Beginner Snowshoe - Methow Valley Winter Trails

8:30 AM in Public Parking off of Twin Lakes Rd/White Ave just south of the Winthrop Ice and Sports Rink.

This trip is part of the "Celebrate Winter Trails in the Methow" Jan. 6 - 8, 2017 event. Visit the event listing for full details.

The primary objective of WTW is to introduce folks to outdoor winter sports. A secondary objective is to provide you with an opportunity to explore the scenic and historic Methow (MET-how) Valley.

Winthrop is located in Okanogan County, North Central Washington, a 240 mile, four-and-a-half hour drive from Puget Sound, with probably half of it on snow-covered roads. THESE ARE NOT DAY TRIPS. Plan on making a weekend of it, and if you don't have a camper or snow cave desires, book your lodging reservations ASAP. You can find available lodging here. For an idea of what WTW is like, see my article Snowshoeing in the Methow in the Winter 2017 edition of the Mountaineer magazine, beginning on page 21.

Sunday's trip will begin at the Sun Mountain Lodge west of Winthrop. The old Hough Homestead, which serves as the destination for Sun Mountain Lodge's summer Cowboy Breakfast and Dinner Trail Rides, also makes for a nice beginner snowshoe experience. Imagine what life was like here over 100 years ago! At only four total miles and 500' of elevation loss/gain, it's the perfect trip to get some fresh air and enjoy the view, while still leaving plenty of time for the drive home.

Starting from the Sun Mountain Lodge area, we'll head north on the Moose Trail to Black Bear, then follow Black Bear SW to the homestead. We'll return eastward on the Kraule Trail back to Sun Mountain Lodge. Please refer to the map.

Sun Mountain Lodge rents snowshoes and poles, and also sells the $5 Methow Trails One-Day Snowshoe Pass (required). Ski poles are recommended but not
required.

Not a yet member of The Mountaineers? Guests as well as members are invited to sign up in advance for this trip. You can either call the Mountaineers Member Services on 206-521-6001 or visit https://www.mountaineers.org/membership/join-the-mountaineers, click on "GUEST ADULT - JOIN" and follow the steps.

If you're new to The Mountaineers, please review our How-to on Carpooling.

Hope to see you there!