Special Insert: Six PNW Road Trips for 2019 | February/March 2019

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FROM THE EDITOR Every January 28th marks National Plan for Vacation Day. According to research from The Power of Vacation Planning Report, only about half of Americans are blocking out their calendars for getting away each year. Worse, people are staying on the job and leaving 662 million vacation days unused.

Because we live in the Pacific Northwest, where we have an embarrassment of riches of natural resources, we have options galore and no excuses. We took this opportunity to remind you to begin your vacation planning with some of our favorite road trips.

We assembled trips by geographic location—Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Next, we sorted by adventure, from trail running to cycling, wine tasting and hot springing. With the exception of one idea, all can be nicely done by hitting the road.

» In the San Juans, Lopez Island is a hidden gem and perfectly sized for cycling everywhere. » Leavenworth, Washington, is the Bavarian town in the Cascades that beckons you to hit the trails and then reward yourself during Oktoberfest or, really, any month. » On the eastern flank of Mount St. Helens runs the Lewis River.

Plan a trip witnessing the power of nature, from volcanic eruptions to wildflower explosions.

» Ketchum and Sun Valley pres-

ents a two-season quandary— summer or winter? Both.

» We take an Airstream out to the McKenzie River and Belknap Hot Springs on the Santiam Pass. The iconic McKenzie River Trail is best followed with a soak at Belknap. » We found two wine regions whose produce we wanted to set side by side—Walla Walla and Southern Oregon. For this, we connected the dots with the help of Alaska Airlines, flying from Medford to Walla Walla and limit-testing its Wine Flies Free policy.

We hope you use these ideas to book your own version or to get the creative juices flowing for something different in the fantastic Pacific Northwest. Don’t just sit there—plan something!

— Kevin Max, 1889 Washington's Magazine

A publication of

February/March 2019 www.1859oregonmagazine.com www.1889mag.com 2019 PNW ROAD TRIPS 2

GIFFORD PINCHOT NATIONAL FOREST

Blowing off steam in Washington’s woods

1) Mount St. Helens blew its top in 1980.

2) The Gifford Pinchot National Forest offers a wide array of views.

3) The Lewis River is a tributary of the Columbia, and Lower Falls is beautiful.

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On Mount St. Helens’ southeast side, Gifford Pinchot National Forest is one of the country’s oldest. It forms a deep green apron around Mount St. Helens, stretching more than 2,000 square miles, and sopped up America’s most destructive volcanic eruption in recent times.

This young volcano got a 1,300-foot trim when its peak became a crater in 1980.

Eagle Cliff campground on the southeast shoulder of the mountain is three-and-a-half hours from Seattle, two hours from Portland and four hours from Bend, where we were starting. On the longest day of the summer, you can snake past Mt. Hood, across the Columbia and into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, up Meadow Creek Road to Curley Creek Road and still beat the golden hour for photography.

On this weekend, we drove deep into the woods with mountain bikes and running shoes and a dog. We booked the first night

at a campground that accepted trailers, just to get our bearing. The next night, we’d freelance it.

Curly Creek winds narrowly through Western redcedars to Eagle Cliff campground. Under a canvas of cedars and pines, this thatchroof den was 10 degrees cooler than the beer garden in Stevenson. A general store with basics and showers and laundry make Eagle Cliff a good stopover for a night to clean up on longer trips. There are no hookups for trailers, but other amenities abound. Out the back of the campground is a logging road steep enough that you focus on your breath and footwork until you get to the top and look back down over Swift Reservoir, a deep-hued blue down past a field of purple foxglove and white daisies with lemondrop centers.

Our first night called for something spicy and hearty—burgers stuffed with diced jalapeños and tiny chunks of cheddar. I wanted

Plan Ahead CAMP RECIPE Simple Country Store Carbonara

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to have made those myself, but, in a rush to get out of town, I relied on the expertise of my butcher. Sarah made coleslaw and we garnished with veggie chips, another clever way to offset beef with vegetables. We popped a 22-ounce of Walking Man’s Imperial IPA and truly relaxed.

Before 7 a.m. the next morning, we were out the door for a run along the Lewis River, a 96-mile-long tributary of the Columbia River to the south with three dams that form Swift Reservoir—Yale Lake and Lake Merwin.

Rushing water pushed a cool breeze down the banks and along the trail. Overhead, a thick canopy blocked most of the sun, creating a partially lit diorama of green and gold beneath it all. The only people we encountered were two people camping 3 miles in from the trailhead in what was probably one of the finest tent spaces cleared and flat along the Lewis River. I felt like I could have run for hours.

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On our way out and close to the trailhead, we spied an isolated and unoccupied camping spot about 50 feet deep that would perfectly suit our pursuits for the next twenty-four hours. We relocated, dressed and set out for the town of Cougar for re-supply and dinner items.

We drove past it before realizing we had hit town center.

Lower Falls on the Lewis was just beyond the point where we’d duck into the woods tomorrow on bikes. As the sun faded over a distant ridge, we jumped in the truck and headed to Lower Falls for the golden hour of photography.

You can hear the falls before you can see them through a dense forest and down a steep cliff. But seeing it for the first time is glee of discovery, all heightened and tickling where your hair makes contact with your head. It doesn’t matter how many people have seen Lower Falls, it has the keen ability to make it seem as though you were the first.

» 1 package of spaghetti » 6 pieces of bacon, cooked » 1 cup of grated cheddar » 1 onion, diced » 4 eggs » Pepper to taste Boil water and add spaghetti. While water is heating, cook 6 pieces of bacon until nearly crispy. Remove, blot and set aside. Grate 1 cup of cheddar and set aside.

Dice the onion and cook on medium heat in bacon pan with bacon grease until semi-transparent.

Drain noodles when they are al dente. Scramble four eggs in a glass and pour over noodles. Add bacon, onion and cheese and toss until they are evenly distributed. Serve on plates or in bowls or camp cups.

EAT Walking Man Brewery www.walkingmanbeer.com

Camp store at Eagle Cliff campground Country stores in Cougar, Washington

PLAY Run, bike, hike the scenic Lewis River Trail Mountain bike on miles of trails Take the kids to Ape Cave Take a dip in the eddies of the river Explore the waterfalls

2019 PNW ROAD TRIPS 4

LEAVENWORTH

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A taste of Bavaria, close to home written by Corinne Whiting

1) Town leaders gave Leavenworth a Bavarian facelift in the early 1960s. (photo: Icicle TV) 2) Hiking abounds near Icicle Creek. (photo: Icicle TV) 3) Oktoberfest runs on the weekends in October, and that includes parades. (photo: Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce) 4) Head to München Haus to get your fix of beers and brats. (photo: Dzhan Wiley)

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Craving a European fix (with a twist) in the Pacific Northwest? Leave your passport at home and journey to Leavenworth, Washington where a version of Bavaria bustles with charm in a stunning mountain setting.

Outdoor enthusiasts flock to this region for the endless recreation options that range from fishing and rafting on the Wenatchee River that flows through town, to mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing and other adrenaline-fueled pastimes.

Let it be known—this carefully planned tourist destination, tucked at the base of Washington’s north central Cascade Mountains, has not always had Bavarian-alpine architecture or annual Maifest and Oktoberfest celebrations.

Initially, native Yakama, Chinook and Wenatchi tribes lived here, enjoying the beauty and bounty of the land as they hunted for deer and elk and fished for salmon in Icicle Creek. In 1890, however, Icicle Flats was born as settlers descended upon the area in search of promised gold, timber and furs. Near the turn of the

century, the arrival of a rail line led to booming business for the logging and sawmill industries. When the railroad rerouted and left the region, though, Leavenworth nearly became a ghost town, teetering on the brink of extinction. To lure visitors back in the early 1960s, town leaders gave the town a Bavarian facelift.

Once arriving in Leavenworth, try dinner at Watershed Café, with Hama Hama oysters on the menu, or at Mana, a cozy yellow house in which diners sit down to a “three-hour, eight-course journey through the senses.”

After, savor a good night of sleep at Sleeping Lady (or up the Icicle, if a Thermarest is more your style).

Located at the base of Icicle canyon and on the peaceful banks of Icicle Creek, Sleeping Lady’s mountain resort features Kingfisher Restaurant & Wine Bar, a renowned performance center and a self-guided art walk, showing off the magnificent permanent installation by legendary glass artist Dale Chihuly.

Long known for its sustainable and ecologi-

Plan Ahead EAT Mana

www.manamountain.com

Watershed Café

www.yodelinrestaurantgroup.com 3

Kingfisher Restaurant & Wine Bar

www.sleepinglady.com/kingfisherrestaurant-wine-bar.php

South

www.southrestaurants.com

STAY Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort

www.sleepinglady.com

LOGE

www.logecamps.com/ leavenworth-wa

Posthotel

www.posthotelleavenworth.com

PLAY 2

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Leavenworth Community Farmers Market

www.leavenworthfarmersmarket.org

Icicle Brewing Company

cally minded practices, the resort also offers enticing amenities like a spa and heated pool.

Those staying at Sleeping Lady start the morning with a seasonal breakfast spread included in their package. Otherwise, mosey into town for espresso with a view at Argonaut—try the Namaste latte with turmeric and honey accompanied by granola bars or seasonal toasts. Afterward, locals suggest hiking up Icicle Ridge or out Red Bridge, the two main town trails, or hitting the Stuart or Colchuck trails. Other options include arranging a river adventure with Osprey Rafting or taking a fat bike onto the Leavenworth Winter Sports Club trails. After getting out into nature, relish an après beverage and snack at Blewett Brewing, Boudreaux Cellars, 37 Cellars, Blue Spirits Distilling or Icicle Brewing Company. At Icicle, a friendly twenty-five-barrel brewhouse, waitstaff serve giant pretzels dipped in Beecher’s cheese and colorful salads topped with manchego, Applegate turkey and Chukar cherries.

If you still have steam for an afternoon adventure, consider mountain biking up at Ski Hill, riding the new Up Trail and then down either Freund or Rosie Boa. On scorching days, cool off with a dip in the Wenatchee River.

For a casual dinner, order a brat at München Haus, or change things up entirely with a Mexican feast at South, where grilled street corn, sweet potato enchiladas, steak tacos and “mangorita” cocktails prove a well-deserved reward after an active day.

If you happen to be in town during Oktoberfest, head to the gathering’s four venues to eat, drink and be merry. A Keg Tapping Ceremony led by the town’s mayor happens at 1 p.m. on Saturdays, and throughout the fest, enjoy live tunes by Musikkapelle Leavenworth and other groups from the U.S., Canada and Germany. Go early if you want a mellow experience, know that Friday is cheaper than Saturday, and sit at Icicle Brewing Company, Sulla Vita or the Goose Ridge tasting room for the people watching.

www.iciclebrewing.com/home

Blewett Brewing Company www.blewettbrew.com

Oktoberfest

www.leavenworthoktoberfest.com

Leavenworth-area trails www.leavenworth.org/trails

Arlberg Sports Haus www.arlbergsports.com

2019 PNW ROAD TRIPS 6

LOPEZ ISLAND

A ferry tale in the San Juan Islands

1) A logged-in beach at the island’s Spencer Spit State Park.

2) Lopez Island is in the middle of nowhere, but in the center of it all.

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We threw our bikes in the back of the truck, hitched the Airstream and pointed for Lopez Island, by way of a ferry from Anacortes.

Lopez is one of the 400 islands in the San Juan Island archipelago, some of which are part of Washington and others of the Canadian San Juans. On Lopez Island, Spencer Spit State Park was the campsite I had tried to reserve, but it was booked. One website said dropping in and finding a last-minute spot was possible, but who wants to get to a small island and have no place to camp? I booked a lesser spot as backup.

Five minutes in at Lopez Island and its friendly reputation was already in full color.

On the ferry over, I had read an article about the island, its 15-mile by 8-mile coastline, its agrarian culture and its friendly people known to give a two- to three-fingered wave from every passing vehicle.

We had driven no more than 2 miles from the ferry when we came upon a curiosity. Off to the side of an intersection of two roads that held nothing but open fields and a few cows was a woman sitting on the ground as if she had just fallen off the bike next to her.

I stopped the truck and reversed until we could see her from the passenger window, now down.

“Are you OK?” I asked.

“Are you coming from the ferry?” she asked, rearranging her limbs until she was on her feet.

“Just left it,” my wife, Sarah, said.

“Oh good. I’m waiting for some bikers,” she said. “Where are you coming from?”

“Bend.”

As she approached the truck, Sarah spied something poking out from the woman’s helmet. “Is that a bottle cap?”

“Beer-view mirror,” she said.

Plan Ahead CAMP RECIPE Roasted Pork Shoulder with Lopez Island Goat Cheese Salad For Pork Shoulder » 2 lb pork shoulder » Butter » Salt For Salad » Mixed greens (arugula, frisee, mizuno) » Sunnyfield Farm goat cheese » Avocado » Oil and vinegar

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“Does it work?” Sarah asked.

She spun it around to show us the thumbnail mirror inside of the bottle cap—Deschutes Brewery. On and on we bantered until she disclosed she was a camp host at Spencer Spit Park and offered us the sole vacant spot next to hers.

We set up at Spencer Spit and jumped on our bikes to explore. It was a few miles through rolling farm country west on Cross Road and south on Fisherman’s Bay before we got to the town. We were in its center before its smallness registered.

We continued riding south on Fisherman’s Bay Road until we came to a sign for Sunnyfield Farm and goat cheese. Down a gravel drive was a farm shop. We popped off our bikes. Inside was a freezer with goat meat for stew and kabobs and a refrigerated case with feta, yogurt and fresh goat cheese. We left $10 in the cash box for a pint of goat cheese, wrapped it in

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spare clothing and stuffed it in my paniers. Tonight’s meal planning had begun.

On we rode south along Mackaye Harbor Road, stopping just short of Agate Bay. Agate Bay’s sky blues fused with ocean hues punctuated by dark monoliths sitting in the bay. My budding synesthesia in this setting felt comfort and relaxation—an almost drowsiness of color.

On the bike back to Spencer Spit, we came across a sign declaring Horse Drawn Farm.

Down its gravel road we rode. Goats bleated and greeted. We walked into the farmstand shop and found onions, garlic, tomatoes and a freezer of pork. We left money in the cash box for a pork roast and onions.

That night, back in the camp host spot, we built a fire, thawed and cooked our roast and made a salad with goat cheese. We opened a 2016 cabernet franc from Brook & Bull in Walla Walla. Another great agricultural discovery.

Heat grill for 15 minutes and partially close holes by 30 percent. Heat iron skillet until very hot. Add a teaspoon of butter and sear pork on all sides. Remove skillet and place roast in center of grill. Turn roast at five-minute intervals until cooked medium-rare.

Salt to taste. Toss salad ingredients together and serve with pork shoulder.

PLAY Road bike the island Source dinner from farm stands Walk Spencer Spit Kayak Lopez Sound

2019 PNW ROAD TRIPS 8

SOUTHERN OREGON & WALLA WALLA

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Enjoy a two-state wine tasting splurge

1) 2Hawk focuses on environmentally friendly farming. (photo: Marc Salvatore) 2) Seven Hills Vineyard in Walla Walla offers delightful red blends.

3) The view from the back deck of Irvine & Roberts.

4) Olive Marketplace & Cafe sells sandwiches and other treats.

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This trip began with an element of the unknown—getting out on the back roads of Oregon’s Rogue Valley. From the stylish retro-remake Ashland Hills Hotel, I got a hot tip and took a brief jaunt west through the rolling greens and browns of Emigrant Creek Road.

A relative newcomer to Southern Oregon, Irvine & Roberts Vineyards has put that image to the side with its elegant wines and stunning tasting room. Above the vineyard, the back deck of the handsome tasting room overlooks a valley of dizzying greens, its outdoor gas firepits taking the chill from the air. Though Irvine & Roberts has many good wines, it was the pinot meunier that stole the show.

North along the highway but not quite to Medford, I passed vineyards galore—Grizzly Peak, Paschal, Pebblestone—until I came to 2Hawk Vineyard & Winery. On this 23-acre site, third-generation farmer Ross Allen brings years of California Central Valley farming methods to bear. Technology and nature come together, as a 50-kilowatt solar array powers nearly all of the winery’s operations.

At DANCIN Vineyards perfect thin-crust pizzas were pulled from a wood-fired oven, arriving in a serving window as if pulled through a time warp from Old World Italy.

The lovely wines, the lighter-than-air pizzas, a piazza buzzing with conversations, this all seemed a world away as I flew into Seattle and then on to Walla Walla.

It’s only a matter of minutes from Walla Walla’s airport to Olive Marketplace & Cafe downtown. I’d like to vouch for many of the other things on the menu, but sadly I can only testify to the oyster chowder and ginger-braised brisket house barbecue sandwich.

Once Washington’s territorial capital, Walla Walla is today a farming community with a stunning downtown—classic American architecture flanked by other styles that could put you in Southern France. Wheat and sweet onions grow on vast expanses.

Closer in are wine grapes. Where pinot noir is the varietal most planted in the Rogue Valley, merlot, cabernet and syrah are the most widely planted grapes in Walla Walla’s loess soil.

Plan Ahead EAT Walla Walla Olive Marketplace

www.olivemarketplaceandcafe.com 3

Passatempo Taverna

www.passatempowallawalla.com

Whitehouse-Crawford Restaurant

www.whitehousecrawford.com

Walla Walla Steak Co. www.wwsteakco.com

Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen www.saffronmediterranean kitchen.com

Brasserie Four

www.facebook.com/brasseriefour

STAY Ashland Hills Hotel

www.ashlandhillshotel.com 2

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Ashland Springs Hotel

www.ashlandspringshotel.com

Marcus Whitman

Downtown Walla Walla has more than twenty wine cellars and tasting rooms, with a preponderance of them in a one-block perimeter bound by Main and Rose streets and Second and Colville.

Henry Earl Estates and Mark Ryan Winery were my first stops, across the street from one another on Main Street. In a historic brick building, longtime wine growers Dick and Wendy Shaw opened Henry Earl Estates tasting room in 2014. The 2013 reserve cabernet sauvignon is exceptional, but second to its Bordeaux-style 2011 Homesteader cab-merlot-malbec blend.

Mark Ryan McNeilly has a thing for classic motorcycles and good wines. Mark Ryan Winery opened a new tasting room in Woodinville this year, a cross-state cousin to its Walla Walla tasting room. The airy pop-modern decor is counterpoint to its small-case, 100 percent cabernet sauvignon 2015 Old Vines wine.

Out of the fray and on the edge of town is Seven Hills Vineyard. Founder and winemaker Casey McClellan brings his craft to the fore with Pentad, a 2014 Bordeaux-style blend that

makes you happy to have flown in for this—a destination red.

Tasting is best done on the vineyard among the vines, where Ashley Trout’s Brook & Bull Cellars lies. Along with her Brook & Bull label, Trout markets another label—Vital—for which all of the fruit is donated and all proceeds go to the no-cost health care organization that serves the industry’s laborers.

In a wonderful setting on the southeast corner of Walla Walla Valley is the Va Piano Walla Walla tasting room. I subjected the 2014 Va Piano Syrah to my most rigorous tests, and it came out as my uncontested favorite.

For dining, there are many great options in Walla Walla—Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen, the French Brasserie Four, the gourmet Whitehouse-Crawford in the same building as Seven Hills Winery and the new Walla Walla Steak Co., in the renovated train depot.

Passatempo Taverna is an active bar setting where conversation and good food coincide.

Housemade bucatini carbo0nara and a bright red blend were a nice end to an amazing wine tasting weekend.

www.marcuswhitmanhotel.com

The Inn at Abeja www.abeja.net/inn

WINE TASTING Rogue Valley 2Hawk Vineyard & Winery www.2hawk.wine

Grizzly Peak Winery

www.grizzlypeakwinery.info

DANCIN Vineyards

www.dancinvineyards.com

Irvine & Roberts Vineyards www.irvinerobertsvineyards.com

Walla Walla Henry Earl Estates

www.henryearlwines.com

Mark Ryan Winery

www.markryanwinery.com

Seven Hills Vineyard www.sevenhillswinery.com

Brook & Bull Cellars www.brookandbull.com

Va Piano

www.vapianovineyards.com

2019 PNW ROAD TRIPS 10

MCKENZIE RIVER & BELKNAP HOT SPRINGS

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Outdoor adventure

by Airstream

1) Kristina Strandberg hits a log bridge over the McKenzie River.

2) Belknap Hot Springs resort dates to the 1860s.

3) Grilled salmon and oysters make for a perfect camping meal.

4) Our maiden voyage with the Airstream made a stop at the McKenzie River.

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I felt like Homer returning from his Odyssey as I pulled into Belknap Hot Springs, an Airstream in tow. It was my maiden voyage pulling a trailer and it seemed a journey, though it was only 60 miles from the dealership.

Belknap’s lodge is a classic log and timber construct built around natural hot springs that feed into a large pool adjacent to the lodge.

Most of the resort dates back to the 1860s when Rollin Simeon Belknap, originally a Vermonter, discovered the salt springs and laid claim to them with the intention of building a health resort. I was determined to take advantage of the healing waters and beckoning trails.

That night we grilled wild Alaskan salmon and oysters that I had packed back from Pike Place Market the day before. Whoever said you can’t drink red wine with fish is wrong.

We opened a bottle of pinot noir and were no worse off. Ah, camping.

Lying in bed that night, I listened to the McKenzie roar past our camp on its 90-mile trek to the Willamette. The McKenzie River Trail keeps 26 miles of adventure under its well-preserved

canopy in the Willamette National Forest.

Many call it one of the best mountain bike journeys in the country. Thankfully its remote location keeps the trail clear of amusement park warriors.

Pair this trail with a stunning road ride on the McKenzie Pass or the Aufderhiede—a ride that passes Cougar Reservoir and on to Oakridge—and you have the terrain for a twowheel fantasy weekend. While I went for a trail run, my wife and her Swedish friend opted for road bikes out on the McKenzie Pass Scenic Bikeway, a 76-mile out-and-back from Belknap Springs to Sisters and one of fifteen scenic bikeways in Oregon. This is best done on a pre-summer day, before the pass opens to vehicles.

We camped well that night on high-threadcount sheets and got an early jump on the encroaching heat of the morning. We all set out on a trail run down the McKenzie Trail, slashing through sunlight piercing the forest canopy. After 8 miles, we were back for a quick soak in the hot springs and ready to get back on the road.

Plan Ahead CAMP RECIPE Grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon & Oysters » 2 lbs wild-caught salmon » 4-6 oysters » Salt » Lemon Heat grill until coals are gray, to reduce gassy briquet taste. Place salmon in the center of the grill and the oysters around it. Discard any oysters that are open.

Grill salmon until center flakes with a fork. Grill oysters cup-side down for 8-10 minutes. Salt salmon and serve with lemon.

Squeeze lemon into oyster shell and shoot.

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“

Lying in bed that night, I listened to the McKenzie roar past our camp on its 90-mile trek to the Willamette. The McKenzie River Trail keeps 26 miles of adventure under its wellpreserved canopy in the Willamette National Forest.

Many call it one of the best mountain bike journeys in the country. Thankfully its remote location keeps the trail clear of amusement park warriors.

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PLAY Soak at Belknap Springs Ride the McKenzie Pass in summer Hike/run the McKenzie River Trail Hike to Tamolitch Falls (Blue Pool)

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2019 PNW ROAD TRIPS 12

KETCHUM & SUN VALLEY

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A winter wonderland in the Rockies

1) Find stellar Nordic trails at Galena Lodge. (photo: Dev Khalsa Photography) 2) Limelight is a modern option in downtown Ketchum. (photo: Aspen Skiing Company) 3) Limelight is a perfect spot for a pizza and cocktail. (photo: Aspen Skiing Company) 4) Grumpy’s, in Ketchum, is the perfect place to grab a burger. (photo: 208 Images & Media)

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Sun Valley Ski Resort is the stuff of dreams— its roots go back to the birth of ski resorts in America and Hollywood’s golden era. Today, the resort is an iconic destination with 3,400 vertical feet, ten lifts and more than 100 trails. The ski lodges are built for ages past and future. Massive wood beams, brass fixtures, ornate chandeliers, grand stone fireplaces pair comfort with largess on a melding of Lodge and Jazz eras.

Up the Sawtooth Scenic Byway heading north from town, is the Nordic mecca at Galena Lodge. North Valley and Galena trails and Wood River trails, which are free and open to the public. Try the full-moon dinners at Galena Lodge December through March. For a surprising bit of culture in this mountain town, check out the Sun Valley Opera at the Community School Theatre and, now, at the

Limelight Hotel downtown. See top musical acts in an intimate setting.

Down on Main Street in Ketchum, there are too many places that demand the attention of a drink or two—Pioneer Saloon, Sawtooth Club, Whiskey Jacques, Despo’s for Mexican and margaritas. My favorites include the Ketchum Grill for good banter; Il Naso for lively Italian cuisine in an intimate den; and the newcomer Town Square for upscale Middle Eastern dishes and well-traveled wines.

Of course, there is the burgher of burgers, Grumpy’s just north on Warm Springs Road.

Hoist a schooner of beer, then tipsy-toe over to Ketchum Cemetery to pay respects to the writer’s writer, Ernest Hemingway.

Summer in Ketchum also makes for a top-notch glamp destination. A good setup is Easley campground, 14 miles north of

Plan Ahead EAT Town Square Tavern www.ketchumtavern.com

Grumpy’s

www.grumpyssunvalley.com

Il Naso

www.ilnaso.com

Ketchum Grill 3

www.ketchumgrill.com

Pioneer Saloon

www.pioneersaloon.com

STAY Limelight Hotel

www.limelighthotels.com/ketchum

Sun Valley Lodge

www.sunvalley.com/lodging/ sun-valley-lodge

Camp in Sawtooth National Recreation Area www.fs.usda.gov

PLAY Zynergy

www.zenergysv.com

Sun Valley Ski Resort www.sunvalley.com 2

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Nordic skiing at Galena Lodge

www.galenalodge.com

Easley Hot Springs

town and within walking distance of Easley Hot Springs, a public facility with a natural springs pool and smaller hot tubs. Wood River and North Fork campgrounds are also good options for camping and just down the road.

From Easley, it’s also a short drive to one of the most scenic trail runs in the West. Fox Creek Loop spins out over 6.8 miles through stunning vistas of the Boulder Mountains, bombasts of wild flowers, shocks of white aspen and chars of recent burns. If you’re spending any time in the area, this is one of the flagship trails for hiking or running, along with Adams Gulch and Pioneer Cabin.

If you’re not camping, take yourself directly to the Limelight Hotel in downtown Ketchum. Limelight is a destination luxury hotel with a modern, sustainable and clean

vibe. Dogs are equally pampered guests.

Limelight’s pool area is a great place to unwind with truffle fries, lamb lollipops and margaritas.

Limelight is just a jog from another spectacular run. The Bald Mountain trail to the upper station of the Roundhouse Gondola gains 3,230 feet in the 5.3 mile-round trip.

Run up and ride down.

There’s also some amazing gravel riding in the area. Join the Queen of Pain, Rebecca Rusch, for her own private Idaho bike tours.

If you want to take a different approach to recreation, Limelight Hotel is connected with Zynergy, the top fitness and spa in Ketchum, that has musical guests in the summer. The night we went, outside in the heat of summer in the courtyard, a jazz singer crooned sultry songs that healed all of my broken places.

Trail running

2019 PNW ROAD TRIPS 14

A treasured landmark rising above downtown Walla Walla, the Marcus Whitman pairs its enviable historic pedigree with an unflinching commitment to modern-day luxury and exceptional service. Since opening in 1928, we’ve reigned as Walla Walla’s premier hotel, a hospitality hub deeply connected to the community and committed to showcasing the region’s wine country splendor.

The Ultimate Wine Country Experience 6 WEST ROSE STREET, WALLA WALLA, WA 99362 | 509.525.2200 | MARCUSWHITMANHOTEL.COM