Winter Weekend in Leavenworth, Washington
February 9th- February 12th 2024
I’m typically not a fan of the winter due to the cold, dark days, but there are some activities that help with the winter blues!
While we were technically in Leavenworth, Washington, we stayed by Stevens Pass since that is where all of our activities were. However, I have heard that the town is very cute and worth the visit!
Friday 2/9
Travel Day
We flew from Louisville, KY to Seattle late Thursday night where we rented a car and headed straight to the mountains. Stevens Pass is about 2 hours from Seattle and about 40 minutes from Leavenworth. We were with a large group so we stayed in a very nice Airbnb on Lake Wenatchee which was about 30 minutes from the ski resort. If you’re lucky enough to get a lake view like we had, a nice cold plunge was a great little side quest!
Cold plunge at our Airbnb!
Saturday 2/10
Snowshoeing and Snowmobiling!
Most of our group had snowshoes since they lived in the area, but we rented shoes from REI. It's about $40 a pair to keep them for the whole weekend and there is an REI in Seattle on your way. You can also rent snowshoes at Stevens Pass Nordic Center on a first come first serve basis.
Across from Stevens Pass Ski Resort there is a trail for snowshoeing called Skyline Lake Snowshoe. It is a 2.1 mile trail with 990 elevation gain. Add in a few inches of snow and you’ve got yourself a challenge! It was my first time using snowshoes so there was likely a lot of “operator error” but it looked like everyone else was struggling too. However, I really enjoyed it and would love to go again. Plus the scenery was stunning!
After a day of Snowshoeing and a little rest break, Bryce and I went on a sunset snowmobile tour at Leavenworth Snowmobile Rentals. I grew up riding ATVs and assumed it would be similar, but I think it was actually a lot harder. To me, it felt like jet ski and ATV combined and took some getting used to. The tour guide gave the class a quick run down on safety and how to drive. Bryce and I had all our snow gear, but they had snow suits, boots, and gloves to use during the ride, which I believe was included in the price. The tour cost $199 for a two seater sled and was 2 hours long. The last 30 minutes of our time was in the dark which got pretty cold. We stopped at beautiful overlooks and weaved through the evergreen trees. There was a bit of tranquility added into the excitement of it all.
Sunday 2/11
Snowboarding!
This was the main event of our trip! We got a day pass to Stevens Pass where we spent about 6-8 hours snowboarding. We have our own equipment that we brought with us, but boards, skis, boots, and helmets are available for rental. Day passes can range from $70-$120 depending on the day. If you’re planning months in advance, it may be worth looking into Epic passes as they can be cheaper, even when buying for just a couple days.
I am not a great snowboarder, but my husband loves it, so I take lots of breaks while he does a few extra runs. They do have a lodge where you can warm up, grab warm food and drinks. So if you are like me and need lots of breaks, I recommend bringing a good book!
After our day in the snow, we headed back to Seattle where we stayed with a friend to catch our early flight back to Louisville.
Monday 2/12
Travel home and rest!
It was a jammed packed weekend, but we had so much fun and I only had to use 2 days of PTO!
