2016 KV Living - Q4

KITTITAS VALLEY

From the Cascades de e to the Columbia | Q4 2016

Custom saddles in Kittitas Valley pg. 8 $1.99

AROUND THE COUNTY HOMEMADE SALSA FALL HIKES

Publication of the Daily Record

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TABLE of

HOMEMADE RECIPES FOR A FAVORITE DIP

pg.

AROUND THE

County

WHAT’S COMING UP IN KITTITAS COUNTY

pg.

6

20

26

HIKES TO ANNETTE pg.

LAKE AND MEDRA PASS

pg.

JANNEMAN PIENAAR MAKES CUSTOM SADDLES IN THE KITT ITAS VALLEY

10

AROUND THE

County

H

ere are a few upcoming events in Kittitas County. For a full list, go to the Daily Record’s online calendar at dailyrecordnews.com.

Red Curtain Broadway Revue Nov. 17-20, McConnell Auditorium Central Washington Theatre Ensemble brings a selection of Broadway favorites to life in this popular fall tradition at CWU. www.cwu.edu/tickets

An afternoon and evening of jazz Dec. 3, CWU Music Building Concert Hall CWU music program jazz concerts be filled with jazz standards, new compositions and stellar performances.

Performances are at 4 and 7 p.m. An afternoon ticket also is valid at the evening show. www.cwu.edu/tickets 6 KV LIVING

The Central Theatre Ensemble brings the best of Broadway to Ellensburg in “The Red Curtain Broadway Revue.” The cast is seen during a rehearsal in 2015

CWU Symphony concert 4 p.m., Dec. 3, CWU Music Building Concert Hall The concert will feature concerto competition winner Zane Boothby, the world premiere of “Siren, blind” by professor of composition Martin Kennedy, and Rimsky-Korsakov’s epic symphonic suite, Scheherazade. www.cwu.edu/tickets

AROUND THE

County

The Gothard Sisters are performing Dec. 9 at CWU

Gothard Sisters holiday concert 7 p.m. Dec. 9, CWU Music Building Concert Hall The multi-instrumentalist

Celtic-influenced folk musicians, songwriters, and performers from the Pacific Northwest return to Ellensburg on Dec. 9.

The trio of sisters — Greta, Willow and Solana — specialize

in Irish dance and traditional Irish folk music, and their previous holiday concerts have proved popular with local audiences. www.cwu.edu/tickets

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AROUND THE

County

Rotary Park upgrades If you haven’t been to Rotary Park in Ellensburg this fall, you’re missing out on two big developments: a new off-leash dog area and a mountain bike skills park.

The dog park at Rotary Park features sections for large and sociable dogs and small and timid dogs with water fountains for both humans and dogs. It’s on the right when you enter the park.

A mountain biker makes his way through the new skills course at Rotary Park.

Riverfront Park. The fenced offleash area is at the tip of the The dog park — long in demand Carey Lakes pond. locally — quickly became a gathering place for canines and The mountain bike park opened their humans when it unofficially in mid-September at Rotary Park. The 2.3-acre course features opened in August. natural obstacles people would The city also opened a second find in nature like wood, rock, off-leash area at Irene Rinehart logs and dirt so people can

Sanders Family Christmas Dec. 9, 10, 11; Ellensburg United Methodist Church and Cle Elum Community Church Valley Musical Theatre’s 8 KV LIVING

“Sanders Family Christmas” is the sequel to “Smoke on the Mountain,” VMT’s summer show in 2008. Pastor Ogelthorpe, an enthusiastic minister, enlists the Sanders Family Singers in his effort to

practice their skills before taking them out on the trail. It isn’t designed for big jumps, but rather wheels-on-the-ground skills training.

The course is located on the left hand side when entering Rotary Park, and helmets are required for those under 16.

bring his tiny congregation into the modern the world.

The setting is the Christmas season in a poor Baptist church in the rural south in the 1940s. www.valleymusicaltheatre.com

LETTER FROM

The Editor

Labor Day marks a transition from summer to fall, but in Kittitas County the holiday weekend holds more significance. It’s probably the biggest weekend in the year for local residents, as thousands of visitors show up in town for the Ellensburg Rodeo, the Kittitas County Fair, the Dave Matthews concert at the Gorge and Coal Miner Days in the Upper County.

The weekend is jam packed with activity, and nearly everyone is involved in something, whether it’s the rodeo parade, the 4-H livestock auction, a heritage festival event in the Upper County or volunteering at the rodeo.

It’s a chance to catch up with neighbors, check out the exhibits and sample a corn dog or two.

By the time Tuesday rolls around, people are exhausted, exhilarated and ready for the start of school.

KITTITAS VALLEY

stories that come out of that weekend, and try follow up with people later when possible.

That’s why this month’s Kittitas Valley Living features a story about saddlemaker Janneman Pienaar, who has a studio and workshop in the Kittitas Valley. If you saw the guitar he created for the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame’s Guitars of Fame auction this summer, you won’t be surprised by the attention and detail that goes into each of his creations.

Elsewhere in this edition, writer Julia Moreno shares four serious salsa recipes — two red and two green. Her assessment of store-bought salsa is spot on: Nothing compares to salsa made fresh in your own kitchen. I can’t wait to try her avocado-green salsa crema.

October and November are good months for hiking in the Kittitas Valley because the heat, ticks and summer crowds have dissipated.

We’ll share two good hikes to explore before the snow flies — Medra Pass and Annette Lake.

Happy reading.

Q4, 2016

Editor: Joanna Markell Writers: Julia Moreno, Tony Buhr, Joanna Markell Photographers: Brian Myrick, Tony Buhr Designer: Matt Carstens Publication of the Daily Record 401 N. Main St. Ellensburg WA 98926 509-925-1414 To submit a story idea or upcoming event, email newsroom@kvnews.com.

For information about advertising, email: advertising@kvnews.com. www.dailyrecordnews.com

I enjoy the frenzy of the weekend, but I’m also glad it just happens once a year. Here at the Daily Record, we typically can’t get to all of the

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JANNEMAN PIENAAR MAKES CUSTOM SADDLES IN THE KITTITAS VALLEY

By JULIA MORENO | Photos by BRIAN MYRICK

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J

anneman Pienaar’s workshop is tucked into a house that looks out onto the Kittitas Valley. It is a fitting backdrop for someone who has dedicated his entire life to learning how to make a good saddle for horseback riders.

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Jannenman Pienaar works in his shop in September.

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A walk through his workspace is a glimpse into the creative process. To the left, scraps of material are in industrialsized racks. Long tables run the width of the workshop and well-used industrial sewing machines are lined up near the back. Assorted pieces of leather sit on top of workbenches.

Animal skins in a variety of deep, rich colors have fallen to the floor. He picks one up and folds it into what he says would make a nice women’s purse.

Saddles in different stages

ABOVE: A piece Jannenman Pienaar created for the WestStar roping event sits on display in his workshop in September.

LEFT: A knife featuring custom metal work including his name etched in the base of the blade.

Enhance your Landscape of completion rest on top of retrofitted barber chairs scattered around the workshop. Soft country music plays in the background.

Saddles are just one of his passions.

“I make a lot of things. I make custom boots, silver smithing, engraving, knives, bits and spurs for horses,” Pienaar said. “I just build things.”

Single words and phrases are scrawled in black Sharpie on the side of the garage door.

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Contact You can contact Janneman Pienaar via Facebook at Janneman Pienaar Custom Saddles or at jpsaddles@gmail. com and by phone: 306-481-6422.

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“You hear a lot of stuff,” he said about the words in different languages. “But that’s the stuff I try to live by.”

FROM SOUTH AFRICA Pienaar, 36, has lived in Ellensburg for six years and started making saddles in 2004.

Originally from Namibia, South Africa, he lived on a 300,000acre ranch with his two brothers.

He did a lot of welding as a kid and just knows “how to build stuff intuitively.” At the age of 19, he decided to come to the U.S. to learn how to be a farrier in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He didn’t know English at the time.

He picked up his trade after apprenticing under different saddle makers in Canada and at trade shows. He picked up other trades, too. He went to formal school in Texas to learn boot 14 KV LIVING

making and traveled to Kansas for engraving.

He learned about horse shoeing in California and Oklahoma.

“I was probably too cheap to buy saddles so I was like, ‘Ah I can make that,’ so I built one and I thought ‘now I need to improve on that,’” he explained.

“My trashcan is always full. It’s not that I’m really good at what I’m doing, I just fail more than other people are willing to try.”

He said he decided to move to Ellensburg because it’s a place that most closely matches his lifestyle and allows him to be close to his 6-year-old daughter, who lives with his ex-wife on the West Side.

Jannenman Pienaar works in his shop in September.

He’s already teaching her how to engrave leather, he says.

CREATING MASTERPIECES Pienaar has either built most of the machinery he uses in creating his work or he’s altered it for his own use. His shop is a converted garage and features three separate rooms that he uses to work on the various parts that go into his saddles. He uses a neighbor’s barn for welding and silver-smithing.

Guitars of Fame Community members might recognize Janneman Pienaar’s work from this year’s Ellensburg Rodeo Hall

of Fame Guitars of Fame auction. Pienaar crafted an “Ellensburg Blues” leather and silver-tooled guitar which was sponsored by Ken and Jill Bagwell that won the people’s choice and best guitar awards.

His work is spread out across his shop in a way that shows every step he has to go through to build his saddles or boots with different workstations. He spends around average of 130 hours on a saddle, depending on the client.

The front part of the shop is where he builds the “trees” for his saddles. Trees are the wooden base the leather folds around to form the shape of the saddles.

“I’m one of the few saddle makers that makes his own tree,” he said.

“I’m trying to sort of enhance the performance for both the horse and the rider. I couldn’t do that if I weren’t able to make my own trees.

It makes mine unique.”

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The second part of the shop is where he uses his collection of vintage machinery to sew the leather for his boots or saddles. All the machines are from different locations and times and have names like Kelley, Melissa and Anne.

One machine, named Big Bertha, is from 1956. Another is from 1920.

The one he uses for making boots was built in 1872. He said they’re superior to many newer machines.

For example, one machine, built in 1882, can sew a penny into a piece of leather.

The final step is the spot where

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Jannenman Pienaar’s tools rest in a custom wood block with a special message written below.

Because of the time and care he puts into each one, a Pienaar saddle costs about $4,000.

However, he sells a cheaper line of saddles he and his brother once made together. His brother passed away in a car accident but Pienaar continues to make their line of saddles and in memory of him he uses a Pienaar Bros. brand. He said those saddles are easier for him to make because the trees are all identical and made out of fiberglass so the process is more streamlined.

Pienaar Bros. long distance saddles only weigh 12 pounds and the western saddle can be as light as 28 pounds.

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Pienaar has studied horse anatomy to make sure the saddle will move well for both the horse and rider to ensure it will be comfortable.

“As far as understanding how the horse’s back works relative to what the rider’s doing and all that, I have a lot of knowledge on that,” he said. “I can help people achieve their goals.”

He said a lot of people come to him because their horses have sore backs and he knows how to fix that.

Since only a handful of companies make trees in the United States, a lot of saddles create the same problems for people when they ride. He said a person could solve those issues by modifying the tree.

“That’s hard to find. A lot of guys are good artisans or saddle makers,” he said. “But the functionality is not always there. I am passionate about that, creating a very functional but a good looking saddle but something that will also last a long time.” ■

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he tools the leather, which creates the custom designs. His tools are lined up on the shelf or sit in special spots, which allows him to easily grab the exact stamp he wants for a specific design. He uses a mallet-like tool to press the design into supple leather. He wets the leather first and then waits 24 hours before starting work.

Visit our website or follow us on Facebook to get updates on holiday menus specials and special dinners 1529618 KV LIVING 17

VOTED BEST BREAKFAST BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT Storied cafe serving American eats amid tin ceilings & wainscoting in a 1908 brick storefront.

Because everyone can use from time to time for their home improvements, we are here to help.

VOTED BEST CONTRACTOR Cedo Petrina (509) 929-3789

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VOTED BEST VETERINARIAN

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Dr. Fuller, voted best veterinarian, practices both large and small animal medicine with special interests in avian, exotic and wildlife medicine. Ellensburg Animal Hospital is the longest-serving (since 1951), most experienced (75 years of collective experience) and best equipped veterinary hospital in Kittitas County. Trusted by generations to provide compassionate, quality care for their pets, horses and livestock.

C.W. BARBERSHOP VOTED BEST BARBER SHOP

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DUSTY’S NURSERY VOTED BEST LANDSCAPER OR GARDENER

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NEW VIEW BLINDS & DRAPERIES VOTED BEST WINDOW COVERINGS New View Blinds and Draperies provides FREE in-home consultations, FREE perfect fit measuring, great design ideas, lifetime warranty, great service, and repairs for Kittitas County including: Ellensburg, Thorp, Cle Elum, Roslyn, Easton, Kittitas, Vantage, Ronald, Suncadia and Tumble Creek. All with low competitive prices!

VOTED BEST SANDWICH

Made from scratch, sandwiches, soups and pastries, fresh everyday.

Lunch specials, take n bake meals and much more.

LAU ARMSTRONG – UMPQUA BANK LAURIE VOTED BEST MORTGAGE LENDER VOT Myy business has been about earning your trust and helping you find the right home help loan right here in the Kittitas Valley. lauriearmstrong@umpquabank.com 509-899-1732 laur

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1008 Canyon Rd., Ellensburg • (509) 925-1200

NORTHWEST AUDIOLOGY VOTED BEST AUDIOLOGIST Northwest Audiology has been providing Kittitas County with the highest quality hearing health care for 21 years. We welcome Dr. Mila Nelson, AUD to our staff. Stop by and see us anytime or call for an appointment.

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Dusty’s Nursery and Company has been serving the valley for over 23 years, offering gardening expertise combined with unique plant stock, beautiful garden art and great customer service. Located in Ellensburg, Washington on historic Dominion Farm, the 111 year old renovated barn is a rustic shop stocked with artisan gifts for every occasion. Dusty’s is a FULL SERVICE NURSERY.

Open 6 days a week, C.W. Barbershop, tops the category again this year. Kelsey Schmidt has owned the shop since 2007 and takes pride in her wide variety of clientele; from baby’s first haircut, to old timers, locals and students. Kelsey enjoys the barbershop atmosphere where she considers her customers her family and has learned that an important part of her job is being a good listener. Drop in, you’re always welcome.

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C.W. BARBERSHOP

VOTED BEST PLACE TO BUY A CAR

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ELLENSBURG ANIMAL HOSPITAL

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Best of Kittitas County

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is home to 36 holes of award winning mountain golf, open Spring, Summer and Fall. Enjoy a day of golf on the Prospector or Roper Rider courses.

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VOTED BEST PET BOARDING

307 E. 5th Avenue • (509) 933-3600

Ellensburg’s own since 1990! Enjoy Latte’s, smoothies, fresh roasted coffee. By the cup or pound, along with fresh baked goods and savory entrees.

See us on facebook: D&M Coffee Company. Visits us at:

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D&M Pie Hole, 307 E. 3rd Avenue (Behind Cornerstone Pie) (509) 925-5313 D&M Canyon, 1711 S. Canyon Road (509) 925-5313

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VOTED BEST TITLE COMPANY At Kittitas Title and Escrow, we realize your home is your most valuable asset.

Our staff of dedicated professionals will guide you through the entire process and will assure that you are protected against adverse title claims or risks long after your settlement.

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OLD MILL COUNTRY STORE VOTED BEST FARMER-FRIENDLY SUPPLIER Old Mill Country Store’s premier goal is to provide a unique shopping experience and complete customer satisfaction for their patrons. The employees at Old Mill are deeply knowledgeable in all things related to farm, ranch, and country living.

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D&M COFFEE COMPANY VOTED BEST COFFEE

D&M Drive-thru, 204 S. Water (509) 962-6333

Waggin’ Tails Ranch offers dog boarding and daycare on two fully fenced acres, where social dogs can run, play, chase, sniff, splash, or just lounge around. Our dog training and behavior programs are taught by certified professional trainers and employ modern, humane methods designed to create polite, friendly companions who are a joy to live with.

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VOTED BEST MORTGAGE LENDER Tar ara K. Brown

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VOTED BEST ATTORNEY Jim Denison

Lathrop, Winbauer, Harrel, Slothower and Denison, LLP Family Law, Real Estate, Criminal, Corporate and General Practice. Thank you for voting me Best Attorney. It is a privilege and honor to serve such a great community.

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CORNERSTONE PIE VOTED BEST PIZZA

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MYRON LINDER – LINDER CHIROPRACTIC VOTED BEST CHIROPRACTOR Dr. Myron Linder and Dr. Sandy Linder graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic. They have been practicing for 25 years, specializing in a wide range of the latest adjusting techniques. Linder Chiropractic is located next to CWU, within walking distance for students. We are accepting new patients!

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By JULIA MORENO | Photos

by BRIAN MYRICK

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I

’m not really much of a cook past being able to grill chicken and make a salad, but I love salsa and chips. It’s my favorite snack and I always want to try new salsa recipes.

I’ve noticed that I’m usually disap-

pointed in what’s available at the local supermarkets so I decided to try my hand at making salsa. Disclaimer: three of the four I tried, I found online and one of them is a family recipe. I tweaked the ones I found online to fit what type of taste I was looking for so in a way, they’re original recipes.

For all four of these recipes I used a food processor or a blender, which I’d recommend.

All of these recipes take less than 30 minutes to make and are pretty tasty. If you need a quick snack or you’re planning for a party—these are your best bet for a good snack for people to enjoy.

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Avocado crema salsa I wanted a mix between a guacamole and a salsa and I think found the right balance. This is the easiest recipe of the four and it took me about 10 minutes to make. You’ll need:

• 1 ripe avocado • ¼ c pickled jalapeño slices • ¼ c pickle brine (from the jalapeño can) • 2 tbsp. water • 1 clove garlic It yields about 1 cup of salsa so if you want more, which you will, just double up on the ingredients. Put everything in your food processor or blender and there you have it.

Toasted green salsa The second green salsa takes a little more time. Here’s what you need:

• 1.25 lb. tomatillos, wrapper removed and rinsed • 1 large white onion, cut into quarters • 2 Tb. minced garlic • 2 large jalapeños • 2 tsp. ground cumin • 2 tsp. salt • 1 large handful cilantro • 2 avocados • 1 lime • Olive oil You’ll need a baking sheet to bake the tomatillos, onions, and jalapeños at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Since I usually just like to forego measuring out ingredients

that don’t have a bearing on my end result, I just drizzled the olive oil over my tomatillos, onions and jalapeños.

To save yourself some time, cut the avocados in half and take out the pit. Set those aside.

Once your baked items are out of the oven, you’ll want to remove the seeds and membrane (white-ish skin) from the inside of the jalapeños, but you can keep it in if you like a little more heat. Place half of the baked ingredients with an avocado, garlic, cilantro and cumin into a blender and blend until smooth. Remove that, set aside in a separate bowl and mix the rest of the ingredients together.

Combine all the ingredients and squeeze the lime over the top of it and salt to taste.

This one takes a little more time because of the baking, but it’s worth it. This recipe makes a lot (it filled an entire quart glass container and then some) so I wouldn’t suggest doubling up on the ingredients.

Roasted red salsa The two recipes for red salsas are restaurant style, with a little more spice.

• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces • Olive oil • 1 lb. Roma tomatoes, halved • 4 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces • 2 jalapeños • Salt • Pepper • 1 1/2 c. fresh cilantro leaves • 1 lime If you can guess by the

Uncle Joe’s salsa mix I really did save the best for last. This is a family recipe I got from my Uncle Joe. This recipe is the spiciest of the bunch because I used three different kinds of peppers. Here’s what you need:

• 5 Roma tomatoes • 2 serrano peppers • 4-6 chile de arbol or 1 tbsp. chile de arbol powder • ¼ cup onion • 1 small can of jalapeños • jalapeños brine from the can • Oregano If you can guess by the name, this recipe involves roasting veggies in the oven.

Take three of the Roma tomatoes, the serrano peppers and the chile de arbol peppers (these are the stereotypical bright red peppers) and boil them in a pot until tender. If you can’t find chile de arbol peppers you can use the powder. It’s not as strong but it adds a nice red color.

Once cooked, put them into a food processor with the rest of the tomatoes, the onion, the can of jalapeños and the juice into the blender and blend until smooth. Then add the chopped green onion and blend it again. Then it’s done!

This yields a little less than a quart of salsa.

name, this recipe involves roasting veggies again in the oven.

Take the red bell pepper, green onions, jalapeños and Roma tomatoes and place them on a baking sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 450 degrees or until tender.

Once they’re toasty take them out of the oven and put all ingredients along with cilantro into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Remove and put into a bowl, squeeze lime juice over the top of it. This yields about a quart of salsa.

BREWERIES & WINERIES OF CENTRAL WASHINGTON Chelan CHELAN COUNTY

Peshastin

C B

Leavenworth

DOUGLAS COUNTY

Wenatchee GRANT COUNTY

Roslyn

Quincy

Cle Elum

E

Moses Lake

KITTITAS COUNTY

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Ellensburg

2 YAKIMA COUNTY

Selah akima

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A PA I D A D V E RT I S E M E N T 1529373

BREWERIES & WINERIES A

BALE BREAKER BREWING COMPANY Just minutes from downtown Yakima and in the center of Loftus Ranches’ hop field #41, Bale Breaker Brewing Company sits in one of the more unique locations for a craft brewery – on a commercial hop farm. Founded by fourth-generation hop farmers, Bale Breaker brews handcrafted ales that showcase the world-class hops grown in the Yakima Valley, one of the leading hop growing regions in the world.

E

WHIPSAW BREWING Whipsaw Brewing is a 3 Barrel system artisan NANO-brewery. Every batch of beer is personally hand-crafted and tasted to ensure the highest quality product for our Patrons.

704 N. Wenas Street Ellensburg, WA 98926 (360) 463-0436

1801 Birchfield Road • Yakima WA (509) 424-4000 • balebreaker.com info@balebreaker.com

B

Closed Monday & Tuesday Wednesday & Thursday 3 – 9 pm Friday & Saturday 1 – 9 pm Sunday 1 – 7 pm

ICICLE BREWING COMPANY While experiencing downtown Leavenworth, visit our production craft brewery and family friendly tasting room. Here you will enjoy fresh ales and lagers with locally produced artisan foods. From the top of the mountains to the bottom of your glass! Cheers!

935 Front Street Leavenworth, WA 98926 (509) 548-2739

1 C

MUNCHEN HAUSE Your senses will awaken as you enjoy premium, mouthwatering sausages cooked on an open grill, served with our famous apple cider kraut and numerous specialty mustards. Refresh yourself with a locally crafted Icicle Brewing beer or a glass of Washington wine on our balcony! Family friendly!

GÅRD VINTNERS Award-winning wine, local craft beers vory appetizers, Gård Vintners has been voted Kittitas C ty’s Best Winery three years running. Founded in 2006, the boutique winery serves a wide variety of estate white & red wines sourced from their family vineyard located on the Royal Slope. Family owned & operated, the Gård name, meaning “farm or estate,” originates from their Scandinavian heritage. Ellensburg tasting room available for group meetings or special occasions, as well as live music throughout the month.

311 N. Pearl St. • Ellensburg, WA (509) 925-1095 • GardVintners.com

709 Front Street Leavenworth, WA 98926 www.munchenhaus.com

D

IRON HORSE BREWERY We make beer for your mouth parts. We think it is delicious, but we can’t speak for you, since we are not friends. Unless we are friends and you are reading this, in which case, why aren’t you at [the pub], friend?

We now have food and beer.

PUB - 412 N Main St. • Ellensburg, WA (509) 933-3134 • ironhorsebrewery.com Hours: Monday – Wednesday 4pm – 9ish pm Thursday: 2pm – 9ish pm Friday & Saturday: 1pm – 9ish pm Sunday: 1 pm – 7pm

Open Tues.- Fri. at 2 pm, Sat.-Sun. at noon Open late Friday and Saturday nights

2

Ginkgo Forest Winery Fifty years ago scientists discovered the rare ginkgo tree in a petrified forest near I-90. Today, just 15 minutes south of Vantage, a young grove of this ancient tree is growing at Ginkgo Forest Winery. Like the unexpected find of the ginkgo tree, winery visitors are often surprised by the wide array of reds, whites, blends, rosés, dessert and port-style wines. Using his 16 estate-grown grape varietals, our winemaker has crafted a wine for every taste. Come discover the wines of Ginkgo Forest Winery!

Mattawa Winery & Tasting Room 22561 T.7 SW • Mattawa, WA (509) 932-0082 • Ginkgowinery.com Hours: Wednesday – Saturday 10 am – 5KV pmLIVING 25 1529374

FALL HIKES IN KITTITAS COUNTY

Photos and story

by TONY BUHR

F

all is a perfect time to hike in the Cascades — the crowds start to thin out, the mosquitos are mostly gone and the scenery is accentuated by colorful foliage.

Take Annette Lake off I-90 near the Snoqualmie Pass summit, for example. The path is well maintained, but filled with tree roots, so watch your feet. It is easy to get tripped up. You will see plenty of granite boulders as you make your climb upward. It is not an old growth forest since it was harvested in the last 100 years, but the trees are still of decent size.

Continued on page 28

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the Beverly Campground. Driving on bumpy Forest Road 9737 is no picnic and this option gives you more time in the outdoors without the crowds and potholes.

f you are looking for a hike that’s a little more peaceful, try Johnson Creek-Medra Pass in the Teanaway. The trail follows Johnson Creek for the first couple of miles, then takes hikers up a series of switchbacks to Medra Pass, which offers sweeping views of Mount Stuart and the Teanaway Valley.

The trail begins to climb upward after about three miles. The views of the Teanaway Valley are truly breathtaking, and I caught a glimpse of a Cooper’s hawk flying above the valley. Once you get to Medra Pass, amazing views of Mount Stuart and the Cascades await.

At about eight miles roundtrip and an elevation gain of 2,250 feet, it’s a worthwhile day hike.

In some ways, this trail reminded me of the hike to Fortune Creek Pass/Esmeralda Basin farther back into the Teanaway, but with fewer people. I hiked to Medra Pass midweek and didn’t see a single soul on the trail, though I heard a Forest Service crew working on a side trail to Jungle Creek.

The Johnson Creek-Medra Pass trail is in the Teanaway and maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. From state Route 970, take Teanaway Road until the pavement ends, then stay on Forest Road 9737 just past the Beverly Campground. Parking is on the right, with the trailhead on the left side of the road. Prepare to drive slowly on 9737.

This trail is accessed via the Teanaway Road to Forest Road 9737, and the trailhead is just past

The trail is eight miles roundtrip, with an elevation gain of 2,250 feet.

The first part of the trail crisscrosses Johnson Creek several times. The creek crossings might be challenging in the spring, but are an easy hop in the fall when water levels are lower. The creek was a burbling stream in September and the trail takes an easy, meandering path through the forest.

— Joanna Markell

If you go JOHNSON CREEK-MEDRA PASS

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KV LIVING 27

There are a few spots on the hike when you can see the rocky cliffs of the opposing hillside. Fall was in evidence, red and orange highlights. The views were not that spectacular, though.

The hike starts gradually and grows steeper before leveling out again near the top. You will know the hike has started to level out when you come up to a large tree in your way.

There is a gap under the tree that a spry 20 something and most children could crawl under.

But for the less limber with stiff backs, going over is the only way. The branches on the tree make good foot and hand holds, but it feels a bit perilous and it’s a steep way down.

Once you reach the lake you can enjoy the crystal blue and green shades of the icy waters. A small waterfall pours into the lake and makes a soft trickling sound. Dragonflies dart across the water

If you go ANNETTE LAKE The trail to Annette Lake is near the Snoqualmie Pass summit in the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National

and fish jump every once in a while.

There is not a good spot sit or stand next to the lake, but if you’re willing to jump across a few logs you can make it to a nice large camping spot on the southern bank.

One positive is the way back is all downhill.

Overall I thought Annette Lake was a decent hike. I was a bit winded when I got to the top and when we reached the parking lot my legs were shaky. But I’d been sitting at a desk for the last two weeks. I wasn’t super impressed by any of the views and while the lake was pretty I felt the trail was crowded (it was a weekend) and access was limited.

I noticed several hikers not picking up after their dogs on the trail. If you enjoy the woods, please pick up after your dogs. ■

Forest. To get there, drivers should take I-90 Exit 47 at Asahel-Curtis/ Denny Creek, turn left and then take the next left onto Asahel-Curtis road.

The road ends at the parking lot for the Asahel-Curtis nature hike and Annette Lake.

It is a fairly good sized parking lot with space for about 30 cars. It was completely full on the Saturday we went and we struggled to find a spot.

The road is in good condition.

The hike is 7.5 miles roundtrip with an elevation gain of 1,400 feet.

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Walnut St

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YOUTH SERVICES OF KITTITAS COUNTY

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Anderson St

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Sprague St

Pine St

Pearl St

Water St

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Ruby St

7th Ave

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Stay Smart

LAST Look

™

Photo by BRIAN MYRICK

1620 Canyon Rd. (509) 962-9400

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