Cross-country Ski - Echo Ridge

Echo Ridge upper trail head parking lot outside of Chelan at 9:00 am

A Sno Park Permit is not required.

An Echo Ridge trail pass is required and must be displayed.  $15.00 per day and may be purchased at the kiosk at the trail head. Cash is not recommended, the Forest Service prefers payment by check. 

No ski rentals available at the  Forest Service trailhead. 

Chains may be required for the drive up the well graded gravel road. 

The trip will be cancelled or rescheduled for inclement weather or the rare times the road is icy or snow is too deep to plow. 

My goal to have fun, get to know each other and be safe. 

My expectation is that the group stays and skis together for safety and inclusiveness. We may have faster and more moderate skiers but all are expected to stay together, meet at the bottom of any  long downhill runs and trail junctions. For this reason, skaters may not be accepted.  

My style is to assess the group's experience and desires at the trail head, then choose our route, depending upon trail conditions.  Leader Permission to register is required. 

This is not a Basic Ski Instructional Trip. Graduates from any Mountaineer Branch XC course may be accepted and experienced Intermediate skiers who have not earned a Mountaineer XC badge will be considered. See Instructions for Registration Notes below. Basically, I need to know you are in shape and experienced enough to ski green and blue routes for a day. Some of the routes are steep or long and require good downhill skills and control.

We will not ski challenging down hill sections if the trails are icy  or those trails are not groomed.

Depending  upon my Assistant Leader, we may split into two groups: moderate and faster. We will typically ski for several hours and return to the Yurt to warm up, have lunch and hot beverages (bring a  thermos in case we don't have time or no one else starts the woodstove). 

After lunch, we will go out again and participants can join us for a second loop, if desired.

For those interested in improving their skiing skills, I  can provide tips and instruction on how to improve your technique, stride and glide easier and hopefully go faster. Just ask if you are interested.  

My Assistant Leader and I will be staying Saturday night Chelan on Saturday at the Apple Inn - a basic hotel with a hot tub. For those skier who stay overnight, we can all arrange to meet for dinner at a local restaurant, if desired.