SEATTLE ROAD TRIP

WINNERS of 3-day ski passes for you and a friend ($114 value) are:

Aileen Hannah
Olga Levaniouk
Skye Shansby
Susana Meistel
Myrna Flavedal
Ali Badereddin
Claudia Gemkow
Andrea Reilly
Scott Beveridge
Mary Duong
Zoe Maddox
Ed Rafaxz
Dillion Sturtevant 

*THANK YOU REI for letting us connect with skiers in Seattle.

We are very excited to hit the road for our annual Seattle REI store visit.  Methow Trails will be right in front of the beautiful fireplace at the Seattle REI store the day after Thanksgiving and the next on Saturday. Stop by and talk with James and Mike about all the great enhancements to the trails this winter. We will have copies of our new Trails magazine and new maps.  Enter to win 3-day Ski Passes for you and a friend!
We don't get out the Methow much but this certainly is one of the highlights when we do. Looking forward to connecting with skiers, fat bikers and snowshoe fanatics on the west side.

Friday, November 28  10:00am -2:00pm 
Saturday, November 29 10:00am - 2:00pm 

Top 10 Reasons to sign up for the Methow Nordic Festival

Top Ten Reasons to sign up for the Methow Nordic Festival 

Ski!  Run!  Bike!

1. SKI for FREE (not to mention free rentals and lessons) all day, all trails, on Friday January 23^rd.  The perfect excuse to take a personal three-day weekend
2. The Methow Community Trail is the Valley’s signature trail experience, and over the weekend you can classic, skate, race, tour or relay your way up and down this five-star trail
3. The Pursuit race is a 2 day race on a 30K course that goes up valley one day, and back down the next day.  Do it for fun with friends, or aim for the podium.  Relay option for teams of three. “The Pacific Northwest’s Birkebeiner!”
4. Rainshadow Running is offering a 15K winter trail run up on the Sun Mountain Trails on Saturday morning.  This is a first, and could be a new winter tradition!  And yes…….the traditional pizza and beer party is happening too!
5. Methow Endurance is offering a FREE clinic (specifically for runners) who want to take the leap and try out Nordic skiing and/or racing.  Saturday afternoon in Mazama.
6. Fat Bike Demo offered by Methow Cycle and Sport on Friday the 23^rd.  If you have not tried it out yet – it’s time!
7. Happy Hour at The Mazama Store – Beer on tap and tasty chili feed at the hippest little country store you’ve ever been to.  Saturday afternoon – a great way to convene, recover and celebrate.
8. Kids Ski and Race for FREE in the Methow Valley every day of the year.  Bring your whole family!
9. Salmon Dinner – Great food and a great cause (Methow Valley Nordic Team).  Join your fellow skiers, runners and bikers and enjoy a delicious meal and community gathering that the BARN on Saturday night. 
10. The Methow Experience – Even if you did not sign up for any of the organized events, just being in the Methow in the wintertime is an experience not to be missed.  Friendly people, world-class trails, snowy mountain peaks and SUN!

Learn more and register today at www.methowtrails.org

(photos courtesy of  Mitchellimage.com)

Trash Pick-up at Pipestone on Tuesday

Keep Pipestone Pretty Project

Project update:  Thanks to those who came out an joined us.  Our small group collected over 1140 pounds of cans, bottles and tin from the trails and roads in Pipestone!  Unfortunately we didn't get it all.  If you are out in Pipestone or anywhere hiking we hope you will take that extra moment to pick up little and recycle it where you can.  Our beautiful Valley just keeps getting prettier!  

Looking for a great way to give back to an area affected by the fires this summer? Join the Methow Trails Board and Staff on Tuesday, November 4^th at 9am for a Keep Pipestone Pretty Project.

If you have been out to Pipestone Canyon since the fire you may have noticed that the area is rapidly returning with flowers blooming, grasses growing and wildlife roaming. However, with the barren landscape, trash that has accumulated over the years is very visable. Join Methow Trails as we tackle a garbage pick-up of the roads and trails of Pipestone Canyon.

Tuesday, November 4

Meet at 9am

Junction of Bear Creek Road and Lester Road- across the street from Rhys Court’s Sculputure Yard- right where the pavement ends on Bear Creek Road.

Bring your own gloves and water and food as needed.

Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty with charcoal ash.

Bright clothing may also be preferred as hunting may be happening in the area.

Methow Trails will provide the trash bags.

Individuals will break into groups and walk sections of Pipestone picking up trash.

Project is only expected to last a couple of hours.

Thanks for joining our Keep Pipestone Pretty Project!

We have a new name!

The Methow Valley Sport Trails Association (MVSTA) would like to share some big news. MVSTA has a new name: Methow Trails! We have a new name, new logo, and new web address.

Why did we change our name? Well, honestly we knew that “Methow Valley Sport Trails Association” was a mouthful and our acronym of MVSTA often got in the way of sharing great trail experiences. Not only is our new name shorter, but it emphasizes the two things most important to our organization: the Methow and Trails. Going forward, we expect to spend more time talking about amazing trail experiences and less time explaining our name.

Methow Trails remains committed to enhancing, and growing trail opportunities in the Methow Valley. This winter season we will continue to operate North America’s largest cross-country ski area with over 120 miles of ski trail where kids 17 and under ski free everyday. We will continue to offer our signature programs and events along with new trailside amenities and communication tools to provide you with the best trail experience possible. We will continue our dedicated work as a non-profit organization in offering year-round trail opportunities and management of 11 Methow Valley trailheads. 

We are proud of our 37 year history. The organization has updated its name twice in the past as it has evolved. We are proud to showcase our new name and look, but more importantly, we are excited to more easily showcase our trails. We hope you will have the opportunity this winter to join us for a ski, fat bike, or snowshoe. 

You can follow us on the digital trail at methowtrails.org, on Facebook at Methow Trails, via our free Methow Trails grooming apps, or stop into our office in downtown Winthrop. 

Methow Trails

309 Riverside Avenue

PO Box 147

Winthrop, WA 98862

509-996-3287

methowtrails.org 

Cutthroat Classic Photos

Congratulations Runners!   

It doesn't get much better than that!  What a great day today.

Here are the photos from MVSTA in a web album which you are free to download the photos and use as you wish.

Fantastic photos from Mitchellimage.com are available for purchase.  Be sure to check his photos as well, Steve is a fantastic photographer.

Thanks again for coming out and supporting Methow Trails!

Why did the cow cross the trail?

Answer:  To get to the udder-side!

There are many trails (and roads) in the Methow Valley where you may encounter cattle. No one likes to be startled out on the trail...including animals! Here is some sage advice on how to handle the situation when you meet livestock.

Cattle should be approached slowly and quietly. Suddenly startling cattle will cause them to act unpredictably and with a high degree of unnecessary stress. Cattle will often charge down the trail you want to travel when you approach them aggressively. The best approach is to sensitively alert the animals that you are approaching and ease off your speed. If you approach the animal from behind, allow them to move down the trail until they can easily move off to the side. If possible, travel off to the side of the trail, this allows the animal to figure out a better escape route. Cattle have wide viewing areas. Travelling directly behind them is a predatory move which causes them to move faster. Moving to their side allows them to better see you and to move away from you and off the trail.

If you happen to meet an entire herd of cattle or livestock on the road, stop, step to one side and stand still and quiet. If the herd is being driven under the control of cattle ranchers, let them lead the cattle in the desired direction.

Please close all gates that you enter and exit!!!  

Ranching and recreation go hand in hand in the Methow Valley. It's another one of those special aspects of living, visiting and playing here!

ALL Sunflower Race Photos

Here are some photos from Stephen Mitchell at Mitchell Image. You may download the low resolution images of these photos. Full size images are available for purchase at Mitchellimage.com

Click photo below to view the album.

Sunflower Marathon 2014 ©stephenMITCHELL Images

Here are some photos from legs #1 and #2 of the Sunflower Marathon and Relay. Feel free to download any of these and use them as you wish.

Click the photo below to view the album.

2014 Sunflower