Adventure Outdoors Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 56

5 Reasons to Fall in Love with an Okanogan Country Winter Located East of the North Cascades in gorgeous Washington State, Okanogan Country has 299 days of sunshine and loads and loads of fresh, powdery winter snow. Together, that makes our wide-open spaces a little- known winter paradise. 1 Methow Valley’s Famous Cross- Country Skiing Experience the largest Nordic ski trails system in North America - Methow Trails. Over 120 miles of groomed trails welcome experts and novices alike. Bring along the kids (who can ski for free!) or the dogs, who can enjoy the snowy wonderland on selected trails. 2 Snowmobiling With more than 800 miles of groomed trails and 15 snow parks providing ac- cess to pretty much every corner of the Okanogan High Country, you’ll find a new adventure with every turn. 3 Winter Fishing For those who have some grit, a toler- ance for cold, and patience, there are plenty of places to enjoy the rich winter fishing in Okanogan Country, espe- cially when the deep cold sets in mid- winter. 4 Fat Biking Fat biking over the snow is just like riding a bike anywhere - but with bigger, squishier tires. These technological marvels can take you pretty much anywhere - snow, ice, mud, on the ski trails, and then through the west- ern town of Winthrop to get a bite to eat. 5 What’s Different About this place? There is something almost ineffable about the characters in this part of the state. The folks in Okanogan Country are rugged, tough, and are committed to living out every second of the day. They need less home (but more garage because you can never have too much recreation gear), and more wide open space. Less waiting in line and more blazing trails. Less TV and more art. Less media and more social. In Okanogan Country, if we smile at you, we really mean it. We do things a little differently, and that’s okay. Give in to the experience. Come have an adventure here.