Camas Meadows

Blog for Camas Meadows Lodge™. Located on Camas Meadows Natural Area Preserve outside of Leavenworth, Washington. http://www.camasmeadowslodge.com All materials and photos copyrighted 2006-2017©

Monday, January 19, 2009

Camas Meadows-Your Special Place

Ten years ago, when we first started renting, we thought Camas Meadows Lodge was a special place for couples. The lodge offered the perfect weekend getaway for a romantic stay at a high mountain meadow. We provided a place for couples to unwind from the pace of everyday life. The well-appointed kitchen made fixing those special dinners a treat to prepare. There were wine glasses for enjoying fine wine in front of a roaring fire and gazing out to view the snow-capped peaks in the distance. Why weren’t we ever listed in Best Places to Kiss?

Soon we noticed that many of our guests were returning with children. Think there was any correlation? Talking to several of our favorite guests, we discovered that many of our Camas enthusiasts were kids under 12! There are sleds to slide on and snowmen to be built. We stock videos and games for the younger set, along with K’nex for the whole family. We’ve seen some awesome creations throughout the years. Pretty in Pink likes to play on and behind the spiral staircase, making a tent and “camping”. And after all those rides on the sleds, snowball fights, and snowmen built there is hot chocolate to be had while warming up by the wood stove.

Pretty in Pink may look like a charming little girl, which she is, but get her on her skies and you will find she’s a speed demon. She searches out moguls and downhill runs to practice her turns. We suspect it won’t be long before she will be telemarking on the slopes above the meadow; and then move on to ski racing and jumping!

The weather has been perfect these last two weeks with plenty of sunshine and a firm base for great skiing. The forecast is for colder weather and snow by this weekend. Powder snow on top of our current base will make for the best cross-country skiing of the season.

We are open the weekends of January 24th and February 7th. President’s weekend is already booked. Our guess is that skiing and snowshoeing will be possible until the middle of March.

Book a stay with us and find out why Camas Meadows is such a special place whether your four or eighty-four.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Making Tracks after the Pineapple Express!!


When the Pineapple Express goes through the Northwest we generally get rapid snowmelt, flooding and a real mess; but the Pineapple Express blowing through Camas settles the snowpack and offers great recreational opportunities. Before, at Camas, we had over three feet of fluffy, powder snow which was beautiful and made snowshoe trips a delight. Skiing, however, was difficult as there was no base and your ski's just settled into three feet of powder. The dry snow also made building "snowpeople" a challenge.

By our third experience with chinook conditions, we knew the best ski conditions begin in Camas Meadows after the Pineapple Express has unleashed it's fury. The three feet plus of powder snow has become two feet of a solid base that allows great skiing throughout the meadow. Now we're ready for that skiff of powder snow so that conditions are absolutely perfect.

Yesterday the temperature reached the 40's in the meadow. Combined with the sunny skies, it felt like spring in the mountains!! We're sure that there will be more skiing ahead this winter, but we are almost halfway done!!

We have had a last minute cancellation for Martin Luther King's Holiday Weekend. As always, you can click on these photos to get a larger view of the current conditions and you may decide to reserve this upcoming weekend for you and your friends and family.

The last weekend in January and President's Day Holiday are booked, but there are still other weekends available. It is always a guess when spring will arrive and when winter sports are no longer possible at the meadow. But generally, we have good conditions until March 15th, or so.

So book your fun and relaxing trip now to enjoy this special place called is Camas Meadows.