Restlessness, excessive sleeping, boredom and irritability are part of the cabin fever concept. Fortunately our fevered selves are not trapped in a space capsule. Here’s my prescription to fight the fever:
Snowmobiling: Visitors have a choice at Mountain Springs Lodge (800-858-2276) nea
r Leavenworth: daytime or nighttime snowmobile tours. The lodge, which began the tours in 1992, now has a fleet of 60 snow cruisers.
Having been on a Whistler’s night ride, similar to Leavenworth’s Twilight Express ride, I know this is a totally different experience from a day tour, with the lights bouncing off snow and trees for an eerie but exciting atmosphere.
“The attraction of snowmobiling is always the adventure over the snow in the winter. For most people there’s no other way to get into the high country unless you’re into skiing in a big way. The views are spectacular,” lodge manager Rich Cram said.
And the Starlight Express outing?
“It’s just the adventure, and if it’s clear, the stars are terrific.”
No experience is necessary, although having a little experience is useful for the night ride.
Sleigh rides: Mountain Springs Lodge offers rides on a red and black custom-made sleigh drawn by two horses. There are trips scheduled all day, including a breakfast ride and a dinner outing.
“And on the first ride in the morning, we put out hay for the horses so they’re gathered around us as we throw it out. You can have breakfast and feed the horses, too,” Cram said.
Dog sledding: For something different, follow the dogs. Leavenworth Dogsled Adventures (509-630-0456) in Plain provides an experience, while not the Iditarod, that will be exhilarating.
Tom Porter’s Poodle Paws Kennel is one of the partners in the dog sled business.
The most popular tour is the hour ride to Fish Lake. On the longer outings, riders learn more about the dogs, sleds and history, and have more interaction with the dogs.
“It’s something that only a very few people get to do. We get to go to places in the winter that you can’t drive or hike to. The thrill of being on a dog team is the biggest part for people. They see the dogs and ride and it’s a thrill,” Porter said.
Porter has raced dirt bikes and done other activities “but I never did anything where people were as excited when they left as when they arrived.”
Go to www.leavenworth.org for links to winter activities in the area.
Beach walks: Bundle up and stroll along the Long Beach Peninsula beach, which stretches about 25 miles. Long Beach has been named one of America’s Favorite Beach Towns by ForbesTraveler.com, and it’s easy to see why.
If you’re lucky, experience the power of a winter storm, then warm up in any of the dozens of peninsula restaurants and shops still open in the winter. Visit the World Kite Museum, the only one of its kind.
Take back the night: Go on a guided Twilight Snowshoeing trek (headlamps suggested) at 5 p.m. Saturdays through Feb. 26 at Mission Ridge Ski Area (509-663-6543, www.missionridge.com/).
At Whistler-Blackcomb ski area in British Columbia, enjoy an evening with a snowmobile or snowcat ride that includes a candlelit fondue dinner with wine and dessert at Crystal Hut, 6,000 feet elevation on Blackcomb Mountain.
Whistler also offers a Ziptrek Twilight Tour with five ziplines from 200 feet to 1,000 feet long. Zip through the trees with only your headlamp and 4,000 LED lights in the distance.
Check out winter snowplay north of the border at www.whistlerblackcomb.com.
Cabin fever? Take your medicine.
Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
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