The perfect weekend Getaway for all seasons and all sports, including hard-core relaxing.
May and early June is Methow's secret season. As the heat picks up, the hills remain lush and green, bulbs are still in bloom due to the overnight drop in temperature, and the hills are lined with (OH SO MANY) miniature sunflowers, lupine and paintbrush. Prepare for some scattered showers, but more than anything- sun!
We arrived on a Friday night for a weekend at the Sun Mountain Lodge in Winthrop for a trail race getaway. The drive from Seattle is long, but well worth it, offering an abundance of enticing rest stops.
You may opt for the Cascade Loop highlights-
passing through the Cascades, look-outs, rivers & orchards, Lake Chelan, Alta Lake in Pateros (A hidden gem featuring wonderfully warm water) and then meander into the small towns of Twisp, Winthrop and further onto Mazama as well.
We stopped (famished!) at La Fonda Lopez in Twisp for dinner on our drive in. The staff was friendly, the portions were hearty. (I had a hard time not smiling... but this seemed to be lost on most)
Sun Mountain Lodge (Not for Vegans):
A pivotal starting point for hikers, runners, equestrians and mt. bikers alike (just don't bring your dog as they are prohibited in the Sun Mountain Trails Area), this was the start of our 50K run Saturday morning.
The lodge was established on the top of the hill with a 360 degree view of... awe! There are few better places for a late night glass of wine or a dip in the hot tub.
The Lodge was established in 1968 and is adorned with taxidermy and wholesome lodge-flair. My personal fave being the wildly carpeted elevator adorned with braided leather. Our buddy Floyd would great us morning and night at the main door.
Floyd
Trail usage picks up substantially in the summer, as does this heat. Since I top out around 75 degrees, this "off-season" is a total win. Sun Mountain Lodge is also know for its abundance of snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails come winter.
Methow boasts trails galore! The Trails Collaborative links trails throughout the Valleys & Peaks and connects to the Pacific Crest Trail.
Just don't think about these gals sharing the trails with you...
With travel bud, Nichole Sanislo.
Always finding adventure, whatever the task at hand. But this one is for the books.
More info:
More Cascade Travel Ideas found here at the Cascade Mountain Loop Website. They include a multitude of to-do's: road look-outs, upcoming events, farm-stays, food stops, etc.
A sneak peek at what the heck the Real Estate market is doing:
Windermere's Chief Economist, Matthew Gardner, speaks to Homeowners and Renters about Moving Patterns