The Rendezvous Mountain - Heifer Hut Ski Tour

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The Rendezvous Mountain - Heifer Hut Ski Tour

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Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 13.0 miles / 21 km
Duration: Full day

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Overview: The Methow Valley has one of the largest trail systems for cross-country skiing in the United States. There are hundreds of kilometers of cross-country skiing trails that are groomed and maintained by the MVSTA (Methow Valley Sport Trails Association). You'll need to buy a ski pass for each day you use these trails on your XC skiing gear.

Tips: Buy your passes at the Methow Cycle and Sport at the junction of the West Chewuch Road and Hwy 20m, or Winthrop Mountain Sports in Winthrop. Dog are allowed on this tour except on Cub Creek trail (so return via Cougar Bait).

Points of Interest

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Start of Tour

Park at the Rendezvous Trailhead parking at the end of Cub Creek Road. Head northwest up the groomed Cub Creek Road track to the junction of Cougar Bait and Cub Creek,

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Junction of Cougar Bait and Cub Creek Trails

The junction is 1.3 km up the trail. Here you have two options - the most gradual climb is to the right up Cougar Bait. To the left, up Cub Creek trail is a bit steeper in sections but get you to the same place in the end.

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Cedar Creek Loop - Heifer Hut Turn-off

Make your way to the Cedar Creek Loop intersection of Cougar Bait and the Cub Creek trails (4.2 km). Head up Cedar Creek Loop (mark black diamond due to some steeper climbs (or descents if you choose to go that direction).

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Heifer Hut

Keep climbing up the Loop trail, taking a right at the intersection at 1.8 km. Follow the road another 1.2 km to the Hut. The Heifer Hut is a great place to each lunch and get out of the cold for a few minutes. It is often rented on weekends but you still can go in and pay a visit and warm up. Just be polite.

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Cedar Creek Loop - Traverse

After leaving the Heifer Hut, head back down the Cedar Creek Loop and take a right at the first intersection, staying on the Loop trail and traversing across the NE slope of Rendezvous Mountain.

The turn at the top of Cougar Bait Photo

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Telemark Runs

Half way down the Cedar Creek Traverse, the trees open up nicely to the left of the road. If you have telemark gear, you can dive down into the trees and tree ski down to the next road, cutting off a substantial portion of the distance and adding a bit of carving to your day.

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Cedar Creek - Cow Creek Junction

After 4.1 km on the Loop trail, you will run into the Cow Creek trail. Take a left turn to start you descent down Cow Creek. This can be fairly fast if you have good glide wax on your skis so be prepared.

Heading along the Cedar Creek Loop Photo

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Cub Creek Option

As you head down Cow Creek you run into the Cub Creek trail at 2.0 km. You are free to take the right turn (without your dog) and blaze back to the start down this blue run.