Do you ever walk into a shop and think, hmmm, maybe I *should* start long distance backpacking…read moreagain! Well, that's the feeling I got when I visited Winthrop Mountain Sports during the recent Winthrop Quilt Roundup. I had never visited before, but it was a stop on the event passport so I popped in. Wow, what a GREAT place! First of all, they have way more than backpacking equipment. From stylish outdoorsy clothes to all sorts of hats, gloves, shoes, water bottles, and other must-have PNW-esque accessories, I could easily have outfitted myself for everything from a day hike up the Methow to an expedition down the PCT. They are also dog-friendly, allowing my friend's dog to wander the store with us (and even sneaking him a treat from behind the counter). Even if you're not outdoorsy, there's something you need in this shop. I ended up buying some road trip snacks for the journey home.

I am new to trail running in the valley and needed some trail running shoes.the owners , Erik and…read moreMarine , were very knowledgeable about the different brands and what would work best for my needs. I ended up with an air of HOKA running shoes and am extremely happy with my purchase and the great customer service I received!

The staff were friendly and knowledgeable and got our whole family set up with gear for a day at…read moreLoup Loup! Not the usual crazy ski shop experience of lines and too many people that we usually experience. Skiing was fantastic for families at Loup Loup. Overall a perfect experience!

First, the owners of this rental shop, the Mackie's, are the BEST people. They are genuinely kind,…read morehelpful, and happy people. We will return again and again because of the attention, care, and kindness they showed us. The world needs more people like them! Second, 4 of us rented cross country ski equipment for 3 days. It was very affordable (you get discounts for the multiple days), they fit you for all the equipment with experience and knowledge, and they give fabulous recommendations on where to go based on our skill levels and current snow conditions. PLUS they said we could come back at the end of the day to get our skis waxed again before our next day out in the snow for optimal skiing! How nice! Finally, they went above and beyond in all of our interactions. Being new to cross country skiing, we struggled a bit (we still had fun!) and we were pretty sore after 2 days, so we asked if we could switch to snowshoes for our last day and they were totally flexible and let us switch! We were extremely appreciative and had a blast snowshoeing. We are hikers so this felt more natural to us. They also went above and beyond when our friend's dog was having a limp tail from the cold - they helped us figure out how to put some foot warming pads by his tail and it totally worked! They even let us take the roll of tape so we could do it the next day. I literally cannot express how incredible these people were. I am still in awe and want to go back just to visit with them again! We couldn't recommend this shop more highly. We will tell all our friends and family. We will come back to this area and only rent from them. If I could, I would give them 10 stars! THANK YOU MACKIE FAMILY!

Egads!! I have a serious problem, this shop is pure catnip to us! The place is so well curated and…read morehas everything we ever need and way more than we ever could lol. Just picked up a fantastic new mountain bike today and as usual they were able to help me figure out exactly what I needed (yes, a MTB is a need, not a "want" ) fantastic customer service, excellent mechanics, great all-around support both before and after purchases! Just took this new Norco out for its first ride and I couldn't be more stoked for summer 2024!

This retailer understands customer service! I took my bike in for service on a Sunday, yes a bike…read moreshop open on Sunday, they were super helpful. Called later that afternoon with an update, and again on Tuesday with another update. Called Wednesday and explained what was done to fix the problem! Bing, bang, boom, I'm riding Thursday and everything is perfect! If I could give more stars I would!

Excellent customer service and overall experience with boot heat molding and new ski binding setup…read more The owner is friendly, welcoming and a good story teller. Also helped me measure and find the exact seat replacement I was looking for in store for my Specialized MTN bike! As My previous one was damaged during a small spill

Everyone here is super nice and friendly. They have bike repair and lots of ski stuff. I saw a kid…read moregetting fitted for skis. It's a small shop but worth the visit. Support this local biz!

Fuck this place and the Vail Corp for driving it into the ground! Most of the restaurants are…read moreusually closed. Even if they were open I would advise you to bring a lunch. There is nothing quite like getting a burger, fries, and a beer for $35 and then spend that night in the bathroom shitting your brains out. (It has happened to me 3 time last year). Today they only had 3 out of twelve lifts running but they still charge full price with no chance of getting a refund. Their level of customer service is pathetic at best. By noon, 2 of the 3 lifts had broken down and people had to be removed from the lifts using ropes and climbing harnesses. When Vail first purchased The Stevens Pass resort I was happy to see them make some much needed upgrades to some of the lifts. Oddly enough, one of the lifts they recently replaced was one of the ones that broke down today. In the years since the change of ownership I have been stuck on broke down lifts a total of about 3 hours myself. The lack of ability to maintain their equipment really makes me question the safety of the lifts there. They have not been able to staff the resort for the last two years enough to open up even half the lifts. When they say 6 lifts are open keep in mind they are including the rope tows and 'magic carpet as lifts. When I asked one of the management why the can't get enough staff the manager rolled his eyes and said it is beyond his control. Upon doing some further research the reasons became clear. They underpay their staff (minimum wage or just above if you are highly experienced) and they expect them to put in 10+ hours a day but will only pay them for 6. Vail has multiple class action lawsuits filed against them in 9 different states over labor law violations. https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/travel/vail-resorts-employees-sue-for-unpaid-wages-in-class-action/ The outhouses in the parking lots have not been serviced once this year. The frozen shit sculpture flowing out of the toilet is a scary sight. I have been skiing at Stevens pass for over 40 years and it is an amazing resort. Since Vail purchased the resort it has been driven into the ground. This is by far one of my all time favorites. As long as Vail owns this resort you should avoid it at all costs. If you purchase tickets ahead of time or buy a season pass there is no guarantee you will get what you paid for.

Small town non profit resort with all the big feels…read more They have rentals, lessons, a mini lodge with what looked like yummy food, outdoor fire pits with seating, tubing, skiing, And boarding. There are no lifts but they do have rope tows and one circle disk to sit on (sorry, don't know the name of it) kinda like a lift. The hours are limited so call to confirm. We had a blast and the staff was great.

This is a great place for sledding or beginner skiers or snowboarders. It doesn't have chairlifts…read moreso don't go expecting expert level runs or anything. This place is the perfect place to learn and they do a really good job of making you feel right at home. We did a kids b day party here and we were really impressed with how good they took care of us. Ran by very nice people and awesome it's such a close drive to downtown Chelan.

Wow! What a downer. I simply walked in to inquire places to…read morefish and what he said had never made me felt so guilty or shamed in my life! This guy clearly despises anyone who fishes or anyone who is in the sport. I got a long lecture on how horrible the fishing conditions are, and felt that if I would be entertaining any fishing opportunities, I would be doing the fishing industry, a huge disservice. He was appalled that I walked into the store to purchase fishing tackle! I inquired about where to fish and felt obligated to buy something which only made matters worse! Not all fisherman are out there to "kill fish" as he suggested but to get out in nature and enjoy God's beautiful creation. I would never recommend going into the shop. The prices are high, the owner is a complete douche bag and if you want to feel like a complete tool for wanting to fish, this is your place. If I could give negative stars I would.

Have you seen the "Soup Nazi" episode of Seinfeld? The owner will give you that same treatment in…read morethis dump. If I said this is was the worst treatment I've ever encountered in a store, I'd be underestimating how terrible the owner treats customers. To be humane about it, we wondered if he might have a mental condition that compels him to be rude. Typical, inadequate selection of overpriced items. You'd only come here in the most desperate of circumstances. By that I mean after you've asked every one else if they would loan or sell you what you may need. Please do yourself a favor - avoid.