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For those of you who have not or have not very often traveled to the Bear Fight
Center, here are some directions and travel hints. First of all, see our
detailed
directions (which includes maps) and the
pass,
weather and
road condition web sites. Following are directions from SEATAC (Seattle/Tacoma) and Spokane areas. Either way you go, you travel through some pretty interesting country, scenic and filled with geology and wildlife. Try not to hit a deer or bear or elk or anything bigger than a rabbit. If you get into trouble or are uncertain, call me (or Carol) at the BFC or at home (509 996 3486). We have ways of solving most problems than can happen. The country is big and can be dangerous, so better to ask questions before bad things happen. ENJOY! Tom From SEATAC: The simplest and safest usually is to drive I-90 east over Snoqualmie pass. Check pass conditions before you leave just to be sure the DOT isn't doing avalanche control or that there isn't some horrible accident blocking traffic. Carol and I usually call on our cell phones for the DOT (1 800 695 7623) recorded messages as we drive out of SEATAC to check the latest pass conditions. Your alternative is Stevens Pass using route 2. It usually has less disruptions but it is a narrower road. Travel times are about the same. Either way, you exit SEATAC heading east and take I-405, which is straight ahead on the exit highway. Do not take I-5 north or south (Seattle or Tacoma) but rather go straight ahead and under I-5 and the highway you are on becomes 405. Follow 405 east and then north around the east side of Lake Washington to I-90 and then exit 405 onto I-90 going east toward Ellensburg and Spokane. (If using Stevens Pass, continue on 405 north to the exit marked for Wenatchee off to the right and follow the road to Monroe where you pick up Rt 2 east.) A little over an hour later after turning east on I-90 you will approach Cle Elum, a small town. If you are looking for a cup of coffee or meal, exit into Cle Elum using the first exit, drive through the town to a small restaurant on the left side near the far (northeast) end of town. It is called the Cottage Cafe and is a bit funky but has decent cafe food and coffee and toilets. There are not many options here. Then continue on the same road out of town (which becomes Rt 97) and over Blewett Pass (lower than Snoqualmie) to where Rt 97 merges with Rt 2, turn right/east and go toward Wenatchee. If you do not want to stop in Cle Elum, then take the second exit just beyond Cle Elum (Exit 85 I think) for Blewett Pass and Wenatchee -- Rt 97. It takes me about 2 1/4 to 2.5 hours to drive from SEATAC to Wenatchee without stops. When you merge with Rt 2 after crossing Blewett Pass, you will be where you would be if you took Stevens Pass, which is crossed by Rt 2. Be careful on the north side of Blewett pass as cold air sinks into the valley to the north side and an inversion sets in that produces strong temperature gradients and icy patches on the road as you decend from the pass. Drive along the north end of Wenatchee, cross the Columbia River, heading east for Rt 97 north to Pateros, Brewster, Omak, and Osoyoos (Canada). You will now drive north along the east bank of the mighty Columbia river for about an hours, crossing to the west bank about 3/4 the way to Pateros. Just before entering Pateros, take Rt 153 to the left and head northwest up the Methow Valley and along the Methow river. It takes about 50 minutes to drive from Pateros to Winthrop. Other places to stop for a meal and coffee and toilets are: The Y-cafe on the north side of route 2 just after you transition from the road over Blewett pass onto Rt 2 heading east toward Wenatchee. It is a bit over the bank on the north side and somwhat hard to see. A second place is in Pateros just as you enter the town (just past/north where you turn left onto Rt 153 to go to Winthrop) after crossing the bridge over the Methow River and on the right -- The Pateros Truck stop. SEATAC to Winthrop takes me about 4.5 hours of driving. From Spokane: The Spokane airport is on the southwest side of Spokane. When you leave the airport, you want to take Rt 2 west. It is a bit tricky as the tendency is to end up going east of Rt 2 and merging onto I-90. Don't do this! You do not want to get to I-90. Travel west on Rt. 2, past the Air Force Base and into the wild west and across the Columbia Plateau -- basalt everywhere. This is also the Missoula Floods country; read up on it before traveling. Just after passing through the small town of Wilber, turn right (NW) and head for Grand Coulee on Rt 174. (Coulee City is a different town--don't go there.) You cross a low pass just before decending into Grand Coulee and it can be slippery. Travel straight through the intersection (only stop sign) in Grand Coulee, going west, and continue on toward Bridgeport and Chief Joseph Dam. You want to get to Rt 97, which you can do by going to the end of the highway from Grand Coulee, crossing the Columbia at the Dam and past Bridgeport (on the south side of the highway). You can also turn south into Bridgeport, pass through the town and turn left near the south end of town and drive along the east side of the Columbia to Brewster, where you cross the river and meet up with Rt 97. Then travel south on Rt 97 through Brewster for about 7 miles to Pateros and take Rt 153 at the south side of Pateros just after crossing the Methow River bridge. The route from Spokane and west is through open and rural country so be sure your gas tank is full before you leave. Depending on the time of day, most small towns have a small cafe open for pit stops. I tend to stop in Grand Coulee (about 2 hrs), where there is a small restaurant on the right just after turning right at the (only) stop sign intersection on your way through the south edge of town. Many towns have speed traps to catch tourists driving too fast. If you want to see Grand Coulee Dam, there is a scenic overlook just after leaving the west end of town, off to the right (north), about a mile down a side road. Spokane airport to Winthrop is for me about a 4-hour drive. |
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