Map by Darla Hussey
By Laurelle Walsh
Minor traffic delays, parking puzzles and a line of cars waiting to get through the valley’s only four-way-stop are to be expected during this weekend’s ’49er Days celebration.
At noon on Friday (May 8), the Ride to Rendezvous wagon train will pass through downtown Winthrop. Drivers are advised to use caution during the 20 minutes the Ride rolls through town, and Marshal Rikki Schwab will be temporarily shutting down traffic on the trestle bridge so that the horses and wagons can pass safely, she said.
During the big parade on Saturday (May 9), drivers who must pass through Winthrop should be aware that Highway 20 — Riverside Avenue — will be closed to traffic between the two bridges from 10:45 a.m. until around noon. The 14-mile bypass around the parade route will be signed, and will add about 25 minutes to any east- or west-bound highway travel. (See map below for detailed route information.)
Marshal Schwab asks that all drivers respect the traffic barricades and traffic control during that time. “We just want everything to go smoothly for all the citizens and the kids and the town,” she said. Officers will be directing traffic at the four-way stop after the parade.
No parking is allowed on Riverside Avenue from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Parking is available at the Winthrop Barn and library parking lots on the north end of town; uptown in the lot above the Duck Brand or along Castle Avenue; or at the Town Trailhead parking lot, from which a short walk across the Spring Creek Bridge leads to the festivities. Drivers must not block driveway access when parking in residential neighborhoods.
Public restrooms will be open at the Visitor Information Center and at the Barn.
Parade staging will begin uptown along Corral Street between Bluff and Castle at 9 a.m. Participants should check in at the town maintenance shed on the corner of Corral and Bluff streets. The parade route proceeds down Bluff Street, south along Riverside Avenue, and then returns to the staging area after the event.
Also on Saturday morning, around 700 runners plus family members and support crew will be participating in Methow Trails’ Sunflower Marathon and Relay.
The 26-mile run starts at 8:30 a.m. at the Mazama Corral trailhead and heads south on valley trails and back roads. A shuttle bus takes racers to the starting line. Relay team members are transported to the four exchange points in private vehicles. The awards ceremony will take place at the finish line in Twisp at 1:30 p.m.
Click Winthrop ’49er Days for related articles.
