Lost River Airport Association welcomes you during this beautiful Winter Season! Please read and observe the following winter guidelines and ensure that your guests do the same. Our community works with local contractors to conduct snow removal operations. Please be mindful of their presence in our community, for their safety and for your own.
Please observe the following Winter Season Guidelines:
- Our maximum road speed limit of 15 MPH applies to cars as well as snowmobiles and any other type of motorized vehicle. During mud and snow season even 15 MPH can be too fast. Please use common sense, be courteous, and slow down appropriately.
- Parking is not permitted on our community roads: Please park all vehicles in your designated driveway, well off LRAA roads. This is imperative for emergency vehicle access as well as for snow management operations. It is every member’s responsibility to keep their driveway clear of snow and available for their parking needs.
- Visibility: Cars, snowmobiles, skiers, pedestrians, and snow removal equipment can be found traveling simultaneously on our narrow community roads. When snow levels increase, it is often difficult to see others, particularly at corners and intersections. During snow removal, flying and blowing snow makes it difficult for the operator to see you. Please pull to the side and do not pass snow removal equipment until you are signaled by the operator that it is safe to do so. Stay at least 150 feet away from moving plows and blowers. Note also that snow removal equipment may be traveling on the “left” side of the road.
- Snow Berms are a fact of life in snow-country. The LRAA snowplow may push snow into a driveway creating a berm. Removal of this berm is the responsibility of the person maintaining the driveway.
- Children and Pets: Please watch children closely and keep pets under control and away from operating machinery.
- Flying Objects: Rocks, firewood, driveway markers, and snow play equipment left in and near roads can pose a danger to snowmobiles, skiers, and snow removal equipment. If you see such items lying where they should not be, please move them well off the road and help keep everyone safer.
- System Markers: The Association has placed tall, colored markers around the development to identify water system valves, buried obstacles, and fire standpipes while snow is on the ground. To protect both people and equipment, please do not move the markers or drive cars or snowmobiles into or near them.
- Motorized Recreation: Our roads are designed for travel to and from LRAA properties, and not for motorized recreation. If you are riding a snowmobile, ATV, motorcycle, or other type of motorized vehicle from your cabin, please proceed to a SnoPark or other authorized area for recreation, at a slow and safe speed not to exceed 15mph.
- While Operating Snowmobiles on LRAA roads and on and along the taxiway, please limit your riding time to reasonable hours. This is for your safety and the safety of others, and out of courtesy and respect for those who own property in our community. Your sled should be muffled as required, and please avoid idling and revving the engine unnecessarily. Please keep your sled out of other community members’ property. Operations should be in accordance with State and County snowmobile regulations.
- Weather Conditions: Winter can bring serious weather conditions to the upper Methow Valley. Temperatures can linger in the teens or even sub-zero for days at a time. While snow often falls in depths of 5-10” at a time, 3 feet can fall during a storm as well. In the midst of storms and cold temperatures, power can fail and trees may block roads. During extreme snow storms, snow removal may also be suspended, although this is an infrequent occurrence. Please take proper measures to ensure that you and yours are prepared to be snowbound.
- Water: Do not leave water running during the cold season. This practice places undue wear on our pumps, and places your home at a greater risk of freeze damage should the water stop flowing. The optimal practice is to set up your residence so it can easily be purged of water and left with an empty system. Alternatives are to leave heat on low, wrap pipes with heat tape, place a heater in the crawl space, and all the while making certain your heating is fire safe! Please keep in mind that electricity outages frequently occur in the Methow during winter storms, and that our water system can fail.
- Winter Season Quiet time between 8pm and 8am is requested. Bright Outdoor Lights (such as sodium vapor lighting and undirected porch lighting) should be turned off when not required. Enjoy the starlight! Festive, holiday lighting is welcome.
- Please note that we are a Rural Residential Community and consideration for your neighbors is of the utmost importance.
Refuse and Recycling Notables and Guidelines
- Our community dumpsters are for household trash ONLY, for our members and their guests. Our dumpsters are not to be used for building materials and toxic tossables.
- When our dumpster lids do not close, our association incurs extra charges. Please distribute refuse so that it is contained within the dumpsters.
- Please keep all personal garbage and garbage receptacles indoors to avoid encouraging any pests or wildlife, and to help keep our community clean.
- A limited amount of recycling is available for Glass, Cans, and Cardboard, and this service is paid for by our members. Please use the appropriate bins: Recycling, with the exception of cardboard, left outside of the bins will be thrown into the dumpsters. Please bring any plastic and paper products you wish to recycle into Methow Recycles in Twisp, or the recycling center of your choice.
- As the holiday season typically generates greater recycling needs, please take any
excessive recycling materials into Methow Recycles in Twisp, or the recycling center of your choice. You may also contact Methow Recycling Roundup for your additional recycling needs such as building materials, plastics, paper, etc. 509-341-9042
Please know that we truly appreciate your attention to these matters!
