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Category Archives: Methow Trails

More Fun with Methow Trails

It was supposed to be Ski to the Sun, the 40 k marathon/relay race from Mazama to Sun Mountain but low snow on the valley floor forced the cancellation of the race. That didn’t stop the fun or keep folks from enjoying good ski conditions at Chickadee, Mazama and Rendezvous. I went to Chickadee and the Après party at the Methow Trails headquarters to get some photos.

I don’t know why but it seems that most events here in the Methow turn into costume/dance parties. This was no exception. At Chickadee, many skiers donned colorful outfits and the volunteers at the aid station were dressed in lots of spangly color and they had tunes going and they knew all the dance moves too. Rumor has it that there was whiskey at the Rendezvous. There was a DJ at the après party and raffles, food and beer too. And some dogs. Good times were had by all.

Morning Skiing

Sunday was a glorious day to be outside. I headed to the Methow Trails Community Trail and classic skied a few miles. Few others were out on the trail, maybe because the temperature was 9° F? It was incredibly beautiful – blue skies forever, powdery snow groomed to perfection, birds chirping their winter calls, and some white-tailed deer slowly walking the packed pathway. I crossed the suspension bridge and stopped in a (cold) warming hut to adjust my boots. The frosted windows framed a lovely view of the river.

Birds I heard, and saw, included Pileated Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Black-capped Chickadees, American Dipper (formerly known as a water ouzel) and Common Redpolls.

It was a fine morning.

Bluebird Day

It was a perfect sunny day with bluebird blue skies on the Methow Trails yesterday. The groomed trails are in good shape despite a lower than wished for snowpack. I’m glad we got out because today it is pea soup foggy conditions! A good day to stay inside.

The sun goes down early at Early Winters

A 30k Kind of Day

Yesterday a friend and I skied Methow Trails’ Community Trail from Mazama to the Town Trailhead in Winthrop – a distance of thirty kilometers or more than eighteen miles! For some people that’s not a long ways but it is for me. It was sunny and cold. Colder than I usually like to ski. My water bottles froze shut and had to be forced open. Brrrrr. My feet and fingers suffered some, but in the end I was refreshed and exhilarated.

The trail winds through the forest and across fields and along the river. It crosses the Methow River and several streams – Goat Creek, Wolf Creek, Spring Creek and some side channels. With all the cold weather we’ve had, the ice formations are fascinating. Cold weather also makes the skiing slower and more challenging and squeaky too! We did it in almost exactly four hours with one twenty minute break at a warming hut and several shorter breaks.

Ice on the Methow
Interesting patterns on Goat Creek.
View from the Suspension bridge
So incredibly bright!
A good day.

Big Valley Skiing

These images are from earlier this week when the girls and I went out to Big Valley to enjoy the newly-groomed ski trails. We returned yesterday with Ken for our annual Christmas ski and had more fun but I didn’t make any photos. It was similar but with more people out celebrating with their friends, families and dogs!

Big Valley is part of the Methow Trails system of over 200k of Nordic trails in the Methow. Skiing is free for people at Big Valley but dogs do need to have a trail pass.

Brand new tracks for classic skiers and corduroy for skate skiers.
The girls were happy to see their friends Trip and Bree at the trailhead too.
Watch out for snow dumping out of trees!
Winter Wonderland
Pretty poodles out enjoying the day.
Delightful skiing through the woods.
Bluebird skies
Luna
Sky wants me to throw the ball that Luna swiped from Bree and gave to Sky as an early Christmas present.
Almost back to the trailhead.