Riding on rentals
Explore NCW’s miles of trail on the seat of a rented bicycle
So much of the beautiful wooded terrain around North Central Washington is tough to access by car that unless folks are willing to put in some big-time hiking mileage, bikes are a great way to check out hard-to-reach places. But not everyone has the desire or the ability to transport their favorite cycles everywhere they go.
Ridge skiers make U.S. Team
Granstrom and Wales will now train at Park City, Utah
WENATCHEE — It was expected for weeks. So it came as no great surprise when two Mission Ridge Ski Team members were officially added this week to the 2012 U.S. Alpine Ski Team. Still, it’s quite a tip-of-the-hat to the local ski program.
Cashmere man enjoying a ‘cool’ journey
The endorphins have kicked in as Stephen Ettinger manuevers over the steep primitive mountain biking course in the forests above Bogotá, Colombia. He knows he has the legs for these Pan American Championships. He tightens his helmet strap some more in the sticky 80-degree heat, puts in a couple digs and soon finds himself in a top position.
Mountain bikers moving up on projects in national forest
Aim is to keep Okanogan-Wenatchee trails in better shape
WENATCHEE — The Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service that is designed to usher in better trails in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for the sport. The pact — called a Challenge Cost Share Agreement — allows Evergreen, which started a Central Washington chapter in 2010, to do trail maintenance and other work without the Forest Service having to provide staff members to oversee the work.
Marathon notebook: Runners invade Wenatchee in force
WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Marathon and Half-Marathon set a new record Saturday with about 1,500 runners participating in the event. That’s about 27 percent more than the number that registered a year ago.
Local sets new Wenatchee Marathon record
WENATCHEE — Marcell McArthur is a humble man. After crossing the finish line first at Saturday’s Wenatchee Marathon, he didn’t point to his record-breaking time or the margin in which he won. Instead, the East Wenatchee runner gave a nod to Michael Bergquist, the defending champ he beat.
Wenatchee a love story for marathon champion
Medical Lake runner, wife have special ties to run event
WENATCHEE — When Michael Bergquist returns in a bid to win his sixth Wenatchee Marathon title this Saturday, it will be another chapter in a long-running love story. With Wenatchee, sure. But more importantly, with his wife, Amanda.
Running race becomes city’s largest sporting event
WENATCHEE — When Ridge to River Relay went away, some wondered what would take its place as the premier participatory outdoor sports race in the valley. The answer apparently is the Wenatchee Marathon and Half-Marathon.
Mission Ridge hosting nation’s top skiers again
WENATCHEE — It didn’t take long for Mission Ridge to re-establish itself as a great place to race for the best skiers around. A year after the Ridge hosted the Western Region Elite FIS Spring Series after a three-decade absence, the ski races return for a six-day encore, beginning Friday.
Duathlon kicks off outdoor rec sports season
Wenatchee Marathon/Half-Marathon numbers way up
WENATCHEE — Ignore the sideways rain, the swirling leaves of yesteryear, and the still-too-cool-to-wear-shorts temperatures. The outdoor recreational sports season is upon us — beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday with the Apple Capital Spring Duathlon at Wenatchee Confluence State Park.
It’s 41 years on the trail
Aletha Cusick’s motivation: ‘Just the love of being out’
WENATCHEE — Aletha Cusick is going on her 41st year. And we’re not talking life span here. We’re talking hiking as a member of the Mountain Dears group she helped start.
Course changes a-coming to Leavenworth Marathon
Half-marathon runners, motorists to get lane each on East Leavenworth and Icicle roads
LEAVENWORTH — Course changes and a new date are in the works for this year’s Leavenworth Oktoberfest Marathon and Half-Marathon. After years of strong growth in participation, organizers have settled on a new course for the half-marathon and are tinkering with the idea of redoing the marathon course.
Echo Ridge holding 26.2-mile ski trek
CHELAN — This one isn’t necessarily about going the distance. But if you do, you get to carry a title of note: Echo-athoner.
What job titles don’t always tell
A Wenatchee man’s sporting life
Steve Elliott has one of those dream jobs. He travels around the world. He catches glimpses of countries in a way few others ever do. He comes into proximity with the famous. His job title isn’t exactly sexy: Host city transportation manager.
Mission Ridge Ski Team rebounds from unsettled times
WENATCHEE — When Ryan Shorter took over the Mission Ridge Ski Team a few years ago, the program could be defined as such: A box of records and no money. It was a sharp fall for a ski team that once knew national fame.
It’s all about fun
Tips for winter biking in North Central Washington
Wenatchee’s Jason Jablonski, a former pro cyclist and triathlete and founder of SET Coaching, a endurance sports training business, knows his stuff when it comes to bikes — even when the streets and trails turn white. “Winter biking is a time to have fun and is not so much about fitness,” Jablonski says. “It’s just about going out and having fun.” Here is some advice he has for those who are biking now during the winter or are considering it:
That’s technology cascading down the slopes
Mirroring a nationwide trend, NCW ski areas are increasingly using social media and smart phone apps to reach customers
WENATCHEE — La Niña isn’t the only thing coming to ski slopes in North Central Washington this winter. Expect a big dose of technology, too. Telephones and traditional media (newspapers and radio stations) used to be the way NCW ski areas alerted skiers to the latest snowfall and other comings and goings. Then came websites and webcams. And now, resorts are increasingly using social media and smart phone applications to quickly get out the latest.
Leavenworth Marathon just keeps getting bigger
Runners this Saturday coming from 27 states
LEAVENWORTH — The long-distance running surge that has swept the country will descend Saturday on the Upper Valley when the sixth-annual Leavenworth Oktoberfest Marathon and Half Marathon unleashes 2,000 runners on the roads around Little Bavaria. As of Tuesday morning, 1,820 runners had signed up for the two races with about 50 new entries coming in each day, organizers said. The last opportunity to register is Saturday morning.
New coat for R2R murals
Building owner, sponsors step up to preserve a bit of local sports history
WENATCHEE — They’re a nod to the recreational jewel we live in. And a tribute to one of the city’s great — if not lost — sporting events. Now, the old Ridge to River murals on the side of a Wenatchee waterfront building are getting a paint job that should keep them visible for another 15 to 20 years.
Who she is
Her years left are likely in single digits. But Jess Oldwyn is determined to keep running, laughing, and living life.
The running part wasn’t quite back yet. But that didn’t matter to Jess Oldwyn. She was determined to get out, to live, to prove she wasn’t going to hide and sulk and feel sorry for herself. So at 4 a.m. on Aug. 2, before the first rays of light hit the valley floor, Oldwyn and her fiance, Danny Carroll, started walking, walking the course the Wenatchee Marathon takes each spring, walking just three months after doctors in Seattle removed a tennis-ball sized tumor from her brain.
Trailblazing a new course
Leavenworth event aims to educate volunteers how to build sustainable trails
LEAVENWORTH — The old version of the trail builder went something like this: Pick a straight line and start digging with a hoe and chopping with an ax. Today, it goes something like this: Study the landscape and sightlines, take into consideration who the path is for, and then pick an interesting route that will do the least amount of damage and stand up to the passage of time.
Cavendish wins at Tour of Spain, accuses Farrar of dirty tactics
BURGOS, Spain — For the second day in a row Friday, Wenatchee pro cyclist Tyler Farrar lost out to his chief sprint rival, Mark Cavendish, at the Tour of Spain. Afterwards, Cavendish accused Farrar and another rider of conspiring against him — a charge their teams swiftly denied.
What we learned: Week 1 of preps
Does Wenatchee just reload now?
WENATCHEE — Week 1 of the prep football season in North Central Washington is in the bag. Most of it went as expected, but there were some surprises. Here is what we learned:1. Maybe Wenatchee coach Scott Devereaux had good reason to come back — after toiling with the idea of stepping down this past spring. Maybe it’s because he has built a program of longstanding. Some thought the Panthers would take a step down this season after losing so many stars. But Friday’s 32-31 overtime road win over Southridge showed Devereaux can plug in new players into his system and the magic continues. He’s won 70 percent of his games since 2005. There’s a reason. 2. Eastmont has yet to rid itself of the giving-up-big-plays syndrome. If the Wildcats follow a similar script against Wenatchee this Friday night, the Panthers will roll.
Going, going, gone?
Group: Four of state’s 10 most threatened trails are located here in North Central Washington
WENATCHEE — Four trails in North Central Washington are on the annual list of the 10 most threatened hiking trails in Washington state. Three of the four — Lake Ethel (ranks No. 7 on the list), Golden Stairway (No. 8) and Esmerelda Basin (No. 10) — are located on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The fourth, Park Creek Pass (No. 3), is in North Cascades National Park.
Farrar victorious in Spain
Wenatchee cyclist beats archrival Cavendish
LORCA, Spain — Take that Cavendish. Wenatchee’s Tyler Farrar captured the fifth stage of the Tour of Spain cycling race Wednesday — beating his nemesis, Britain’s Mark Cavendish, in the process.
Fire near gun club in East Wenatchee
EAST WENATCHEE — Firefighters expected to contain a large brush fire on Badger Mountain by the middle of this afternoon. The fire never threatened any structures and burned only grassland, said Doug Miller, fire marshal for Douglas County Fire District 2. He did not have an estimate of acreage burned.
Learning from Ted
Wenatchee organizer was a big-time doer, helped transform the valley’s sports scene
Always moving. Always doing. Always showing. Those are the images of Ted Finegold that come to mind.
Farrar heads home
MENDE, France — A “devastated” Tyler Farrar says he will focus on cheering for his teammates after injuries forced him to pull out of the Tour de France on Friday. “You never want to leave any race but especially the Tour,” the Wenatchee cyclist said in a statement released Friday afternoon by his Garmin-Transitions team after he abandoned this year’s 20-stage Tour in the midst of stage 12. “It’s the event we work for all year. I’ve been suffering since my crash on stage 2 and today the pain was just too much. I couldn’t push through. I wanted to get to Paris more than anything.”
PCT section temporarily closed; Methow bike fest seeks films
A portion of the Pacific Crest Trail in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area has been closed while crews repair damage from a wildfire last summer. Detour routes around the closed section in the Cle Elum Ranger District have been set up.
A-Sox clobber Portland team
WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee AppleSox got just what they needed Tuesday night, a 11-pounding of the Portland Dukes in a non-league contest at Paul Thomas Sr. Field. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Sox.
Farrar: ‘All of a sudden I was on the ground again’
SPA, BELGIUM — Tyler Farrar still is not quite sure what transpired Monday on a slippery road at the Tour de France that led to a fractured wrist and sprained elbow for the Wenatchee cyclist. “One minute I was riding down the descent and the next minute I was sliding. That was the first crash,” Farrar said in a statement released by his team, Garmin-Transitions, late Monday. “I got back up and started descending again and I have no idea what happened; all of the sudden my front wheel was gone and I was on the ground again. That’s the one where I knew something was very wrong. I rode the last 30 (kilometers) with one hand. I laid my left hand on the handlebars but that’s all I could do.”
Farrar fractures wrist; will start Tuesday
Wenatchee's Tyler Farrar suffered a fractured wrist and sprained elbow after crashing during stage 2 of the the Tour de France earlier today, but will start Tuesday's stage 3.
Trail diggers
Volunteers carving out another path in foothills northwest of Wenatchee
WENATCHEE — One shovelful at a time, as they say. But on this steep hillside a few miles northwest of the city, it’s a mini-excavator doing the steady digging.
Mission nabs top ski race series for second year in row
Ski area outbids California resort for Elite FIS Spring Series
WENATCHEE — Call it an encore. Two months after pulling off a premiere ski race event while being smacked by bad weather, the Mission Ridge Ski and Board Resort has been awarded the Western Region Elite FIS Spring Series for a second year in a row.
Shedding footwear: Naked feet and a sense of freedom
WENATCHEE — With all due apologies to Phil Knight and his shoe empire, I’m giving barefoot running a go. Old ways are tough to break, so I doubt I’ll ever totally revert to no shoes on every run. And during the winter, no way. But decades of pounding the pavement and trails in high-tech running shoes has taken a toll on my legs and feet. That, combined with research I’ve read showing the benefits of running shoeless, has me dipping my toes into what best can be described as a curious adventure.
Entiat River opened to chinook salmon fishing today
ENTIAT — The state Department of Fish and Wildlife opened the Entiat River to chinook salmon fishing today. The season will last through June 30, the state agency said in a statement released late Tuesday.
Farrar captures another stage in Tour of Italy
Wenatchee cyclist credits his teammates for victory
BITONTO, Italy — Wenatchee’s Tyler Farrar won his second stage of the Tour of Italy today, outsprinting Fabio Sabatini of Italy and teammate Julian Dean of New Zealand to the finish. Farrar covered Stage 10 — a 143-mile route from Avellino to Bitonto that ended in a downhill run — in 5 hours, 49 minutes and 14 seconds.
Farrar wins Tour of Italy stage
Teammates help Wenatchee High School grad catch up after crash
UTRECHT, The Netherlands — It didn’t take Tyler Farrar long to nab a victory that eluded him a year ago at the Tour of Italy cycling race. The Wenatchee native captured Sunday’s crash-marred stage 2 from Amsterdam to Utrecht — after going down himself — further cementing his position as America’s best sprinter.
Mission the best in the Northwest
WENATCHEE — The Mission Ridge Ski Team captured the overall men’s title and two Ridge racers won individual trophies in final Northwest Cup standings. The ski team beat Schweitzer Alpine Racing School 1,376 points to 1,087 points for the team trophy.
Stage wins in sight for Farrar
Wenatchee cyclist likes his chances in the Tour of Italy
WENATCHEE — Tyler Farrar came oh so close to winning a stage in the Tour of Italy a year ago. This year, things are setting up nicely for a different result.
Soccer kicks off spring playoffs
Baseball, softball postseason unfolds next week for teams
WENATCHEE — The postseason for spring high school sports gets going in earnest Saturday with boys soccer taking centerstage — at least for a day. Wenatchee, led by goalie Angel Guerra, travels to Eisenhower for a loser-out district playoff game. Wenatchee finished the regular season with a 9-5 record (tied for fourth) and enters districts as a No. 6 seed.
Somethin’ new in the foothills
Horse Lake trailhead nicely done; opens door to future trails in area
HORSE LAKE TRAILHEAD — Plopping myself down on the viewpoint bench, gazing to the west, I begin naming the masterpieces in the distance — Mount Cashmere, the Temple, Dragontail Peak — all the while a songbird serenades me as it moves about the nearby sage. My eyes soon descend, and down below, way below, moves the Wenatchee River, picking its way through blooming orchards and home life in the Monitor-Cashmere area.
You can do it! Some casual tips for taking in the Wenatchee Marathon races
WENATCHEE — Hey, it’s marathon week. Get out your cowbells and signs. Get ready to cheer on those hardy souls. The Ridge to River Relay is no more. But you probably won’t notice Saturday when more than 1,000 long-distance runners participate in the Wenatchee Marathon and Half-Marathon and two related races in downtown and on the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail.
Cook wins third title at Mission ski series
WENATCHEE — Stacey Cook captured her third title Tuesday at the Western Region Elite FIS Spring Series at Mission Ridge, beating fellow U.S. Olympian Sarah Schleper by .58 of a second in the women’s giant slalom race. Meanwhile, Mission Ridge Ski Team’s Brooke Wales bounced back from a fall in Monday’s giant slalom to snag fourth on Tuesday. Wales, 19, won Friday’s super-G, took second in Saturday’s super-G and was fifth in Sunday’s slalom.
Another victory for Ridge skier
Colby Granstrom adds slalom win to his list of podium trips
WENATCHEE — Mission Ridge’s Colby Granstrom continued Monday to put his stamp on this year’s Western Region Elite FIS Spring Series, winning the slalom race to go along with three other podium finishes since the event began late last week. Granstrom, who is on the U.S. development squad, completed Monday’s two runs in a combined time of 1 minute and 31.51 seconds on the Chak-Chak course, edging U.S Ski Team members David Chodounsky (1:31.73) of Crested Butte, Colo., and Paul McDonald (1:32.21) of Bellevue. Matvas Mleziva of the Czech Republic was fourth in 1:32.58 and Bobby Farrell of Stowe, Vt., fifth in 1:33.09.
‘It’s like a playground’
WENATCHEE — Neither wind nor heavy snow have prevented Mission Ridge from putting on a good show for the nearly 300 ski racers on the mountain for the Western Region Elite FIS Spring Series. The first races last Thursday were canceled after wind gusts as high as 90 mph ripped through the resort area. The accompanying heavy snow also created havoc for employees working to get the race courses ready.
Ski races back on at Mission Ridge
High winds cancel Thursday’s super-G events
WENATCHEE — The Western Region Elite FIS Spring Series was back on today at Mission Ridge Ski and Board Resort after high winds forced cancellation Thursday of the first ski races. Gusts of 45 to 90 mph were reported around 8 a.m. Thursday on the mountain. The winds made it unsafe to operate the chairlift accessing the Skookum course for the men’s and women’s super-G races, said Jerri Barkley, Mission Ridge marketing director.
Big-time ski time at Mission
Several Olympians, World Cup racers in town for six-day event
WENATCHEE — They’re getting ready to let ’er rip at Mission Ridge. The Western Region Elite FIS Spring Series begins Thursday at the ski area near Wenatchee with more than 260 of the country’s top ski racers, including several Olympians, scheduled to compete.
DAM2DAM bike tour falls to wayside
Utley cites economy in decision to scrap event
WENATCHEE — The local recreational sports calendar will be one event shorter this year after the organizer of the DAM2DAM Thumbs Up! bike tour confirmed Tuesday the event has been canceled. DAM2DAM, put on by the Mike Utley Foundation, had been scheduled for Sept. 25, beginning at Lincoln Rock State Park in Douglas County and featuring 25-, 50- and 100-mile rides. It would have been the eighth year for the event.
Hitting the trail with shovel in hand
Groups enlist volunteers to maintain NCW paths for hiking-biking crowd
WENATCHEE — Be good. Feel good. It’s possible to spend a lot of money — thousands, to be exact — for the privilege of traveling to some far-off place to work for free fixing up the backcountry. It’s also possible to do it virtually out of your backdoor here in North Central Washington.
Previous Next