Methow Valley Cross-country Ski Tours

Overview: The Methow Valley lies on the east side of the Cascades mountain range in north central Washington State. The cold, sunny skies that make up much of the winter months here hold the snow pack in perfect shape for X-C skiing through the winter months of December through early March. To get to the Methow it is a 4-5 hour drive from Seattle or Spokane depending on the weather and the route taken. From Seattle, you can choose to take Highway 2 over Steven's Pass to Wenatchee then north on 97 to Pateros. Just before you reach Pateros, turn west on Hwy 153 to Twisp, then follow Hwy 20 to Winthrop. The alternate route is to take I-90 to Cle Elum, then 97 to Hwy 2 west of Wenatchee.

If leaving from Spokane, take I-90 to the Quincy exit (Hwy 281) then follow 28 to Wenatchee. From there follow the directions to Winthrop above.

Tips: Be prepared to use a variety of ski waxes if you are not using waxless XC skis as the temperatures can span the range from 0 F to 40 F within a few days. Skaters love the Valley floor where you can skate the 30 km from Winthrop to Mazama if your lungs and legs will hold out.