Mountain Home Lodge

As you make that last turn up the unpaved road to Mountain Home Lodge, the signpost reads: Welcome. You’re 1,000 feet closer to heaven. Brace yourself: you will never want to leave this exceptional inn hidden in its own Alpine valley with humbling views of the Cascade’s Stuart Range. In winter months, the lodge is accessible only by snowcat. Park your car in a lot down the hill and leave the rest to the innkeepers, the buoyant Kathy and Brad Schmidt, who will pick you up and transport you (in more ways than one). Winter rates include all meals and the use of traipsing equipment (cross-country skis, snowshoes, sleds). Ten guestrooms and two thoroughly private cabins are warmly appointed in a luxurious, Northwest-lodge decor. They feature handmade quilts, peeled-pine or vine-maple furniture, plush carpets, robes, complimentary port, wireless and a CD player. For an extra charge, treat yourself to a guided snowmobile tour, then return for a soak in the hot tub. Hike as few or as many of the property’s 40 miles of trails as you wish. Land one of the Adirondack swings placed in secluded spots throughout the grounds and enjoy the quiet. Come dinnertime, enjoy a three- to four-course meal. Perfection? That’s not superlative enough.