WASHINGTON

1. Ski Bluewood in Dayton, Wash., where the off-piste Vintner’s Ridge cat skiing opens expert terrain for only $12/day plus the $45 adult lift ticket. Then experience regional menus, local wine parings, and cooking classes during Walla Walla’s February Is For Foodies month.

2. Cross-country ski or snowmobile 5 miles into the U.S. Forest Service nightly cabin rental, Clearwater Big House, near Pomeroy, Wash. Enjoy the quiet spaces on the Umatilla National Forest where elk, bighorn sheep, mule and white-tailed deer, and coyotes amble among the snow-flocked pines and subalpine fir. Dozens of forest service cabins and fire lookouts are available to rent in the Northwest for a reasonable nightly fee. 

3. Visit Bavaria without leaving Washington at the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum and explore different ways to crack a nut. Kids can join a nutcracker hunt while discovering the importance of nuts throughout human history in the Bavarian-style village of the Cascade Range, just 2 miles from Leavenworth Ski Hill’s two rope tows, Nordic jump hill, tubing slope, and lovely log lodge. 

4. Ski with the dog on some of Methow Trails’ 40 kilometers of dog-friendly Nordic trails such as Grizzly Way, Rendezvous, and Big Valley. Dogs need a $10 daily ticket or $50 season pass to help upkeep the grooming while humans’ trail fees range according to age.

5. Take an outdoor adventure class with REI Spokane, like Avalanche Awareness and Avalanche Fundamentals at the Spokane store; or, try the Wilderness First Aid at Selkirk Lodge at Mt. Spokane State Park, where—like many recreation outlets—a Sno-Park Permit is required. 

6. Bring the ice skates to downtown Spokane’s Riverfront Park Numerica Ice Ribbon, a 650-foot iced path accompanied by fire pits and hot cocoa from SkyRibbon Café. Skate rentals available for $4.95. 

7. Explore the channeled scablands of the 18,000-acre Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, which provides winter habitat to waterfowl and mammalian wildlife among the glaciated basalt outcroppings, canyons, pine forests, meadows, and wetlands. 

IDAHO

8. Find wonder at Harriman State Park in Idaho, winter home to trumpeter swans on the open water of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. The park offers excellent birding along the 39 kilometers of groomed cross-country ski, snowshoe, and fat bike trails. Unique lodging in bunkhouse, dorms, cabins, and yurts encourage large groups to stay at the historic 11,000-acre railroad ranch. 

9. Fat bike Sandpoint, Idaho’s winter trails with a rental from Greasy Fingers Bikes N Repair, where the crew will point out in-town and on-mountain trails.

10. Squeal down 100 yards of downhill sliding aboard an inner tube at Schweitzer Mountain Resort’s Hermits Hollow Tubing Center, lit for night tubing and day sliding with a tow back to the hilltop. The winter thriller is for anyone 42 inches or taller.

11. Nordic ski from Ketchum, Idaho’s Galena Lodge into Sun Valley on some of the 200 kilometers of superbly groomed trails with the Boulder Mountains glistening above the Big Wood River. Stay at the new Limelight Hotel, which serves the best gluten-free pizza in the Gem State.

12. Go fishing with Go Fish Charters on Lake Pend Oreille for brown cutthroat, lake and rainbow trout, as well as walleye and whitefish. Winter fishing season in Idaho goes through March 31, and you can fly fish on the Clark Fork, St. Joe, St. Maries, and Moyie rivers, as well as the North Fork, Little North Fork, and mainstream Coeur d’Alene rivers.

OREGON

13. Cross-country ski at Meacham Divide Nordic Area, located in northeast Oregon. The Blue Mountain Nordic Club maintains a marked, groomed trail system. The primary trail, called Loppet, includes five loops branching off it.

14. Snowshoe or ski tour into the Wallowa Alpine Huts in the Eaglecap Wilderness Area. Amenities include yurts, a wood-fired sauna, and well-equipped kitchen. Snowmobile porter service available.

15. Admire some pups at the Eagle Cap Extreme Sled Dog Race, the only Iditarod and Yukon Quest qualifier in Oregon, on Jan.23-25. The races are the main event, but the vet checks in Joseph are free, open to the public, and provide a good opportunity to meet the mushers and dogs. 

MONTANA AND WYOMING

16. Ice climb with Glacier Adventure Guides and learn ice-tool techniques, safety, and fun on crystalline frozen waterfalls. The experts also offer guided cross-country ski and snowshoe tours and winter camping trips in Glacier National Park. 

17. Stay in a slope-side luxury tree house at Whitefish Mountain Resort. The Snow Bear Chalets are in one of the three elevated and cozy cabins, each with private hot tub on the deck, full kitchen, and a turret bedroom. 

18. Check out Cabin Fever Days in Martin City, Hungry Horse, and Coram, Mont. The event features Barstool Ski Races where entrants fix skis to barstools and attempt to ride down a slope near Glacier National Park every mid-February, benefitting the local volunteer fire department. No training needed.

19. Ice skate Missoula’s Glacier Ice Rink where both indoor and outdoor rinks entice skaters to glide the large arena (rental skates are available); or, adventure outside on the Rattlesnake neighborhood’s Pineview Park where the local hockey association floods a portion of the park for bring-your-own-skates fun.

20. Visit Yellowstone National Park Lodges and geysers aboard an over-the-snow vehicle from Mammoth, Wyo. to Old Faithful, while the interpreter reveals history and famous thermal features and points out bison, elk, wolves, eagles, and moose.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

21. Gain Avalanche Safety Training at the Golden Alpine Holidays backcountry huts, or enjoy three to seven-day hut trips. Skiers and boarders can helicopter in to the Esplanade Range of the northern Selkirks for guided, catered, or self-guided, alpine-touring hut adventures.

22. Storm watch British-Columbia style, which includes dazzling Pacific storms barreling across the ocean while viewers are seated fireside in one of Vancouver Island’s cozy oceanfront resorts such as Nanaimo’s Yellow Point Lodge. 

23. Howl with the dogs at Candle Creek’s Dog Sled Tours at Big White Ski Resort, Mountain Man Dog Sled Adventures at Sun Peaks Resort, or Big Bear Tours of Lumby near Vernon.

24. Snowmobile part or all of the 1850s Gold Rush Trail from Kamloops to Cariboo, Williams Lake, and the historic communities of Wells and Barkerville—a 288-mile route.

25. Soak in B.C.’s famed mineral waters such as Ainsworth Hot Springs, located near Nelson along Kootenay Lake on lands first used by Ktuanxa First Nations peoples. The resort hotel offers access to the hot springs pools and cave. 

Jean Arthur writes, skis, hikes, bikes, and laughs from Bozeman. She even has the blisters to prove it, thanks to the new ski boots on her wish list.

The post 25 Winter Adventures appeared first on Out There Venture.

Through advance planning and preparation, it is possible to enjoy a winter trip while staying warm and dry. The first step is to read up on what to expect where you intend to go, and watch the weather forecasts for changing conditions (and know when to change plans accordingly, always communicating that plan to someone at home).

Home Sweet Snow Camp

I have comfortably made camp in my little REI Quarter Dome tent, with all its well-ventilated mesh, set up on a snowy base, even when temperatures dipped into the single digits. I opt for a closed-cell foam sleeping pad for better heat reflection in winter, and I bring a telescoping snow shovel to dig a level platform for the tent. I enjoy getting creative in camp design, with snow walls to block wind and a separate kitchen area complete with seating and a cooking platform. Sometimes it is possible to create an ideal campsite on snow in a place that would be a lousy campsite in the summer. I also find it’s possible to experience complete seclusion in a spot that might be overly busy in the warmer months.

When it’s unusually cold, I boost the warmth rating on my down sleeping bag (with its optimistic 20 °F) by bringing along my bivy sack in addition to the tent. I never winter camp (and seldom summer camp) without my down booties for my always-too-cold feet, which I put over a pair of wool socks reserved for sleeping. Extra layers of either fleece or wool constitute my winter PJs, and I top it off with a wool hat and mittens.

Layering for Warmth

While hiking to camp, it’s possible to generate enough heat to strip down to base layers and still break a sweat. As soon as I stop, however, my first task is always to change to dry clothes before my core temperature drops. In case my feet get wet, I keep a pair of neoprene socks in my pack. When I was a child, before I learned of the existence of neoprene, my mom would put empty bread sacks over my dry socks. They served the same purpose, and they’re still a nice, cheap option or contingency plan. In camp, layers are my best defense against the cold. I go for fleece over my base layer, then a down puffy jacket, then an insulated shell, and I can generally stay toasty.

Cooking, Drinking and Not Freezing

Hot beverages also help keep the cold at bay. If I bring my canister stove, I purchase a four-season fuel mix for winter use, and I keep it insulated inside the pack until ready for use. If I’m doing more than boiling water, I pack my white gas stove instead, as it tends to be more reliable in cold weather. I never set it up directly on the snow, and I always add a little starter water to the snow I plan to melt in order to avoid scorching the bottom of my pot.

Keeping the water in its liquid state can be a challenge on winter trips. I keep bottles stashed inside the pack instead of in the outside pockets, and store them upside down so that they don’t freeze closed. When it’s really cold, I keep my bottle inside a water bottle parka. Everything is stored inside the tent at night, including the water filter, which can otherwise freeze and become useless.

Dry Boots and a Well-Lighted Camp

I also never go out in winter without my gaiters, which keep the snow outside my boots. The boots vary from trip to trip: I find it equally fun to launch winter backpack trips on Nordic skis, backcountry skis, or snowshoes. Depending on the steepness of the terrain, winter trips are the perfect opportunity for hauling extra gear in on a sled.

Finally, I pack extra headlamp batteries since the sun goes down early on a winter trip at our latitude. Instead of waiting impatiently for long sunny days to return, I like to make the most of all opportunities to explore our local trails, even when those opportunities arise in January. //

Winter Camping Spots—Local Favorites

• Priest Lake: the east and west side and upper lake all offer options depending on how far you’re willing to walk/ski
• Sherman Pass: Columbia Mountain or Sherman Peak can be great
• Kootenay Pass: south side of the highway has more mellow terrain close to the highway—avoid the many avalanche areas
• Lookout Pass: many options, but be aware of the considerable avalanche risks in many places
• Lolo Pass: summer hiking trails make great winter camping trails
• Anywhere with hot springs nearby!// (OTM)

The post Winter Camping in Comfort—Tips to Stay Warm, Dry and Have Fun Sleeping Out in the Snow appeared first on Out There Venture.

Fast forward through the holidays and winter finally found itself. Better late than never. It’s amazing how a few powder days and beautiful, blue sky breaks between storm cycles can almost make you forget a rough start to winter.

You may have noticed that this issue of Out There Monthly breaks from the publication’s 10-plus year tradition of having only one month listed on the cover. This 2015 “Winter Adventure Guide” issue is a thicker, two-month older brother compared to last year’s thinner winter additions. Billed as a special double issue, inside you’ll find winter travel and adventure ideas from around the region, from snowshoeing and parade going in Sandpoint, polar plunging in Whitefish, Nordic racing in Winthrop, hitting the hot springs in Nelson, sunny singletrack riding and taco truck hopping in Tri-Cities, and hiking frozen waterfalls in the Selkirks. With gas prices so low that it’s almost creepy, this winter is about as good as it gets for loading up the family wagon or dirt-bag mobile for a wild, snowy road trip to remember.

This first OTM Winter Adventure Guide is just the tip of the iceberg of what’s out there too. If you look in the right places, there are full-blown winter carnivals; eclectic mom and pop ski hill events; quirky competitive races over frozen landscapes; mountain-top ragers; inspiring expressions of artistic and creative passion of the frosted kind; and endless places to get lost in or lose track of responsibilities and stress while wandering snow-covered mountains.

We hope this thicker, meatier two-month issue of Out There sustains you through the dark, cold months ahead. We’ll be back in March with warmer days in mind with our “spring fever” issue. In the meantime, there are slopes to be skied, mountains to snowshoe, winter festivals to attend to, trails to fat bike and skinny ski, and quiet winter days and nights that can seem swallowed up in white blankets of sparkling snow to revel in. //

The post Winter Adventure is All Around Us appeared first on Out There Venture.

WHETHER IT IS TO A SNOWY or sunny destination, for a week or just a weekend, February is a good month for getting away from the norm. There are two holidays—Valentine’s Day and the extended President’s Day weekend—and spring is just around the corner. Plus, this is a Leap Year—that’s worth celebrating with a getaway!

We’ve compiled some ideas to make it easier on both your brain and your budget.

PLAN CREATIVELY—SOMEWEBSITES WE LIKE

AWAY.COM helps you choose a vacation destination, based on your specific interests, with customized ideas and recommendations. Get out of your travel rut. Break tradition. If you always go to the same Schweitzer condo year after year, this is for you. While a Schweitzer condo is awesome, you gotta mix it up a bit.

GORP.COM is especially for the OTM crowd to plan a trip focused on hiking, camping and national and state parks both in the U.S. and abroad. (The Inland Northwest seems to have been left out of its database; we’ve submitted a request for them to fix that.) AdventureFinder.com is also helpful.

ONTHESNOW.COM offers an easy-to-navigate rundown of ski resorts you’re considering visiting.

PRICEOFTRAVEL.COM breaks down the average cost of traveling in different cities across the world. Nifty lists.

KAYAK.COM is one of the better-known websites where you can comparison shop with one easy click—whether flights or car rentals or vacation packages.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Ditch the typical hotel vacation idea. Think “home away from home” with a living room, kitchen, dining area, multiple bedrooms and more square footage providing a private and relaxing experience—especially if you’re traveling as a family or with a group of friends.

Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO.COM), is a database of thousands of rentals in the U.S. and abroad—including urban apartments, condos, bed & breakfast homes, waterfront and mountain cabins, and houses. Simply search by location and see what’s available. A quick glance tells you if the property is pet-friendly or wheelchair-accessible, has reviews available, or accepts credit cards (PayPal is a safe alternative).

Some are listed by either the property owner or a property manager and may include a rental agreement, which might only be as complex as knowing the check-in/check-out times, how to turn on the heat, and what to do with the bedding and towels before departure.

Nightly rates, in some cases, are significantly less than a hotel stay and weekly rates are often available. Be aware of possible cleaning fees and security deposits.

A significant advantage and cost-savings with a vacation rental is the ability to prepare your own meals and eat on your own time, especially if you like to cook. And the simple pleasure of
eating breakfast in your jammies can never
be overrated.

Some disadvantages to using the VRBO website are that not all owners regularly update their online availability calendars and, according to online forums about this site, owners can choose which guest reviews to share. This means negative reviews are not generally available. (However, most VRBO customers who experienced a bad rental deal find a way to publish their reviews online in a different format, such as a personal blog.) Some negative traveler reviews are posted and an “owner response” is typically included.

VRBO does offer to provide a 100% “Carefree Rental Guarantee” for a fee, like in case the owner misrepresented the property, double books, or wrongfully withholds a security deposit.

Another online resource is CRAIGSLIST.COM—each city has a “vacation rentals” feature in the Housing section (for example, spokane.craigslist.org/vac/). Like all postings on Craigslist, you have to be cautious that you’re not being duped and that the property is legit. Follow Craigslist’s personal safety guidelines and the tips for avoiding scams and frauds. It’s more likely to be safe if the property owner has a website for it (or links to a VRBO listing), pictures and a PayPal account for the financial transaction.

Use the search bar at the top of the page to make it easier, since listings are organized by date posted. And if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, check out the “housing swap” listings—you never know what kind of deal you might discover.

BUDGET TRAVEL & BIG SAVINGS

Can’t afford a five-night vacation rental stay? No problem. A little research and planning goes a long way in cutting the cost of your trip—and in the process, your sleuthing might land you some really cool discoveries in places you’d never considered.

STAY WITH FRIENDS—or make new ones. Make travel plans in reverse. Rather than picking a place to go, then looking for a place to stay, build a list of places you could stay for free with friends, family members or that weird Swedish kid who lived with your family for a semester in high school.

Bonus: Maybe you’ll discover a great vacation spot you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. A few nights of free lodging can ease the stress on your wallet enough to splurge on a Bed & Breakfast for a night or two elsewhere in the same region.

COUCHSURFING.ORG: This is a social network site where strangers offer to let you crash on their couch. Weird, huh? But because of this, poor twenty-somethings can travel on a limited budget. The site allows users to display photos and personal information, so you can look for a host or hosts that seem like a good match. To help address possible safety/creepiness concerns, each user has ratings displayed on his or her profile. Points are given for longevity, positive reviews and responding to inquiries.

HOSTELS: Staying in large cities can cost a fortune. If you’re traveling on your own or with a buddy, staying at a hostel can cut lodging costs in half. They’re not as comfortable or luxurious as hotels. Take the cheapest booking and you’ll find yourself sharing a room—and a restroom—with 10-15 strangers. Most hostels also offer private rooms, which are more affordable than hotels and have similar, but more simple, amenities.

Hostels are full of international travelers thrilled to share a meal and tell you all about their lives and travels. Don’t hesitate to make new friends and exchange contact information. Perhaps you’ll find yourself in their home country and in need of a place to stay—or just someone to show you around.

To avoid a negative experience at a hostel, browse reviews at hostelworld.com and look for gobs of complaints of poor service, bed bugs and other unsavory experiences. Keep your belongings secure in a locker while you are away and while you are sleeping.

EAT CHEAP: Budget for daily meals. Pick one meal a day to splurge on and eat cheap for the rest.

Beverages make a huge difference in daily food costs. Consider drinking water for all but one meal per day—grabbing a soda or bottled water three times in a day may eat up the difference between a great dinner out and having to skimp.

Pack snacks. Don’t go overboard on lugging around food, but having something handy means you can take extra time to find an ideal food spot, instead of settling for something out of your price range because you’re starving.

URBANSPOON.COM categorizes restaurant ratings by price and shows locations on a map, making it easy to find a place in your price range nearby.

ASK LOCALS: Much of what’s great about any travel destination, whether exotic or close to home, can’t be found online. Ask a few people where they would recommend spending one day in or around their town. Once you have a list of options, research those a little more closely before planning the day.

CALL AHEAD: Lost reservations, a long wait at the restaurant, a full campsite or closed park can cause frustration, kid chaos and costly last-minute fixes.

In the case of a reservation error, the hostel or hotel desk manager should be willing to call around and find you comparably-priced lodging in the area—but this becomes much more difficult as check-in time nears.

If reservations aren’t possible, as is the case for some campsites and restaurants, have a backup plan ready.

BE FLEXIBLE ABOUT TRAVEL DATES: For hotel bookings and other seasonally-priced reservations, identify the “shoulder season”—the time right before prices jump for the high season.

Before booking, learn whether the attractions you want to see are open during that time. (In remote tourist towns like Wallace, Idaho, museums and attractions close entirely until May or so.)

Prices for bookings and reservations also fluctuate from day to day, with cheaper rates during the middle of the week than on weekends. If possible, plan your vacation for weekdays for cheaper air travel—and look for lodging options that offer discounted weekday rates.

Should the stars align, you could find yourself enjoying all the perks of high-season vacationing at a much lower price.

AMTRAK: Compare airline prices with Amtrak’s—you may save a lot by taking the train. While not everyone is game for boarding a train in the middle of the night and trying to sleep, there is kind of a Jack Kerouac feel to train travel. Unlike driving, time on the train can be restful and enriching—a chance to get a little work done or read a paperback book. (They still make those, you know.)

For a small family, the cost of flying, taking the train or using other public transportation may be less than the cost of gas, the extra day off work and parking costs if you’re traveling to a big city more than half a day’s drive away.

(Tip: Check out VACATIONSBYRAIL.COM, which aggregates rail information including times, routes, prices and specials.)
TAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT: When you’re there—wherever “there” is—weigh time and hassle against cost of different modes of transit. Taking public transportation immerses you in the culture of the place you’re visiting. Taking the subway in New York might sound totally daunting at first, but it’s weird and exhilarating to experience for the first time.

Renting a car may be cheaper if you’re traveling with a family or group, but be sure to do the math. Calculate all the hidden costs of driving—like gas, parking and rental insurance—before deciding it’s the way to go.

If you do plan to travel by train, subway and bus, look into buying a monthly pass or whatever that service’s equivalent might be. Paying for individual fares can add up fast when you’re touring a city or region. Even if the pass is valid for much longer than you’re planning to stay, you could save money by buying one.

LOOK AROUND YOU: In the Inland Northwest, you can drive an hour or two in any direction from Spokane and find geographic diversity, new experiences and world-class resorts.

Wine tasting, backpacking, camping or staying at ski resorts and family-friendly lodges can give you a vacation feel without the cost of traveling far. Take a look at small towns full of history, or visit a state park you haven’t yet explored.
REGIONAL RESORTS AND LODGES – A FEW IDEAS

Although resorts are not cheap, they’re not all outrageously expensive and often include lots of amenities and recreation options. If you’re looking for a one-stop, hassle-free vacation focused on recreation and quality time with loved ones in a beautiful setting, then perhaps it is money well spent. You can minimize stress and maximize the fun. And if you’re traveling with kids and can play where you stay, then maybe it’s a bargain after all.

If a kid thinks vacation starts with the hotel swimming pool, a resort with a massive indoor water park will be epic. Not far away is Silver Mountain Resort (silvermt.com) in Kellogg, Idaho, and in western Washington is Great Wolf Lodge (greatwolf.com/grandmound/waterpark)—located in Grand Mound, Wash., 19 miles south of Olympia.

In Leavenworth, there is a spectrum of resorts. For example, ICICLE VILLAGE RESORT (icicleinn.com) right in town off Highway 2 has both condos (some are listed on VRBO.com) and Best Western hotel rooms. Kid and teen-friendly amenities—including swimming pools, mini golf, sport court and movie theater—will keep a family busy.

Then there is the quiet, rustic-meets-luxury SLEEPING LADY RESORT (sleepinglady.com) located along Icicle Creek with trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. (See this month’s Roadtrip feature for more information.)

There is also the even more remote winter escape to MOUNTAIN HOME LODGE (mthome.com). Located nearly four miles from town and 1000’ higher, it provides an extensive winter package that includes gourmet meals, cross-country ski and snowshoe gear for the nearby 20-30 miles of trails, and equipment for the 1,700’ sledding hill. No kids under age 16 allowed, however. (Summer rates begin in mid-March and are about $200 cheaper, depending on the specific room.)

In the Methow Valley, SUN MOUNTAIN LODGE (sunmountainlodge.com) in Winthrop, Wash., is ideally located for nordic skiers and snowshoers in the winter. But as an all-season destination, there is something for all ages all the time here.

And closer to home is ELKINS RESORT on Priest Lake (elkinsresort.com), in Nordman, Idaho. Vacationing here can be surprisingly affordable for families. Cabin rates rival hotel costs and enable families to share a space with separate bedrooms and a central family area. Kitchens in the cedar log cabins allow families to prepare their own meals. Most people bring food for the week from home, says Elkins co-owner Tracy Szybinksi, but the convenience store at Elkins sells staples you might have forgotten to pack.

Everything needed for a great time is provided, saving parents the exhausting task of loading and unloading kids from a car several times a day. And pets are allowed here, saving pet-sitting costs and adding to the fun.

The main lodge, built in the 1920s as a fishing camp, is home to an award-winning restaurant whose menu incorporates local specialties like morel mushrooms and huckleberries. The adjacent bar even specializes in Huckleberry Daiquiris.

Take advantage of reduced winter rates to go snowmobiling and cross-country skiing in the area surrounding the resort. Cabins are open year-round; however, the restaurant and bar close in February and re-open in May. During peak months, families must rent their cabin for a full week. (Reservations must be made by March for summer rentals.)

The remote location offers plenty of outdoor activities—during the summer, there is mountain biking, hiking and every water sport you can think of with equipment to rent on-site. Forty percent of the coastline on Priest Lake remains undeveloped, says Szybinski, so the lake can only get so busy.

Be advised—there are no televisions in the lodges (and there are even a few internet-free cabins!) so you’ll have to brush up on your Yahtzee skills.

The post Winter Getaways On A Budget appeared first on Out There Venture.