Close the Methow

Many Methow residents are rightly concerned about the influx of non-residents in the past week who appear to view the valley as a quarantine vacation destination. A continuation of this quarantine tourism trend will have disastrous consequences for the Methow Valley.

Okanogan County has limited healthcare capacity, infrastructure, and equipment. We have an obligation to do the best we can to support and protect local healthcare workers and our community. Therefore we ask that the mayors of Twisp and Winthrop and the Okanogan County commissioners take the following actions: 

1) Immediately stop all marketing efforts encouraging people to travel to the Methow Valley.

2) Winthrop and Twisp should use their marketing departments to tell people to NOT travel to the Methow at this time. Encourage non-resident property owners to stay home.

3) Close all hotels, motels, nightly rentals, RV parks, and private, state, and federal campgrounds to tourism/non-essential visitors.

4) Consider closing the Methow to non-residents, except for essential workers.

These are hard choices. They will have big financial impacts.  Other vacation destinations around the country, from Moab to the San Juans, to towns on the Oregon coast are are making these same decisions to protect themselves. These actions are an urgent matter of community health and wellness. Please sign the petition.

Considering coming to the Methow Valley? Please don't. The Methow needs you to love it from a distance. Stay home, stay safe, and we will see you later when it's safe to travel again.

Thank you from the residents of the Methow Valley.

(3/22/2020)