Methow

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote the illuminous observation, “When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.” As teenagers, my friends and I drove into the desert for a night under the stars. Amongst the sagebrush between Boise and Mountain Home, we shared thermoses of hot chocolate while wrapped in sleeping bags. We oohed and […]

Whiteout Racing Kennel’s young owner and operator, Christina Gibson, has her eye on the Rocky Mountain Triple Crown this winter. Christina and her well-trained team of Alaskan Huskies have hit the ground running, training in the upper reaches of Libby Creek for this winter season of dog sled races. The Rocky Mountain Triple Crown is […]

On a sunny Saturday afternoon along the banks of the Methow River, a small group gathered to honor a fellow fly fisher and conservationist. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Methow Valley Fly Fishers dedicated the Irv Conner Methow River Access Site, located 3 1/2 miles north of Pateros at the first […]

Elderberry Canyon, located in the Libby Creek drainage, has no elderberries. At least, from what I observed on a recent foray. I could be wrong. My attention was oft distracted by views of silvery granite peaks of the Sawtooth range, adorned by seasonal colors of golden larches. If you are looking for a short and […]

That was a lovely little storm, wasn’t it? I have not enjoyed a raucous storm in years. Five years, to be precise. But this time was different. I thoroughly reveled in the cacophony of light and sound. Perhaps because there was an accompaniment of rain, or maybe because it is September, and the leaves are […]

The holiday weekend crowds were delightfully sparse along the Pacific Crest Trail between Harts Pass and Grasshopper Pass. A parking spot was available, there were no lines at the outhouse, and the hikers were stretched few and far between. All the elevation was gained via Harts Pass Road 5400. The road climbs above 6,000 feet […]

A beautiful and informative map featuring the First People of the Methow Valley is now available at the Methow Valley Interpretive Center (MVIC). The map features trade routes, settlements and important fishing and gathering areas along the main corridor of the Methow Valley, along with 10 informational stops along the way. Users are encouraged to […]

Pateros is the party hot spot this weekend. During the hydro races, the Pateros-Brewster Community Resource Center (PBCRC) will host its third annual Whole Hog BBQ in Pateros Memorial Park. Fill your belly with pulled pork, baked beans, dinner rolls, corn on the cob and coleslaw — all for a good cause. Food will be served this […]

I missed my opportunity to provide a heads-up about the Apple Pie Jamboree this past weekend, a decades-long community event in Pateros that raises funds to provide valuable community programs for kids. I hope, in spite of my gross negligence, that upriver people got wind of the fun happening downriver, and came on down to […]

This story was a collaborative effort by the Valley Life columnists. So much happened in the lower valley this week. There were some raindrops, a mighty wind, and people in floaties heading down river, bobbing through the rapids. A snake ate a fish, an eagle ate a fish, and a person ate several fishes … […]