As I mentioned in my last posting, I had the opportunity to return to Winthrop two weekends ago. And what an opportunity it was! Winthrop, while always quite lovely, becomes even more spectacular under a blanket of snow. As with Chelan, I was completely and utterly charmed by the town in winter, despite its decidedly sleepier demeanor. This time of year, most of the shops on the main street are closed for the season, including the candy shop (very disappointing, indeed). This situation is not surprising, however, given the winter decrease in tourism and the seasonal closure of Highway 20. Even still, it is fun to walk around, window shop and enjoy the town’s Wild West feel.
Luckily, one of the businesses that stays open throughout the winter is the Lost River Winery, which was our first stop Saturday afternoon. You cannot miss Lost River as you come into town from the west, as it is directly on US 20 (luckily, the part that’s still open year round). We actually went to this winery during our trip in September, and had such a nice experience we thought it would be fun to take Steve’s folks. Unfortunately, the proprietor was not pouring my favorite (the Walla Walla Syrah) but we tried some other scrumptious wines that were new to us: the 2008 Merlot (92% Merlot, 8 % Cabernet Franc) and the Cedarosa blend (45% Cabernet Franc 55% Merlot). Recently, Steve and I have been surprised to try some very tasty merlots, which are usually not among our favorites. We loved the aforementioned Lost River wines, and also tried a fantastic merlot a few weeks ago at our favorite winery, Woodward Canyon, in Walla Walla. Convenient for both us and our wallets, the scrumptious, well-balanced merlots from Lost River are more within our price range than Woodward Canyon. Generally, the prices at Lost River are mid-range, from about $15-30 per bottle, depending on the wine and the vintage. We bought both the Merlot and the Cedarosa.
After the wandering and wine, we returned to the cabin Steve’s parents were borrowing from friends in the Edelweiss development, west of town near Mazama. Edelweiss is a community of mostly seasonal residents, though about 30% spend their winters there. Unfortunately, the website for the community is rather uninspired and not really worth sharing, but suffice it to say that it is a nice community surrounded by tall trees with stunning views of the neighboring mountains. If you have an opportunity to stay at a cabin there, I highly recommend it. Our cabin was spacious and comfortable, though the furnishings could use a good update, as they are all still straight out of the 1970’s. We certainly couldn’t complain, though, as the price was right (free!), it was warm and comfortable. Also, (unlike the décor) the mattresses looked brand new.
Saturday night we were invited to a party thrown by friends of Steve’s parents, whom they know through their biking club. The party took place at the couples’ custom-built vacation home. It was absolutely gorgeous. The house, although small, felt very spacious with its modern, streamlined design, floor-to-ceiling windows, and open plan kitchen-dining-living area. The large deck must make for great entertaining in the warmer months. It was a great setting to meet some nice folks and enjoy some wine, lasagna and good conversation.
During the time we had been window shopping and wine tasting, our hosts and most of the other guests had been cross-country skiing all day. Here is the real beauty of Winthrop in winter: it’s totally gorgeous, there are few people, and it is a haven for winter sports, mainly cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Of course, I only assume that it’s the beauty of it. I have to admit that we were so focused on relaxing that neither Steve nor I, nor his parents, did anything more strenuous than walk off our huge Sunday breakfast the day after the party. Luckily, Winthrop in winter is so nice and quiet, it also is a wonderful spot for relaxing. The only one of us who got any real exercise, really, was Tess the family dog. She had a lot of fun chasing snowballs and diving into the snow banks on either side of the road. The humans loved the beautiful forest walk and the mountain views.
I can definitely see how people call Winthrop a town for all seasons. After these two trips, I’m actually more partial to it in the winter than in the fall, though both were wonderful. I will definitely be back to experience spring and summer, and of course I have to return again in winter actually try some of those famous winter activities! We did not have time to see Sun Mountain Lodge on this trip, but I imagine it is also spectacular in winter. Someday when we have more money, I would love to include a stay at Sun Mountain during a winter trip to Winthrop. I cannot imagine a better place to snow shoe the nearby trails during the day, and relax in the evening with a coffee or hot toddy while snow falls outside. Look, I’m already planning my next Winthrop vacations! This place has that effect on you – it’s totally magical. I suggest you strap on a pair of snowshoes and go right away!
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