Winter activities

MichelleMar 19, 20213 min read

Big Ponderosa overlooks the golf course, mountains and cross-country ski trails. Families come here to play in the snow, ski and see Leavenworth decked out in Christmas lights. View our latest winter video here. Our heaviest snowfall months are January and February. The photo below is a bluebird day in February.

Village of lights: Christmastown

Historically the Christmas lighting festival is the first three weekends of December. However, this festival has evolved. It is now called the Village of Lights: Christmastown. Lights are on 7 days a week from Thanksgiving through the end of February. There are many outdoor opportunities for entertainment and Christmas cheer on Main street or the gazebo. In 2021, fun at the Festhalle is back. Here you will find restrooms, a gingerbread house exhibition, and free kids Lebkuchenherzen necklaces (a traditional gingerbread type cookie). Restaurants will continue to have outdoor covered seating and provide heaters. A great way to get in the spirit is to get a pretzel from the bakery, a mug of warm gluhwein from a local outside vendor and simply take a stroll. Bavarian Ice Fest runs on Martin Luther King Jr. weekend every January.

Leavenworth in December Christmas Lighting

Warm up with Gluhwein

Cross country skiing

Kahler Glen Golf Course has groomed cross-country ski trails that link to the Lake Wenatchee State Park trail system. They typically groom Thurs – Sun https://www.lakewenatcheeinfo.com/xc-ski-report/ for the latest trail report. Refer to the recreation map provided in the house binder for mixed used trails and cross-country ski trails.

Children can sled and play right outside our back door onto the golf course. In order for us to keep this privilege, please let everyone in your group know to avoid any roped off greens areas and to not walk, step or sled across the cross-country ski trails. You can also sled on hole 9 by the water tower.
Lake Wenatchee State Park has a long gradual sledding hill and outdoor fire pits for day use.

Tubing is available at the Leavenworth Ski Hill in town.
Snow shoeing ~ follow marked trails at Kahler Glen or Nason Ridge Trail.

Downhill skiing ~ Stevens Pass or Mission Ridge.
Sleigh rides ~ Mountain Springs Lodge
Visit the reindeer ~ Leavenworth Reindeer Farm
Ice skating ~ Kahler Glen driving range pond. Weather dependent. Free. Skates can be borrowed at the skate shack. (Season tbd 2021/22)

Sporting equipment

Cross country ski and snow shoe rentals available at Plain Hardware in Plain, WA.
Please store skis in the garage on the ski rack. No ski boots beyond the entry ways as they can damage the floors.
There are a couple sleds in the garage which you may use.

Pool

The Kahler Glen Athletic Club and pool is a privately-run membership-only club not associated with our community association. It is not open to the public at this time.

A note about the driveway

We have a shared driveway with our neighbors which is long and very steep. It can be intimidating for individuals not used to Eastern Washington mountain snow conditions. Please ensure all your guests are aware of the all-wheel drive and traction tire requirements for access. Traction tires include all-season and/or winter tires. They must not be too worn. Parking is limited to the two car garage and space in front of the garage. The driveway, walkways and roadways are ploughed by the resort. There is a snow blower and shovels in the garage for use if you like. In the event of heavy snowfall, please have patience. The crews will need to clear roadways first before they clear driveways in the community. For this reason, during our heaviest snow fall months, we recommend choosing a vehicle with clearance and all-wheel drive such as an SUV, 4x4, crossover or all wheel drive truck.

All-wheel drive vehicles with traction tires are required