Using transit for Nordic skiing in the Methow Valley, starting in Portland by Steve Acker
If you’ve taken advantage of public transit to enjoy our nearby options for Nordic skiing, you might be wondering about venturing farther afield. We were too, so in 2023 we decided to see how a car-free trip might work to the Methow Valley, our favorite ski destination. We were quite happy with the result.
Using transit to reach the Methow from Portland requires traveling through Wenatchee, which in turn requires traveling through Seattle. We opted to take the Amtrak train on a Monday afternoon to Seattle, staying over in a hotel close to the train station.
The next morning we took an Amtrak bus to Wenatchee, and then the Apple Line bus to Pateros, Washington (all booked through Amtrak).
At Pateros we hopped on a bus operated by Okanogan Transit that took us to Twisp.
Another Okanogan Transit bus took us from Twisp to Winthrop and dropped us at the door of our hotel.
We spent three great days skiing (and snowshoeing) out of the main trailhead in Winthrop, an easy walk from our hotel. We had previously arranged with the local shuttle service Methow Motion to take us to Mazama, where we stayed for three nights. Sad to say, Methow Motion is no longer in business as of 2024. However, the Methow Valley is accessible using Okanogan Transit, all the way from Pateros to Mazama, six days a week (no service on Sunday).
We had also arranged for Methow Motion to pick us up in Mazama and take us to Twisp, where we boarded the last bus to Pateros. We spent the night at a hotel in Pateros. We expected to get home by bus and train the next day, but things got interesting!
Major winter weather across the northern tier of the U.S. resulted in a change in our plans. The Cascade passes in Washington were closed to large vehicles, including the Amtrak bus we planned to take, due to heavy snow and avalanche danger. We did get as far as Wenatchee and spent the night there (not a bad place to pass some time as far as we’re concerned). We had hoped to get the train to Seattle early the next morning, but an avalanche in Montana had caused that train to turn around and head back to Chicago. The pass opened up to buses in the afternoon and we did get back to Portland that day (actually in the wee hours of the next morning), arriving to a city mostly shut down due to a major snow dump.
We quite enjoyed the Methow Valley and getting to spend more time in all the places we overnighted along the way. The transit providers all did a great job, but of course they can’t control the weather. The trip reminded us that we need to be ready for the unexpected when traveling, whatever the mode, especially when winter and mountains are in the mix.
Our total costs for transportation to and from Portland’s Union Station were about $475 for the two of us ($337 for Amtrak from Portland to Pateros and back; $6 for three rides on Okanogan Transit; $130 for the two rides with Methow Motion). We took the Trimet bus to Union Station on our way to the Methow Valley. As noted, we returned to a snowy, closed down Portland after midnight. We were glad to get an expensive Lyft ride home, but would rather not remember how much it cost.
Originally published in the Oct. 2023 newsletter, updated Nov. 2024.