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From LAX, Alaska Airlines provides connecting service (change of plane) to Wenatchee, Wash. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $430.
From Wenatchee it’s a two-hour drive through the Columbia Valley to Winthrop.
River’s Edge Resort, (509) 996-8000, www.riversedgewinthrop.com, is in Winthrop but not directly on the trail system. We booked a “cozy cabin” (queen bed) with kitchen and hot tub. Doubles
begin at $135 a night.
River Run Inn, (509) 996-2173, www.riverrun-inn.com, offers similar accommodations. The inn is on the Methow River. Rates begin at $75 in winter for midweek, $115 on the weekend.
WolfRidge Resort, (509) 996-2628, www.wolfridgeresort.com, has ski-in, ski-out cabins. Doubles begin at $89 a night.
The valley also offers hut-to-hut skiing in a series of trail-side Rendezvous Huts, (800) 422-3048 and (800) 257-2452, www.methow.com/huts. Rates: $35 per person per night; huts sleep eight.
Other lodging options can be found at the local chamber website, www.winthropwashington.com.
Equipment rentals are available at Winthrop Mountain Sports, (509) 996-2886, www.winthropmountain. During popular travel periods such as holidays, it’s a good idea to reserve ahead.