Stehekin information

- When to go: Stehekin is a great destination year-round, offering snowshoeing and skiing in winter and hiking through the fall. Reservations are essential for lodging as many of the area's lodges fill early.

- How to get there: Stehekin is accessible by boat or floatplane--the main jumping-off point is the town of Chelan, about 150 miles east of Seattle. Be sure to check pass reports for Stevens and Snoqualmie passes at traffic.wsdot.wa.gov/ sno-info before heading to Chelan.

In winter, the Lake Chelan Boat Co. operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays to and from Stehekin, with stops at points in between. Reservations are recommended. Chelan Airways also offers air service up and down the lake. Contact the Lake Chelan Boat Co., 509-682-4584, www.ladyofthelake.com or Chelan Airways, 509-682-5065.

- Trail conditions, snow report, and trip planning: For information on trail and snow conditions as well as trip planning, contact the National Park Service's Lake Chelan National Recreation Area at 360-856-5700, Ext. 340, or the U.S. Forest Service at 509-682-2576. You'll also find hiking, snowshoeing, and other information at the North Cascades Stehekin Lodge Web site, www.stehekin.com.

For ski and snowshoe rentals, you can contact Lake Chelan Sports in Chelan at 509-682-2629. Arrangements can be made to have rental packages waiting for you at the boat landing.

- Lodging: North Cascades Stehekin Lodge, 509-682-4494, www.stehekin.com; Silver Bay Inn Resort, 800-555-7781, www.silverbayinn.com.

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