local bakeries will provide refreshments and MVSTA will host a bonfire and activities for the kids. More information on events can be found at www.SkiTheMethow.com.

Group snowshoe tours are hosted by MVSTA and can be joined at North Cascades Basecamp and Sun Mountain Lodge. The tours are free and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Your guide will point out animal tracks, flora and fauna as you experience the natural beauty of winter in the Methow.

For information about all MVSTA’s activities, visit the website: www.mvsta.com.

MVSTA trails aren’t just for the athletic elite. The organization wants to ensure that everyone gets the chance to experience the beauty of the Methow. Kids 12 and under ski free, and several of the trails are open to our four-legged canine compadres. Bring along the whole family, including Fido, and experience the blue skies, great views and hospitality that define the Methow. T

Photo courtesy of MVSTA

Competitive events include a triathlon that requires biking, skiing and running skills.

Between Twisp & Okanogan on HWY 201,240 vertical feet with a chair & 2 surface liftsLessons, rentals, food & beverage

Because a place this amazing doesn’t happen by accident.

Your local nonprofit working with people to protect the land of the Methow Valley.Learn more about our conservation

projects and classes www.methowconservancy.org

509-996-2870M

ary K

iesau

ConservancyMethow


he Loup Loup Ski Bowl is not a destination ski resort. But if the Methow Valley is your destination this winter, it

would be a huge mistake not to pack the downhill skis and snowboard gear.

The Loup, as it’s known among locals, is located on Little Buck Mountain 12 miles outside Twisp. As the name implies, it is not a huge mountain. One chairlift, one rope tow and one poma lift serve 1,240 feet of vertical spread across 300 acres.

But there is a little something for everyone. Wide, gentle groomers perfect for novices? Check. Rip-worthy rollers? Check.

Thigh-burning moguls? Powdery trees runs? A terrain park? A sledding hill for the munchkins? Check, check, check, check.

New visitors to the Loup quickly notice how different the place feels from all the big corporate resorts out there. The Loup is a nonprofit, community-supported, volunteer-driven ski area – and that gives the place a truly unique vibe. There is an unmistakable sense of shared ownership among Loup devotees: This is our hill, we’re proud of it and we’re excited to share it with visitors. Nobody takes themselves too seriously at the Loup. It’s a big party and everyone is welcome.

Granted, t he Loup doesn’t have all the amenities

of larger ski resorts, such as long lines, surly crowds and $10 hot dogs, but you’ll get over it.

The story of how the Loup came to acquire its one and only chairlift illustrates the spirit of this most modest ski area. According to Dave Price, back in the late 1990s he and a bunch of other long-timers were barbecuing in the parking lot when a first-time visitor came up and they got to talking.

“He was smitten with the place,” said Price, a current Loup board member who has skied the area for 40 years. “Like so often happens, people come and fall in love with the Loup and want to help.”

It turned out the visitor was a board member at

Crystal Mountain, which was in the process of upgrading its slow-speed Midway quad with a high-speed six-pack

chair. Perhaps the Loup could acquire the old chairlift? The parking lot barbecue conversation evolved into a


Skiers can find good snow, a bright winter sky and some serious air time at Loup Loup Ski Bowl.

Goat peak

MazamaFood • Fuel • fun

Mazama

Store

Confluence Gallery & Art Centerregional art � education center � community gathering place

104 Glover Street, Twisp � 509 997-2787 � Gallery hours � Wednesday to Saturday, 10 am–3 pm

Exquisite CraftContemporary Artisans of the MethowNovember 12 to December 31

Inspired by the MethowJanuary 7 to February 18Black Tie “Methow Style”Saturday, December 3, 7–9:30 pmSparkling holiday cocktail partyand jewelry showcase with live jazz

Sip and Shop NightsEvery Friday till 7 pm, November 18 to January 6 SUZI JENNINGS, RIVER VESSEL II,

TERRA COTTA CLAY WITHBLACK UNDERGLAZE



Everybody’s welcome to the “big party” at the Loup.

dialogue and the Loup ended up buying the chair from Crystal in 1998 for $150,000.

“They gave us a good deal – it really amounted to a charitable donation,” said Price.

Of course, raising that kind of money, plus another couple hundred thousand required for building and installing the chair, was still a big challenge for such a small ski area. As Price recalls, the effort got off to a quick start thanks to a $50,000 donation from Francis Crane, a Brewster-area orchardist.

Crane had skied at the Loup for decades, but as he neared his 80s he was having a harder time negotiating the steep, narrow tree-lined poma track that was then the only way to reach the top of the mountain.

Hundreds of others followed, chipping in with donations of cash and labor. The Loup sold naming rights to the towers for $10,000 apiece, and each chair at the Loup today has a sign on the back honoring the

person or group that made it possible. Blue signs indicate a $1,000 contribution of cash or materials and red signs recognize people or groups that volunteered 100 or more hours of labor to help build the chair.

“When you see those people up on the mountain, be sure to thank them,” said Price. “Because of them, you don’t have to ride that poma to the top anymore.”

With the help of the chairlift, Crane was able to keep skiing the Loup up until his death in 2003 at age 87.

Today, people st i l l barbecue in the parking lot and the slow-speed quad chair fits right in with the spirit of the Loup: relaxed, social, easygoing. Despite a number of other upgrades in recent years, such as the addition of flush toilets (for years, the only option was an unheated concrete outhouse – brrr), the Loup retains its retro charm, right down to the huge stone fireplace in the 1969-vintage lodge.

The Loup remains a

quirky throwback among ski areas and to spend a day there is to step back into a simple, casual, friendlier time. It ’s an experience

guaranteed to bring smiles to the faces of kids and jaded resort warriors alike. The Loup will never be a famous destination resort. But once

you’ve been there, you’ll be back to Loup it up again.

To learn more about the Loup, check out www.skitheloup.com. T


i s i t t he Methow Valley in winter and you’re likely to see some

unusual sights. For the uninitiated visitor, the trip up-valley from Twisp to Mazama can be a series of double-takes.

The initial second glance comes at the Winthrop Town Trailhead, where, implausibly, Nordic skiers dressed as clowns, bunnies and overgrown fairies are racing around the track with their dogs in tow in the annual “Doggy Dash.” Try to cross the suspension bridge and you may find yourself in a blur of miniature people zipping along in matching jackets, like little red Oompa Loompas.

Along the ski trails in Mazama Meadows, kids are flopping down on the snow and shooting guns. And at a final stop near the Mazama Community Center, skiers dressed in leather and wool glide around on wooden skis like some flashback to Oslo, Norway, circa 1960.

Incredibly, all these act ivit ies are not only condoned by one local nonprofit organizat ion, they’re sponsored by it. Yes, indeed, the governing bodies of the Methow Valley Nordic Ski Educational Foundat ion (MVNSEF) believe that there are many ways to have fun, and all of them include Nordic skiing. Whether you want to skate, kick and glide, shoot, or just enjoy the camaraderie of others who do, MVNSEF has something for you.

Fo u nde d i n 20 0 0 ,

MVNSEF’s aim was to join two existing organizations (Methow Valley Nordic Team and Methow Valley Nor d ic C lu b) i n t o a single nonprofit entity, to acknowledge the groups’ inter-related functions as well as to be able to accept

the tax-deductible donations that are necessary for the organizations’ survival.

Over the next eight years, MVNSEF grew to include two more related organizations with similar Nordic sk i ing focuses. MVNSEF now serves as

the umbrella foundation for four valley nonprofits: Methow Valley Nordic Team, Methow Valley Nordic Club, Methow Valley Biathlon Association, and Methow Olympic Development Project.

Methow Valley Nordic Team

It’s nearly impossible to spend more than one day in the valley between November and Marc h without catching a glimpse of the MVNT skiers training. These young athletes, ages 6 to 18, are the product of a community that values physical activity and the pursuit of personal goals. Coached by competitive skiers – many of whom could be enjoying their own athletic careers were they not so devoted to grooming the next generation – the young

Photo by Ashley Lodato

Nordic training starts young in the Methow, and can continue through world-class level competition.

Mountain Majesty

Sun Mountain Lodge offers over 65 km. of beau-tifully groomed cross country ski trails right from your door. Plus all the amenities of a AAA Four Diamond resort. Full service spa, award-winning dining, extensive wine list, cross country ski shop with a complete line of rental gear and PSIA cer-tified instructors, game room, gift shop, exercise room, hot tub and more. And all at surprisingly affordable prices! Check out our winter packages online or call for more information.

800-572-0493

www.sunmountainlodge.com [email protected]

Winthrop, WA


skiers of MVNT are members of a fairly unique athletic program that regards Nordic skiing fitness as a means of embodying its core values of respect, sportsmanship, commitment, accomplish-ment of goals, self-reliance and mutual support.

This year the MVNT has a new program for skiers 13 and older who want to keep skiing, but without the race focus. Head coach David Lawrence says, “the community has been asking for this for a long time, and it’s finally here.”

Nordic Team athletes b e nef i t t r e me ndou sly from the incredible trail system, fabulous deals on rental equipment from W i n t h r o p M o u n t a i n Sports, scholarships from the Methow Valley Nordic Club, and a community that supports young skiers learning the sport. But the real strength of the program lies in the talents of its coaching staff, who are not only Olympians and collegiate racers, but above all, also compassionate, creative, and energetic teachers of a sport they love.

Methow Valley Nordic Club

When adults in the valley caught wind of how much fun the kids were

having on the Nordic Team, they wanted their own venue. Founded in 1995 with the goal of developing, s u p p o r t i n g a n d promoting Nordic skiing and related activities, MVNC’s mission is to provide opportunit ies for skill improvement for skiers of all levels in a casual, friendly environment.

In many ways the MVNC is an intermediary between all the different ski groups in the valley. It provides financial support for some of the Methow Valley Sport Trails Association’s (MVSTA) projects, it

awards scholarships to skiers on the MVNT, MOD, and MV Biathalon, and it offers events – such as the wildly popular three-day Nordic camp at Sun Mountain, the Doggie Dash, and the Tour of the Methow – that draw skiers to the Methow.

MVNC keeps its events non-competitive, focusing instead on creating an inclusive atmosphere that celebrates the sheer fun of Nordic skiing. Although some of the skiers who participate in MVNC’s activities are elite athletes, the general feeling at an MV Nordic event is one of camaraderie. The Vintage Ski Festival, for example, is ostensibly a race. But when the competitors are wearing wool knickers, lederhosen, and skiing on – in one racer’s literal interpretation of “wooden” skis – two-by-four sticks of lumber, it can be hard to maintain that competitive focus. You could ski really fast, but then you might miss all the fun. (Incidentally, the Vintage Ski Festival was until recently called the “Wooden Ski Race.” The name change apparently ref lects this crowd’s obsession with fashion from the days of yore.)

MVNC charges modest prices for its camps, clinics, and other events and plows

all of its proceeds back into the Nordic skiing community in the form of scholarships to kids on the MVNT, trail improvements, assistance to local elite racers, and special projects with MVSTA, such as mapping and trailhead sponsorship.

Methow Valley Biathlon Association

MV Biat h lon g ives skiers age 9 and older an opportunity to combine two challenging disciplines

Photo courtesy of Kristen Smith

Biathlon is not an exotic activity in the Methow Valley.

– Nordic skiing and shooting – into one exciting event. For those who complain that Nordic skiing lacks the adrenaline rush of Alpine skiing, the presence of a rifle and the necessity of firing it with some accuracy while one’s heart is pulsing at 180 beats per minute provides that extra thrill they’ve been seeking.

Here’s how it works: Biathletes ski around a cross-country track, pausing at either two or four intervals

to shoot at a target. Half the shooting rounds are completed standing up, the other half lying down. Time penalties are assessed for missed targets. It’s an extremely rigorous sport, requiring both excellent cardiovascular fitness and intense focus and control.

While many schools across the nation struggle wit h weapons cont rol on school propert y, a


collaboration between MV Biathlon and the Methow Val ley School Dist r ic t resulted in guns (certain guns, at certain times, that is) being sanctioned on school grounds, in the form of last year’s installment of what is believed to be the only biathlon course in the country located on school property. Rifles at school? Sure, as long as they’re being used safely and appropriately.

Says head coach Betsy

Devin-Smith, “We are so fortunate to have this biathlon venue on the school grounds. I take my hat off to the school board and superintendent for being so open-minded about our proposal. They saw how safe we are, and what special things biathlon teaches kids, and they were supportive of this idea that had been percolating in the Nordic community for some time.”

The biat h lon tea m has already been training

this fall, with kids and their parents participating in a rifle safety course. Right after Thanksgiving a number of biathletes will be heading north to Canmore, Alberta, for the first race of the season, and the new year will see more members of the team in Anchorage, Alaska, for the US Biathlon World Junior Trials.

Methow Olympic Development Project

MOD may be small, but its results are impressive. Trained by volunteer head coach (and former U.S. Ski Team athlete and coach) Scott Johnston, MOD athletes benefit from a focused and intensely personalized approach to competing at an elite, international level. Although the MOD squad currently consists of just one racer (local Sam Naney), other internationally ranked athletes have trained and flourished under the MOD training regime, including US Ski Team members

Sadie and Erik Bjornsen and Olympian Torin Koos.

Many things are coming together for MOD this year, according to Johnston. First, MOD is “making a real contribution in its association with the alumni and older skiers on the junior ski team.” One of MOD’s initial goals was to mentor younger racers, to offer motivation or role modeling. This summer and fall both Naney and Johnston have been involved in training programs with ski team members, showing what MOD can do above and beyond training higher-level athletes.

Another thing that has jelled is Naney’s athleticism. “Each year of training builds on previous years,” says Johnston, “and if it’s done well the accumulation of several years of training eventually begins to show itself. Sam is reaching that point now.”

“Last year Sam had the best results of his life,”

Johnston adds, “despite losing two months of training due to having mononucleosis. Even with mono he was in the top 10 at Nationals; if he hadn’t been sick, his results would have been phenomenal.” This is Naney’s year to shine, notes Johnston.

Johnston is also looking ahead to the next generation of elite skiers. “We’re a small community,” he notes, “but we can turn out world class athletes, as the MOD racers have shown.” He sees kids on the junior ski team with the potential; the real question will be whether any of them have the passion. “For a kid who wants to be a racer,” says Johnston, “the most important ingredient is the desire. Coaching can only bolster desire, it can’t replace it. The kid must have that fire burning in him.”

And really, that’s what MVNSEF is all about: people with a fire burning in them to enjoy the many ways of having fun on Nordic skis. T

31 Early Winters Drive, Mazama, Washington (just 15 miles west of Winthrop)

www.freestoneinn.com509.996.3906 ~ 800.639.3809

Enjoy the fresh air and peaceful seclusion as you glide through spectacular scenery on more than 175 km of groomed Nordic trails.

The Freestone Inn features a fireplace in every room, cabin and luxury lodge. Relax and enjoy soaking in our steaming outdoor hot tub overlooking Freestone Lake. Complete your day at our fireside restaurant featuring a sweeping view of the lake, sumptuous gourmet fare and casual dining.

ESCAPE TO THE FREESTONE INN & DISCOVER THE MANY PLEASURES OF WINTER

It’s all waiting

just outside

your door


n its fifth winter season this year, the Winthrop Ice and Sports Rink has gained new visibility in the community with the opening of the Spring Creek pedestrian bridge, and that’s an

exciting development for rink boosters.

“I’m ecstatic to see this happening,” said Mark Robertson, who has been a driving force behind the rink, from concept to creation, for more than 15 years.

The easy pedestrian access via bridge and trail from downtown Winthrop to the ice rink and the ski trail completes a vision that Robertson has long held for the community.

Robertson, who spent many years living and recreating in Europe and Canada, loves mountain towns where people can easily walk to ski trails, ice rinks, lodging, restaurants and shops. He hoped that one day Winthrop could become a pedestrian-o r i e n t e d c o m mu n it y, similar to resort towns like Chamonix in France, Zermatt in Switzerland, or Whistler in British Columbia.

“The goal I had originally, 15 years ago, was an alpine-style venue. It will be beautiful to be able to access the rink and ski trail by walking from downtown,” Robertson said this fall, as the Spring Creek bridge was nearing

completion. “Like Whistler, you’ll be able to park your car and walk.”

The easy foot access is expected to increase visibility and use of the ice rink, said James DeSalvo, president of the Winthrop Ice and Sports Rink (WISR) board of directors.

“At night you’ll see the lights and hear the music from the ice rink and hear people playing hockey and having fun,” DeSalvo said.

The Town of Winthrop has agreed to remove snow from the Susie Stephens trail, leading from the suspension bridge past the sledding hill to the ice rink and the Town Trailhead, DeSalvo said.

In addition to the new pedestr ian access, the Winthrop ice rink offers new programs and amenities for skaters this winter.

On Tuesday afternoons, “cheap skates” sessions will be held, with reduced rates for using the rink. The rink is also planning “theme nights” on Friday evenings, said Kurt Meacham, rink manager. He said the idea of doing themes like the 1980s, or the Caribbean, grew out of “a dialogue with some of our ‘rink rats.’”

A free skate day will be held Jan. 27, in conjunction with a free ski day offered by Methow Valley Sport Trails Association.

New cubbies have been

built in the warming room to give rink users a place to store their personal items. The rink also has more than 30 nearly new ice skates for rent, courtesy of local ski instructor Don Portman, who donated them to the rink, Meacham said. On some busy days in previous winters, the rink ran out of rental gear, so the

additional skates are welcome. “That’s really going to increase our capacity to get people on the ice,” Meacham said.

The ice rink will also have full hockey gear available to rent this winter “for adults who want to try the sport and don’t want to invest in the gear,” said DeSalvo. “It will provide a taste – at relatively

low cost – of what the sport is like.”

The rink received a donation of more than $1,000 worth of coffee-making equipment from Blue Star Coffee Roasters in Twisp, and will be serving coffee, hot cocoa and snacks this


Photo by Patrick Hannigan

You’re never too young to sharpen your blade balance at the ice rink.

season. The dasher boards around the ice are newly decorated with more than 25 colorful advertising banners purchased by local businesses to support the facility.

“It’s highlighting the fact that we’re a nonprofit, community rink,” DeSalvo said. “It’s neat to see visually the amount of support we have in the community.”

Favorite activities at the rink will continue this season, including adult pickup hockey games throughout the season, and the increasingly popular women’s hockey session on Thursday evenings. USA Hockey for kids 5-15 years old continues to grow, said DeSalvo, who is a coach for the youth program. This season about 50 kids are expected to participate. “We’ve grown 10 percent from last year,” DeSalvo said. A Learn to Skate program will be offered again this winter, led by local skater Ann Sprague. The four-session program is open to all ages and abilities.

Though the ice rink has become more popular

each season, it still struggles to stay financially sound. In an effort to help balance the budget, the WISR board decided to scale back hours of operation this winter. The rink will open at 1 p.m. on weekdays, rather than 11 a.m. as it did last year, Meacham said. The board also decided to raise fees slightly, to bring them more in line with other rinks around the state. Like most busi nesses a nd activity-based organizations in the valley, the ice rink’s financial survival relies on the three busy winter holidays – Christmas, Martin Luther King Day and Presidents Day. Adverse weather conditions during any of those critical times mean a big hit for the rink.

“Eighty percent of our revenue comes from the three holidays,” said Meacham.

“Last winter we caught the second half of the Christmas holiday.”

Because the rink is outdoors and does not have refrigeration for the ice, it is at the mercy of Mother Nature. For the past two winters, she hasn’t been all that kind.

“When we first opened, the rink had two things going for us,” said Robertson, a member of the WISR board.

“We had two great winters back-to-back with great weather and good ice. We actually m a d e m o n e y,” Robertson said.

“Fifteen days are make-or-break for us. When we’re down on any portion of that, it hurts us. Last year we only got nine or 10 out of the 15 days,” Rober t son sa id. “The last couple of years have been tough on the rink. We’ve had milder winters. We’ve lost

about $13,000 a year. We had some leftover funds from the build-out that were a buffer, but we’re basically at zero now.”

T h e r i n k ’s b o a r d members have a long-term vision for the facility that calls for installing refrigeration, to assure the rink’s operation from November through March, regardless of the temperatures. But that’s

a $600,000 project that will require some major fundraising. Robertson said he has volunteered to serve as project coordinator when the project gets under way.

R e f r i g e r a t e d i c e would a l so a l low t he rink to bring in hockey tournaments, something it can’t do now because of the unpredictability of the ice conditions.

Future plans would maintain the rink as an outdoor facility, so snow would st i l l have to be removed, and rain would be an issue. But the fact that the rink is outdoors in a spectacular setting is a big part of its appeal.

“It’s one of only three full-sized outdoor rinks in the Northwest,” said DeSalvo. People who are used to indoor rinks love the feel of skating under the open sky, next to a river, with bald eagles flying overhead and snow-covered Mount Gardner and the Cascade Mountains gleaming in the distance. T

Get your daily grooming report

at mvsta.com or via the free

MVSTA Smartphone app. or

Call 800.682.5787


Photo by Patrick Hannigan

Spanish Coffee. Yum.

he après-ski c o c k t a i l i s a venerable tradition, but w r a p p i n g one’s frigid fin-gers around a steaming adult

beverage après-snowmobil-ing, ice skating, sledding, ice fishing or even shoveling snow is just as warming.

Here are eight hot drink ideas to stoke the fire in your belly this winter, including some can’t-miss classics and a few equally-delicious (but lesser-known) concoctions.

Irish Coffee is a simple mix of whiskey and lightly-sugared coffee topped with whipped cream. Any Irish whiskey will do – the real key to this drink is good, strong coffee. For a taste of local flavor, try the Winter Festi-val blend from Backcountry Coffee Roasters in Winthrop,

or the French Sumatra or Celebration blends from Blue Star Coffee Roasters in Twisp. Each of these big, bold, dark blends has enough backbone to stand up to and comple-ment whiskey and whipped cream.

If whiskey isn’t your thing, consider a Spanish Coffee spiked with rum, Kahlúa and triple sec, gar-nished with whipped cream and ground nutmeg. The Coffee Nudge is another fine way to dress up a cup of joe. A nudge features equal parts brandy and cof-fee liqueur with a splash of dark crème de cacao topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.

When it comes to com-forting winter warmers, it doesn’t get much better than hot chocolate. A Peppermint Patty is a tasty way to turn this classic treat into a bev-

erage for the 21-and-over crowd. Just add two parts peppermint schnapps, one part dark crème de cacao, a dash of crème de menthe, garnish with whipped cream and sip away.

Hot Buttered Rum is a

spicy, sweet drink best or-dered out at one of the bars or lodges in the Methow, as making the mix of but-ter, white and brown sugar, ice cream, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon is somewhat labor-intensive. For the best results, go with a spiced rum such as Captain Morgan or Sailor Jerry.

Want to drink your des-sert? Try a Hot Apple Pie. Tuaca is an Italian liqueur in-fused with subtle vanilla and citrus flavors. When mixed with hot apple cider and topped with whipped cream, the result is an aromatic mug of goodness. Popular varia-tions on the hot apple pie include hot apple cider mixed with Fireball whiskey or cinnamon-flavored liqueurs such as Goldschläger.

No list of winter drinks is complete without a paean to the Hot Toddy. Although

most commonly prepared with whiskey or bourbon, the toddy also works well with brandy or even dark rum. It’s a simple drink: your liquor of choice, plus hot water, honey and several slices of lemon. Back in the day, doctors used to prescribe this beverage to those suffering from colds: The honey can soothe a raw throat, the steamy vapors can loosen congestion and lemon provides a boost of vitamin C. Whether you’re sick or not, this drink is a classic for good reason. A popular variant of the hot toddy is the Blueberry Tea, which is equal parts Grand Marnier and Amaretto mixed with orange pekoe tea and garnished with lemon or orange slices.

So when the sun sets on your snowy Methow adven-tures, sit down with friends, grab a hot one and relive the stories of the day. T


Photo courtesy of Dolly Stahl

Local snowmobilers enjoy an extensive trail network.

ccording t o h i s -t o r i c a l accounts, the first e n g i n e -powered p r o t o -

type snowmobile with skis in front and a single rear track was patented in the mid-1920s in the upper

Midwest.The sport has migrated

a long way since then as the well-developed trail system for sledders in the Methow Valley will attest.

This winter snowmobile enthusiasts will once again be able to take advantage of the diversity offered by the valley’s 175 miles of groomed trails. Among

those are the Buttermilk and Libby Creek runs up the Twisp River drainage, Goat Creek and Yellowjacket trails up the Methow River toward Mazama, Eight Mile and Boulder Creek up the Chewuch Basin, and the North and South routes at the Loup Loup summit.

And in all but a few miles of the Cub Creek area

this extensive trail network avoids a dual usage with

the valley’s cross-country ski routes.

Snowmobilers will find a few changes in both access and maintenance this year, according to Bev and Jerry Schultz of the Methow Val-ley Snowmobile Association. Heavy water runoff from last spring’s unusually wet weather caused damage in many areas of the valley, including a major washout in a portion of the access road to Black Pine Lake from Libby Creek. Repairs to that stretch are not expected until sometime next year.

The Long Creek/500 Road that joins Road 5200, which, in turn, accesses the Goat Creek Sno-Park, also sustained significant damage and a detour was recently completed to skirt the blockage there. Jerry Schultz said crews cleared a 5.2-mile bypass around the area to allow winter traffic to still utilize the route to the Goat Creek facility.

Repercussions from the current financial slowdown made their presence felt in the snowmobile community as they did in other parts of the economy, the Schultzes noted. A reduction in sales of snow machines resulted in a 19 percent statewide cut in funds for trail grooming together with a five percent reduction in monies for Sno-Park plowing this year.

“For us that will mean fewer days of grooming, and shorter hours,” said Bev Schultz.

Up-to-the-minute de-tails, maps and grooming schedules can be viewed online at www.methow.com/groomer. T

265 Riverside Ave. Winthrop, WA 509-996-4241

Artisan Breads, Pastries & Breakfast Fare-

wwww.rockinghorsebakery.com

Backcountry Roasters Coffee & Espresso-

Wireless Internet- RRoasted in WWinthrop, WA

M-F 6:30 - 4:00 Sa-Su 7:00 - 4:00

Fuel your adventure!Fuel your adventure!Fuel your adventure!

wwww.backcountrycoffee.com

Sandwiches, Soups, Pizza and more-

The Rocking Horse Bakery and Backcountry Coffee Roasters are proud sponsors of MVSTA

Winthrop Tipi Dinners

Suekii Cornwall509-322-1751

winthroptipidinners.com


he white quilt of cold that winter draws over the land d u r i n g i t s seasonal turn camouflages

a struggle for survival that escapes the attention of all but the most experienced observers. And while the illusion of tranquility is ef-fective, creatures large and small wage a daily battle with the elements and employ creative and complex approaches in order to simply stay nourished, warm – and alive – during the winter.

For those that opt for warmer latitudes, such as the mountain blue-bird and Swainson’s thrush, the solution is simple in contrast to the journey it-self, which certainly is not.

Those, on the other hand, who must ride out the rough months on their home range face the prolonged prospect of subfreezing days and sub-standard food supplies for an extended period.

At every level of the biozone then, from the tree-tops above to the subnivean layer below the snow, some-thing, somewhere, is utilizing every crevice or cubbyhole, every windbreak or wood-pile, as flora and fauna come together in collective cooper-ation and burrow in to await the bounty of spring.

The Clark’s nutcracker, named for explorer William Clark, hangs around all winter among its favorite pines and has developed an unusual strategy to cope with the snowy months, according to Kent Woodruff, wildlife biologist for the U.S. Forest Service. Woodruff, who over-sees the annual Chelan Ridge Raptor Migration Project, said the nutcracker buries the seeds from the high-elevation whitebark pines in thousands of places in its territory. Then,

during the winter months or times of food scarcity the bird’s remarkable memory allows it to relocate most of those burial sites and retrieve the cached stores.

“The whitebark is the nutcracker’s favorite ow-ing to its larger seeds,” Wo o d r u f f said.

“But it will also bury

seeds from Pon-derosa and western

white pine.”“Our population of lynx

is another species with a key adaptation that allows them to survive the winter,” Woodruff said. The large hair-covered feet of the lynx

act like snowshoes, Woodruff noted, and allow the cat ex-cellent snow mobility when in pursuit of its major food source, the snowshoe hare.

Wildlife biologist John Rohrer of the

Methow Val-ley Ranger District said the wolver-

ine i s anoth-er local

resident that laughs at the weather. The critter stays at eleva-tion throughout the year and doesn’t leave the high country regardless of the conditions.

“He seems to thrive in it,” Rohrer said.

Rohrer spends part of the year radio-tracking Pa-cific rattlesnakes from and to den sites around the area. The reptiles need to return

to communal congregations below winter’s frost line if they are going to survive to see another spring.

Rattlesnakes rely on a decreasing day-length pho-toperiod to determine when to begin their return trip to winter quarters, Rohrer observed. That trigger is usually pulled “within a week to 10 days around the second or third week in September,” Rohrer added. If rattlers waited until the temperature dipped toward freezing many would perish while still in the open.

The winter cycle of resi-dent bumblebees and but-terflies fascinates naturalist Dana Visalli.

“We have about 107 species of butterflies in the Methow and only six of those over-winter as adults,” Visalli said. “And among the bumblebees, only the new,

fertilized queens survive the winter. The workers, drones and older queens all die.”

In both cases these in-sects can’t find shelter from the cold, but only from pre-dation.

“So they freeze solid,” Visalli marveled. “Water expands when it freezes, but somehow it doesn’t burst their cells.”

When the temperature begins to rise come spring, the butterflies and bumble-bees thaw out, Visalli said, and resume their life cycle from the point of pre-freez-ing.

Now how in the world do you suppose they do that? T

Photo courtesy of Brandon Sheely, USFS

This Canada lynx was freed from a wolverine trap on Harts Pass in March 2009.

RED

HEN

Trading Company

StopWater

Constructi

onAndy [email protected] LIC# STOPWCL923MU


inter in the Methow Val-ley is a wel-come guest who shows up early, is the life of the party, and then lin-

gers a little late.Today is the third day of Novem-

ber. Winter does not officially begin for another seven weeks, but looking north and west from my mid-valley perch, I already see it coming. Three weeks ago, 8,700-foot Robinson Mountain reappeared on the horizon like a frosted craggy cupcake. Last week the trees on 4,500-foot McClure Mountain just outside Twisp were flocked white for a day. The forecast this week calls for a trace of snow on the valley floor.

So when does winter actually begin in the Methow? Techni-cally, the answer is Dec. 22. But since there is often a foot or two of snow on the ground from Twisp to Mazama by then, such a date seems little more than a technicality.

In a practical sense, perhaps winter in the Methow begins when the snow sticks and stays until spring. By that measure winter usually begins in early December, although a white Thanksgiving is common here. At the other extreme, 1976-77 was the “winter without a win-ter,” when no snow fell on the valley floor.

For many people living in the Methow, the weeks and months lead-ing up to winter are characterized by equal parts frantic preparation and gleeful anticipation. An early dust-ing is known locally as a “warning snow,” and serves as reminder to procrastinators that now is the time to finish laying in firewood, put the garden or farm to bed, sweep the chimney, switch to the snow tires, wrap up outdoor home-improve-ment projects and pick up tools, toys and small dogs lest they be lost and buried until spring.

An early snow is also a teaser that marks the beginning of a wait-ing game for twitchy winter-sports enthusiasts in the Methow. Snow-mobilers tinker with their sleds,

Nordic skiers tune their skis for the third time, ice skaters sharpen and re-sharpen their blades and back-country fanatics refresh the NOAA weather website every few hours, searching for some sign winter is about to descend upon the valley.

Speculating about the upcom-ing winter is a favorite fall activity and rumors of the season inevitably precede its actual appearance. In the lead-up to winter, everyone in the Methow is an amateur meteorolo-gist – even though we know such prognostications are best left to fools,

newcomers or romantic prophets like Bill Biddle. Our local weather guru (see page 4) doesn’t always get it right, but he manages to leaven his predictions with prescient poetry in such a way that he is never too wrong.

Then suddenly winter is here, right down in the valley. The first real snow of the season begins not with a bang, but with the whisper of flakes sifting down through pines, accumu-lating, softening and transforming the landscape around us. Little kids are giddy, enchanted: They want to catch snowflakes on their tongues, build snow sculptures, throw snow-balls and make snow angels.

And, somehow, snow has the power to turn adults into kids. In the Methow Valley it’s hard not to

look or step outside on a bright, clear morning to a world cloaked in spar-kly, blinding white and experience some variation of “wow!” It doesn’t matter if you are a toddler, a visitor or a crusty old-timer – snow has some blissfully visceral effect on us.

Snow may be magical and all, but it’s not an exaggeration to say winter is what makes life possible in the Methow Valley. After a slow shoulder season, winter represents a paycheck for those employed shov-eling, plowing or grooming snow, or those who shelter, feed and entertain

the tourists who come to the Methow precisely because there is snow here. For farmers and ranchers, snow in the mountains is water in the ditch for next summer and money in the bank. Snow is sustenance in the Methow.

For reasons recreational, prac-tical and aesthetic, the general at-titude towards winter and snow in the Methow is “Yes, please!” Those living in the Methow are by neces-sity winter-adapted creatures. Thus we (even former west-siders such as myself) can’t help chuckling a little at the hysterical panic caused by a few inches of snow in Seattle. Snowmageddon? Snowpocalypse? Come on, we think smugly. Likewise, when we see news that the Midwest or the East Coast is paralyzed by a

huge blizzard, our reaction is one of envy: Where’s our blizzard?

For all the outdoor activities available in the Methow, winter is still a time of turning inward. At this latitude, there are only nine or ten hours of daylight for much of the season, so those residing in the Methow must learn how to enjoy being indoors – or go crazy.

Food, friends and family get us by when it is dark and cold outside. Is it a coincidence that many of the holidays that emphasize exactly these things fall during the heart of winter? I think not.

Winter in the Methow is a social season, partly because we have more free time compared to the hectic months of summer, and partly because a potluck, a bonfire, or torch-lit sledding parties are great antidotes to cabin fever.

For all the snow and cold that accompany winter in the Methow, sunshine is our saving grace. If you plan to visit the Methow this winter, don’t forget to bring your sunglasses and maybe even some sunscreen. For west-siders accus-tomed to living in a virtual cloud cave all winter, a little Methow time goes a long way towards fighting off a chronic case of Seasonal Af-fective Disorder. When you return to work with a little spring in your step and some color on your cheeks, your co-workers will look at you and think, “I’ve got to get me some Methow, too.”

One of the best things about having kids is getting to be a kid again. Now that my daughter is 2 years old, I find myself anticipating winter through her eyes. I want to build an igloo, go for a sleigh ride and tromp through the woods in search of the perfect Christmas tree. I want to hunker down, sip hot chocolate and play games in front of a fire while snowflakes kiss the windows, piling up ever higher, deeper.

By March, I’ll be over it. I’ll be dreaming of gardens, flip-flops and swimming in the lake. That’s the beauty of the Methow: It’s a place with distinct seasons that impose a shared pattern of common experi-ence and anticipation.

But right now, I think I speak for most in the Methow when I say, “Winter? Bring it on.” T

Photo by Sue Misao

The Methow winter eases into the valley like a rosy dawn, then hunkers down for a long stay.


he beauty of being a bird is that if you can’t find what you need to eat, you can fly somewhere else. So says Teri Pieper, an avid birder and photographer in Twisp. And the beauty of being a person in the Methow in winter is that you can see a striking variety of uncommon

birds, even if you stay put.“The most interesting thing about birding in

the winter is you have a good chance of seeing something unusual, since many birds are only here for a short time,” said Pieper.

While all the neotropical migrants have long gone, the Methow provides a balmy southern climate for Canadian and Arctic birds, and some local species, such as chickadees, nuthatches and juncos, stay here year-round, according to Libby Schreiner, a consummate birdwatcher and keeper of the list of Okanogan County birds for the Wash-ington Ornithological Society.

The Methow is home to two types of migrating birds in the winter – latitudinal migrants, which arrive from the far north, and altitudinal migrants, which come down from nearby mountains – provid-ing relatively easy opportunities to see many species that spend much of their lives elsewhere.

Some birds, particularly those that eat cones, such as white-winged crossbills and redpolls, will follow their food. In fact, crossbills store cones in fall and breed during the winter, said Schreiner. These birds congregate in large groups to avoid predators. “It’s kind of fun because you never see flocks like that in summer,” she said.

Winter can also make birds easier to see – trees have fewer leaves and the contrast of the snow can help birds’ movements stand out, said Winthrop birder and photographer Dave Chantler. For instance, the contrast of the black American dipper against the snow can make the bird easier to spot along rivers in winter. “Its behavior is curious. It will almost walk along the bottom of a stream, using its wings to ‘fly’ under water” to eat crustaceans, said Chantler.

Nevertheless, spotting some species, such as the snowy owl, requires patience. “You’re look-ing for a white blob in a white landscape that is sitting on a rock, fence post, or telephone pole,” said Pieper.

Some species arrive in huge flocks – gray-crowned rosy finches can gather in the thousands to forage on the ground for seeds, said Schreiner. The pine grosbeak is another eye-catching bird that lands in large flocks to feast on rosehips. “I call them Christmas birds, because of their red color,” she said.

Many birds are attracted to ornamental trees that have lingering berries. Schreiner heads to Pearrygin Lake State Park, where Russian olives draw large groups of varied thrushes, which are very scarce here in the summer.

Bohemian waxwings, which mostly displace their warmer-weather cousin, the cedar waxwing, also arrive in flocks of up to 2,000. The birds have a curious culinary habit – they will eat berries and apples after they have fermented, said Schreiner. The birds don’t pass out, but they act a bit funny and may let you get closer to take photos, she said.

Open areas such as Sun Mountain, Pipestone Canyon, Studhorse Mountain and meadows near Rendezvous Road can be excellent places to see birds, said Schreiner. Most winter birders keep an eye out as they go about their business, seeing eagles, finches and waxwings along roads, rivers and ski trails.

Several species of raptors winter in the Methow, including the red-tailed hawk and golden eagle, which stay year-round, while rough-legged hawks and gyrfalcons are here only in the winter, said Schreiner. Bald eagles, because they have adapted so well to eating deer carcasses (which more than supplement their traditional diet of fish), have become common along roads in the winter, said Schreiner. Several dozen bald eagles typically roost south of Black Canyon, she said.

Pygmy owls, which breed in the high country, start descending to lower elevations in the fall. They are one of the most commonly seen owls because they hunt during the day and, when the snow is too deep for them to get rodents, they will frequent bird feeders to dine on the birds themselves, said Schreiner. While all other owls hunt by sound, generally at night, with shorter days and a scarcity of food during the cold season, you can often see them hunting at dawn or dusk, said Schreiner.

To increase your chances of seeing certain spe-cies, a little travel can be highly productive. Many shorebirds congregate along the Columbia River near Pateros, Brewster and Bridgeport, and other birds seek out the area because it is warmer and less snowy than the Methow. Shorebirds also congregate

in the Methow at Twin Lakes, said Schreiner. There are some “famous” roads near Omak

where birders regularly flock to see owls and gyrfalcons, such as Cameron Lake Road, a reliable winter home for the magnificent white snowy owl, said Schreiner. Further south on the Waterville Plateau, you can find prime hunting grounds for owls and other birds. A favorite spot for the great gray owl is the area around Chesaw and Havillah, near Tonasket.

Although birds do not sing as much in the winter – since for most it is not breeding season – “it pays to listen whenever you’re looking for birds,” said Pieper. She recalled skiing on a high ridge when she heard chickadees and nuthatches making a huge racket. A little investigation re-vealed a pygmy owl surveying the flocks for a tasty morsel.

Birds employ several techniques to stay warm in winter. Rosy finches and chickadees will huddle together in rock crevices in groups of 60 to 100. Chickadees will also squeeze into a woodpecker hole for warmth, said Chantler. “It’s like one great, big down blanket,” he said. Chickadees also lower their body temperature at night and go into a semi-hibernation, said Schreiner.

Grouse may spend the night under the snow for insulation. If you head out early in the morn-ing, you may startle them, or may find holes in the snow with big wing marks on either side where grouse slept, said Schreiner. Some birds grow extra feathers, and ravens have adapted to shiver all winter long to generate enough heat to stay alive, she said.

Winter can be a stressful time for birds, since most are confronted with a limited food supply. While the larger owls can dive into deep snow to nab rodents, if the snow develops a frozen crust, they cannot penetrate it and can starve, said Schreiner.

Although there is some controversy among birders about putting out seed and suet at feed-ers, it is a way to observe many species up close, and provides an excellent way of connecting with the natural world for people who find it difficult to go out. If you do use feeders, be sure to clean them regularly because they can transmit disease between birds, said Schreiner.

It is also important to supply birds with un-frozen water. Pieper finds that goldfinches have learned to wait for droplets from melting snow to drip off her roof each morning.

When watching birds, stay at a distance, and use binoculars or a spotting scope for a close-up view. It can be stressful for birds if you come too close as they are trying to feed. “If you get so close that a bird flies off, it has lost its meal,” said Schreiner.

Seeing birds is one more reason to get out and explore in the winter. “Every season is completely different – it’s just like flowers and trees,” said Pieper. T

Photo by Sue Misao

Golden eagles winter in the valley, where they find plenty of food.


rt doesn’t hiber-nate in the cold, dark days of win-ter, and neither should you. The community cal-endar is packed

with opportunities to be a consumer – or creator – of arts and culture. Put on the warm jacket, crawl out of the den, and let your senses lead you on a tour of the arts opportunities in the Methow Valley this winter. Look, listen, feel: Art is all around you.

LOOK: Visual and performing arts

abound in the Methow, with a steady stream of gallery exhibits, plays and other public performances. Whether you want to watch live entertainment, explore a gallery exhibit, or peruse gift options at a holiday gift show, you can find it in the Methow.

• Confluence Gallery presents Exquisite Craft: Contemporary Artisans of the Methow, its holiday

exhibit through Dec. 31.• Winthrop Gallery hosts its an-

nual holiday gift show through Jan. 9, Open House on Nov. 26, 5-7 p.m.

• Missoula Children’s Theatre presents Cinderella, Nov. 19, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Methow Valley Elemen-tary School (MVES).

• Merc Playhouse presents Miracle on 34th Street, Dec. 2-18, Thursday-Saturday, 7 p.m. and Sun-day, 2 p.m.

• Confluence Gallery presents Black Tie Methow Style, cocktail party and jewelry trunk show, Dec. 3, 7 p.m.

• Methow Arts presents NAN-DA: acrobatics-aerials-dance-circus, Dec. 10 at the Methow Valley Com-munity Center, 7 p.m.

• Confluence Gallery presents Wood and Wine: regional studio furniture makers and woodworkers discuss their craft, also featuring regional wines, Dec. 17, 2-5 p.m.

• Confluence Gallery presents Inspired by the Methow: local artists’ interpretations of the Methow Valley, Jan. 7-Feb. 18.

• Winthrop Gallery refreshes the gallery with new work for the new year, starts Jan. 12.

• Winthrop Gallery presents The Winter Show, Feb. 16-March 26, reception Feb. 19, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Photo by Sue Misao

Holiday music by Cascadia and Pipestone fills the Community Center gym for two nights in December.


• Winthrop Gallery shows Cat & Dog Photo Contest, Feb. 16-27, reception Feb. 19, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Confluence Gallery presents Borders: an exhibition of art that explores the concept of borders as a subject to be celebrated or challenged, Feb. 25-April 14.

• Merc Playhouse presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream, March 23-April 1, Thursday-Saturday, 7 p.m. and Sunday, 2 p.m.

LISTEN: Just hear those sleigh bells jingling… and

listen to the prodigious musical talent of the valley’s best, youngest, and/or most enthusi-

astic singers and musicians. From Christmas carols to gypsy jazz, these auditory delights will help you shimmy and shake away the winter blues.

• Cascadia Christmas Concert with the Cascadia Chorale and the Pipestone Orches-tra, Dec. 13 and 14, at the Methow Valley Community Center, 7 p.m.

• Methow Valley Elementary School holiday concert, Dec. 16, MVES, 1 p.m.

• Community School winter musical and dessert auction, Dec. 16, Winthrop Barn, 5:30 p.m.

• Methow Arts presents The Lost Fin-gers gypsy jazz concert, Feb. 17, Winthrop

Barn, 7 p.m.• Keyboard Confections, “candy for your

ears,” and a little something for the taste buds, too, March 3 at the Methow Valley Community Center, 7 p.m.

• Methow Arts presents The House Jacks a capella rock concert, March 17, Winthrop Barn, 7 p.m.

FEEL:

Fingers itching to touch it, hold it, make it your own? There is something undeniably sensuous about touching art: a nubby wool, the cold slickness of silver, the rough frame of

a rustic painting. Get your fingers messy and make it yourself in an art class, or else buy it from a local artisan at a holiday bazaar.

• Watercolor practice and instruction with Patty Yates, Fridays 9 a.m.-noon, Con-fluence Gallery, $10.

• Quilting classes at the Quilting Hive, ongoing.

• Twisp Christmas Bazaar: local hand-made art, crafts, edibles, and gifts, Nov. 19 and Dec. 3, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Methow Valley Community Center.

• Winthrop Bazaar: local handmade art, crafts, edibles, and gifts, Dec. 10 at the Winthrop Barn, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Classes at Confluence Gallery & Art Center:

• Hammered Swirl Hoop Earrings with Jenni Tissell, Dec. 1, 5-7 p.m., $60.

• Winter Wonderland Snow Globes, Dec. 3, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., $15.

• Papier-mâché Beading & Jewelry, Dec. 10 and 17, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., $30.

• Felting Winter Wear with Lynx Vilden, Dec. 11, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., $65. T

Papier-mâché classes in December

Table by Peter Nawrot

“Exquisite Craft” opens in November

“Study of Heads” by James Cicafko

“Borders” opens in February

“Palette of Autumn” by Ginger Reddington

“Inspired” opens in January


xploring the glo-ries of the Methow Valley on skis doesn’t have to be limited to the valley floor or groomed trails. Much beautiful

front country can be explored practically out your back door with some skill and the right skis. For the more adventurous, extra training and specialized gear can get you into the winter world of the North Cascades back-country.

While the sport is still dominated by men, an im-pressive number of women in the Methow have been back-country skiing for decades, and a younger generation of gals is discovering they can keep up with the guys.

“It’s important for wom-en to know that backcountry skiing is just as open to them as to men,” says Mazama

resident and ski guide Katha-rine Bill.

Bill sees a need for in-struction and ski trips that cater to female clients. “Wom-en-only groups tend to feel

freer to have fun and ask questions whereas guys often have more interest in gear and climbing,” Bill says.

Bill got started skiing in the Colorado mountains

around age 12 with her step-dad who was an avalanche consultant. “I started with heavy leather boots and fairly narrow telemark skis,” she says.

Around the year 2000, Bill tried alpine touring (AT) gear for the first time. “It’s like hiking with skis on,” she says.

Woman-specific gear has evolved along with the sport, and Bill says that factors such as lighter-weight bindings, shaped skis, and climbing skins have improved ski performance, especially for women.

Rita Kenny and Diane Childs have co-owned Win-throp Mountain Sports in Winthrop for 14 years. Be-sides being able to answer your questions about all types of gear, Kenny and Childs each have a wealth of personal experience in skiing of all types.

Kenny says, “When we started ski touring we were on skinny-skinny skis, and I was just trying to follow along behind people who were much better than me.”

Photo courtesy of Amy Stork

Women’s Alpine Touring Camp participants skin up at Cutthroat.


What she likes best about skiing in the Methow, Kenny says, is “just getting away from the established stuff.”

“You can do a lot of great touring here without going into avalanche country,” Kenny adds, and suggests Cougar Mountain in the Rendezvous area as “a great place to cut your teeth.”

Childs says that she was “part of an era of transformation” in backcountry skiing and has witnessed the evolution of gear from “hand-me-down 10th Mountain Division gear” to today’s AT setup.

Childs started cross-country skiing while at college in Bellingham during the mid-1970s, using lightweight gear similar to today’s track skis. Later she fell in love with telemark skiing, but switched to randonnée gear five or six years ago when the Dynafit binding became lighter than the telemark setup.

Last January 2011, Winthrop Mountain Sports co-sponsored a Women’s Alpine Tour-ing Camp in conjunction with North Cascades Mountain Guides, and Kenny says she hopes to be able to offer more like it.

No such camp is in the works for this winter, but North Cascades Mountain Guides owner Larry Goldie says that small groups of women can always hire a female guide for custom instruction.

Amy Stork and Kristen Klein are Twisp River housemates who both took the Wom-en’s Alpine Touring Camp in 2011.

“I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of going into the mountains in winter,” says Stork, and despite being a high-intermediate downhill skier, says that getting started in backcountry skiing was more intimidating for her than any other sport.

“The course was a great introduction to backcountry skiing for me, and a good confidence builder,” Stork says.

Stork grew up in Vermont and started skiing there when she was young. Although she normally likes to be self-directed in her pursuit of outdoor sports, “with backcoun-try skiing I realized I couldn’t really be self

taught,” Stork admits, adding, “I don’t know how I would have learned the skills without the clinic.”

The three-day course covered alpine skiing technique at Loup Loup Ski Bowl, avalanche theory and rescue practice with beacons, and a day of skiing in the Cut-throat Basin with a ride up and back in the snow cat.

“A great outcome of the clinic was bonding with other women interested in backcountry skiing,” Stork says. “We had plenty of time to talk in the snow cat,” she adds, laughing.

Klein got her start skiing later in life, when she was attending college in Colorado. “I was jealous of my classmates who grew up on skis; it all seemed so much easier for them,” Klein says.

When she moved to the Methow three years ago, Klein became aware that a lot of people were backcountry skiing around here, but for her she felt there were a lot of barriers to trying it.

“I had no concept of what you had to do to ski in the backcountry,” Klein says.

The women’s clinic was especially use-ful for her because she felt less intimidated about approaching the female guides, Klein says. “We had some really knowledgeable teachers; I really trusted them.”

At the Loup she learned – among other skills – “survival skiing techniques ... for those times when you just have to get down the mountain,” Klein says. She also learned techniques for efficient skinning (using climb-ing skins on the bottoms of her skis) on the day at Cutthroat: how to go the maximum distance without expending so much energy; and how to adjust bindings for climbing.

Edelweiss resident Mary Kiesau started skiing 10 years ago when she moved to the Pacific Northwest from North Carolina. She progressed quickly from her first season at Stevens Pass to attending a women’s “Rippin’ Chix” steep ski camp last year in Aspen.

Surprisingly, Kiesau says, she was “one of only a couple women out of 20 at the camp who backcountry ski.”

To approach her favorite ski routes high above the Methow Valley, Kiesau rides double on her partner’s snowmobile. While the snowmobile is a necessary vehicle for getting beyond the snowplow turnaround, Kiesau says she has a love/hate relation-ship with it.

“Snowmobiles are an issue for women. They are big, burly things, easy to get stuck and hard to turn around,” Kiesau says.

As the sport gains popularity, Kiesau says fellow backcountry skiers are concerned about the dangers of too many people ac-cessing avalanche-prone areas. She stresses the need for smaller groups, knowledge of avalanche safety, and “always being aware of how you are doing and how your friends are doing.” T

Photo courtesy of Amy Stork

Amy Stork skins up Delancey Ridge.

methownet.com

www.methowgrist.comcommunity journal for the methow valley

homepage for the methow valley

internet servicewebsite design & hosting


s the say-ing goes, “ s a f e t y n e v e r takes a holiday” and noth-

ing ruins a holiday more than a winter emergency.

Cindy Button, executive director of Aero Methow Rescue, says the No. 1 winter safety concern in the Methow Valley is vehicle accidents that occur when people are unfa-miliar with adverse weather conditions. This is closely followed by people being unprepared for an emergency and being poorly dressed for the winter conditions.

By following a few simple safety precautions you can avoid winter emergencies and enjoy a memorable winter vacation.

Always check the weath-er conditions before heading outside. If a storm is ap-proaching, wait until it passes and the roads are clear. You can check weather and road conditions on the Washington State Department of Trans-portation website, www.wsdot.wa.gov.

Drive slower than normal on winter roads and allow plenty of time to stop for wildlife, obstacles and other drivers. A collision with an adult deer can, at best, disable your vehicle and at worst, cause serious injury or death to yourself or passengers.

Use an empty parking lot to test the road conditions by practicing coming to a com-plete stop and responding to a vehicle slide. Take particular care on bridges, overpasses and shady spots in the road as these areas freeze before other surfaces.

Keep your vehicle pre-pared at all times for the unexpected. Top off your gas tank and keep it near full to prevent ice from forming in the tank and fuel lines. Avoid traveling alone and share your timetable and routes with a trusted friend or family

member.If your vehicle is disabled,

stay with the car. Attempting to walk for help in a winter storm can be a deadly decision if you become disorientated. The heavy exertion of trudg-ing through heavy snow can lead to hypothermia and death. Stay with the vehicle and make yourself visible to rescuers by turning on the hazard lights and tying a brightly colored cloth to your antenna.

After the snow stops fall-ing, raise the hood to indicate you need help. Follow this checklist each hour to stay safe:

• Run the motor for 10 minutes and turn on the heater.

• Turn on the dome light while running the engine to be more visible to rescue crews.

• Crack the windows to provide fresh air and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Stretch and move arms and legs vigorously to keep the blood flowing and to keep warm.

• Check that the exhaust

pipe is not blocked.Keep these basic win-

ter safety supplies in your vehicle:

• Sack of sand or cat litter for traction (in a pinch, floor mats also do the trick).

• Shovel, windshield scraper and brush.

• A gallon of water per person and high-energy, non-perishable food.

• Blankets/sleeping bags, and extra clothing to keep dry.

• Flashlight with extra batteries.

• First-aid kit.• Knife.• Small can and water-

proof matches to melt snow for drinking water.

• Tool kit, towrope, bat-tery booster cables.

• Road maps.• Mobile phone with

charger.Before heading into the

magnificent backcountry of the North Cascades, always check the avalanche report at the Northwest Avalanche Center, www.nwac.us. Ava-lanches are triggered by a rapid accumulation of snow, so be particularly cautious

during the first 24 hours after a big storm and stay clear of slopes greater than 45 degrees. If you are planning on spending some time in the backcountry, it is a good idea to take an avalanche aware-ness and safety course. These are offered by the North Cascades Mountain Guide Service.

Once you’ve taken an avalanche safety course and checked the weather, there are still a few more vital items to mark off your checklist before starting your winter adventure: the 10 essentials and proper clothing. Always carry the 10 essentials, no matter how short the out-ing. These can easily fit into a backpack:

• Flashlight with extra batteries.

• Sunscreen.• Matches and fire starter

– a good cheap firestarter is cotton balls rubbed with Vaseline.

• A cover that can serve as a windbreak – a space blanket, insulated pad, or tarp are all good covers.

• Hat, gloves, warm clothes – pack several pairs of

gloves and socks so you have a spare dry layer to avoid frostbite and hypothermia.

• Water and high-energy protein snacks.

• Map with topographi-cal features and a compass.

• Signal light and mir-ror.

• Satellite phone or mo-bile phone.

• First aid kit with ban-dage materials, aspirin, duct tape, Ziploc bag and safety pin.

Even if you think you are not going to need it, dress for the weather. Button commented on the number of rescues they’ve done where people experienced serious injury because they were improperly dressed in cotton clothing such as jeans and sweatshirts.

Cotton does not insulate and when wet, it stays wet – causing hypothermia and frostbite. Avoid cotton and wear several layers of loose, lightweight warm clothes with a tightly woven water repellent outer garment.

Wool and polar fleece work very well because they wick moisture away from the body. The multiple layers trap insulated air which warms easily and you can remove layers to avoid perspiration and body chill. Always wear a hat and gloves to keep your extremities warm.

The most important piece of advice Button gives is this: “Tell people where you are going to go and the route you are going to take. Try to be prepared so you don’t get hurt and you can survive for a few days until rescue crews find you.”

This winter season, avoid serious injury by taking a few precautions: Drive safely, be prepared, and dress warmly. And although safety may never take a holiday, keep yours enjoyable and memo-rable by preparing for the worst, so you can experience the best the Methow has to offer for years to come. T

Photo by Aristides Pappidas

Know where you are going in the winter, and be prepared for all kinds of winter driving conditions.


his is written not for those with single-l e n s re f l e x cameras, nor for those who record images on their tele-

phones. However, what follows may have beneficial tips for both, although to be

honest, I don’t know beans about pitcher-takin’ phones. Still, certain basics apply for all of you.

Most cameras in use today are digital point-and-shoot devices. They range from no frills to some degree of complexity in terms of of-fering a choice of settings for different shooting situations.

The latter is usually initi-ated with a dial, or in some cases referring to the “menu” control and choosing which “mode” you desire. If it has a “snow” setting, try it and then what will follow below and see which works best.

Regardless of what in-strument you use, there are a few things that should be

done before heading out into the frigid snow country. Things to take that I con-sider a must are: a half-dozen chemical hand warmers, a clean and unused sheet of blue shop towel, extra batter-ies, a packaged new memory card, a neck strap (can be just a loop of thin rope to hang around you neck) if the cam-

era only has the hand-loop, a small purse, carrying case or a case that fits the camera, a clean, clear plastic bag or two, a couple of thick socks – wool or fleece – and a small waterproof insulated pad to sit or kneel upon.

The hand warmers live

Dynafit Photo

SKIS – POLES –

WAXES – BOOTS – We custom fit skis using our Slegar ski tester.

When it comes to xc ski gear...we’ve got the Methow Valley covered!


Photo by Bob Spiwak

Although Spiwak doesn’t mention it, good winter photography begins by picking awesome subject matter.

up to their name. Put them in a jacket pocket because odds are you will not be able to operate the on-off or zoom switches on the camera with mittens or gloves on. If there is no immediacy to what you are shooting, wrap your hands around the heat pad a few moments. Hopefully, you have remembered to unwrap and knead the pad to activate.

Wherever you are con-taining your spare batteries, drop another heating pad in with those, probably in a pocket. Batteries are the first to succumb to cold so keep them warm with a bare heater. Don’t use the naked pad against your camera – if the camera gets too warm condensation will form on the lens and if really cold it may well freeze the operating controls.

That is where the thick socks come in: Put a heat pad or two therein and in whatever you are using to transport the camera – a bag or a pocket. This will moder-ate any heat transferred and still keep ambient cold from locking up the camera. This will leave you with an extra heater or two for whatever

purpose. They work reliably for six to eight hours.

If you have taken snowy pictures that come out blue or blah, it has to do with the camera’s inability to adjust for nuances that the eye can discern.

The snow will turn out blue because if set on au-tomatic, as most are, it will underexpose the snow. To compensate for this, gently lay the blue towel on the snow or have a companion hold it out. Fill the frame of the camera with the blue and, the next is most important, gently push the shutter down about halfway. If it clicks, you went too far. This will “read” the exposure.

Without lifting your magic finger, frame the object(s) you are shooting and press down the shutter the rest of the way. If you are lucky enough to have a blue-sky day, pointing it at the sky will work. What you are doing is deliberately overexposing.

If you are conversant with depth of field, you’ll know that by close focusing and metering, things in the distance will not be in sharp focus. Here you can move

back before making the ex-posure, or substitute a dark object for the towel and take your metering off this before capturing your subject by pressing the shutter the rest of the way down. Or if you want, say, a tree trunk in the snow, have half of each in the frame when you press the shutter halfway. Press, don’t push. Ideally, educate your trigger finger before going into the snow.

When your outing is over, before entering a warm room, take the camera and wrap it in the clear plastic bag. Place it in a warm, not hot, area. Otherwise, conden-sation will form on and in the camera, with the probability of it having a lock-up seizure when it next feels the cold.

A final thought: While you don’t expect yourself or camera to face plant in the snow, stuff happens. Deal with your face as you wish but for the camera, carefully dab – not rub – the lens with a dry area of the blue towel, or bring an extra for that possibility. Keep it out of lint-laden pockets.

You should end up with better pictures than before. Good luck. T


h winter. S i l e n c e a n d snow, a warm fire to snug-gle up to.

But the outdoors beckons. You’re tired of skiing (or you don’t) and visions of Nanook of the North, Jack London tales, yelping sled dogs come to mind. Snowshoeing will satisfy your growing frustra-tion. What better place than the Methow?

If you have never done it, it’s easier than it looks, especially with today’s high-tech, lightweight, easy bind-ing models. If you have done it you are no doubt familiar with the various models, and if you don’t have your own they are available for rent here in the valley.

As the sport becomes more popular, more places have become available with groomed trails and marked routes. The Sun Mountain area has at least half a dozen

snowshoe trails available, all groomed. One follows Patter-son Lake, then loops back.

The Big Valley trail midway between Winthrop and Mazama has miles of trail, some of which is along the Methow River. Pearry-gin Lake State Park will be inaugurating its new trail this winter, says head ranger Rick Lewis, with parking at the entrance kiosk.

You will need a Discover Pass to park or access any state land, other than pub-lic fishing areas, for which either the above pass or a fishing license and accom-panying parking permit is hung from your vehicle mirror.

There are trails in the Freestone Inn area off Highway 20 west of Maza-ma. These are snowshoe-groomed by Eric Burr and volunteers. Then there are the ungroomed, less popu-lated, quieter tracks you pick for yourself and your dog. Be sure to check ahead

about dogs being allowed on any groomed trail: Big Valley is a definite yes. Pick up all souvenirs the canines deposit – there should be plastic picker-upper gloves available at the trailheads.

There are those, I happen to be one, who want to be alone or with a companion or two in the woods. If there is some kind of emergency on the popular trails, help can-not be far away. For remote area wanderers, extra care needs to be taken for your well being. I feel all hikers, skiers and especially snow-shoe people be equipped with what are known as “The Ten Essentials.”

The basic list includes a map, compass, sun protection (including sunglasses), extra clothing especially if there is a chance of rain, headlamp or flashlight, first aid stuff, firestarter (“Strike-a-fire” is excellent and available at Hank’s Harvest Foods),

Photo by Bob Spiwak

Advances in snowshoe technology have made the activity much more accessible.


he Methow Valley wel-comes winter with fireworks and bids good-bye to dark days by filling

the sky with bright hot air balloons. In between, plenty of arts, music and snow-sport events keep both locals and visitors entertained.

On Thanksgiving week-end – Nov. 25-26 – Winthrop’s Christmas at the End of the Road festivities kick off the holiday season. Santa arrives, stores decorate and give priz-es, and the town lights up in a three-decade tradition.

Saturday night’s fire-works extravaganza above downtown (at 6 p.m.) expand-ed the celebration a few years back and has become “the

biggest winter show this side of the mountains,” according to organizer Doug Mohre. Friday’s festival warm-up includes storytelling and a hot-air balloon nightglow.

Santa makes a spectacu-lar downtown entrance near Town Hall on Saturday at noon. Kids of all ages may follow the Jolly Old Elf via horse-drawn wagon to the Winthrop Barn for afternoon visits, photos and crafts. The Barn reopens at 7 p.m. for a Cowboy Christmas Show organized by Lauralee North-cott of Horse Crazy fame.

Those athletically in-clined may opt to “freeze their buns” in an afternoon fun run from downtown through the Heckendorn neighborhood.

Early December’s real winter countdown offers

wooden matches in a water-proof case, a knife, a good whistle and emergency rations.

All this will barely make a bulge in a small daypack. A waterproof ny-lon tarp will make the bulge barely bigger. There are a few “kits in a can” around, but it will be cheaper if you get the items separately and organize your own kit.

A tiny alcohol stove is in my kit, a compact flask to carry denatured alcohol. Don’t drink that stuff, it is poison. Also, be aware that burning alcohol is invisible. It will heat water for tea or coffee.

You know all about clothing yourself in layers, right? Just like hiking only more so. It won’t take long before you work up a sweat even in sub-zero tempera-tures. Shed layers until you are chilled, then gradually add them back.

Another handy item is a fairly large square of pad-ded foam rubber. It makes a waterproof place to sit or

sort through your daypack or pockets.

I recommend the lon-gest ski pole (or two) with the basket removed to take along. It will be useful for knocking snow off over-hanging branches as you progress, enable you to test the depth of the snow, espe-cially where there are water crossings, give you some-thing to test the trail ahead if there is a suspicious mound across the trail (or non-trail) that could be a fallen tree or dead deer. And if a branch or limb is covered in snow, you’ll be alerted to it and possibly be able to flick or pry it out of the way.

Tripping over hidden branches is probably the greatest hazard. If you fall, plant that pole down to a solid surface between your thighs and then climb hand-over-hand as you get your snowshoes back under your body.

A couple of f inal thoughts for your enjoy-ment and, more important-ly, your safety. Tell someone

where you are going and when you expect to return; accidents and medical prob-lems do happen. Every so often along the way tie a long strand of red surveyor tape at head height on a tree or bush. If it is snowing when you leave, your back trail may be covered when you return. It has happened to me and bushwhacking on snowshoes is no fun. Take down the ribbons as you proceed homeward.

If you are hopelessly lost, stay put, blow the whistle at short intervals, and keep warm as you can. The survey tape can help guide your rescuers.

I have been out on the webs every winter for the past 67 years, and while my body complains more with each annum, snow time is a time to revel, and snowshoeing is the best of what it has to offer. If you’re new to it, stay on the groomed trails. If you are an old geezer I just may meet you somewhere in the forest. T

Common Sense Custom Homes, Inc.


locals and visitors holiday bazaars – at the Community Center in Twisp on Dec. 3, and at the Winthrop Barn on Dec. 10. Also watch for live performances such the “high-energy acrobatic/comedy” NANDA troupe imported by Methow Arts Alliance to the Community Center.

Cascadia’s Holiday Concert – Dec. 13 and 14 – highlights the pre-holiday quiet rush. This mostly local best-kept secret, celebrat-ing its 25-year anniversary, would provide anyone joining the Methow audience with a huge dose of seasonal spirit. A Cascadia Chorale of some 40 singers, plus a 25-member Pipestone Orchestra – all volunteers – offer an “unbelievably rich, impressive gift,” according to this-year’s co-director Dana Stromberger. She joins long-time director Susanne Johnson in her farewell appearance in this free Twisp Community Center event.

Musical selections range from classical to spiritual. Orchestra conductor Terry Hunt notes musicians come from around Okanogan County to provide “a big sound.” The finale: “a rousing rendition” of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.

Worth noting for Dec. 25: Most valley res-taurants close on Christmas Day, so Methow Valley Snowmobile Club provides free holiday dinner at the Community Center in Twisp, from noon to 2 p.m. Donations benefit the Senior Center.

January brings serious snow and winter sports events – including the Methow Pursuit on Jan. 21-22. Methow Valley Sport Trails Association spokesman Mike Pruett says this cross-country ski race showcases the association’s winter happenings. Saturday’s 15K run from the Winthrop Trailhead, fol-lowed by Sunday’s 30K competition, attract serious X-C competitors and regular citizen skiers (“most of us”) from all over the North-west, Canada and here at home.

Striders and skaters may do either or both segments. But the second-day event – from Mazama to Winthrop –mainly features skate-style skiers “pursuing themselves” based on qualifying positions established

the previous day.“This is a big draw. It’s the one day each

year the entire 30K (of this route) gets groomed. Skiers can enjoy the view all the way,” notes Pruett, adding that spectators can gather at several spots to cheer on the skiers.

The Groundhog Day (Feb. 2) “hunt for Wilbur the Whistle Pig” hints that late winter events could indicate folks are getting a bit crazier as dark days roll on. It seems Wilbur is really a mythical marmot pursued along the Community Trail by X-C skiers attempting to foretell a change of seasons. A recent real sighting prompted the sport which has drawn Seattle TV coverage.

Presidents Day weekend (Feb. 18-20) produces a plethora of such activity: softball players don snowshoes; canines join human skiers in the Nordic Club’s Doggy Dash; snowmobilers run for prizes in the local club’s bucket run out of Goat Creek Snopark.

Costumed coed softball teams come from “the coast” for the Saturday-Sunday Snowshoe Softball tournament – a Winthrop tradition for perhaps a quarter-century. Mike Clayton at Three Fingered Jack’s – a 15-year veteran of staging this unique event at the town ballfield – notes, “we change a few rules to keep things moving.” That’s in the interest of avoiding darkness and sometimes below-zero weather. These days no local team has stepped up to the plate to challenge the eight out-of-town groups.

Things and people are looking up when Winthrop’s annual Balloon Roundup arrives March 2-4. Some 20 hot air craft of all shapes, sizes and colors from around the Northwest are expected to rise above the scenic, still snow-covered valley. Spokesman Kurt Oakley of Morning Glory Balloons notes this rally of more than 15 years is “getting discovered” in balloon circles. Watch daily lift-offs from behind Winthrop Inn or contact Oakely about potential ride-alongs.

This arrival of March events means spring is not far behind – probably. T

Photo by Mike Maltais

The Doggy Dash challenges the coordi-nation of dog and master alike.

Photo by Laurelle Walsh

The Balloon Roundup in March signals that winter is almost over.


hen winter be-gins showing itself, the val-ley’s hospital-ity industry – lodges, re-sorts, motels,

restaurants and stores – inevitably slows down. Until it gets intense.

For many local operators, that happens around holidays and other special events. Others create their own winter offerings to keep visitors engaged – in some cases after taking a break before the skiing/snowshoe-ing/snowmobiling/skating season begins.

Following is a by-no-means-com-plete look at some of what’s going on over the next couple of months. Things may change, so check with the individual businesses to verify events, dates and times.

Sun Mountain Lodge comes back from its annual fall closure (Oct. 23-Dec. 7 this year) with holiday-re-lated events including visits by Santa, cookie decorating, and an appearance by the Cascadia Choir in the soar-ing main lobby – all leading up to a special Christmas Dinner with entree selections including Big Valley Ranch beef short ribs, Ellensburg lamb and Crown S Ranch chicken.

Other activities include sleigh rides and sleigh ride dinners (Dec.17-31), daily children’s programs, wine tastings, and free musical perfor-mances by local artists Terry Hunt, Molly Filer, Tara Kaiyala Weaver and Lynette Westendorf.

The lodge rings in 2012 with a New Year’s Eve dinner and New Year’s Day buffet breakfast. For in-formation about all Sun Mountain

events, visit the website: www.sun-mountainlodge.com.

The Methow Valley Inn in Twisp is offering a country Thanksgiving din-ner, featuring chef Jon Brown from the Arrowleaf Bistro in Winthrop. Seating begins at 4 p.m.

The inn also will host its Mon-day Night Supper Club every other Wednesday through the winter, with themed meals also prepared by

Brown. Reservations are required. For complete information, see the website, www.mvinn.com.

Out at the North Cascades Base-camp on Lost River Road west of Mazama, the Thursday night gather-ings continue – seasonally adjusted to feature soup rather than desserts. Soup nights begin at 5:30 p.m. starting on Dec. 15, and feature a wide variety

of guest speakers on outdoor and nature-related topics. For complete information, see the website, www.NorthCascadesBasecamp.com.

Nearby, Mazama Country Inn offers two seatings on Thanksgiving Day – at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. – for a traditional family-style dinner with all the fixings. Off-season lodging rates are also in effect. Reservations are required: call 800-843-7951, or go

to the website: www.mazamacountry inn.com.

Wesola Polana Diner on Highway 20 west of Winthrop has scaled back to its winter hours but will still offer its renowned paella one more time this year, on Dec. 15. For more information, visit www.wesolapolana.com.

At the Old Schoolhouse Brewery in Winthrop, the holiday celebra-

tions will include bringing the new brewhouse online, greatly expanding the brewery’s capacity. The pub and restaurant will also continue to offer a lineup of performers on Friday and Saturday nights scheduled all the way through February– with no cover charge for any of them. Go to www.oldschoolhousebrewery.com for complete information.

The Twisp River Pub’s annual New Year’s Eve bash will include a live dance band and dinner specials. For updates on other events, see www.methowbrewing.com.

Wine tastings will continue on Saturday afternoons throughout the winter at the Glover Street Market in Twisp. Go to www.gloverstreetmarket.com.

The Lost River Winery in Win-throp will switch to its winter sched-ule, open on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays for sales and tastings. See www.lostriverwinery.com.

The Arrowleaf Bistro in Winthrop brings back Wine Bar Wednesdays, with no cover charge. And the 2011-12 Supper Club season is already under way in conjunction with the Methow Valley Inn. For more information, see www.arrowleafbistro.com.

Other venues to check out include the Freestone Inn, www.freestoneinn.com; Mazama Ranch House, www.mazamaranchhouse.com; Tappi restaurant, www.tappitwisp.com; and the River Run Inn, www.riverrun-inn.com.

For a comprehensive look at all the valley’s winter activities, see our calendar on pages 32-33, and look for additional information in several of the Methow Winter 2011-12 stories. T


Santa will bring his hospitality to Sun Mountain during Christmas.


Photo by Marcy Stamper

Photo by Sue Misao

Photo by Sue Misao

Photo by Sue Misao

Photo by Sue Misao

NOVEMBER16: MEET THE ARTISTS: Four Twisp-Works Artists in Residence discuss their creative processes at MV Inn, Twisp. Appetiz-ers and no-host beverages. $15. 997-3300. 5-7:30pm17: MEETING & DESIGN DEMO: Leslie Strand demonstrates graphic design program (5:30-6pm), followed by artists’ meeting to exchange ideas/info (6-8pm) at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp. 997-2787.18: SIP & SHOP: Festive holiday shopping at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp, with music, artist demonstration and refreshments. 997-2787. 3-7pm18: SPINNERS & WEAVERS: Show and sale at 137 OldTwisp Highway (between Twisp and Winthrop). Info 997-5666. 9am-2:30pm18: FOLK & BLUES: Paul Benoit performs at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm19: CHRISTMAS BAZAAR: Arts and crafts for sale in the MV Community Center gym, Twisp. 997-2926. 9am-3pm19: SPINNERS & WEAVERS: Show and sale at the Guild, 137 OldTwisp Highway (between Twisp and Winthrop). 997-5666. 2-6:30pm19: CINDERELLA: Missoula Children’s Theatre presents Cinderella with local stu-dents at MV Elementary School. 997-4004. $5-$8. 3pm & 7pm19: FOLK & SOUL: The Wicks perform at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm19: CELTIC TRIO: Contemporary Celtic music in the Omak Performing Arts Center. $10-$15. 7pm25: STORYTELLING: Children welcome at Trail’s End Bookstore, Winthrop. 996-2345. 3pm25: SIP & SHOP: Festive holiday shopping at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp, with music, art-ist demonstrations and refreshments. 997-2787. 3-7pm25: NIGHT GLOW: Lit up hot-air balloons in downtown Winthrop. 5pm26: SANTA CLAUS: Fun run, art, cookie decorating, hot dogs, pictures with Santa and more at the Winthrop Barn. Noon26: FIREWORKS: In downtown Winthrop. 6pm26: COWBOY CHRISTMAS SHOW: With Lauralee Northcott in the Winthrop Barn. $5. 7pm

DECEMBER2: SIP & SHOP: Festive holiday shopping at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp, with music, artist demonstration and refreshments. 997-2787. 3-7pm 3: CHRISTMAS BAZAAR: Arts and crafts for sale in the MV Community Center gym, Twisp. 997-2926. 9am-3pm3: SNOW GLOBES: Make snow globes at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp. All ages. $15+. 997-2787. 10am-1pm3: BLACK TIE PARTY: Holiday party with music, martini bar and elegant models in wear-able art at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp. All ages. $20-$35. 997-2787. 7-9:30pm6: NW PHOTOGRAPHY: Methow Con-servancy holiday social and First Tuesday program with photographer John Scurlock at Twisp River Pub. 996-2870. 7-8:30pm9: SIP & SHOP: Festive holiday shopping at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp, with music, artist demonstration and refreshments. 997-2787. 3-7pm9 & 10: ACOUSTIC SOUL: RL Heyer per-forms at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Win-throp. Free. 996-3183. 7pm10: PAPIER MÂCHÉ: Two-day beading and jewelry class at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp. All ages. $30. 997-2787. 10am-1pm10: COOKIES & SANTA: Visit Santa and

decorate cookies at Sun Mountain Lodge, Win-throp. 996-2211. 1pm10: NANDA: Rock’n’roll circus ninja dance comedy action on stage at the MV Community Center, Twisp. 997-4004. 7pm11: FELTING: Make winter wear from sheep’s wool with Lynx Vilden at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp. $65. 997-2787. 11am-4pm13 & 14: CHRISTMAS CONCERT: Cho-rale and orchestra holiday extravaganza in the MV Community Center, Twisp. Free/donations. 7pm15: PIKAS AND GLOBAL WARMING: Soup and program at North Cascades Base-camp, Mazama. $5. 996-2334. 5:30pm16: SIP & SHOP: Holiday shopping at Con-fl uence Gallery, Twisp, with music, artist dem-onstration and refreshments. 997-2787. 3-7pm16: HOLIDAY MUSICAL: “A Celebration of Winter” musical performance by MV Com-munity School students at the Winthrop Barn. Free. 996-4447. 5:30pm17: COFFEE CUPPING: “Brewing Meth-ods” from French press to electric drip and more at Blue Star Coffee Roasters, Twisp. Free. 997-2583. 11am20: COOKIES & SANTA: Visit Santa and decorate cookies at Sun Mountain Lodge, Win-throp. 996-2211. 2pm22: SOLSTICE: Drumming and Solstice celebration at North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama. $5. 996-2334. 5:30pm22: CASCADIA CHOIR: Performance at Sun Mountain Lodge main lobby, Winthrop. 996-2211. 7-8pm23: SIP & SHOP: Festive holiday shopping at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp, with music, artist demonstration and refreshments. 997-2787. 3-7pm24: SANTA CLAUS: Breakfast with Santa (9-10am), cookie decorating (1pm) and Santa reads The Night Before Christmas (2pm) at Sun Mountain Lodge, Winthrop. Free. 996-2211.25: CHRISTMAS DINNER: Traditional Christmas dinner at the MV Senior Center, Twisp. Free. Info 996-2220. Noon-2pm27: MUSIC: Terry Hunt and music students perform at Sun Mountain Lodge, Winthrop. 996-2211. Free. 7-8pm28: LOPPET TOUR: Non-competitive Lop-pet-style tour of Mazama trails. $3-$15. 996-3287. 10:30am28: TRY BIATHLON: Nordic skiing and target shooting for beginners (ages 9+) at the Mazama Biathlon Range. $20. 996-3159. 11am-1pm 28: FLUTE: Classical fl utist Molly Filer per-forms at Sun Mountain Lodge, Winthrop. 996-2211. Free. 7-8pm




29: FIRES OF 1910: Presentation by Bill Moody and soup dinner at North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama. $5. 996-2334. 5:30pm29: VIOLIN & PIANO: Lynette Westendorf & Tara Kaiyala Weaver perform at Sun Moun-tain Lodge, Winthrop. 996-2211. Free. 7-8pm30: SIP & SHOP: Holiday shopping at Con-fl uence Gallery, Twisp, with music, artists and refreshments. 997-2787. 3-7pm31: SKI RODEO: Family-friendly ski rodeo on the Mazama ski trails and Community Center. $8-$15. 996-3287.31: BLUES: NYE with Vaughn Jensen Band at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 9pm

JANUARY1: NEW YEAR’S BIATHLON: Cross-coun-try skiing and rifl e marksmanship (ages 9+) $15-$25. 996-3159.6: SIP & SHOP: Holiday shopping at Con-fl uence Gallery, Twisp, with music, artist demonstration and refreshments. 997-2787. 3-7pm6: WILDLIFE TRACKING: Program and soup dinner at North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama. $5. 996-2334. 5:30pm6 & 7: COUNTRY PUNK: Kendl and Joe of the Blackberry Bushes perform at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm7: ARTISTS’ RECEPTION: “Inspired by the Methow” artists interpret the Methow Val-ley at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp. 997-2787. 4-8pm13: FOLK ROCK: Rivertown Ramblers per-form at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Win-throp. Free. 996-3183. 7pm14: COFFEE CUPPING: “Degree of Roast” on the science and art of roasting at Blue Star Coffee Roasters, Twisp. Free. 997-2583. 11am14: TRY BIATHLON: Nordic skiing and target shooting for beginners at the Mazama Biathlon Range. $20. 996-3159. 11am-1pm 14: ASIAN COOKING: Learn to make pork and shrimp gyoza (potstickers) with Jean Wilson at Local 98856. $25. 997-0978. 11:30-1pm14 & 15: ACOUSTIC ROCK: Andrew Vait performs at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm20: FOLK MUSIC: Clothier and Gilmore perform at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm21-22: MV PURSUIT: Ski races on the Mazama ski trails and Community Trail. $35-$65 (register by 1/15). 996-3287.

21-22: BIATHLON RACE: For ages 9+ at Liberty Bell High School biathlon range and Sean McCabe Memorial ski trails. $15-$45. 996-3159.27: LIBRARY: Open house and volunteer appreciation at the Twisp Library. 997-4681. 5-7pm27 & 28: ROCK’N’ROLL: Whiskey Syndi-cate performs at the Old Schoolhouse Brew-ery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm29: GLASSBLOWING: Class with Garth Mudge at Glass Works, Winthrop. $120. 997-2787. 10am-4pm30: CONSERVATION COURSE: Eight-week course “The Ecological History of the Methow Valley from the Cascades to the Columbia” begins at Twisp River Pub. $125-$150. 996-2870. 6-8pm

FEBRUARY2: GROUNDHOG DAY: Ski with local natu-ralist in search of Wilbur the groundhog. Meet at the Winthrop town trailhead. Free. 996-3287. 9-11:30am2: OWLS: Program and soup dinner at North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama. $5. 996-2334. 5:30pm7: TRIPOD FIRE: Methow Conservancy First Tuesday program “After the Fire – Five Years Post Tripod” at Twisp River Pub. Free. 996-2870. 7-8:30pm16: WINE TASTING & GEOLOGY: Pro-

gram and soup dinner at North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama. $5. 996-2334. 5:30pm17: JAZZ MANOUCHE: Lost Fingers per-forms a gypsy jazz tribute to 80s music at the Winthrop Barn. 997-4004. 7pm 18: TOUR OF THE METHOW: Ski the Methow Valley trails, with bus rides available. $10. 996-3287.18: COFFEE CUPPING: “Single Origin Coffees” explores the major coffee-grow-ing regions of the world at Blue Star Coffee Roasters, Twisp. Free. 997-2583. 11am18: ASIAN COOKING: Learn to make mixed sushi and scattered sushi with Jean Wilson at Local 98856. $25. 997-0978. 11:30-1pm18 & 19: AMERICANA: Spoonshine per-forms at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Win-throp. Free. 996-3183. 7pm19: DOGGY DASH: Costume ski race for humans and dogs at the Winthrop Town trail-head. 996-3287. 9:30am19: BUCKET RUN: MV Snowmobile Asso-ciation Bucket Run at Goat Creek Sno-park. 996-2220. 10am-noon19: ART RECEPTION: Dog and Cat photo contest reception at Winthrop Gallery. 996-3925. 11am-3pm19: WATERCOLOR: Workshop at North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama. RSVP 996-2334. 1-4pm25: TRY BIATHLON: Nordic skiing and target shooting for beginners (ages 9+) at the Mazama Biathlon Range. $20. 996-3159. 11am-1pm 25: ARTISTS’ RECEPTION: “Borders” exhibit explores the concept of borders as a subject to be celebrated or challenged. Con-fl uence Gallery, Twisp. 997-2787. 4-8pm25: SOUL & FOLK: The Wicks perform at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm

MARCH3: TRIATHLON: Bike, ski and run at Mazama Community Center trailhead. $5-$90 (register by 2/26). 996-3287.6: HISTORY: Methow Conservancy First Tuesday program “New Land – North of the Columbia” with Lorraine McConaghy of Seattle Museum of History and Industry, at Twisp River Pub. Free. 996-2870. 7-8:30pm17: A CAPPELLA ROCK: House Jacks performs funk rock to ballads at the Winthrop Barn. 997-4004. 7pm24: SILK SCARF PAINTING: Learn the art of silk scarf painting with Dan Brown at Confl uence Gallery, Twisp. $65. 997-2787. 8am-noon TPhoto by Sue Misao


Photo by Marcy Stamper

Architects & DesignersIntegrated Design Concepts ................ 9Johnston Architects .............................. 6

Antiques/ConsignmentRed Hen Trading Company................ 17

Automotive/GasolineKing’s Pacific Pride & Car Wash ..................................... 20 Twisp Chevron Sub Shop ................... 28

BakeriesBreadline Café ...................................... 13Cinnamon Twisp Bakery .................... 20 Rocking Horse Bakery ........................ 16

Builders & ContractorsCommon Sense Custom Homes ....... 28Doug Haase Excavating ..................... 15Ed Rogers ............................................... 8 Palm Construction .............................. 14 Stopwater Construction ..................... 17

Building SupplyAll Valley Insulation ........................... 20

Cafes/Dining/Espresso/SpiritsBlue Star Coffee Roasters ..................... 5 Breadline Café ..................................... 13Carlos1800 Mexican Grill & Cantina .... 35Cinnamon Twisp Bakery ............. ...... 20 East 20 Pizza......................................... 27Freestone Inn ............................ ........... 12Hank’s Harvest Foods ....................... 10Hometown Pizza ........................ ........ 21Lone Pine Fruit & Espresso................ 26Mazama Country Inn ......................... 10Mazama Store ........................................ 8Noca Coffee Bar ................................... 28Old Schoolhouse Brewery ........... ...... 12Rocking Horse Bakery ........................ 16

Cafes/Dining/Espresso/Spirits, cont. Sun Mountain Lodge ......................... 10Twisp Chevron Sub Shop ................... 28Twisp River Pub .................................... 2Winthrop Tipi Dinners ....................... 16

Clothing & Apparel RetailersMazama Store ........................................ 8Methow Cycle & Sport ......................... 2Rawson’s............................................... 13Red Hen Trading Co. .......................... 17Winthrop Mountain Sports ................ 25

Concrete ServicesCascade Concrete ....................... ........ 15Doug Haase Excavating ..................... 15

EntertainmentBreadline Café ............................ ......... 13Old Schoolhouse Brewery ........... ...... 12The Merc Playhouse Theater ....... ....... 8Twisp River Pub ............................ ....... 2

Event FacilitiesLoup Loup Ski Bowl ............................. 7Pipestone Canyon Ranch ................... 26Winthrop Barn Auditorium ............... 12

ExcavatorsDoug Haase Excavating............... ...... 15

Galleries/Arts EventsConfluence Gallery & Art Center ....... 8The Merc Playhouse Theater ............... 8

GrocersHank’s Harvest Foods ........................ 10Mazama Store ........................................ 8

Health/Medical FacilitiesThe Country Clinic ...................... ....... 21Methow Valley Family Practice ....... 27

Health/Medical Facilities, cont. Okanogan Douglas Dist. Hospital ........ 29Omak Clinic ......................................... 35

HeatingAlju Stove & Fireplace ........................ 12

InternetMethownet.com ..................... ............. 23

Laundromats/ShowersThe Washworks ................................... 22

LodgingBlue Spruce Motel ..................... ......... 29Brown’s Farm ....................................... 17Central Reservations ................... ....... 36Freestone Inn ............................. .......... 12Hotel Rio Vista ..................................... 20Mazama Country Inn .................. ...... 10Methow River Lodge & Cabins ............................................ 22Methow Valley Inn .............................. 14North Cascades Basecamp ................. 23River Run Inn ...................................... 21Skalitude ............................................... 22Sportsman Motel ................................. 15Sun Mountain Lodge .......................... 10Twisp River Inn ................................... 12Wolf Creek Cabins & Lodging .......... 28

Massage Practitioners Green Lotus Massage ......................... 22

OrganizationsConfluence Gallery & Art Center ....... 8Loup Loup Ski Education Foundation ........... ............................. 7Merc Playhouse Theater .............. ........ 8Methow Conservancy .................. ........ 7Methow Recycles ................... ............... 5Methow Valley Snowmobile Assoc. 14

Organizations, cont. Methow Valley Sport Trails Assoc .... 14Omak Chamber ....................................11City of Pateros .................................... 35Twisp Chamber ..................................... 3Winthrop Barn Auditorium ............... 12Winthrop Chamber .............................. 2

Real EstateBlue Sky Real Estate................... ........... 6Re/Max Valley Life ............................... 9

RecreationLoup Loup Ski Bowl ...................... ...... 7Methow Valley Ski School ........... ....... 4Methow Valley Snowmobile Assoc .. 14Methow Valley Sport Trails Assoc .... 14Morning Glory Balloon Tours.... ....... 15North Cascade Heli ..................... ....... 25

RecyclingMethow Recycles ................... ............... 5

Ski/Snowboard/Snowshoe Rental & Sales

Loup Loup Ski Bowl ............................. 7Methow Cycle & Sport ......................... 2Methow Valley Ski School ................... 4Winthrop Mountain Sports ................ 25

Snow RemovalCascade Concrete ....................... ........ 15Ed Rogers ............................................... 8Palm Construction................. .......... ...14

Spa ServicesNectar Skin Therapy ............................. 6Sun Mountain Lodge .......................... 10

Transportation & Delivery ServicesGabby Cabby ....................................... 27

Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Family Medicine, Obstetrics, Anticoagulation andWomen’s Health Care

Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Family Medicine, Obstetrics, Women’s Health Care andAnticoagulation

Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

and

The Omak Clinic

healthcaredirectory

North Valley Family Medicine

North Valley Family MedicineOroville

methow valley winter 2011/2012

Documents