Methow Valley Summer
2012
Free A supplement to the Methow Valley News
Valley Rodeo May 26-27 • Methow val Rhythm & Blues Festi July 20-22 • Winthrop usic Festival ow Valley Chamber M eth M • 4 ug -A 27 ly Ju lley Rodeo Sept 1-2 • Methow Va Rallye pt 7-9 • Antique Auto
val photos by: methow
ley photography
Se
as Nov 24-25 • Christm
at the End of the Road
Winthrop, Wa 888.463.8469 n.com WinthropWashingto
O N W A S H I N G T
Welcome!
Have fun in the sun The Methow Valley’s winter-intospring quiet time – after the last crosscountry skier has left and before the trails are completely bike- and joggerfriendly – is about to end as Methow Valley Summer goes to press. And as much as we like the calm, solitary interlude, we welcome summer and all the activities it offers up and down our diverse terrain. Just as importantly, we warmly welcome you, the Methow visitor, be it your first time or your 50th. The annual influx of summer vacationers enlivens the valley for several months, and is the bedrock of our local economy. The array of things to do both outside and inside is mind-boggling, and you’ll find useful information about most of them in Methow Valley Summer Guide. It’s not hard to feel like you belong here. The Methow experience is nothing if not local and friendly. Our merchants, shop owners, restaurateurs, farmers,
ranchers, artists, craftspeople and service providers are independent and proud of it. Methow Valley residents find their way here for all kinds of reasons. Don’t be surprised if your barista turns out to be a well-known musician or acclaimed artist, or the guy helping you in the bike shop is the mayor, or the farmer you see on yonder tractor is a county commissioner, or the inn owner is a former physician, or the fellow fly-fishing next to you is a town police officer, or your waitperson is home for the summer from college or grad school, or that scruffy guy in line for coffee behind you owns the newspaper. We live here because we love it (although local writer Patrick McGann takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the residential imperative in his essay on page 43). And we love sharing it, so don’t be shy about asking for help, directions, advice or local wisdom. – Don Nelson
Photo by Ashley Lodato
Methow Valley Summer 3
Methow Valley Summer
2012
A supplement to the Methow Valley News Don Nelson
publisher/editor
Sue Misao design
CONTENTS 6 7
Granny Winthrop The Methow visitor’s best friend
Rhyme & season The poetry of weather
8 9
Stars in your eyes Check out the summer skies
Roads less traveled Get on the gravel
Robin Doggett
ad sales manager
Marilyn Bardin office manager
Callie Fink ad sales
Dana Sphar
ad design/production
Linda Day ad design
11
Wild things Our undomesticated friends
14
Lake fishing Trout lurk in still waters
15
Stream fishing Finding a shore thing
17
Full cycle Two-wheel fun and safety
Janet Mehus office assistant
20
Trail mix Hiking, high and low
A publication of the Methow Valley News
22
Paying as you go A guide to local fees and passes
24
MVSTA shows the way Methow Valley maps
28
Making camp Pitch it or park it
P.O. Box 97 101 N. Glover St. Twisp, WA 98856 509.997.7011 fax 509.997.3277 www.methowvalleynews.com editor@methowvalleynews.com
4 Methow Valley Summer
29
36
Fire safety Some simple rules
Contributors
30
Horseback adventures Local outfitters will pack you in
Bill Biddle is a weather prognosticator and poet for the Methow Valley News.
32
On the water Float, paddle, swim
Patrick Hannigan is
34
On the rocks Places to be a social climber
Ashley Lodato
On the greens Tee it up, in and around the valley
a columnist for the Methow Valley News and local freelance writer.
is a Methow Valley News columnist.
Ann McCreary is a Methow Valley News reporter.
37 40 42
Book smarts What to read this summer
Peter Morgan
Bridges of the Methow Pedestrian-friendly spans
Joanna Smith
44
Going native Learning to live here
The Methow menu Delectable edibles abound
Patrick McGann is
a Methow Valley News columnist.
and his wife, Raleigh Bowden, own the Methow Valley Inn.
is a Methow Valley News columnist.
Bob Spiwak is Methow Valley News columnist and freelance writer and photographer.
46
Picture this Capturing the valley digitally
47
Calendar of events Diversions all summer long
Georgina Tobiska is a
Directory of advertisers
Laurelle Walsh
50
On the cover: Above Lake Ann in the North Cascades Photo by E.A. Weymuller
Marcy Stamper is a Methow Valley News reporter.
local freelance writer.
is a Methow Valley News reporter and proofreader.
David Ward is an
astronomer and columnist for the Methow Valley News.
Methow Valley Summer 5
‘Granny Winthrop’ the face of an Old West town Georgia Sanders provides information and a smile to Methow Valley visitors
Georgia says. “I love Winthrop so much and I never want to see Westernization go away. It’s what makes this town special.”
Internationally known
By Laurelle Walsh
G
eorgia Sanders is the unofficial spokesperson and “face” of Winthrop for the thousands of visitors who stop by the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce Information Center each year. When Georgia dons her trademark pale blue pioneer dress and bonnet, she becomes “Granny Winthrop,” not an Old West superhero exactly, but a powerful representative of the hardworking movers and shakers who helped turn Winthrop into a visitor-friendly destination back in the 1970s. The moniker “Granny Winthrop” was assigned to her one day a few years ago at Three Fingered Jack’s Saloon, where she and the rest of the ’49er Days committee were meeting, Georgia says. The committee was having a hard time recruiting a man and woman to represent the town as Grand Marshal and Grand Lady of the ’49er Days parade. Committee member Rebecca Meadows suggested coming up with a name for Georgia and having her be an ambassador of sorts, going around to local businesses to promote the festival. “I agreed to do it, but I didn’t like the term ‘ambassador’ so I said, ‘Why don’t you just call me Granny?’ and the name stuck,” Georgia recalls. She already had the dress for the part, made for her by neighbor Betty Vaughn when Georgia and her husband, Udel, served as Grand Lady and Grand Marshal in 2005. “Udel and I felt so honored to be chosen. We had only lived here 20 years at that point, so we weren’t exactly old-timers,” Georgia says. “We had a lot of fun representing the town.”
Visitor’s best friend Georgia is the manager of the Information Center, located at the four-way stop in Winthrop, right next 6 Methow Valley Summer
Photo by Laurelle Walsh
Decked out as “Granny Winthrop,” Georgia Sanders reads a story to kids at the Barn during last year’s Christmas at the End of the Road. to Town Hall. According to some counts, an estimated 100,000 people visit the town each year, a number which, Georgia says, “wouldn’t surprise me a bit, based on the years I’ve spent on this corner.” Georgia submits statistics to the Okanogan County Tourism Council every month, collected from visitors who walk in to the Information Center and sign “the book.” According to her records, 15,927 stopped by in 2003; 2009 was a quieter year with 12,462 people recorded. “We had more visitors in the past,” Georgia recalls. “Elinor [Drake, prior Information Center manager] told me there were years we had over 20,000 people.” July and August are the town’s biggest months, according to Georgia. Besides welcoming visitors, answering questions and giving directions, Georgia and two part-time staff distribute hundreds of publications through the office – everything from U.S. Forest Service maps to hotel brochures to ferry schedules. “We start giving out winter information in July, because people plan their winter vacations early,” Georgia notes. Assisting Georgia at the Information Center are Marlene Temple and Mildred LaMotte, who will each work two to three days per week through the month of May, while Georgia recovers from a back injury sustained from a fall off a stepstool in February, she says. “I’m planning on working five
days a week this summer,” Georgia says. “My back is getting better; I just can’t be on my feet for a long time.” Before she started at the Information Center in the early 2000s, Georgia volunteered one or two days per week at the Shafer Museum, located above downtown Winthrop on Castle Avenue. “The Shafer Museum is a passion of mine. We’ve got a jewel in that museum, and the people up there are a wealth of information,” she says. “If people visit the Shafer before they do much touring in the valley, they’ll be much better prepared.” She does such a good job promoting the museum that Shafer Museum volunteer Roxie Miller said, “We can always tell the days Georgia is at the Information Center because of the increased numbers of visitors who stop by the museum.” “I thoroughly love this job,”
Georgia likes being able to talk to people from all over the world, some of whom need an interpreter to do so. She figures pictures of her in her “Granny Winthrop” dress hang on the walls of families who have visited from China and Australia. She wishes employees at more businesses in town would dress up in the Western theme. “When Winthrop first Westernized, 99 percent of the businesses dressed up and participated in ’49er Days,” she says. Georgia never thought she would ride on the back of a Harley Davidson, but John Henry of Shoreline, Wash., talked her into it in 2008. “John helped plan the Tumbleweed Run [the last weekend of July] that year. Every time he came in he tried to talk me in to taking a ride on his motorcycle. I told him, ‘If I can get on with my granny dress, I’ll do it,’” she recalls. “Udel helped me get on.” The photo documenting that event hangs on the wall at the Information Center, along with other “Granny Winthrop” photos. Georgia’s large family – three sons, two stepchildren, 24 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild is “pretty much in favor” of what she does, she says. “It’s nice that I can rearrange my schedule in the summer for family gatherings.” Georgia chuckles as she explains, “My kids understand why I love my job, and my sister and brother say, ‘What would you do if you didn’t work there?’”
Info Center facts
Photo by Laurelle Walsh
Georgia Sanders stands on the porch of Winthrop’s historic Town Hall.
The Winthrop Chamber of Commerce Information Center is open from May 1 to Oct. 1, seven days per week, under contract with the town. It also opens its doors for the first three weekends of October – during hunting season – and on Thanksgiving weekend for the Christmas at the End of the Road celebration. The Information Center is located at 202 Riverside Ave., adjacent to Town Hall. The telephone number is (509) 996-2125. !
Rhyme and season Summer weather is a lyrical experience
By Bill Biddle
J
une will be the high point of alpine flowers supplanting the glorious arrowleaf balsalmroot display in May at lower elevations. Visit Harts Pass and above. Spend time at the burned-out area where the forest’s ferny floor has been exposed to sunlight for three years. Enjoy the wildflowers if you can look beyond the charred trees. Especially look for gentian and Indian paintbrush. John Clare has kindly accepted the invitation to write of the three months of summer, beginning with June: “Now summer is in flower and nature’s hum Is never silent round her sultry bloom Insects as small as dust are never done Wi’ glittering dance and reeling in the sun And green wood fly and blossom haunting bee Are never weary of their melody.” Be cautious and be prepared on the high trails as you will find snow into Rainy Lake and on long stretches of the Cascade Crest as well as up at Harts Pass. As midsummer approaches, Clare helps us create the mood:
Photo by Marcy Stamper
The Methow’s many scenic splendors may make you feel poetic. “Daughter of pastoral smells and sights And sultry days and dewy nights July resumes her yearly place William Wordsworth wraps up the pleasure of a Methow summer endWi’ her milding maiden face ing and sliding into September. As we enjoy beautiful summer evenings, Ruddy and tannd yet sweet to view … calm and free, watching the bats swoop over our waterways and fields of Haymakers still in grounds appear bitterbrush we can agree: And some are thinning nearly clear Save oddly lingering shocks about “Earth has not any thing to show more fair: The heavens are wroth – the thunder’s rattling peal Dull would he be of soul who could pass by Rolls like a vast volcano in the sky… A sight so touching in its majesty… Roll on, ye wrath of thunders—peal on peal, The beauty of the morning… Till world are ruins and myself alone; Open unto the fields, and to the sky; Melt, heart and soul cased in obdurate steel, All bright and glittering in the smokeless air. Till I can feel that nature is my throne.” Never did sun more beautifully steep In his first splendor, valley, rock or hill.” With the heat of August upon us, it’s a good time to head for the cool of the river for tubing, or the pool in Twisp, or even for the cool treats and ! games at Sheri’s Sweet Shoppe.
Anaco Oktoberrtes fest
People’s Choice
155 Riverside, Winthrop, WA • (509) 996-3183 Open daily from May through October
Methow Valley Summer 7
Stars in our eyes
T
By David Ward
here are lots of great reasons to come to the Methow Valley this summer, but one we do not usually think about is the dark nighttime skies we enjoy here. When you look up at the evening sky from the big city, all that can be seen is a pervasive glow of light pollution that blocks out about everything except the moon and the brightest of stars. Once you are here in our rural valley, take a few moments to look up after the sun goes down and soak in the full, undiminished glory of the stars above. One problem with summer stargazing here in northern Washington is that it does not get really dark until late. Around the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, you will have to stay up until about 10:30 p.m. before dimmer stars can be seen. By August, the sky darkens earlier and you do not have to wait up so late.
Putting on a show Two bright planets will be putting on a show most of the summer. Look for reddish Mars high in the sky late spring and early summer. As the summer progresses it will drop into the sunset glow in the west. We are pulling away from the red planet in our orbit around the sun so it will
8 Methow Valley Summer
become dimmer as the months go by. Mars was named for the Roman god of war because its reddish color brought to mind the color of blood. To the east or left of Mars, look for yellowish Saturn. It makes a pretty pair with the star Spica in the constellation Virgo. It will be visible almost all summer long, but by fall it too will drift into the sunset glow. A small telescope will reveal Saturn’s rings and also its largest moon Titan. If you want to get to know some of the stars up there, a good place to start is with the three stars known as the summer triangle. In early summer look for three bright whitish stars in the east making a large triangle in the sky. The highest is Vega, the vulture star, below and to the right is Altair, the eye of the eagle, and below Vega and to the left is Deneb, the tail of the swan. West of the summer triangle is a bright orange star named Arcturus, whose name means the guardian of the bears. In the low south, Antares, the heart of the Scorpion, also shines with a reddish orange color. It is the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, the scorpion, which fatally stung the famous hunter Orion who boasted he could kill any beast on earth. The scorpion was placed in the summer skies so as not to embarrass Orion, who makes his appearance in the winter.
Along the Milky Way My favorite sight in the summer is the Milky Way splashed across the night sky. The ancient Greeks thought it was breast milk from the goddess Hera, wife of Zeus. Other cultures have thought it was a celestial river or even cornmeal strewn across the sky by a giant dog. Today we know that it is billions of stars residing with us in our home in the universe. We call our home the Milky Way galaxy and it is so vast that our meager minds have a difficult time grasping the scope of it. We are traveling through it at half a million miles an hour but the distances are so vast and our lives so short that we do not even notice that we are moving. The closest part of it is so far away that its light has taken thousands of years to reach us. If you have a pair of binoculars, settle back in a lounge chair and scan that band of light flowing across the sky that we call the Milky Way. Myriads of stars, glowing clouds of gas and sparkling star clusters will pop into view. After enjoying the view from one of the beautiful trails or mountaintops in the Methow Valley, do not rush inside at night without taking in an even larger perspective, the infinite cosmos above. !
Roads less traveled To fully appreciate the Methow Valley, get off the highway and slow down By Patrick Hannigan
F
ollowing are a few scenic detours that involve driving on dirt or gravel. Expect some dust, washboard and potholes, but these roads generally do not require 4WD and are usually passable in cars from Passats to Priuses. RVs or travel trailers are not recommended – unless backing such a rig miles down a one-lane dirt road that drops off into a river canyon in search of a pullout or turnaround is your idea of a good time. Please exercise courtesy and common sense when driving on dirt roads in the valley. Go slow – especially past others or roadside homes so as not to drown them in dust. Yield to, slow down, or stop for horseback riders, motorcyclists, hikers or bicyclists. Last, bring a map. The Washington State Atlas and Gazetteer, available at
outdoor stores and gas stations in the Methow, is a great resource. The directions provided here are general and assume you have a map. Finally, many of these roads have a sign at their start that says, “Primitive Road No Warning Signs.” In other words, don’t take anything for granted. Road conditions vary year to year, so use your own judgment and turn around if things get sketchy. The Methow’s side roads are magical to explore.
TWISP AREA • Black Pine Lake Loop From Twisp, head west on Twisp River Road. About a mile out of town, take a left on Poorman Creek Road, which leads to Black Pine Lake. To complete the loop, head North on Forest Service Road 43, which takes you down Buttermilk Creek back to Twisp River Road about 12 miles West of Twisp.
Total time with no stops is a little more than an hour; although stop you should because Black Pine Lake is a great place for a swim, a picnic or an overnight. There is a nice campground, a couple docks, decent fishing and a short trail along the lake.
• Twisp River Roads End This is an out-and-back, but well worth the trip. From Twisp, head
Photo by Patrick Hannigan
west on Twisp River Road until you can drive no further. Roads End is about 30 miles, but it can take nearly an hour to get there because the road winds in places and turns to dirt at around 12 miles out. Initially, Twisp River Road curves through a pastoral landscape dotted with nice newer homes,
See ROADS page 10
Request a Free Culinary & Ag Tourism
www.VisitWashingtonWineries.com www.VisitWashingtonFarms.com Phone: 509.433.1054
at Lone Pine Fruit & Espresso 23041 Highway 97 • orondo, washington • mile marker 230/231
www.lonepinefruit.com/events
Methow Valley Summer 9
say
ROADS
• Gunn Ranch to Fawn Creek
ancient cabins and horse pastures. Human habitations give way to green meadows, beaver ponds and aspen groves. At 12 miles, the valley narrows and becomes more forested. As you go higher, there are increasingly awesome peek-a-boo views of craggy alpine peaks. If you feel like stretching the legs, Twisp Pass is an easy 4.5-mile hike along a good trail lined with wildflowers and blueberries.
This back way from Winthrop to Mazama (or vice-versa) offers great views of the glacially carved upper Methow Valley. From Winthrop, take the West Chewuch Road about a mile out of town, turn left on Rendezvous Road, then take another left on Gunn Ranch Road and another left on Forest Road 100, which will drop you out on Fawn Creek Road a few miles from Mazama.
Photo by Sue Misao
Be prepared for the unexpected.
MAZAMA AREA
• Lester Road Loop
what?
This back road between Twisp and Winthrop can be driven either way and offers huge panoramas of the Methow Valley and the Sawtooth Mountains. The road winds through an open shrubsteppe dotted with seasonal ponds and wetlands. Pipestone Canyon is a nice detour along the way. From Twisp, go east on Highway 20 towards Loup Loup Pass, then turn left on Upper Beaver Creek Road. Shortly after the road turns to dirt, take a left on Lester Road (also marked Campbell Lake Road). Lester Road hooks into Campbell Lake road, then drops down to Bear Creek Road. Follow Bear Creek Road North above Pearrygin Lake to the East Chewuch a mile or so from Winthrop.
WINTHROP AREA • Thirtymile This out-and-back begins in Winthrop and dead-ends at Thirtymile on the edge of the Pasayten Wilderness. From Winthrop, follow the West Chewuch Road all the way out – about 30 miles as the name implies. This road offers a tour of the diversity of the Methow landscape, starting in sagebrush, then following the crystalclear Chewuch River into a lush canyon with “Westside” trees such as cedar and spruce. Along the way, the route passes through the burn area of the Thirtymile Fire, a deadly 2001 blaze that killed four firefighters.
Guide MVS Horizontal
methownet.com home of methow grist
10 Methow Valley Summer
• Harts Pass This is easily the most famous dirt road in the Methow – and perhaps the state of Washington. Harts Pass Road ends up at timberline above 7,000 feet in elevation and is the highest place one can drive to in the state. From the end of the road, the 7,440-foot summit of Slate Peak is just a five-minute walk. Besides ridiculous 360-degree views of the North Cascades, the big draw of this route is the sweeping meadows of alpine wildflowers that bloom in July and August. To get there, go to Mazama, head northwest on Lost River Road, then turn right on Forest Road 5400. Drive safe, have fun – and don’t forget to get out of your car. !
Where the wild things are The Methow offers an enormous diversity of animal life
By Joanna Smith
also recommended: • The Butterflies of Cascadia: A Field Guide to All the Species of Washington, Oregon, and Surrounding Territories, by Robert Michael Pyle. • National Geographic Field Guide to Birds: Washington/Oregon, by Jonathan K. Alderfer. • Peterson Field Guide to Animal Tracks, by Mark Elbroch and Olaus Johan Murie.
T
ake a scenic drive or a pleasant walk through the Methow Valley and you are bound to find wildlife. The rocky canyons, wild rivers, forests, meadows and ponds are home to a diverse collection of animal life. Officer Cal Treser of Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife offers the best advice for viewing wildlife: “You can be prepared for the chance encounter with wildlife you have not seen before, keep your camera and binoculars with you. Also, keep field guides with you or in vehicle such as bird guides, flower ID books, butterflies and wildlife. Best
Along the water Mountain goats like to hang out on mountains. viewing is early morning or evenings.”
Field guides • The full color Methow
Valley Pocket Naturalist Guide features 124 plant and animal species along with a map of easy access trails. The guide can be found at many local businesses in
Photo courtesy of Cal Treser
the Methow Valley and at the Methow Conservancy in Winthrop. Proceeds support the ongoing work of the Methow Conservancy. These field guides are
The ponds and lakes in the Methow Valley are ripe with wildlife – ranging from the cold-blooded to the warmblooded, fish and fin. For the warm-blooded marsh walker, the moose is the largest, weighing in at more
See WILDLIFE page 12
Visit the Spa After an invigorating day enjoying the Methow Valley, treat yourself or someone you care for with a treatment in our warm and healing spa. The spa features an array of tempting choices. We invite you to come enjoy, relax, restore, and take time for you! Our hours of service are 9 AM-8 PM daily . Appointments may be made by calling ext. 227.
800—572—0493 or 509-996-2211 Methow Valley Summer 11
WILDLIFE than 1,000 pounds. Moose can be found along the Chewuch River, Twisp River and other smaller marshy areas.
Look for the “construction workers” of the marshes: beavers and muskrats build their dams and lodges right on the water’s surface. For a blast from the past,
Photo by Sue Misao
Bald eagles are a common sight, perched above the river hunting for fish.
keep your eyes peeled for the Pacific lamprey, the oldest fish in the world. This primitive fish has no jaws and no bones.
Airborne wildlife For an aerial show, set up a picnic by the river and watch bald eagles, kingfishers and other birds hunt and dive for fish. A wide variety of different duck species share Methow waters, including wood ducks, mallards, and the beautiful harlequin ducks that walk along the bottom of the stream while feeding on crustaceans, aquatic insects and fish. The pileated woodpecker, at 16 inches long, is the largest woodpecker in the United States. This beautiful hammering bird plays a critical role in providing habitats for other animals in the Methow Valley. Pileated woodpeckers excavate large cavities in dead trees that make perfect nesting sites for other animals. On warm summer evenings, you can view up to 13 different species of bats zigging and zagging for their insect dinners.
Terra firma fauna The most primitive mammal in the Methow Valley is the mountain beaver. This nocturnal creature lives in wet forested areas and will burrow up to 10 feet underground. This mammal eats a primitive perennial: the bracken fern, which is toxic to most herbivores. Another nocturnal crea-
12 Methow Valley Summer
Photo by Sue Misao
Look up – some tall trees in the Methow Valley have bears in them. ture is the mountain lion, also known as the cougar. For the most part, cougars are shy. But if you happen to see one roaming through town, as does happen on occasion, please call the Washington State patrol dispatch
at (509) 422-3800. Mountain goats can be spotted on Harts Pass, Monument Creek, Lost River and other high altitude rocky reaches. Bring binoculars to get the best views. Black bears are primarily
Photo by Laurelle Walsh
This mother mule deer and newborn fawn were spotted in an East Chewuch yard. The fawn’s twin rested just a few feet away. vegetarians and enjoy eating herbs, grasses, sedges and flowering plants. Young bears like to snooze in trees, so look up – you may find a napping bear in a tree.
Safety tips All wildlife should be considered dangerous. Use binoculars to observe wildlife from a safe distance and don’t
get too close. Keep children close to you and move slowly and quietly. Although the view is “cute,” stay away from mothers who are protecting their young. If you see a baby animal that appears abandoned, leave the animal where it is. Every year the WDFW receives calls for “orphaned deer.” In fact, mothers leave the fawns in a safe place while they forage for food. This keeps
predators away from the young. The worst thing you can do is to remove the fawn. Just leave the baby where it is and the mother will soon return. While hiking in dry, rocky areas, watch out for rattlesnakes that may be sunning themselves on the path. If you come across a rattlesnake, back away and give it room to escape. Always pack out what you pack in, don’t litter and use only established roads. Feeding wildlife, littering and off-road driving disrupt the delicate balance of wildlife habitat and can lead to injury or death for both animals and humans. On the road, slow down and watch out for wildlife. The Methow Valley is home to the largest mule deer population in the United States. A deer-vehicle collision will, at best, cost thousands of dollars in repairs and at worst, could result in death for the driver or passengers. Finding wildlife in their native habitat is an incredible and rewarding experience. To learn more about watching wildlife in the Methow Valley, check out these websites for upcoming events and workshops: www.northcascadesbasecamp.com www.methowconservancy.org www.methownaturalist.com !
Photo by Sue Misao
Like eagles, osprey survey lunch possibilities from treetops.
Methow Valley Summer 13
The line on lake fishing Trout angling in and around the Methow is varied and satisfying By Patrick McGann
T
he Methow Valley’s trout lakes are not the best in the state. Maybe the prettiest. Maybe the most relaxing. Maybe the easiest. And sometimes that’s best.
Alta Lake Located in the lower valley near Pateros, it is a popular destination for mostly stocker rainbows. The lake has a private resort, a state park, 18-hole golf course and a paved boat ramp. It is best early in the year as the water temperature gets high and mid-day summer fish get sluggish. Bait, either still fished or trolled, is the way to go.
Aspen and Deadhorse lakes West of Twisp, off Twisp River Road on Big Buck Wildlife Management Area. Both are small lakes (Aspen is very small) and neither get fished very hard. Aspen has brookies and it can be either excellent or absolutely horrible because of winter kill. Deadhorse is more reliable. It has rainbows, and some nice fish and easy bank
Lowest prices around!
14 Methow Valley Summer
access. Fish in both of them get “muddy” tasting later in the summer. Bank access only, but both are good for tubes or cats. Aspen requires a short, steep hike.
Black Pine Lake West of Twisp up the Twisp River. A beautiful lake with an excellent U.S. Forest Service campground, it can be very good for cutthroat and rainbow trout up to 14 inches, occasionally bigger, on anything from wet or dry flies to hardware (especially spoons) to nightcrawlers to Power Bait. The only problem with the lake is that it has a narrow window. Ice comes off late and since it has a thriving snail population, the fish soon taste muddy later in the summer. Still, great for catch and release fishing all summer.
Campbell, Cougar and Davis lakes Located between Twisp and Winthrop east of the Methow River in the Bear Creek drainage. They are catch-andrelease, selective gear only during the summer (check regulations) and catch-andkeep during the winter, when they are popular for winter
with a tube or cat, but launching is difficult.
Patterson Lake
Photo by Mike Maltais
It’s summertime – and the fishing is plentiful in many local lakes. sports enthusiasts. Due to shore vegetation, Campbell is virtually impossible to fish from shore and best fished
Between Twisp and Winthrop on the road to Sun Mountain. Used to be arguably the best trout lake in the valley for pan-sized rainbows and brookies. Then some knuckle-headed bucket biologist decided to introduce perch and bass, both largemouth and smallmouth. It is now planted with larger trout including triploids and tiger trout, and the lake is open all year. Trout are found throughout the lake and respond well to spinners, spoons and flies as well as prepared baits or nightcrawlers. As a bass lake, it’s marginal, but perch fishing can be excellent with nightcrawlers or perch parts in the middle on the west side. Boat launch, gas motors allowed. Check regulations for horsepower restrictions.
Pearrygin Lake Northeast of Winthrop.
Easily the most popular lake in the valley. Home of Pearrygin Lake State Park with excellent camping facilities, it’s where the splash and gigglers and jet-skiers hang out. But it’s also generously stocked with rainbows with some nice carryovers up into the 14- to 16-inch range. Hardware, flies, nightcrawlers and prepared baits used just about any way you can think of: trolling, casting, stillfishing, cast-and-retrieve. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife boat launch was washed out by Pearrygin Creek last year and is still closed. Gas motors allowed. Check regulations for horsepower restrictions.
alternative when the valley floor lakes turn into warm bath tubs.
Twin Lakes Between Twisp and Winthrop west of the Methow on the way to Patterson Lake. Two lakes, Big Twin, as you
would expect, is bigger. And the fish are too. But both can produce some monster trout. Trophy fisheries, selective gear rules, electric motors only. There is a private resort on Big Twin. You can keep one fish. !
Casting about
Rainy Lake Located off Highway 20 at Rainy Pass about a onemile hike on a paved trail. Like most alpine lakes, it opens late and stays good throughout the summer. It gets hit fairly hard for a hike to the lake due to its location, but it can be a good
The Methow River and tributaries are prime streamfishing territories
THE METHOW VALLEY FLY SHOP WINTHROP | CARLTON
509 - 996-2832 flyfishersproshop.com
Mt. Gardner Inn Lobby 611 Hwy 20 Winthrop Carlton General Store 2256 Hwy 153 Carlton Guiding provided by Globetrouters Guides 509-429-2974
By Patrick McGann
W
hile anglers are waiting for the big show to open on Methow River steelhead in the fall, there’s plenty of other streams waiting to be flogged by the long rods. The Methow River can be a difficult stream to fish for trout in the summer, but if you know what to offer and how to be stealthy there are some nice resident rainbows, cutthroat and hybrids. The upper mainstem is usually better, above Twisp and on up the headwaters, with access easier the higher you go. Often though, in the summer months, the tributaries can be better and easier to fish, although the fish aren’t as big. Trout fishing in streams opens June 1 when it’s not unusual to find the main Methow still high and unruly. The tributaries clear out sooner and start offering opportunities in June. Just about every creek with enough water to cover a trout’s back has fish but the smaller the water, the smaller the fish. Usually. The larger tributaries, the Twisp and Chewuch rivers, are considered widely as high-quality fly fishing water. Both are rocky, high-gradient streams with cold water. Access can be tough, but a U.S. Forest Service map will help out on that account. As in most streams of this kind, it’s mostly a pocket water game. Boulder Creek is one of the better tributaries, where
See FISHING page 16 Methow Valley Summer 15
FISHING beaver dams help slow down the water and increase the bug life, and therefore the size of the fish. It can be steep getting down to the water though. “I like Boulder Creek because of the eastern brook reduction plan,” said Jeff Lyman, new owner of the Carlton General Store. “That’s a sweet deal because unlike all the other streams with a two-fish limit and minimum size, on Boulder, you can take up to 10 brookies with no minimum. And they’re fun
to catch.” He also likes Robinson and Monument creeks. But again, just about any creek with a deep hole or beaver dam is a good prospect. Watch your access though. It can be difficult in the lower elevations. “On the small creeks, you can use just about anything,” Lyman noted. Go on the surface with mayfly patterns early, attractors any time and caddis patterns later. And similarly, fish aren’t too picky about wet patterns.
Trust the Excavation Professionals COMPLETE SITE PREPARATION Roads • Septic • Irrigation • Foundations Custom Rock Walls • Utilities & More
Over 24 years experience in the Methow Valley Call today for a free estimate
• 509-996-2033 • WA contractor #doughei033JN
It’s a different story in the bigger waters. “Like anywhere, different week, different fly, but my go-to in the summer is a hopper and dropper,” Lyman said. Lyman is still setting up the store, and is including a full-service fly shop with everything from fly tying materials to tools to line, reels and rods, mostly Temple Fork Outfitters brand. “But we can order just about anything,” he said. “We’re also going to carry jig fishing gear, but since I’m a fly fisherman, I’ll have to get up to speed on that.” To reach the Carlton Store, call 997-9022. The steelhead season officially opens Oct. 1, but it’s not uncommon for it to open a week or two earlier. “You should be getting ready in September,” advised Lyman. As for steelhead patterns, he said, “We use a lot of chironomids, a lot of sculpins and then big heavy, bottom-dragging stoneflies (larvae).” !
Photo by Laurelle Walsh
These fishermen floated the Methow River just downstream of its confluence with the Chewuch in Winthrop.
Confluence Gallery & Art Center
regional art education center community gathering place
The Creative Spirit
11th Annual Methow Valley Home Tour Saturday, August 11, 2012 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
104 Glover St., Twisp 509 997-2787 Wed. to Sat., 10 am to 3 pm www.confluencegallery.com 16 Methow Valley Summer
Full cycle The Methow hits another gear as a bicycling destination By Ann McCreary
L
ocal riders know that the Methow Valley is outstanding cycling territory, whether riding on pavement or single track. Although it boasts spectacular scenery and terrain to match any skill level, the Methow Valley has been one of the least-discovered gems for biking in the West, according to Joe Brown of Methow Cycle and Sport in Winthrop. That may be changing, though. This summer the Methow Valley will host three events that are expected to attract riders from around the region, the country and the world. Western Spirit is a cycling
tour company that organizes road and mountain biking trips in national parks and national forests. The trips range from mellow family-style outings to five-day package rides above 10,000 feet on world-class single track. The Moab, Utah-based company, which enrolls riders from around the world on its tours, provided a single-track tour in the Methow Valley last year. The experience was so positive that Western Spirit is expanding its offerings to four guided single-track tours this August and September. “We love it there,” said company owner Ashley Korenblat. “The trails are really well built and really fun to ride. The Methow Valley offers a high alpine experience at low altitude.”
Unlike high-elevation rides in places like Colorado, where the rides may be at a lung-crushing 9,000 feet, the Methow Valley offers spectacular alpine scenery and “you can still breathe,” Korenblat said. Brown, whose bike shop will provide services to riders on the tour, said the exposure gained through tours like this heightens awareness of the Methow Valley among riders worldwide. “Western Spirit goes to all the best places in the country, so for us to be in that context is great,” Brown said.
Women’s skills camp The valley will also host, for the first time, a Trek Dirt Series mountain bike skills camp. Based in Whistler, B.C., Trek Dirt chooses premier locations around Canada and the United States to teach mountain biking skills to women. This summer it has added the Methow Valley to its roster for a weekend women’s camp Aug. 25-26.
Photo by John Hanron
The valley’s reputation as a cycling destination is growing. In describing why the Methow Valley was selected as a site for one of 16 summer camps, the Trek Dirt Series website says, “While Winthrop is known in the winter for its extensive crosscountry skiing network, in summer the many miles of trails offer fast, flowy single track, swooping corners, and a mix of roots and rocks
for extra challenge. Longer rides offer the opportunity to explore the higher alpine with stunning panoramic views. Other rides twist and turn, winding through the valley past streams and wooded areas. Whether climbing or descending, there’s sure to be a grin on your face.” The Dirt Series camps are designed to help riders, beginning through advanced, improve their skills and increase their confidence, said Brown, whose Methow Cycle and Sport will serve as the host bike shop for the camp. “They’ve realized there are plenty of women who are perfectly capable in a physical sense, but not necessarily confident,” Brown said. In another first for the Methow Valley, a regional bike race series, Fat Tire Revolution, will hold a race June 23 on the trails at Sun Mountain Lodge. The race will start and finish at the Chickadee Trailhead, incorporating the fast and fun single-track trails of lower Sun Mountain, including Black Bear, Patterson Lake and Rader trails. Once again, Methow Cycle and Sport plays a role in the event as a sponsor. Brown said the race is expected to bring between 200 and 300 riders to the valley. Another new element on the biking front in the valley is the opening of a Methow Cycle and Sport outlet in Mazama this summer. The bike shop will partner with The Goat’s Beard, a new sports store, offering bike rentals and cycling equipment and services at the Mazama location. !
Methow Valley Summer 17
Cycling safety Methow Shares and Cares wants to educate bicyclists and motorists By Peter Morgan
A
s summer approaches and the weather warms, cyclists will begin to appear in greater numbers along the roads of the Methow Valley. As is true in communities across the country, increases in cycling raise questions about how cars and bicycles can share the road safely. Much media and political grist has been made pitting drivers and cyclists against one another. In the Methow, a coalition of businesses and government offices is working hard to ensure we don’t go down that road. They have a vi-
sion of community-building rather than divisiveness, and have created a program called Methow Shares and Cares, whose mission it is: “to build a safe and respectful community by educating motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians to share the road and care for one another.” Much of the work of Methow Shares and Cares involves education of drivers and cyclists (most of whom are also drivers) about the laws and everyone’s rights and obligations on the road. They are working through educational events and outreach efforts to create common understanding – a set of community values and practices for sharing the road
that all can embrace.
Understanding rules Some of the work involves building a broader understanding of laws governing use of the road by cars, bicycles and pedestrians. Did you know, for example, that: • Bicyclists have all the same rights and obligations on the road as automobiles. • It’s legal for bicyclists to ride two-abreast. • The same rules for passing a car apply to passing a bicycle. • Both bicycles and cars are required to stop for pedestrians in marked or unmarked crosswalks. Just knowing the law is the first step toward obeying it. This will help prevent misunderstandings and provide a base for adopting safe practices. Another important goal is reinforcing common goals and community interests. For motorists, it means appreciating who rides bicycles and why they do. Bicyclists, while within their rights to use the
road, must respect that their safety depends on drivers to slow down and exercise patience to get around them safely. On the narrow and curvy roads in the Methow, this can take time and be inconvenient. Drivers should be able to expect bicyclists to obey the laws and behave in safe and predictable fashion themselves.
Safe practices Ultimately, success is in avoiding accidents. This in turn will depend on the entire community adhering to a set of safe practices for both drivers and riders. These have been put forward in a pledge that Methow Shares and Cares would like both drivers and riders to sign and use as springboard to for education. The pledge contains agreements such as “I understand that cyclists and motorists have the same rights and responsibilities while using roads.” It then goes on to ask both riders and drivers to commit to a number of specific actions that fit into
Photo by Sue Misao
Be ready for the road, as a bike rider or a motorist. the following categories: • Obeying the rules of the road and traffic signs. • Using common sense and courtesy toward motorists, cyclists and pedestrians while bicycling/driving. • Making safety a priority when sharing the road. • Helping make driving, bicycling and walking safer and easier for everyone in the Methow Valley. The roads of the Methow Valley provide wonderful venues for bicycle riding and we can all expect more visitors and residents out on their bicycles in the coming months and years. The Methow benefits from bicycle tourism and from the healthy activity it represents. Methow Shares and Cares will be there to help guide our community to make this work well for everyone. ! Paul Smith contributed to this article.
EDUCATION PRESENTING PROMOTION LEADERSHIP Making the arts an integral and dynamic aspect of community and economic vitality, public education and civic life in Okanogan County.
18 Methow Valley Summer
Three rides that showcase the Methow By Ann McCreary
F
or mountain bikers, the variety of Methow trails lets riders choose between high-elevation alpine environments, open grassy terrain, and lowelevation river drainages. For road cyclists, the Methow is central to many amazing riding opportunities. While the valley floor is limited in mileage and diversity, the North Cascades and mountainous terrain east of the Methow open up many opportunities for great road riding. Following are three “classic” rides for road, mountain and cross bikes suggested by Joe Brown, owner of Methow Cycle and Sport in Winthrop.
Road: Washington Pass “Being able to ride up into the heart of the North Cascades is as good as some of the destinations of the world, like the Alps and the Pyrenees,” says Brown. The ride has nice gradual approach up the Methow Valley and a long progressive climb to the summit at 5,500 feet. It offers a great variety of terrain and views and is physically demanding. Best time to ride: Late spring through fall. Distance/time: 65 miles (3-4.5 hours). The route: Starting in Winthrop, ride west on Highway 20 seven miles to Goat
Creek Road. Take a right and follow to Mazama. Take a left at stop sign, proceeding a short distance before revisiting Highway 20 again. Take a right at the stop sign and get ready for the climbing to begin just beyond Early Winters Campground. The route stair steps for several miles until you reach Lone Fir Campground. From here it’s a steady grade climb several more miles until you reach the summit. On the final approach there are many views to enjoy.
Mountain bike: Pipestone Canyon Located southeast of Winthrop, Pipestone Canyon offers striking views of the Sawtooth and North Cascade mountains, and gives riders a choice of options ranging from relatively flat to steep and more technical. Distance/time: 11.5 miles (2 hours) Best time to ride: Spring, early summer or fall. For a nice introduction to Pipestone, access the canyon off Balky Hill Road via East County Road. The ride proceeds through the base of the canyon and heads north on double track until you reach a gate and the beginning of a gravel road. Proceed past Campbell Lake until the intersection of Lester Road. Go left, then almost immediately take a soft right into single track heading northwest. After crossing a
small ravine, head left at the crest toward the road. At the road go right, head up a long gradual grade, take an acute right just past the crest. Descend to the same ravine previously crossed and stay left up a steep climb. After the climb the single track turns into gentle double track all the way back to Lester Road. Go right on Lester Road for a short jaunt to the intersection with the road to Campbell Lake. Go left and retrace the route through the canyon heading south toward start and finish of the ride.
Cross bike: Rendezvous/ Wolf Creek Loop A fantastic ride that takes riders from Winthrop up and over the Rendezvous and then offers a nice route over Wolf Ridge via Wolf Creek Road on the opposite shoulder of the valley. This ride offers a lot of climbing but all of it gradual and compatible with gearing offered on most cross bikes. The Rendezvous-Wolf Creek ride also provides the best views of the valley floor. Much of the ride is forested making for a good choice in hot summer weather. Best time to ride: Spring through fall (April-October). Distance/Time: 30 miles (2.5 - 4 hours). The route: Leaving Winthrop, ride up West Chewuch Road heading north. Take a left on Rendezvous Road, which turns to gravel and begins to gently climb. Take a
soft left on Gunn Ranch Road heading west and continue to gently climb. Take time to enjoy the expansive views of Big Valley and Sun Mountain on the opposite side of the valley. Descend into Gunn Ranch proper and follow the road around in a horseshoe shape where it begins to climb again. Continue to follow Gunn Ranch Road as it ascends toward the Rendezvous. The road affords fantastic views up and down the valley as it literally hugs the edge of the hillside. Eventually the road heads northward toward Rendezvous Basin. At the intersection of Rendezvous Road, take a left heading west toward Mazama. After a couple of miles of mostly descending the road descends sharply with a tight right turn at the bottom and Road 100 to the left. Take Road 100 and continue descending past the upper entrance to Edelweiss. Continue as
MAZAMA RANCH HMAZAMA OUSE
the road turns to East Fawn Creek, passes through the lower portion of Edelweiss and meets Goat Creek road at the bottom. Finally, enjoy a couple miles of pavement by turning left on Goat Creek road and riding to the stop sign where it meets SR 20. Turn right heading west toward Mazama, cross the Methow River and then take a left on Wolf Creek Road. Ride past Brown’s Farm as pavement gives way to gravel and gradually begins to climb Wolf Ridge. Be careful of sharp rocks and rough dirt road at times. Continue following Wolf Creek over the crest of Wolf Ridge and finally descend back onto the valley floor and pass by Wolf Ridge resort. Wolf Creek Road turns to pavement and weaves its way over several miles to Twin Lakes Road. Take a left on Twin Lakes and roll into the south end of Winthrop. !
RANCH HOUSE
EXPERIENCE MAZAMA EXPERIENCE MAZAMA IN THE SUMMER IN THE
Beautiful Mountain Beautiful Mountain Setting Setting Peace Quiet Peace and and Quiet Biking, Hiking Hiking and Biking, and Horseback Trails Horseback Trails
SUMMER
Rooms with
Rooms with kitchenettes kitchenettes
Cabins with Cabins with fullfull kitchens kitchens Bright Stars at at Night Bright Stars Night
509.996.2040
509.996.2040
Methow Valley Summer 19
Trail mix
Hiking the Methow can take you from the valley floor to alpine altitudes By Marcy Stamper
L
ike a gardener drooling over a seed catalogue in January, Dwight Filer fantasizes each winter, studying topo maps and planning hiking and backpacking trips for the coming season. While Filer has explored spectacular scenery from Montana to Alaska, he finds nothing has ever topped the mountain scenery in his extended backyard. “Plus, the notion that you have a chance to see a grizzly bear when you go to the North Cascades is thrilling,” said Filer, who appreciates the tracks and sounds of wildlife as much as the rare sighting. He has followed bear and moose tracks, often right on the trail, and one morning
20 Methow Valley Summer
heard wolves calling from across a ridge. “Hearing them howl was an absolute thrill,” he said. Chris Ensor, who leads trips for the Seattle Mountaineers, loves the east slope of the Cascades. “On the west side you’re often hiking through woodlands, which, while lush, can be enclosed and quite gloomy,” he said. “The great thing about hiking in the North Cascades is that there are great views almost every step of the way.” Veteran Mazama hiker Eric Burr also looks for “scenic spectaculars” and the chance to see animals. For satisfying bird watching without a long drive, Burr suggests routes along the water, such as Big Valley, the North Cascades Basecamp near Mazama, or the Beaver Pond trail at Sun Mountain. Cutthroat Lake
Photo by Ashley Lodato
A few minutes of effort can provide hours of solitude on Methow trails. and Blue Lake boast views and often mountain goats, and being above timberline affords opportunities to see other bird species, he said.
Finding the flora Another charm of hiking in this area is that flower buffs can follow wildflowers to higher elevations as the
season progresses. “There’s always a place where it’s spring – even in August, you can go to 7,000 or 8,000 feet and get the dramatic bloom,” said botanist and avid hiker George Wooten, who advises people to literally stop and smell the roses – and the trees. The abundant Woods’ rose is exceptionally
fragrant, and Ponderosa pine is reminiscent of butterscotch or vanilla. For dramatic wildflower displays, particularly of fuchsia fireweed and bright yellow glacier lilies, Burr recommends areas recovering from recent wildfires, such as the West Fork Methow trail or higher up toward Harts Pass. Many native-plant fans also include birds in their excursions. Caryl Campbell hikes almost every week with friends, combining wildflower appreciation with bird watching. “It was crowded up in the skies the other day,” she said. “There were tons of raptors – eagles, harriers, red tails, owls, turkey vultures.” Along with her observations of flora and fauna, Campbell, a scientist and painter, keeps a field journal of each hike. “It’s not a
personal journey, it’s not art,” she said. “It’s documentation for your own personal record and helps you remember the way the colors were that day.” Campbell has given basic art lessons to her hiking companions, who now all include a small watercolor set in their packs and sketch and paint during lunch. People who explore the trails with children look for other highlights, like “shorter hikes with big wows,” said Danica Ready Kaufman. “Parents make the mistake of thinking kids will enjoy hiking the way we do, appreciating the quiet and the exercise,” she said. But kids like to play games, watch fish, or experience the thundering drama of waterfalls. Ready Kaufman suggests a short round-trip at the Tawlks-Foster suspension bridge near Mazama or the Falls Creek trail on the West Chewuch, where a quick path leads to the impressive falls and the option of climbing above the cascades for further exploration.
Find a favorite A more ambitious hike goes about two miles to the Cedar Creek falls from the North Cascades Highway, meandering through lush forest to a dramatic overlook where the falls descend through a series of pools. Cutthroat Lake is another rewarding destination for both kids and adults, passing several small streams in about 2 miles before reaching a beautiful mountain lake ringed by snow-capped peaks. Everyone has a favorite hike, but the Maple Pass loop from Rainy Pass is near the top of almost everyone’s list. “It’s probably the most enjoyable, spectacular loop hike I’ve ever been on,” said Ensor. Another hiker said her summer feels incomplete if she doesn’t do the 7.5-mile loop at least once. The hike affords views of Lake Ann and the Cascade range. A level, paved path that is wheelchair-accessible heads 1 mile from the parking lot to Rainy Lake, which can
The 10 Essentials
Photo by Paul Butler
Hikes range from the easy to the ambitious. be its own outing or a spur to the longer loop. Whether you get out for a quick morning jaunt or have the desire and luxury to spend more time in the mountains, being in nature can satisfy everyone and every mood. Pat Leigh, who takes a daily sunrise trek from her home in Edelweiss with friends, said, “It’s kinda crazy, but it’s so good for us, we just keep it going. We talk about baking bread, cooking,
nutrition, medical science, politics, books, movies, even the weather. It’s not about adventure; it’s about a commitment to be there for our good friends and to do something that is good for all of us.” Filer craves a different experience when time permits. “I almost need six or seven days to get my mind in a whole different place – I need to be out for a minimum number of days to lose the other world,” he said. !
Lists of the 10 essentials have evolved over the years since they were first developed by the Seattle Mountaineers. The following is a basic list of what you should bring when you head into the mountains, even if there’s not a cloud in the sky. There are also suggestions for supplies you may want to take, depending on your interests or destination.
• Map & compass • Sunglasses & sunscreen • Rain gear • Extra clothing (warm clothing, hat, gloves, extra socks) • Headlamp or flashlight • First-aid supplies • Fire starter & matches • Knife, repair kit & tools • Extra food • Water; water filter or purification tablets for longer trips
The Methow Valley is the nations Largest Cross Country Ski area with 120 miles of groomed trails. Come ski this winter!
SkiTheMethow.com
• Emergency shelter or blanket Optional: whistle locator device or cell phone insect repellent magnifying glass for wildflowers binoculars
Methow Valley Summer 21
Paying for public passage
HIKING
Most of our parks, trails, campsites and lakes require a pass – and every jurisdiction is a little different By Marcy Stamper
T
Photo by Ashley Lodato
To avoid confusion, find out about fees before you hit the trail.
22 Methow Valley Summer
he main thing you should know before hitting a trail, taking your boat out onto a lake or your horse up a hillside is that most public lands in the Methow and surrounding mountains require a pass of some kind, particularly if you’re going to park a vehicle. Figuring out which pass you need is a little trickier, because you need to know whether you’re heading to state or federal land. As a general rule, areas in the valley are managed by the state; higher up in the mountains it’s the U.S. Forest Service. State lands are managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the
Department of Natural Resources, or Washington State Parks and require a Discover Pass ($30, annual; $10, day) for anyone parking on state land. If you walk there, get there by bicycle or horse, or park on a county road and then head into the woods or across a meadow, you do not need the pass. Pearrygin Lake State Park in Winthrop is the most obvious of the state-owned properties. Alta Lake State Park is further south (just north of Pateros). Anyone paying to camp at one of these parks does not need a Discover Pass to use the rest of the park. WDFW operates several wildlife areas, including the Methow Wildlife Area near Bear Creek Road, the Big Buck Wildlife Area off Twisp River Road, and the Golden Doe Wildlife Area on the Twisp-
Carlton Road. Popular with hikers and bird and wildlife watchers, these areas have trails, lakes and occasionally old structures, but no developed facilities; however, they do require the Discover Pass. DNR areas are a bit harder to identify – much of the public land adjacent to roads is managed by DNR. People go to these areas to walk, bike or ride horses on primitive roads, and will need a Discover Pass if parking within the natural area. The main local area operated by DNR that requires a Discover Pass is the Loup Loup State Forest. Federal lands are generally managed by the U.S. Forest Service, and include the majority of trails that head into the Cascades, whether from the North Cascades Highway, Twisp River Road or the West
Chewuch Road. Virtually all these trailheads require a Northwest Forest Pass ($30, annual) or a day-use pass ($5). Forest Service sites must be equipped with six amenities before the fee can be collected – a picnic table, toilet, trash collection, interpretive sign, developed parking and security – and virtually all local trails in the area have been equipped over the past year. One change from last summer is that the Harts Pass area no longer carries a special designation, so parking at trailheads and other sites there is free unless you use one of the campgrounds. Trails in North Cascades National Park are free but all trailheads accessed from the North Cascades Highway east of the Cascade crest begin on National Forest land and therefore require a Northwest Forest Pass. Note that other regulations change once you enter the national park – for instance, you can no longer bring your dog.
To further confuse matters, there are other passes, such as the America the Beautiful Pass ($80), that cover various types of federal lands – national parks (most of which do charge a fee), national monuments and Bureau of Land Management areas – that will also work at Forest Service trailheads. In addition, people over the age of 62 can get a special pass ($10) that covers all these federal lands. People with disabilities can get a free pass for federal lands. There is no pass for seniors that provides discounted access to state lands. People who buy hunting or fishing permits will be issued a vehicleaccess pass that allows them to use WDFW lands, but this pass will not cover state parks or DNR land. There is also something called the Natural Investment Permit, which is handy for boaters who want to use a State Parks boat launch. They will, however, need the Discover Pass for boat launches
managed by DNR and WDFW. The various agencies have been more diligent about posting signs letting users know which pass is needed, although only the Forest Service provides a way to purchase a pass on site (only a day pass, and not at all trailheads). People using state lands need to get the Discover Pass ahead of time, although you can buy one from a park ranger. Passes are available online, through local vendors, at state parks, at the Forest Service office on West Chewuch Road and, in the case of the Discover Pass, with the renewal of your vehicle registration. Buying the Discover Pass with your car tabs or in person at a state park is the only way to get the pass without an additional $5 fee.The federal passes can be transferred between an unlimited number of vehicles; the Discover Pass can be used in two vehicles. !
Trails to explore (all distances one way unless otherwise specified) • Beaver Pond, trailhead at Sun Mountain Chickadee parking area on Patterson Lake Road. 1.5 miles (mostly level); additional 0.5 miles from Sun Mountain Lodge parking (more climbing). • Big Valley, trailhead at Dripping Springs parking area on Highway 20, about 7 miles west of Winthrop. Flat 8-mile loop along Methow River and through meadows. • Blue Lake, trailhead about 30 miles from Winthrop on North Cascades Highway, 0.8 miles west of Washington Pass. 2.2 miles to lake, some climbing, forest and mountain views. • Cedar Creek Falls, trailhead 18 miles from Winthrop on North Cascades Highway. 1.7 miles to falls, 7.5 miles further to Abernathy Pass. Rivers and forest, mountain views. • Cutthroat Lake, trailhead 26 miles from Winthrop on North Cascades Highway. 2 miles to lake, 3.8 miles further to Cutthroat Pass. One-way 11-mile trip possible to Rainy Pass with two-car shuttle. Forest, lake and mountain views. • Falls Creek, trailhead 11 miles up the West Chewuch Road. 0.25 mile on a
wheelchair-accessible path to the falls; dirt trail climbs from there for several more miles. Forest and falls. • Grasshopper Pass, trailhead 2 miles west of Harts Pass, about 20 miles from Mazama junction. 5.5 miles to pass. Rolling terrain, mountain views. • Maple Pass, trailhead at Rainy Pass, 35 miles from Winthrop on North Cascades Highway. 7.5-mile loop; 3.1 miles to Lake Ann; 0.9 mile on wheelchair-accessible trail to Rainy Lake. • North Cascades Basecamp, trailhead 2.2 miles west of Mazama junction on Lost River Road. Many trails available, mostly level. River, forest and birds. • Tawlks-Foster Suspension Bridge, trailhead at Suspension Bridge parking area on Goat Creek Road, 1 mile east of Mazama junction; about 0.5 mile to the bridge on MVSTA Community Trail. River and forest. • West Fork Methow, trailhead at River Bend campground at the end of Lost River Road, 8 miles from Mazama junction. 8 miles to junction with Pacific Crest trail. River and forest, mountain views. !
Getting a Pass Discover Pass (state) www.discoverpass.wa.gov or (866) 320-9933 Local Vendors: Pardners Mini Market, Winthrop The Outdoorsman, Winthrop Bryan’s Clothing & Sporting Goods Station, Twisp Valley Hardware Do it Center, Twisp All charge vendor fees. Alta Lake State Park rangers (when available) Pearrygin Lake State Park rangers (when available) No vendor fees. Northwest Forest Pass (federal) Winthrop Ranger Station (Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; June 23 to Sept. 2: Saturday and Sunday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed for lunch on weekends) U.S. Geological Survey store, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, 888-275-8747 (888-ASK-USGS); $5 for shipping and handling U.S. Geological Survey store, http://store.usgs.gov; $5 for shipping and handling Discover Your Northwest (www.discovernw.org); minimum $1.50 for shipping and handling On-line purchases cannot be printed out for use; you must allow time to receive the official pass in the mail. Day passes can be purchased at most trailheads with exact change or a check. Annual passes cannot be bought at trailheads. Local vendors: Methow Cycle & Sport (annual and day passes), Winthrop Winthrop Mountain Sports (annual and day passes), Winthrop Valley Hardware Do it Center (annual and day passes), Twisp Mazama Country Inn (day
pass only), Mazama No extra fees. Discover Pass required to park at the following areas: • Pearrygin Lake State Park • Alta Lake State Park • Golden Doe Wildlife Area near Carlton • Deadhorse Lake, the Big Buck Wildlife Area, and Aspen Lake (accessed from Frost Road off Twisp River Road) • Methow Wildlife Area (Bear Creek Road) • Cougar Lake, Campbell Lake and Pipestone Canyon (pass required to park at the lakes) • Big Valley Ranch, managed by the Department of Natural Resources, also requires a parking pass • Carlton Swimming Hole • Patterson Mountain • Loup Loup State Forest Northwest Forest Pass required at: • Trailheads on North Cascades Highway, including: - Cutthroat Lake - Blue Lake - Maple Pass/Lake Ann - Cedar Creek Falls - Pacific Crest Trail • West Chewuch trails, including: - Billy Goat - Falls Creek - Andrews Creek • Twisp River trails, including: - Twisp Pass - Louis Lake - War Creek Free Forest Service Trailheads: • Goat Peak • West Fork Methow River • Slate Lake (Twisp River) • Copper Glance (Chewuch) • Harts Pass trails Other Free Trails: MVSTA trails, such as the Methow Community Trail Trails at Sun Mountain Lodge See the Forest Service website, www.fs.usda.gov/ okawen, for trail conditions and other info. Methow Valley Summer 23
MVSTA loves the snow, but local trails are a summer treat as well By Georgina Tobiska
T
he Methow Valley is warming up for a super summer trails season after the most successful winter ski season to date. The snow came early and stayed late, so ski trails were open and groomed longer than ever before – a total 130 days, according to James DeSalvo, executive director of the Methow Valley Sport Trails Association (MVSTA). That’s expertly groomed trails spanning six months, giving locals and visitors winter trail time from November to April. Stressin’ recession? Not our trail enthusiasts or MVSTA. DeSalvo points to their financial stats: the 24 Methow Valley Summer
highest revenue year of all time, the most seasons passes sold to date, and an increase of 20 to 30 percent in trail pass purchases and trails use.
Maps courtesy of MVSTA
As MVSTA Events Director Kristen Smith says, when the national economy is great, the Methow economy does great; when the na-
tional economy is really poor, the Methow economy does great. That’s because it’s affordable to vacation
See MVSTA page 26
Photo courtesy of Kristen Smith
Runners break from the start of a recent Mazama 10K race, an MVSTA-sponsored event.
Methow Valley Summer 25
MVSTA here regardless of financial circumstances around the country, and the drive to get to the Methow is a vacation in itself. In a nutshell, MVSTA’s goals are “inspiring and increasing trail use yearround, but focusing on the winter season because that’s what we do really well.” The new focus is guided by MVSTA’s demonstrated success. That means ski events, ski trails – and popular summer events when the snow is in temporary retreat.
Summer events When you travel the trails this summer, consider hiking or biking the Community Trail (see accompanying maps). It is easily accessible, not difficult terrain, and is simply a beauty. “The more that I learn of the history of the Community Trail, the more I love it and the more I appreciate all the people who have made it happen,” says DeSalvo. The Community Trial is a meaningful historic piece of our culture for Methowvians, since it connects the length of our beautiful valley through private and government cooperation and the leadership of MVSTA. Recommended: Pick a trail to run, hike or bike in summer, and return to ski it in the winter. You will be amazed at the severe distinctions between seasons, wildlife and terrain. If you need advice on a good loop for your abilities, just call MVSTA, (509) 9963287. Out of 200 kilometers of trails, they’ll be able to point you to a trail you’ll love. Solidly successful, the Sunflower Relay is an MVSTA original event designed to get the whole family and community running in the flower filled hills. If you missed it this year, look for registration for next year’s race in May. The Mazama 10 K (with 5 K and 1 K races for kids as well), held when the temps 26 Methow Valley Summer
are perfect and the valley is its greenest, will take place on May 26. The ever-popular Cutthroat Classic will be held as usual, the last Saturday of the usual heat season, Aug. 25. (At time of writing, there are already more than 300 people registered for this event that sells out months in advance.) To register for any of these or other MVSTA events, go to http://www. mvsta.com/events.html/. Finally, a word of warning: The Methow boasts several world-class runners whom you may encounter on the trails. With Methow trails as his training ground, DeSalvo is marathoning around the world with a personal best of 2:33, but his favorite race is the Cutthroat. Good luck to runners competing against this speedster and our other competitive runners.
Looking ahead Visitors and residents alike are already looking forward to another great season in North America’s largest cross-country ski system. A collaboration that includes MVSTA, landowners and county officials has helped create a vast system of trails. In the winter, professional groomers keep the trails in excellent condition, and because they rise so early you will probably never see them. In addition to the stellar snow and cooperative conditions, skiers of winter 2012 enjoyed smarter grooming and better grooming on heavily used trails, according to DeSalvo. The organization’s focus is on the best and most used trails. DeSalvo has a pretty clear picture of what those are, having skied every single trail this past winter alone. Another improvement he points out is the increased connections he and staff have with folks on the trails, including “backyard ski day” and planned social events on the trails with the experts. !
Methow Valley Summer 27
Making camp Whether you’re in a tent or RV, the Methow’s got you covered By Bob Spiwak
T
he Methow Valley offers endless possibilities for camping, ranging from beautiful state parks and U.S. Forest Service
campgrounds to out-and-out primitive adventures, like sleeping on a mat under the stars. For the latter, have a tent handy – just in case. Just out of Winthrop is Pearrygin Lake State Park. If your choice is a motor home or
Owl Peak
Owl Peak
Offered for sale by the Methow Conservancy Your Chance to Own a Unique Piece of the Methow Valley •
Approx. 238 acres of incredible native shrubsteppe, sitting high above the Valley floor
•
One-of-a-kind views of Gardner Mountain & the Sawtooth Wilderness
•
Stunning rolling terrain, a seasonal creek, aspen woodlands & abundant wildlife
•
Fantastic skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, & star-gazing out your back door!
For more information contact the Methow Conservancy at 996-2870.
Methow Conservancy
On behalf of our volunteer Board of Directors, thank you for helping us be your local land trust working to inspire people to care for the land of the Methow Valley!
www.methowconservancy.org 28 Methow Valley Summer
camper, the park has accommodations for your vehicle. If your thing is tent camping, there are places for that as well, right close to the lake. There is fishing and boating, swimming in a protected area with a beach at the lake which, by the way, is heavily stocked with trout. Right in Winthrop is a fine KOA campground, and there is Riverbend campground on Highway 20 between Winthrop and Twisp. These are primarily for motorized camping. At the south end of the valley, a couple of miles from the town of Pateros, is Alta Lake State Park, offering the same sort of retreat possibilities as Pearrygin, right down to the fishing.
Fees and passes There are many Forest Service campgrounds as well, these especially strung out along the Chewuch River for more than 20 miles. Fishing is limited here. Be sure to carefully read the fishing regulations, and if you have Philadelphia lawyer along to interpret them you are ahead of the game. The Forest Service campgrounds for the most part require fees, which vary. Even if you are in possession of the National Forest Annual Pass you’ll pay from $5 to $12, de-
Photo by Ashley Lodato
Camping options range from primitive to pampered.
pending on the campground. Should you be a senior, 62 years of age or over, the pass for you is $10 and good for the rest of your life, and campground fees are half the posted amount. These are available at the Winthrop
Forest Service headquarters, up the hill and across from the Winthrop Barn. It would be a good idea to procure a map if you are planning to camp and hike in the high country, because you may find yourself on national
park land. These can be gotten by Googling the jurisdictions in the area and following the links provided. Forest maps can be procured at the Forest Service offices in Winthrop, or at the Winthrop Information Center. If you are coming over the North Cascades Highway, stop at national park offices in Newhalem.
The high country Along with the many Forest Service campgrounds, there are even more places to camp for nothing. Especially along the Chewuch River, there are blind turnouts – probably not a good idea for motor homes or trailers, but places to pull in and set up a tent. Just be sure to clean up after yourself and others before you. Be sure to douse, drown and stir your campfire. For many, the ultimate in camping is at Harts Pass. At an elevation of about 6,000 feet there is camping, day hiking, access to the Pasayten Wilderness and Pacific Crest Trail, breathtaking views and acres and acres of lovely wildflowers punctuated by creeks and rivulets. Bear in mind that at this elevation weather can change in a flash – of lightning as well as time. We have been up there during a July snowstorm, and a night-long crashing and booming August downpour that put our tent flies and stakes to a supreme test. Bring a lot of clothing, even if it’s 80 degrees in the valley, and a sleeping bag that is good for 20 degrees or less. En route to this Nirvana on the Harts Pass road are four or five Forest Service campgrounds at an altitude of about 2,500 feet. South from Winthrop are campgrounds along the Twisp River, a Forest Service campground at Blackpine Lake, and farther south in the Gold Creek area there are more sites including Foggy Dew Campground, which has a short hike to a nice waterfall. Be sure to have all the permits you think you will need. Bring insect repellant – and don’t get lost. !
Fire safety L
starts with you
ast year 94 percent of wildfires in Washington State were caused by people. Wildfires, forest health problems, and underlying forest conditions are deeply intertwined. But it still begins with one spark: Be extraordinarily careful with fire at all times. This year, the Pacific Northwest is not projected to experience the extreme drought currently gripping the southwestern and central United States, but we do expect a return to more normal summer weather patterns. That will mean higher fire danger than last year. What can you do to help? • Always report a forest fire by calling 911. • Never shoot off fireworks on or onto forest lands. • Only burn firewood from a local resource – this minimizes bugs and diseases spreading to healthy parts of the forests. • Only build a campfire in approved fire pits within campgrounds. • Never build your own fire pit unless it’s on your property; and it’s a good idea to have it inspected by your local fire district or department. • Never leave a campfire until it is completely out and cool to the touch. • Always have a shovel and at least 5 gallons of water to extinguish a campfire. Outdoor debris burning is the leading human cause of wildfires in Washington. It is your responsibility to understand and follow the rules to protect you and your neighbors from an escaped debris burn. If you live in or near a wooded area, the Firewise program can help protect your home and community from wildfires. Residents can reduce the risk of their home’s ignition with simple changes to their homes and immediate surroundings. For example, clearing a space around your home can reduce wildfire
threat. Reduce surrounding vegetation and prune large trees. Cleaning gutters and eaves of leaves and debris can prevent an ember from igniting a home. ! Provided by Washington State Department of Natural Resources
Be careful with that fire.
Photo by Sue Misao
Methow Valley Summer 29
Saddle up Horseback adventures let you leave ‘real life’ behind By Ann McCreary
E
arly morning sunlight filtered through the trees at the Wolf Creek trailhead, as our outfitter unloaded horses and mules from a trailer. The animals’ warm breath created small clouds around their muzzles in the chilly September air. Heading into Gardner Meadows for six days, my friend and I decided to enjoy the relative luxury of a drop-camp. With the support of Cascade Wilderness Outfitters, we brought most of the comforts of home – a wall tent, stove, tables and chairs, soft bedding, gourmet food and wine. T.R., our wrangler, expertly packed our embarrassing amassment of goods into canvas manny
30 Methow Valley Summer
sheets and lashed them to four mules, all the while keeping up a steady stream of entertaining stories about his life and work. Saddled up on seasoned horses that knew their way, we rode for 11 miles into the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness, following T.R. and the mule string. The trail wound through forests, across a steep, nerve-wracking scree slope (with skeletons of unlucky pack animals visible far below), and eventually opened into the expansive green meadows below Mount Gardner. We chose a campsite and T.R. unloaded our gear, then headed back toward the trailhead, leading his string of now-unburdened mules. As he disappeared in the distance, we went to work setting up our camp in the beautiful solitude of Gardner Meadows. With the exception of a
Photo courtesy of Steve Darwood
Organized pack expeditions come in many varieties.
lone climber who camped further down the meadow one night, we didn’t see another soul for six days. On our final day we took down camp, packed up our gear and set
everything out for our outfitter to retrieve. Carrying only a light day pack, we hiked out to the trailhead, greeting Steve Darwood, owner of Cascade Wilderness Outfitters, as
he rode in leading mules to collect our gear.
Escaping to a simpler life Like hundreds of other people who venture into the backcountry surrounding the Methow Valley each year with the help of local outfitters, we were seeking a way to leave “real life” behind. The appeal of these excursions is spending time in beautiful and remote places and, for a while at least, living a little more simply. “You’re stepping back in time,” said Aaron Lee Burkhart, owner of Early Winters Outfitting in Mazama. “Your cell phone doesn’t work, you can’t text, you don’t have to respond to your Facebook page.” Darwood said most of his clients are “baby boomers” who have an affinity for the outdoors but not much time to enjoy it. “Ninety percent are 50 or older. These are people who have worked so hard for so long, they want to take time and experience the wilderness. Recreation is a big thing for them. These are people who have paid their taxes and supported wilderness,” said Darwood, who operates
Cascade Wilderness Outfitters, as well as North Cascades Outfitters with his son Jess. Darwood said many of his clients are – or have been – hikers and backpackers who want to get deeper into the wilderness than they are able to on their own. “It takes two days to get to the Canadian border on foot. In order to pack enough stuff on your back you can only stay a day. You don’t get the time to appreciate and really explore. We can get there in a day, and you have four or five or six days to really explore the wilderness,” Darwood said. Local outfitters lead guests into the Pasayten Wilderness and Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness areas under permits issued by the U.S. Forest Service. They may take guests to an assigned camp, where tents and gear are allowed to stay in place during the season, or they may stay in temporary camps.
Pampered campers Outfitters offer different styles of trips to provide an experience that matches the vision of their guests. On deluxe trips, the customer only
needs to bring a sleeping bag and personal items. “It’s a total cateredto experience,” said Burkhart. On deluxe trips the outfitter supplies the equine transportation, all of the camping equipment, tents, three meals prepared by the camp cook, and a guide. Days can be spent fishing nearby lakes, riding to scenic locations, moving to the next camping spot, or relaxing in camp. Evenings are spent around the campfire, where the wranglers often entertain guests with songs, poetry and stories. Darwood said a campfire tradition on his trips is passing the stick used to poke the fire among the campers. The person with the stick tells a story, sings a song or tells a joke. “Those evenings can be a great time,” he said. “Some groups entertain us as much as we entertain them.” The deluxe trips include meals cooked on camp stoves and in Dutch ovens. “The cook calls guests ahead of time to find out their likes and dislikes, and to cater to the group,” Darwood said. The first night of the trip is usually steak, baked potatoes and Caesar salad, and other main meals may be chicken cordon bleu,
pork loin, spaghetti and freshly caught trout. “Almost every night there will be a fresh dessert cooked in the Dutch oven. I always tell people you don’t gain weight at that elevation,” Darwood said. Most camps, he noted, are at elevations of 6,500-7,200 feet. For people who can provide their own equipment and want more independence and lower costs, the drop-camp option transports them and/or their gear to and from their wilderness destination. Some people may choose the deluxe option, but prefer to hike rather than ride. Outfitters tailor their offerings to the preferences of their guests. Hunting trips are a mainstay of the outfitters’ business, although outfitters report that the volume of hunting trips has dropped in recent years, and many of their hunters are repeat customers. “A lot of my hunters are older,” Darwood said. Many hunting trips are as much about the comaraderie of spending time in the backcountry with friends as they are about actually hunting, Darwood observed. “They go with the same buddies each year and hunt some. They’re not as serious as they used to be.” !
Methow Valley Summer 31
On the water
The Methow River and local lakes are prime watercraft areas By Bob Spiwak
R
ivers and lakes in the Methow Valley offer a variety of ways to enjoy the water. Whether you are totally inundated in a refreshing swimming hole on a hot summer day or insulated from the agua in a boat there is something for you. The Methow River is agreeable to craft ranging from inner tubes to canoes floating down with the current. If you want to do some fancy wave surfing in a kayak or on a board, the river is the place. The resident guided raft excursions are no longer in the valley, but itinerant reputable rafting companies sometimes make a stop here if the water levels warrant it. If you
want to try the trip down the river on a guided journey, we suggest looking up “River Rafting” on the Internet and checking with some of the companies who may be setting up shop here. There’s an important note of caution to be aware of. The guided raft rides require that you wear a life preserver (personal flotation device) at all times when aboard the craft. And for good reason. Even in a calm flow one can fall overboard and it can be humorous – or fatal. With a guided raft there is a lot of help immediately on hand, but floating an inner tube or flimsy single- or two-person raft can be deadly, even in class II water. This applies to canoes and kayaks as well, where a flip may not injure you but your craft is now downstream as you flounder to get your bearings. This can be in rough
Patterson Lake is a quiet refuge.
water, or on the most docile surface where a large eddy may flip your ride or suck you into a whirlpool. Keep that PFD on and secured. If it’s too hot, find a safe place, beach and take a dip. On the upper reaches of the Methow above Winthrop, there are usually people floating or paddling
Photo by Callie Fink
in hot weather. Here there are logjams, “sweepers” or “strainers,” obstructions created by downed trees. When a watercraft encounters an obstruction, the physics of immovable objects and irresistible forces come into play. A raft can fold over a limb across the water, a canoe can cave in. Every person should have a
Swimming Pool
32 Methow Valley Summer
www.rockinghorsebakery.com
storm whistle hanging from the neck. Another hazard we see too often is overloaded watercraft. If all this spells doom and gloom, we apologize. As a life-long canoeist there is little to equal the fun of paddling, and aside from a crash-and-burn in a kayak in white water years ago, there’s never been an accident that threatened me or fellow paddlers.
Lakes, large and small Where the Methow really shines is the number and variety of lakes. In the immediate environs is Pearrygin Lake, always crowded in summer but large enough to accommodate paddlers, anglers, or large highpowered boats that can be ferrying to a different fishing spot or pulling a skier or boarder behind. The water in summer is warm, the fishing good, and the upper (south) end of the lake is a fine place to sit in the craft and watch and listen to the hordes of red wing blackbirds and various waterfowl in a more-quiet environment. Conversely, on the road to Sun Mountain is Patterson Lake, a place where, aside from the hum of tires on the road you can sit and enjoy the
Photo by Sue Misao
Always make sure that a personal flotation device is part of your equipment. quiet. No motorboats are allowed other than electric outboards. There may be an occasional sailboat. It is a bit smaller than Pearrygin, and colder water, but offers no campsites, which engenders a feeling of isolation, especially in early morn or evening, and a relaxing paddle
or cruise. There are bass, perch and trout in the lake, which ranges from 93 to 8 feet in depth, the latter a narrow bar about halfway up the lake. The best time to ply this lake is in the light of the moon, whether for romantic or purely aesthetic experiences.
There is only one boat launch on Patterson, so if you’re out at night, leave even a small LED light on in your car or at the site. South of Twisp and up into the hills is Blackpine Lake, a very small one accompanied by a large U.S. Forest Service campground. It is around 10 miles from Highway 153, largely on gravel road, but a nice place to fish or train small children in the art of paddling. Totally forested, it is a gem. East out of the valley on Highway 20 over Loup Loup pass is Leader Lake, a Bureau of Reclamation site with a small, primitive campground. There are fish here, many places to land (watch out for rattlesnakes in remote areas), and panfish and turtles to delight the kids. From Okanogan, a string of smaller lakes march right up to the Canadian border in the Similkameen Wildlife area. All offer good fishing and only giant Palmer Lake allows motorboats. At the south end of the Methow Valley is Alta Lake, which, like Pearrgyin Lake, is in a state park. It is smaller than Pearrygin, and has a fine campground. All lake accesses require either a Discover Pass or fishing permit. !
Methow River Raft + Kayak Clean, Comfortable Kitchenettes Easy access to all recreation Linda & Brian Radosevich
(509) 997-2911 1010 E. Hwy. 20, Twisp, WA
Methow Valley Summer 33
Spiritual ascent Rock climbing offers freedom to focus on your next move By Marcy Stamper
S
ome call it vertical yoga or moving meditation, or liken it to gymnastics or dance. But rock climbing is a world unto itself, pairing this intense focus and an acute awareness of being in the moment with spectacular scenery and a special camaraderie. “Climbing is very Zen – that’s really what it’s about,” said Tom Kimbrell, a veteran climber who worked as a guide for 25 years and is a former owner of Winthrop Mountain Sports. “Climbing is a metaphor for life, for its spiritual side,”
said Sue Cram, a climber with 25 years of experience who has guided in the Methow Valley and the Cascades, as well as in southern California, where she owns a climbing school. “Climbing parallels our fear of the future and acceptance of who we are and builds a connection to our body, spirit and mind.” “There is a certain sense of focus,” said Mazama resident Katharine Bill, who has climbed for two decades and also worked as a guide and instructor. “It’s a way to be in nature – the climbing, exposure and risks make all the distractions of daily life fall away.” Cram had the same experience. “It changed my life when I went to climb – all my troubles melted away when I
Photo by Paul Butler
The Liberty Bell area is a popular destination for climbers. tied into the rope – of necessity. It kept me sane,” she said. While climbing changed her life (she ultimately left her corporate job to work
full-time in climbing), yoga changed Cram’s approach to climbing. “Climbing is really all about breathing and being in the present – it forces you to
1
do that because of the potential consequences,” she said. While climbing provides an intense inner experience for many enthusiasts, climbing also takes them into the larger world – literally. You may admire the Liberty Bell spires from the North Cascades Highway or a hiking trail, said Bill, but with climbing skills you find it’s actually possible to get up there. While she had always loved the mountains, rock climbing helped bring a sense of purpose and exploration to her time in the mountains and added another layer of challenge and risk, she said.
Technique is key Many people imagi n e c l i m b i n g re q u i re s
Ms. Kitty’s place
1
Ms. Kitty’s place OLD time phOtO OLD time phOtO parLOr parLOr
2
Kitty KittyNelson Nelson Owner Owner
229 C Riverside Ave.
229 C Riverside Ave. Winthrop, WA. 98862 Winthrop, WA. 98862 (509) 996- 9912 (509) 996- 9912
3 34 Methow Valley Summer
3
Ms. Kitty’s place
Ms. Kitty’s place OLD time phOtO parLOr
OLD time phOtO Kitty NelsonparLOr
4
considerable upper-body strength but, in fact, the most important foundation of good technique is knowing how to place your feet, said Cram. When starting out, climbers also learn to concentrate simply on moving on rock and getting used to the sense of exposure. “Twenty feet off the ground can feel like 200,” said Bill. People gain confidence as they develop this level of concentration and technique. “If someone’s willing, I could get anyone up a rock,” said Cram. Climbing is done in pairs, with one person belaying (holding the rope from a stable position to secure a partner). That partnership builds a special relationship between climbers. “You spend a lot of time on a cliff in stressful situations – it involves good communication and an incredible amount of trust,” said Mark Allen, who runs Expeditions Northwest and also guides trips for North Cascades Mountain Guides. “Climbers have a tight-knit culture. It’s very tribal and self-regulating.” People say, “Climbing? Why on earth would you do that? It seems silly to climb up to come back down again,” said Bill. But for her, climbing is a way to experience the solitude of the North Cascades. “As soon as you step off space and above rock, there’s not a lot of time to think, ‘Did I pay that electric bill?’” said Cram.
Valley climbs Novice and experienced climbers all flock to Fun Rock, one and a half miles west of the Mazama junction, to try rock climbing for the first time and meet other climbers, for a quick ascent at the end of the workday, and to get in shape at the beginning of the season. Fun Rock offers about three dozen climbs, ranging from the easi-
quired to climb in North Cascades National Park.
Types of climbing
Photo by Paul Butler
The valley and environs offer a variety of climbing experiences.
est beginner routes to challenging longer climbs, with evocative names like Pygmalion, Drive-by-Nose Job and Gridlock, as described in the guidebook Rock Climbing Washington. Another good resource is Bryan Burdo’s Mazama Rock. Fun Rock is touted for being family- and dog-friendly, with a flat base without obstructions for belayers and spectators. The rock has both fixed anchors and routes for traditional climbing, where climbers place their own protection and remove it on the way back down. Most routes are not more than 80 feet high. While many routes at Fun Rock are suitable for beginners, there can be loose rock, making helmets important, particularly for belayers. There are several areas up the West Chewuch similar to Fun Rock, but those routes are generally more
difficult, said veteran climber Tom Kimbrell. Goat Wall in Mazama also has good multi-pitch routes for advanced climbers. (Climbs are classified by the number of ropes required, which are generally about 200 feet long. Each segment is referred to as a pitch.) The Prospector Crags, about six and a half miles west of Mazama on Lost River Road, offer more easily accessible variety for experienced climbers. Climbers can find good beginning and intermediate routes at the Washington Pass spires, such as the south arete of Early Winters and the Beckey Route (the southwest face) on Liberty Bell, although these are alpine routes and require more experience and preparation, according to climber Katharine Bill. A backcountry permit is re-
The sport of climbing includes several types of ascents. Traditional climbing, or free climbing, refers to climbing rock outcrops by setting your own protection (anchors and hand holds) and generally doing what is called “top-roping,” where a climber can walk to the top of a crag to set the rope and then go back down to begin the climb. As a climber ascends the rock, placing protection along the way, a partner belays from below, controlling the tautness of the rope, said climbing instructor Sue Cram. Lead climbing requires more skill, because the climber must look for safe places to set gear on the way up and is not roped in from above. In lead climbing the climber does not have any protection for a fall until he or she has set the first anchor, said Cram. Sport climbing is more gymnastic, generally involving pre-placed, permanent bolts and relying less on knowledge of how to place your own anchors, said guide Mark Allen. Climbers attracted to sport climbing often like to push themselves, ascending extremely steep faces and focusing more on gymnastic and technical moves than on placing gear, he said. Bouldering, a relatively recent development in the sport, involves performing moves on large, erratic boulders from 10 to 25 feet tall or under cliffs. Bouldering tends to be less expensive than traditional climbing, because there are generally no ropes involved and “no official safety system other than a crash pad,” said Allen. “It’s the difference between hanging off a rope versus being just a couple of feet off the ground, but some of the hardest climbing moves in the world are done on rock boulders,” he said.!
Ulrich’s Pharmacy
Methow Valley Summer 35
Finding the greens Golfers have options in the Methow Valley and beyond By Bob Spiwak
S
ummer means golf for a goodly number of people, and the Methow Valley and its environs have a number of fine courses on which to play. The valley itself has only two: a nine-hole, 18-tee venue at Bear Creek just outside Winthrop; and at the south end of the valley just north of Pateros is Alta Lake Golf Course, a challenging 18-hole track. Bear Creek Golf Course near Winthrop offers wide fairways with the 5th and 7th challenging gravity with uphill targets. There are 18 individual tees, the components of the back nine marking a change in how the course is
played compared to the front. Atop these mounts, the view from the greens is a fantastic vista of some of the North Cascades’ highest peaks. Alta Lake is adjacent to the lake and state park of the same name. Alta offers a motel next to the clubhouse, wide fairways and huge greens that were double putting surfaces like St. Andrews until owner Don Barth added a second nine over a decade ago. The back nine’s greens are smaller and fairways are narrower with sometimesdire consequences from errant shots. A short par 3 on the back will challenge the talent and courage of a tour pro, as it sits atop a peaked plateau with fall-off on three sides and brush on the fourth. There is a nice view of the Columbia River from several holes.
Photo by MacLeod Pappidas
Good golfing is never far away when you’re in the Methow. A little over an hour from Winthrop adjacent to Chief Joseph Dam near Bridgeport is the Lake Woods course. It is a nine-hole, 18-tee track that has
“Splendid Isolation”
-TRAVEL AND LEISURE MAGAZINE
...a
treasure nestled at the base of the north CasCades
Enrich your days with adventure and nights with relaxation. Soak up sunshine at our outdoor pool or unwind under the stars in our lakeside outdoor spa. Freestone dining offers elegant or casual fare and a full service bar. Inn accommodations showcase fireplaces and private lake view decks. Cabins feature kitchens and fireplaces. Spacious lakeside lodges sleep up to twelve. Condominiums have lakeside decks and full kitchens.
���������������
509.996.3906 ~ 800.639.3809 www.freestoneinn.com “one OF THE 25 Great AMERICAN LODGES”
“WEST’S BEST SMALL INNS” SUNSET MAGAZINE
TRAVEL AND LEISURE MAGAZINE
31 Early Winters Drive, Mazama, Washington (just 15 miles West of Winthrop)
36 Methow Valley Summer
a do-it-yourself driving range. This course is a park-like setting with many mature trees separating fairways and offering interesting second shots
from balls unintentionally hit among them. It is lush even in summer, and a quarter-mile from Bridgeport State Park. The ninth hole follows Rufus Woods Lake to the green atop a ridge parallel to the water. West of the towns of Okanogan and Omak is another nine-hole track, Okanogan Valley Golf Club. There is a shady line of maple trees along the first fairway and abundant trees here and there throughout the course. There are separate tees for each nine holes. A ride of about an hour and a half from Winthrop offers two courses, 18 holes and a bit more expense than those mentioned above. Lake Chelan Municipal has small, slick greens and, given some pin placements, will make putting seem like Augusta
National’s. There are a lot of trees and a fine driving range. The 10th hole from the white tees requires a lengthy smash over a steep-sided canyon and uphill. Once there, it is a downhill trip to the deadly 12th, a drivable par 4 with the most challenging green in the area. All the courses mentioned above can be walked, or carts rented.
Driving along Highway 97
Photo by Patrick Hannigan
Find your own level of challenge on local fairways and greens.
Highlander in East Wenatchee, the southernmost course in this discussion, is an 18-hole layout with multiple tees originally designed as a “links” course virtually devoid of trees, with hidden bunkers like those in the British Isles. More trees have been planted over the past few years and the course is a joy to play, with fine greens, challenging approach shots, especially the ninth – a par 3 venture over a canyon. Carts with GPS are in-
cluded in greens fees in two award-winning tracks, Bear Mountain, a few miles from Chelan on highway 97A, and Desert Canyon, near the hamlet of Orondo on Highway 97. The journeys on both from green to tee are generally very long. Both are desert-like in that they are wide-open, high up in the hills with nothing to stop the wind. Both offer water features like lakes and a stream at each. There are five teeing areas at each course for every capability. Desert Canyon’s signature hole offers one of the longest par 5s in the state and a grand view of the curving Columbia River. Bear Mountain’s 18th tee shares the “longest” title, and from its perch 1,600 feet above Lake Chelan, the 16th tee offers what may be the best water-plus-mountain views of any course in the state. Call for tee times and info, and see pictures and stats on the Internet. !
The Methow menu Locally grown foods abound – here’s where to find them
By Georgina Tobiska
I
n the film K-PAX, the selfproclaimed alien (Kevin Spacey) chews through one fruit after another and reflects on coming to Earth that “the produce alone is worth the trip.” In the Methow Valley, although mostly we claim to be Earth natives, we feel the same way. In addition to the valley’s vast recreational opportunities, many visitors
come here because the produce alone is worth the trip. For many years, folks in the know from over the mountains have called up with questions like: “Are the apricots ripe?” “Is it morel picking time?” “Are the tomatoes and basil ready for harvest?” Once they hear a “yes,” friends take the trek over the beautiful North Cascades Scenic Highway to pick the fruit, load up on veggies at the markets and return home with bounty to eat fresh and preserve. Eating local foods is no challenge in the Methow. Organic agricultural producers abound, farmers markets offer prolific variety and our local restaurants focus on fare produced on our home soil. The community culture supports this production just as much as local eateries, the town chambers of commerce and businesses. The same is true for the Methow-grown meats, grains, cheeses and other value-added products. Farmers such as Bluebird Grain Farms and Crown S Ranch, true prototypes of sustainable ag production, offer increasingly popular on-site tours, farm stores, and interactions with consumers that make the food that much sweeter. Following are some highlights of how to eat like you live here.
Local eateries Begin with a breakfast at one of the Methow’s bangup bakeries. The Rocking Horse Bakery in Winthrop
See MENU Page 38 Methow Valley Summer 37
MENU uses many local ag products with rave reviews. Methow-grown fruits folded into sweet pastries, local veggies in delicious soups and whole grains in their sandwich rolls and breads are just some examples of how the Rocking Horse incorporates homegrown fare. Their vintage vinyl album cover collection is worth a gander and matches up with their sandwich names, such as “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Stairway to Heaven.” Further north, the Mazama Store follows suit with a variety of organic local delectables. The bread schedule includes every grain produced by Bluebird Grain Farms including their hard red wheat, emmer farro, hard white and others. Reggatiore’s grass-fed local beef is used in their soups and sandwiches, as are Crown S Ranch meats including turkey, chicken, pork and eggs. Look for tastes that include Sunny Pine Farm
cheeses, organic goat cheese produced in Twisp. Culinary chef Sarah Lightner says “our sea salt baguette sandwiches are made fresh daily ... and the recipes are always new.” Down south in Twisp, the Cinnamon Twisp Bakery cranks out beautiful breads, breakfast and lunch to a local tune: organic, Methowbased and high-quality. Also using Bluebird Grains Farm whole-grain flours, Cinnamon Twisp bakes their breads and bagels fresh daily. They specialize in some gourmet delights including creative seasonal salads, sushi, panninis and – look out – chocolate éclairs.
Photo by Steve Mitchell
Sausage from Thomson’s Custom Meats is featured in this luscious quiche.
Dining out Arrowleaf Bistro in Winthrop has become a go-to for Methowvians seeking locally produced foods within gourmet recipes. Arrowleaf features local farro, organic seasonal salads, local grassfed lamb and beef, freshcaught fish such as Chinook
and sockeye, and wild game like elk, bison and venison tenderloin. The chefs often feature Crown S Ranch meats as well. Arrowleaf’s Wine Bar Wednesdays are highly popular, offering local wines from Lost River Winery and others and a
scrumptious (and affordable) appetizer menu. Famed for its coveted four-diamond status, the Sun Mountain dining room provides fine dining with the best view of the valley and superb combos of local foods. Perched above the
UNIQUE GIFTS
38 Methow Valley Summer
valley floor with 360-degree viewscape, Sun Mountain is a showcase of our land and of some of the finest vittles in the Methow. Here’s an example recipe from this award winning restaurant: squash blossoms stuffed with Sunny Pine Farms
SOUVENIRS
roasted pepper goat cheese, Annie’s lettuces, housemade bresaola from Big Valley Ranch steers, candied walnuts and a Lapin cherry vinaigrette. Yum. And their signature salmon – perfect. In Twisp, food is an art form at Tappi, where authentic, rustic Italian cuisine is cooked entirely in a classic wood-fired oven. Watch chef John Bonica prepare each plate with finesse while you enjoy rare Italian wines. Bonica shares that he cooks the true Italian way – if it’s not in season, it’s not to be eaten. When fresh produce is in season in the Methow, Bonica uses what he says can’t be beat: veggies from King’s Garden, Cameron Green or our local farmer’s markets. His Venetian Beef with polenta is dreamy, as are his wood-fired pizzas and broiled lamb chops.
Gather, harvest and cook Take your pick, because the picking is good! Farms abound in the Methow for picking your own produce or simply ordering online. The listing below includes some established local farms, but it is certainly not exhaustive. For a good online directory of local producers, see Methownet’s page, www.methownet.com/ buylocal.html. The farmers markets of the Methow are very popular. The biggest is in Twisp, every Saturday morning from April to October, 9 a.m.noon at the Methow Valley Community Center, right on Highway 20. The Winthrop Farmers Market holds court next to the Winthrop Barn every Sunday from 10 a.m.2 p.m. Booth Canyon Orchard sells certified organic fruit, including 25 different varieties of apples, 10 varieties of pears, and raspberries, apricots and cherries. The fruit is available directly from the farm, Glover Street Market, Up Valley CSA and the Mazama Farmers Market. They also welcome farm visitors.
Photo by Steve Mitchell
This leaf baguette from Rocking Horse Bakery is made with Bluebird Grain Farms flour. Christianson Ranch raises naturally grown (no antibiotics or hormones) free range (grass-fed) beef and are fourth-generation Okanogan County ranchers. Their sustainable farm also welcomes visitors. At BCS Livestock, the Smith family raises natural grass-fed lamb and pastured farm fresh eggs. Products are available for purchase direct from the farm by appointment. McFarland Creek Lamb Ranch sells meat and wool products, practicing sustain-
ability in methodology and use of resources. Doubletree Farm sells organic vegetables, eggs, beef and pork. From plowing with their draft horses for planting and cultivating, to crop rotation to their use of manure and no fertilizers and pesticides, Doubletree is a beautifully sustainable operation. Purchases can be made at the Methow Valley Farmer’s Market in Twisp or by sign-up. Wild salmon, sockeye, steelhead and more can be purchased at Hank’s Harvest Foods in Twisp, where the meat department is almost always stocked with fresh locally caught fish from the Columbia, Methow and Okanogan Rivers. To season up that fish or meat on the grill, try Hanna’s Herb Garden spice mixes. Hanna has been growing herbs and producing spice rubs and seasonings for years within the heart of Twisp and her products may be purchased at Hank’s, Glover Street Market and elsewhere in the region. Complete your menu with a Lost River Wine or hard cider from the Methow Valley Ciderhouse. Visit their organic orchard and ciderhouse, north of Winthrop on East Chewuch Road, and sample the hard cider. And stop by Lost River’s tasting room/retail store on Highway 20 at the west edge of Winthrop (if you are from the Seattle area, look for Lost River’s store near the Pike Place Market). For a top-notch non-alcoholic beverage, try Mazama Juice of Sinclair Orchards, made from their certified organic apples. For some of the finest craft beers around, check out the Old Schoolhouse Brewery in Winthrop and the Twisp River Pub in Twisp. Coffee aficionados won’t find better beans than those produced by our local roasters: Backcountry Coffee Roasters in Winthrop and Blue Star Coffee Roasters in Twisp. Look for them by the bag or by the cup throughout the valley. ! Methow Valley Summer 39
Book smarts A guide to summertime reading
By Joanna Smith
S
ummer reading is a time to throw caution to the wind and settle down with a real page-turner. Or a stack of page-turners. Summer is short, there is no time to waste it on a bad book. To save you time, Amazon.com has already researched the worst book ever and it is – drum roll please – How to Avoid Huge Ships by Captain John W. Trimmer. Avoid this book, unless you have need of knowledge to avoid huge ships in the near future.
Cool gadgets – are they worth it? Many people consider purchasing an e-book like a
Kindle or a Nook. Owners of e-books rave about how great it is to own one. The main advantage of this lightweight portable device is its capacity to store thousands of books. If you typically go through a book every few days, an e-book makes it a snap to pack as many books as you like and still have plenty of room in the bag for sunscreen. Previous owners of ebooks have an equal number of concerns for every rave an e-book fan has. Unexpected software failures can ruin an entire vacation. E-books can’t be swapped with travel mates as easily as paperbacks. You can download books from library, but only have two weeks to read them before they expire. This can be an issue if you are trying to read War and Peace. And,
for the hard-core backpacker counting ounces, you can’t burn an e-book like you can a dime store paperback.
Family fun The Methow Valley Sport Trails Association will showcase a children’s story trail along the Beaver Pond Trail at Sun Mountain this summer. The featured book is Totem Tales by Deb Vanasse, illustrated by Methow Valley artist Erik Brooks, himself an award-winner author of children’s books. This project is funded by the Methow Fund of the Community Foundation of North Central Washington. North Central Regional Libraries in Twisp and Winthrop invite kids of all ages to “Dream Big – Read” this summer with hands-on
Photo by Sue Misao
Equip yourself with lots of good reading for those quiet times when you just want to relax. activities, reading programs and educational entertainment. Naomi Baltuck will visit both libraries and present an extension of her book, Crazy Gibberish, with songs, chants and stories. The PUD Outreach program features electrical experiments and educational displays. And the Pacific Science Center is planning a “Trip to the Moon,” and you can be back in time for dinner. !
40 Methow Valley Summer
Recommended reading Adult fiction A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry Lost Legends of New Jersey, by Frederick Reiken The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova The Head Hunters, Jo Lesbo The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Annie Barrows
Adult non-fiction The Horse Boy, by Rupert Isaacson The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by Bryan Mealer and William Kamkwamba
Wild, From Lost to Found On the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheyl Strayed
Tweens to teens Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanhha Lai Elephant in the Garden, by Michael Morpurgo Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs The Chronicles of Harris Burdick, by Chris Van Allsburg The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Kids
Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness, by Alexandra Fuller
Big Plans, by Bob Shea and Lane Smith
The Unconquered, by Scott Wallace
The Night I Followed My Dog, by Nina Laden
The Pueblo Revolt, by David Roberts
Pete the Cat, I Love My White Shoes, by Eric Litwin
Across Many Mountains, by Yangzom Brauen
Me... Jane, by Patrick McDonnell
Rendezvous for readers Erik Brooks will publish an exciting project this June, Nocturnal Animals of the Methow Valley. The book is illustrated by the Methow Valley Elementary School kindergarten classes. Trails End Bookstore will throw a release party in June. Check www.TrailsEndBookstore.com for details. Helen Thayer, author of 3 Among The Wolves, will be at Trails End Bookstore in May to speak about their experience living in the Arctic Circle among wolves. Mazama is the chosen site for the valley’s first Festival of Books Aug. 18-19. This Pacific Northwest book festival will feature regional authors and is founded by Mazama resident and patron, Art Gresh. Trails End Bookstore will have all the featured books on hand and will be the only bookseller at the festival. The Mazama Festival of Books is in conjunction with Methow Arts and Trails End Bookstore. !
Summer events at the libraries Twisp Library June 26, 1 pm
Book-It Theater July 10, 1 pm
Puppets
July 24, 1 pm
Raptor Show July 31, 1 pm
Naomi Baltuck Aug. 6, 4 pm Puppets Aug. 14, 1 pm
PUD Outreach !
Winthrop Library June 27, 1:30 pm
Puppets
July 18, 3 pm
Pacific Science Center July 31, 3 pm
Naomi Baltuck Aug. 6, 2 pm Puppets Aug. 14, 3 pm
PUD Outreach On July 3, Deb McVay will visit both libraries for bilingual story time presented in Spanish and American Sign Language. Methow Valley Summer 41
Cross that bridge when you come to it The Methow offers a trio of pedestrian-friendly spans By Ashley Lodato
T
h e re ’ s s o m e t h i n g undeniably appealing about a bridge. Bridges invite us from one location to another, and as prosaic as the actual crossing might be, somehow the act of traveling over an open expanse of water registers as exceptional. A f o o t - t r a ff i c - o n l y bridge merely adds to the allure, and the upper Methow Valley is lucky enough to have three such bridges barely off the beaten path: the Tawlks-Foster Suspension Bridge, the Sa Teekh Wa Bridge, and the Spring Creek Bridge. All warrant a visit, and a hot summer afternoon is the perfect time to take a
42 Methow Valley Summer
Photo by Ashley Lodato
Sa Teekh Wa Bridge leads across the Chewuch River to an interpretive trail. tour of the cable bridges of Okanogan County. You don’t have to un-
derstand the difference between a suspension bridge and a cable-stay bridge to
appreciate the beauty and functionality of the Methow bridges, but even a basic
awareness of these two types of bridge construction will allow you to establish your superiority by enlightening other bridge visitors about the architecture, whether they like it or not. A suspension bridge’s main load-bearing capacity comes from cables hanging between two towers and anchored on the far ends of the bridge. Smaller cables or rods then suspend from these main cables and hold up the weight of the deck and its load. In a cable-stay bridge, the load is born by towers or columns, over which the cables run and support the bridge deck.
Tawlks-Foster Suspension Bridge The oldest and farthest up-valley bridge is Mazama’s Tawlks-Foster Suspension Bridge, which is the primary crossing of the Methow River and connects Methow Valley Sport Trails Association’s Rendezvous and Mazama trail systems with the Wolf Ridge, Winthrop, and Sun Mountain trails. In the winter this trail system is a Nordic Mecca; in the summer the trails are open to hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The bridge’s 11-foot travel width is to accommodate the Pisten Bully grooming machines that keep the trail packed and tracked for Nordic skiing. Completed in 1995 and spanning 280 feet, the Tawlks-Foster is a traditional suspension bridge built with a floor-beam supported deck and no stiffening truss. Among other things, this means that the bridge is slightly dynamic: When you walk purposefully on it, it bounces, which is fun for the whole family, except mom. In the summer, the
Tawlks-Foster Bridge can be reached from Mazama by a short (1.5 km) walk on the Methow Community Trail from the Suspension Bridge parking area on Goat Creek Road. The bridge area features river access (at low water), a picnic shelter, and salmon-spawning in late summer.
Sa Teekh Wa Bridge Tucked into the north end of Winthrop’s boardwalk, the Sa Teekh Wa Bridge
can be reached on foot during the time it takes to finish a single-scoop ice cream cone from Sheri’s Sweet Shoppe. Across the bridge sunny meadows, a level path, and the burbling river below beckon to the visitor to explore the short trail that runs along the Chewuch River. Built in 2006 to connect the emerging North Village to downtown Winthrop, this cable-stay bridge spans 222 feet and leads to a trail that features interpretive signs detailing the area’s rich
human and environmental history, from indigenous people to lumbering times to salmon habitat. The Sa Teekh Wa area, named for a traditional summer gathering place on the Chewuch River for native peoples, celebrates the tribal past as well as the changing future of the region. A partnership between many local, regional, and national organizations focused on fish habitat, restoration, and educational outreach resulted in the interpretive trail system.
Three clinics.
you. you
ONE FOCUS. The Omak Clinic
Family Medicine, Behavioral Medicine, Eye Care, Radiology, Urgent Care, Diabetic Education, Anticoagulation, Physical Therapy and several Visiting Specialists from Wenatchee Valley Medical Center.
omak
916 Koala • (509) 826-1800 or (800) 591-2765 Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. • Saturday: 8:30 a.m. - Noon Closed Sunday
North Valley Family Medicine
tonasket
Family Medicine, Obstetrics, Anticoagulation and Women’s Health Care 17 S. Western • (509) 486-2174 Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Saturday: 9 a.m. - Noon Closed Sunday
North Valley Family Medicine
oroville
Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Women’s Health Care 1617 Main • (509) 476-3631 Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Closed Saturday & Sunday
We care about our communities.
it’s all about you!
Photo by Ashley Lodato
The Spring Creek Bridge, the valley’s newest, connects downtown Winthrop with the Susie Stephens Trail.
Spring Creek Bridge Just a short distance downstream, below the confluence of the Chewuch and Methow rivers, sits Winthrop’s new centerpiece: the Spring Creek Bridge. Unveiled in 2011, the Spring Creek cable-stay bridge spans an impressive 385 feet. At first glance it appears decidedly modern; however, the bridge’s design replicates 19th and 20th century bridges (albeit with contemporary engineering) and is compliant with Winthrop’s Western motif. Against all odds (challenges such as permitting struggles, budget overruns, and contractor insolvency seemed destined to doom bridge efforts), the Spring Creek Bridge effectively solved the problem of pedestrian traffic throughout Winthrop’s two different centers of commerce separated by the river. With pedestrians and
cyclists no longer subjected to the dodgy crossing of the vehicle bridge downstream but instead able to travel safely to the ice rink or the gym, the first phase of the Susie Stephens Trail has come to fruition. The long-term vision for the Susie Stephens Trail (named for a former Methow Conservancy employee and bike safety advocate who was killed elsewhere in a traffic accident) includes pedestrian access all the way to the Red Apple Market and post office, but roadblocks such as easement refusals, irrigation ditch concerns, and funding challenges are currently stymieing these plans. But trail proponents are optimistic that the trail is feasible and practical and, as with any obstacle, they are tackling issues as they arise. As one might expect, they’re crossing each bridge as they come to it. ! Methow Valley Summer 43
Going native An insider’s guide to becoming a local
Photo by Sue Misao
By Patrick McGann
Y Located in Winthrop 54 HORIZON FLATS ROAD, AT CASCADE CONCRETE LOT
(509) 341-4802
Monday - Friday 8:00 - 6:00 Saturday 8:00 - 5:00
TIRE SALES & SERVICE: PASSENGER VEHICLES COMMERCIAL TRUCK, OTR FARM & TRACTOR RUBBER TRACKS ONSITE SERVICES FREE FLAT REPAIR CUSTOM WHEELS
24-hour Roadside Assistance
44 Methow Valley Summer
ou’ve spent a halfdozen long weekends checking out the Methow Valley plus two whole vacations. You’ve camped at Pearrygin Lake, clomped the boardwalks of Winthrop and moshed with locals at the Twisp Farmers Market. You have rocked out at a Blues Festival, sipped macchiato in Mazaahhhma and pedaled your fat tires over Balky Hill. Clearly, the Methow Valley is special and you want a piece for yourself! You’ve talked it over, you don’t know how many times. Visions of sweet serenity have haunted your dreams. More than 100 times you’ve needed to be jolted from daytime revelries of the satisfying life living on unasphalted dirt in direct connection with the Earth. And you have decided: Scoot over, you Methow Valley Locals! Here we come! Excellent! The very minute we see your U-Haul we will gimp out to greet you, smiling the smiles of un-
complicated bliss with what teeth we have left, calloused hands laden with sunflower leis (bugs blown off), quick to offer our sweet whiskery kisses, sun-leathered arms open wide with brotherly love! Oh, and a complimentary yellowjacket trap.
You’ve been warned
Let me give you my personal welcome. Greetings, my future neighbors, my name is Fuller Disclosure Caveat. Soon as he shows up, I’ll introduce you to my brother, Dewy Diligence Caveat. My first duty, a perfunctory one that I realize will be fruitless, is to try and scare you off. Here: wasps, snakes, spiders, stickers, rapids, biting horses, kicking mules, west Nile, cabin fever, famine, recession, bears, tooth decay, lions, ticks, bats, lightning, stupid deer, wolverines, wolves, wolf lovers, wolf haters, black-outs, blowing sand, thick smoke, stubborn ice, instant mud, ubiquitous dust, daredevil logging trucks and wild, skittish natives (also known as locals). Still with me? Good. We need a constant resupply of
strong hearts and steely backbones around here. Let’s start off with the ol’ adage: “The best way to get a million dollars in the Methow is to bring two million with you.” Ha-ha, just kidding. Bring three. The ideal candidates for the Methow Valley are folks with at least two pensions, a bloated IRA, a swollen Keogh and a 401(k) with enough matching funds to require a federal bailout when impolitely traded. We prefer childless couples who have administered hospitals, managed mutual funds, authored operating systems, served as Navy admirals before CEOing Fortune 500 corporations or, hopefully, all of the above. Your only problem is going to be finding that historically significant ranch to carve off a hunk for your dream ranchette. You will find, however, that your predecessors have become conservators. Not to worry, where there are wills, there are ways. This is not to say that paradise is for sale. But largesse is not unwelcome. See “executive directors” below. If you’d rather buy someone else’s dream ranch house, which I realize is a distant
preference, that’s fine. We have people who can help you. If you need asset reduction, we can help you there, as well.
Take this job ... If you will need to make income rather than amply dispense it, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are undesirable. It only makes you suspicious. And since it provides something for people to do, that’s not unwelcome, either. There are three ways you can go: work like a dog for someone else, buy or start your own business and work like two dogs for everybody, become a nonprofit executive director and work like a mad dog in an alternative reality, or get a government job and not work at all. What? You call jumping out of airplanes and landing, hanging upside down, from 200 foot tall fir trees blazing like tiki torches ... work? C’mon. Starting your own business in the valley is pretty much a no brainer. (Sorry, inside joke. Get used to it.) The thing is, the more you apply your brain, the less likely you are to open your business. So don’t think. The only thing you really have to know about running a business in the Methow is that the demoralizing slow periods are offset almost perfectly by the paralyzing terror of the busy seasons. On the average it’s just fine. When job hunting, don’t be surprised if no one wants to give you more than 12 hours a week of work but still expects 40 hours of results. The No. 1 occupation in the valley is “liddle bidda dis ‘nna liddle bidda dat.” You may be pruning fruit trees one minute and delivering babies the next. And tomorrow? Selling a ranch. Your lawyer is probably your gardener. Construction is ideal. Ask anyone. The money is great. And rare, too. The best construction workers are known by their barrel chests and the ability to hold their breath for months at a time. But not to worry, if you
can manage to show up on the right days and not stab anybody, you’re chances are pretty good at finding a job in June, July and August. The rest of the time it’s a little spotty. Then there is the dream job, the executive director position. We have more executive directors per square inch than a Haiti refuge camp. Coincidence? Maybe. The best way to become one is to volunteer like crazy. In 17 years or so, you’ll just assimilate the position and paychecks will start coming, not much at first and not much later. Or to speed things up a little, give a group $250,000. That’ll get you noticed. Once you are an executive director, just remember: smile a lot, talk constantly, say nothing, don’t move, don’t twitch or squirm, look good and remember every Rolex you see. Government jobs can be the way to go. It’s a good way to counter-balance the simple, reasonable and rational lifestyle of the valley. And there is always the novel
Photo by Sue Misao
You can find your own tribe in the Methow. sensation that the more you accomplish in your career, the more the natives want to run you through a chipper/ shredder. Working for the towns is a bit different in that being run through a chipper/shredder is your job.
Full immersion
One thing you will notice when you take off your “VISI-
TOR” tag and put on your “APPRENTICE LOCAL” tag is a slight change in how you are treated. It’s a little like what happens when you run out of marshmallows while surrounded by bears in Yellowstone. The cure is to join a clique or clan. Getting into a clique is easy. Just buy a horse or learn to tie flies. Get gummy shoes and shinny up a rock.
Go beat on a drum. Learn mouvedre from lemberger. Show up at a church. Put on some fluorescent chartreuse tights and speed around on skinny skis or tires. Try out for a play. Or grab a beret and paint up some horses and barns. There are tons of options. Joining a clan is even easier, just find someone local and marry ’em. That’s what I did. Worked great. Becoming a true local takes 30 years. Saying, “I’ve been coming here for 30 years” doesn’t count. Attendance is taken. The pioneers weren’t local until the Great Depression came and tried to kill them all. But you won’t need a calendar. When you see those perfectly groomed newcomers, how white their skin, how bright their smiles, how sparkly their eyes, how they can’t wait to fix things, how their down vests have no duct tape and how they look at you like, like, like ... you’re special, you’ll know. You’ve got your piece of paradise. Welcome! !
Methow Valley Summer 45
Picture this
As long as you’re here, put that camera to its best use
I
By Bob Spiwak
f you are in the Methow, odds are you have at least one camera with you. It may even be a telephone or some other high-tech instrument that is beyond my comprehension. The point is, there is an abundance, a mind-boggling plethora, of photography subjects to record. These range from the obligatory shots of Liberty Bell Mountain at Washington Pass on Highway 20, to something as small as a wildflower in the woods. Or a friend. Or a duck. Few people these days use film cameras, so we’ll concentrate on digital cameras and not deal with telephones. Digital camera models range from professionalgrade SLRs with changeable lenses, to compact point-andshoot devices. In the middle of this spectrum are the cameras that look like SLRs and have an extremely wide range of vision, going from wide-angle to telephoto equivalent to ten-power binoculars and beyond. Unless you have a very steady hand, even with the camera’s shake-suppression, you ought to have a tripod or similar firm support when using the extreme telephoto
Composition is the key to moving beyond simple snapshots. length. The ospreys, for example, are nesting now in treetops up to 100 feet high. A telephoto lens is called for. If you’re using a small point-and-shoot it will probably give you three to five magnification power. Even if the subject appears tiny in your viewfinder, take the shot anyhow. It can always be enlarged later.
A few guidelines With all the things to shoot, people are sometimes
Photo by Sue Misao
When photographing mountains, have something in the foreground. 46 Methow Valley Summer
disappointed in the results when they are viewed on the big screen of the computer. It’s important to remember a few simple guidelines for making pictures more interesting. Let’s take the Liberty Bell picture mentioned earlier. Have something in the foreground to illustrate the size of the peak. It can be a vehicle, a person or an entire family The key to visual interest is what has long been a photographic guideline, known as “the rule of thirds.” What this means is to visually imagine a grid with three lines going vertically and horizontally across the viewing screen. Some cameras have a means of superimposing these on the screen. Where the lines intersect is where your points of interest should be. Because we read and visualize from left to right, compose your picture in that manner. So with the Liberty Bell example, your friend would be in the lower left of the picture and the mountain from middle to upper right. If clouds are visible above the peak, try to include them.
Photo by Bob Spiwak
If you are taking flower pictures, a large rock or snag in the foreground or background will add interest and scale to the subject. How do you accomplish this when your camera focuses on the center of the frame, as most do? Find the most important feature in your picture and press the shutter release halfway down, very gently and hold it there. This will give you the area of sharpest focus. Without moving that all-important shutter finger shift the camera so that your subject is in the lower left grid crossing and squeeze the button the rest of the way down to expose the picture. In the Liberty Bell analogy, the subject would be the friend in the foreground. Even if the mountain is slightly out of focus the humans will be sharp and the mountain, because of its mass, will still be a prominent feature.
will screw into the front of the camera. On the small pointand-shoots you will need to hold it close to the camera lens. What this does is lessen or eliminate reflections on water and objects. The degree to which this is accomplished is by turning a ring on the polarizer. The closer your subject is to being perpendicular, 90 degrees, to the light source, the more effect the polarizer will have. Skies will change as you turn the ring from a washed-out pale shade to deep blue to almost blue-black, and clouds will leap out of the sky in the picture. If you are shooting our favorite Methow flower, the yellow Arrowleaf balsamroot, the colors through the polarizer will astound you because the reflections will be minimized or eliminated. This works for water as well, whereby the reflections off the surface will be minimized in the same manner. If you have to hold the filter in front of your camera, it is best to pick the degree of polarization by looking at your subject through the polarizer hand-held and not in front of the camera. Then put the camera up, carefully hold the polarizer against the front of the camera lens and shoot away. The results will make an artist of you. !
Polarizing effects There is one device you should have, called a polarizer. On some cameras this
Photo by Sue Misao
Don’t be afraid to try for that close-up shot.
What happens around here? May
Shafer Museum opening day, Winthrop. 996-2712.
26-27
Eternal Fair performs indie rock at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm Memorial Day rodeo at the Winthrop Rodeo Grounds. 996-2439. 1pm
Saturdays Farmers Market at the MV Community Center, Twisp. 341-4737. 9am-noon
11
Uptown 4 performs a cappella & pop at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 7pm Artists Robin Doggett, Laura Gunnip and Karel Renard discuss their work at Confluence Gallery, Twisp. Free. 997-2787. 7pm
27
Farm potluck party at Crown S Ranch, 7 Twin Lakes Road, Winthrop. Live music. Free. 996-2252. 10am-4pm Winthrop market at the Winthrop park. (509) 341-9102. 10am-2pm Photo safari with Sol Gutierrez at Confluence Gallery, Twisp. $30. 997-2787. 4-7pm
12
Sunflower Relay & Iron race from Mazama to Twisp. 996-3287. 8:30am Ten Tiny Dances – inventive dance/performance on a tiny stage at the MV Community Center, Twisp. 997-4004. $5-$25. 7pm Rivertown Ramblers perform folk rock at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm ’49er dance after WOGA cowboy poetry in the Winthrop Barn. 996-2777. 9pm
June
Saturdays Farmers Market at the MV Community Center, Twisp. 341-4737. 9am-noon Sundays Winthrop Market at the Winthrop park. 341-9102. 10am-2pm
12-20
Citizen Science Snake Count tracks snake distributions in the valley and beyond. Free. 996-2334.
13
Garden art opening reception at MV Inn, Twisp. Free. 997-2253. 1-4pm Learn to harvest sustainably with Lynx Vilden at Skalitude Retreat Center, Carlton. $50. (509) 741-0162. 10am-4pm
17 18
Group art exhibition at Door No. 3, Twisp. 997-2044. 4-7pm
Valley Teen Center presents karaoke open mic at TwispWorks. Also, food. Free. 997-9211. 6pm Movie night, Brutal Beauty (R), shown by MV Roller Girls at Twisp River Pub. Also games and drawings. $5. For info call Brass Chuckles (509) 795-6544. 6:30pm Singer songwriter Larry Murante performs at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm
18-6/3
I Hate Hamlet - a comedy by Paul Rusnick performed at the Merc Playhouse, Twisp. 997-PLAY
19
Methow Conservancy Medicinal & Edible Plant Walk with herbalist Rosalee de la Forêt. $25. 996-2870. 9am-noon The Blackberry Bushes perform bluegrass at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm
19-20
Pipestone Music Days with orchestra, chamber music and student recitals at the MV Community Center, Twisp. 997-0222. Fundamentals of photography class with Sol Gutierrez at Confluence Gallery, Twisp. $150. 997-2787. 10am-2pm
20 24-27
Sun Mountain trail races. (509) 8465019. Methow Conservancy Spring Naturalists’ Retreat with Libby Mills and Dana Visalli. $130. 996-2870.
25
Portrait of Twisp art class with Laura Gunnip at Confluence Gallery, Twisp. $35. 997-2787. 10am-2pm Book sale, vaudeville and silent auction at the MV Community Center, Twisp. 9974681. The Shed Boys perform bluegrass at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm
1
Valley Teen Center presents Battle of the Bands at TwispWorks. Also, food. Free. 997-9211. 6pm Carolyn Cruso performs folk music at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm
2
Spoonshine performs Americana music at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm Willow basket class with Lynx Vilden at Skalitude Retreat Center, Carlton. $150. (509) 741-0162.
2-3
Spring Bird Festival at North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama. Free (watercolor workshop $75). 996-2334.
25-27
5
26
6
Field journaling/naturalist workshop with Hannah Hinchman and Bruce Thompson at North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama. 996-2334. Used book sale at MV Community Center, Twisp. 997-4364. 9am-1pm Mazama 1K, 5K, & 10K runs & breakfast. 996-3287. 9am
Methow Conservancy’s First Tuesday program, “Co-Dependence: Cottonwoods and the River.” Free. 996-2870. 7pm Digital photography class with Sol Gutierrez at Confluence Gallery, Twisp. $75. 997-2787. 6-8pm
8
Dimestore profits perform rock and reggae music at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
8-9
Conscious Culture music festival at the Okanogan Family Faire site in Tonasket. 1-800-838-3006.
9
Learn about bike safety at the bike rodeo at Pearrygin Lake State Park, Winthrop. Free. 996-2370. National fishing day at the Winthrop National Fish Hatchery. Free. 996-2424. 10am2pm
Continued on next page Methow Valley Summer 47
More of 9 9-10
6
10 15
10-12
Brody Blackburn Band performs acoustic rock at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm Tour of artists’ studios around the Methow Valley. Free. 997-2787. 10am-5pm
Valeri Lopez and the Wondering Few perform folk music at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
9-13
Drama camp for ages 8-18 at the Merc Playhouse, Twisp. $200. 997-7529. 10am-4pm
Winthrop marathon along the Chewuch River. (509) 846-5019.
Needle felting art camp (ages 7-12) at TwispWorks. $150. 9972787. 9am-2pm
Valley Teen Center hosts a summer splash party at TwispWorks. Also, food. Free. 997-9211. All day
13
Singer songwriters Tamborine Sky perform at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm
15-16
Birding 101 with Susan Ballinger at Methow Conservancy, Winthrop. $35. 996-2870. The Chris Eger Band performs R&B at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
14
15-17
Botanical Illustration workshop at North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama. 996-2334.
16
Watercolor workshop with John Adams at Confluence Gallery, TWisp. $75$125. 997-2787. 10am-4pm Art walk on the streets of Twisp, including opening night of “Eats the Sun” artists’ reception at Confluence Gallery. Free. 9972787. 4-8pm
21
Rivertown Ramblers host an open mic at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm
22
Fiasco performs rock & blues at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
22-24
Fairy & Human Relations Congress at Skalitude Retreat, Carlton. $250-$285. skalitude.com/events. htm
23
Valley Teen Center hosts an art walk & open mic at TwispWorks. Also, food. Free. 997-9211. 6pm The Last Outlaws perform cowboy and classic rock at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. Free. 996-3183. 7pm
24
Photo safari with Sol Gutierrez at Confluence Gallery, Twisp. $30. 997-2787. 4-7pm
25-28
Primitive skills camp with Katie Russell in Twisp. $125. (509) 449-1290. 9am-1pm
29
Tim Snider and Redwood Son perform Americana and folk music at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 9963183. 7pm
48 Methow Valley Summer
29-7/2
Solstice Yoga Retreat with Kat Allen at Skalitude, Carlton. $440. skalitude.com/events.htm
30
”Dragonflies, Damselflies and other Winged Beauties” field study with Dennis Paulson. $40. 996-2870. Plein air workshop with Simon Kogan at Moccasin Lake Ranch. $250. 997-2787. 9am4pm Massy Ferguson performs rock at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
July
Saturdays Farmers Market at the MV Community Center, Twisp. 341-4737. 9am-noon Sundays Winthrop Market at the Winthrop park. 341-9102. 10am-2pm
4
Independence Day parade on Glover Street and Arts Festival in the Twisp City Park. 11-4:30pm
Stream Ecology & Aquatic Macroinvertebrates field class with Tim Hall and Rick Haley. Free. 996-2870. 9am-4pm Introductory watercolor class with Paula Christen in Winthrop. $97. 997-2787. 9am2pm Garlic Pull & Community Picnic at Classroom in Bloom’s school garden on Twin Lakes Road, Winthrop. 997-2050. Noon Vaughn Jensen Experience performs the blues at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
16-20
Methow River Camp: Ecology and adventure camp for ages 10-13 on the Chewuch River. $350. 997-9011.
17-19
Paper maché art camp (ages 7-12) at TwispWorks. $150. 9972787. 9am-2pm
20
Methow Conservany Neighborhood Gathering for the upper valley (Lost River, Mazama, Edelweiss). Free. 996-2870. 6-7:30pm
20-21
The True Spokes perform indie rock at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
20-29
The Music Man by Meredith Wilson performed in the Twisp City Park. 997-PLAY.
20-22
Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival at the Blues Ranch. The Music Man performed in the Twisp park. 997-7529.
21
Methow Conservany Neighborhood Gathering for greater Winthrop. Free. 996-2870. 4-5:30pm
23-26
Primitive projectiles camp with Katie Russell in Twisp. $125. (509) 449-1290. 9am-1pm
24-26
Nature printing art camp (ages 7-12) at TwispWorks. $150. 997-2787. 9am-2pm
what happens 25
17
26
24-26
Methow Conservany Neighborhood Gathering for the lower valley. Free. 996-2870. 6-8pm
Scott Pemberton Trio peforms rock, funk and blues at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
Methow Conservany Neighborhood Gathering for greater Twisp and Twisp River. Free. 996-2870. 6:30-8pm
26-8/12
Twisp School centennial celebration at the Twisp Valley Grange, Farmers Market and MV Community Center, Twisp. 997-0751.
The Music Man performed in the Winthrop
25
Cutthroat Classic 11-mile mountain trail run from Rainy Pass to Cutthroat Lake. 996-3287. 8am Spoonshine performs Americana and bluegrass at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
park. 997-7529.
27
Con Brio performs fat funk at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
27-29
Tumbleweed Run motorcycle rally in Winthrop. www. tumbleweedrun.net
31
Cody Beebe and the Crooks perform Americana at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
28
Open Country Joy performs country funk at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
September
30-8/3
Drama camp for ages 8-18 at the Merc Playhouse, Twisp. $200. 997-7529. 10am-4pm
31-8/2
”Art from Around the World” Art camp (ages 7-12) at TwispWorks. $150. 997-2787. 9am2pm
August
Saturdays Farmers Market at the MV Community Center, Twisp. 341-4737. 9am-noon
11
Angels Staircase trail races. (509) 8465019. Ayron Jones and the Way peform blues at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm Self-guided Methow Valley home tour. $20-$25. 997-2787. 10am-5pm
14-16
Copper weathervanes art camp (ages 7-12) at TwispWorks. $150. 997-2787. 9am-2pm
Sundays Winthrop Market at the Winthrop park. 341-9102. 10am-2pm
17-18
3-4
17-19
The Brothers Bowlby and Whiskey Syndicate perform rock music at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
3-5
Dragonflies workshop at North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama. $5. 996-2334.
4
Artists’ opening reception for Allison Collins, Don McIvor and Kim Matthews at Confluence Gallery, Twisp. Free. 997-2787. 4-8pm
7
Methow Conservany First Tuesday presents “Raptors: Live and in Person” with the WSU Raptor Club. Free. Location TBA. 996-2870. 7pm
7-9
Street theater art camp (ages 7-12) at TwispWorks. $150. 997-2787. 9am-
Scott Pemberton Trio peforms funk & blues at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm Mazama Festival of Books. 997-4004.
Saturdays Farmers Market at the MV Community Center, Twisp. 341-4737. 9am-noon
1 3
Labor Day dance in the Winthrop Barn. 996-2117. 9pm
Winthrop Kiwanis duck race from Chewuch bridge to Methow bridge, Winthrop. 996-3631. Noon
1-2 7
Methow Valley rodeo at Winthrop Rodeo Grounds. 996-2439. 1pm
Cracker Factory performs rock at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm
7-9 8
Winthrop Auto Rallye in downtown Winthrop. 888-463-8469.
City Faire performs rock, funk and blues at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, Winthrop. $2. 996-3183. 7pm North Cascades PCT 100K trail run. (509) 846-5019.
15
Winthrop Chamber golf tournament at Bear Creek Golf Course, Winthrop. $60. 888-463-8469. 9am
22
Art walk up and down the streets of Twisp, and opening night for “Altered Realities” at Confluence Gallery. Free. 9972787. 4-8pm
26-30
Saskatoon Circle Primitive Skills at Skalitude, Carlton. $245. skalitude.com/events.htm
2pm
!
Methow Valley Summer 49
Directory of Advertisers Architects Johnston Architects............2 Automotive/Gasoline Cascade Tire.....................44 Gabby Cabby...................10 King’s Pacific Pride & Car Wash.................41 Mazama Store..................12 Twisp Chevron Sub Shop..........................39 Banquet Halls/ Event Facilities Barn at Wilson Ranch......45 North Cascades Basecamp.........................7 Merc Playhouse Theater..30 Pipestone Canyon Ranch....41 Bicycle Dealers/Repair Methow Cycle & Sport....17 Winthrop Mountain Sports..........................10 Builders/Contractors Stopwater Construction....32 Building Supplies Doug Haase Excavating....16 North Valley Lumber.......33 Cafés/Dining/Espresso Blue Star Coffee Roasters.......................12 Boulder Creek Deli..........34 Breadline Cafe.................28 Carlos1800.......................10 Cascadian Home Farm.....51 Cinnamon Twisp Bakery....16 Duck Brand......................40 East 20 Pizza....................42 Freestone Inn....................36 Hometown Pizza..............32 Hoot Owl Café...................9 Java Man..........................22 Lone Pine Fruit & Espresso......................9 Mazama Country Inn.......32 Mazama Store..................12 50 Methow Valley Summer
Cafés/Dining/Espresso, Cont. Noca Coffee House..........30 Old Schoolhouse Brewery....7 Paco’s Tacos.....................17 Rocking Horse Bakery.....32 Sheri’s Sweet Shoppe.......42 Sunflower Catering..........34 Sun Mountain Lodge....11, 15 Trail’s End Bookstore......40 Twisp Chevron Sub Shop.......................39 Twisp Orchid....................28 Twisp River Pub.................2 Winthrop Tipi Dinners.....34 Campgrounds Silverline Resort...............37 Winthrop KOA.................16 Car Wash King’s Pacific Pride & Car Wash...................41 Events/Festivals Confluence Gallery..........16 Merc Playhouse Theater....30 Methow Valley Chamber Music Festival...............18 MVSTA............................21 Winthrop Market..............38 Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival..............8 Excavating Doug Haase Excavating...16 Galleries/Art Confluence Gallery..........16 Methow Valley Inn...........36 Peligro................................8 Groceries/Hardware Hank’s Harvest Foods......44 Mazama Store..................12 Valley Hardware Do-it Center..................14 Health/Medical The Country Clinic..........39
Health/Medical, Cont. Omak Clinic.....................43 Three Rivers Hospital......17 Ulrich’s Valley Pharmacy.......................35 Internet Methownet.com...............10 Local Goods & Produce Blue Star Coffee Roasters.........................12 Cascadian Home Farm.....51 Lone Pine Fruit & Espresso......................9 Thomson’s Custom Meats.............................31 Methow Valley Ciderhouse....................36 Misty Fjord Seafood Producers.......................38 Winthrop Market..............38 Lodging Central Reservations........52 Freestone Inn....................36 Hotel Rio Vista.................30 Mazama Country Inn.......32 Mazama Ranch House.....19 Methow River Lodge & Cabins.......................35 Methow Valley Inn...........36 North Cascades Basecamp............................ 7 River Run Inn...................33 Silverline Resort...............37 Sportsman Motel..............33 Sun Mountain Lodge....11, 15 Twisp River Suites...........51 Winthrop Inn....................42 Winthrop KOA.................16 Winthrop Mountain View Chalets...................9 Wolf Creek Cabins & Lodging.....................31 Massage Practitioners, Spa Services Nectar Skincare/Glo Massage Therapy..........22 Sun Mountain Lodge....11, 15
Museums Shafer Historical Museum........................20 Organizations Cascade Foothills Farmland Assoc...............9 City of Pateros..................51 Confluence Gallery..........16 Merc Playhouse Theater....30 Methow Arts....................18 Methow Conservancy......28 Methow Salmon Recovery Foundation..............11, 14 MVSTA............................21 Omak Chamber................25 Shafer Historical Museum........................20 Twisp Chamber..................3 Winthrop Chamber.............2 Photographers Ms. Kitty’s Place..............34 Weymuller Photography....22 Radio KTRT The Root...............45 Real Estate Blue Sky Real Estate........20 Methow Conservancy......28 Recreation/Activities Bear Creek Golf Course....31 Early Winters Outfitters....30 Flyfishers Pro Shop..........15 Freestone Inn....................36 Methow River Raft & Kayak........................33 Morning Glory Balloon Tours..............................40 MVSTA............................21 North Cascade Heli .........22 North Cascades Mountain Guides...........................39 Ohme Gardens.................20 Skagit Tours/North Cascades Institute..........51 Slide Waters.....................13 Sun Mountain Lodge....11, 15
Recreation/Activities, Cont. Winthrop Tipi Dinners.....34 Retail Confluence Gallery..........16 The Farm Shed.................19 Flyfishers Pro Shop..........15 Hank’s Harvest Foods......44 Lone Pine Fruit & Espresso......................9 Mazama Store..................12 Methow Cycle & Sport....17 Outdoorsman....................14 Peligro................................8 Poppie Jo Galleria............13 Quilting Hive...................18 Rawson’s..........................29 Red Hen Trading Co. ......37 Sheri’s Sweet Shoppe.......42 Sun Mountain Lodge....11, 15 Trail’s End Bookstore......40 Ulrich’s Valley Pharmacy.......................35 Valley Hardware Do-It Center............................14 White Buck Trading Co. ....38 Winthrop Mountain Sports............................10 Sporting Goods Flyfishers Pro Shop .........15 Methow Cycle & Sport....17 Outdoorsman....................14 Sun Mountain Lodge....11, 15 Valley Hardware Do-It Center..................14 Winthrop Mountain Sports............................10 Theaters Merc Playhouse Theater..30 Transportation Gabby Cabby...................10 Veterinarians Methow Valley Veterinary Hospital.........................34
The American Alps Are Within Your Reach
life Wild r Tou t a Bo agit
met Goiunring d
Natural beauty Hiking
Take a Skagit Tour or explore on your own.
Sk
Ninety miles north and east of Seattle, experience the beauty, adventure, learning and fun in the North Cascades. To learn more about what awaits you in the magical North Cascades, visit www.skagittours.com or call 360-854-2589.
Photo credits: John Harter, Benj Drummond, Elizabeth Penhollow & NEllen Regier