Methow Valley’s groomed trails offer stellar, accessible snow biking

written by Cathy Carroll

An ardent romance with cycling doesn’t have to grow frosty once snow covers the ground. As your bike gathers dust in the garage, it may well be thinking: “Oh, (insert your name here), go, have a fling with another this season. I’ll understand—see you in the spring.”

A dalliance with fat tire biking gives you quad-pumping access to stellar views and fun for months, whether you’re a beginner or veteran.

With this kind of bike, the knobby tires are nearly 4 inches wide, about an inch wider than on most mountain bikes, and that offers the grip needed for snow. Tire pressure is only about 5 pounds, compared to 25 to 35 pounds for a mountain bike.

“It’s slower, but it’s also a very stable feeling,” said Stephen Mitchell, who has worked with Methow Cycle & Sport in Winthrop and has been grooming fat bike trails in the Methow Valley since 2010. “You’re going 5 to 10 miles an hour, and these bikes are easy to control, easy to handle. They all have disc brakes and are easy to shift.”

Mitchell began building some of the earliest versions of today’s fat bikes in the late ’80s, welding mountain bike rims together to accommodate the widest tires available. The modifications allowed the bike to cruise over snow, rather than sink in it.

For beginners, Mitchell recommends getting a sense of the bike’s feel by testing it out on any flat road. Keeping your hands and feet warm are also important. Mitchell recommends using handlebar mitts called “pogies,” and lightweight, warm boots with plenty of toe room. Dress in layers that can be shed as you warm up.

“As long as your hands and toes are warm, you’re going to come away with a smile on your face,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun.”

The fun extends into the evening with the “Fat and Fire” social ride, Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at Pearrygin State Park. Methow Cycle & Sport loans bikes to first timers for the ride, using lights and dividing groups based on ability, so no one gets left behind. Each group has a leader who helps guide, instruct and is ready to inflate tires or help with repairs.

Afterward, gather around a fire pit, grill food and sip libations. “It’s a great way for a complete novice to say, ‘Hey, I want to give it a try, and I’d like someone to go on a ride with me,’’’ said Mitchell.

Some of Washington’s best fat tire biking is in the Methow Valley, where groomed trails are packed and sculpted specifically to support fat bikes.

SOME EASY TRAILS INCLUDE:

• Big Valley: This wide trail is shared with skiers, snowshoers and dogs. Flat inner and outer loops are groomed about twice weekly.
• John’s Way: This fun, flat-to-rolling loop has a 30-inch-wide groomed trail for fat bikes and snowshoes, from the Mazama Corral trailhead to Timberline Meadows.

SOME MODERATE TRAILS INCLUDE:

• Lloyd Ranch: Pedal 30-inch-wide groomed trails that traverse rolling hills and some sustained climbs adjacent to Pearrygin State Park. It’s a favorite of Julie Muyllaert, co-owner of Methow Cycle & Sport, who believes it offers one of the most beautiful views in the valley, especially on sunny winter days, with snowy mountains framing Pearrygin Lake.
• Pearrygin State Park: The 30-inch-wide groomed trails range from flat near the lake to rolling hills and some sustained climbs.
• Gunn Ranch: Dogs can join on this wide trail, also shared with skiers. Ride 8 miles round trip, steadily climbing to soulsoothing views and sun on your face, even when fog envelops the valley below.

Beyond the Methow Valley, White Pass Nordic Center in Naches offers 16 miles of trails with views of Cascade Crest that’s open to fat bikes when the snow is firm enough. The center rents fat bikes, too.

FAT BIKE TRAIL ETIQUETTE

To best navigate winter trails, The Central Cascades Winter Recreation Council advises:

• If riding is causing footprints or ruts, return another time when the surface is firmer.
• Do not ride in flat, middle skate ski lanes. Ride on the edge where snowshoers walk.

CHECK RIDING CONDITIONS + MORE AT:

Methow Cycle & Sport
www.methowcyclesport.com

White Pass Nordic Center
www.skiwhitepass.com/the-mountain/nordic-center

Central Cascades Winter Recreation Council
www.snowrec.org

Methow Fatbike
The Methow Fatbike page on Facebook is a community where fat bike enthusiasts share information about fat biking in the Methow Valley. www.facebook.com/methowfatbike