Alta Lake Golf Resort

Alta Lake Golf Resort in Pateros sits in the Methow Valley at the north end of Washington's Lake Chelan corridor, a Don Barth design that opened with its original nine in 1974 and expanded to the current 18 in 1993. The 6,678-yard par-72 layout is the valley's go-to resort course, and the story of the property is almost as interesting as the golf: the 2014 Carlton Complex wildfire destroyed the clubhouse and much of the resort infrastructure, and the course reopened in 2017 after a multi-year rebuild, a genuine Pacific-Northwest recovery story. The front nine is classic mid-century parkland golf, the back nine (1993) opens up with the kind of big-sky Methow scenery the region is known for. The 18th is the signature finisher, a 387-yard par-4 dogleg left with a stunning mountain backdrop, with an approach shot playing uphill to a green that stays out of view until the flag shows up over the ridge. Alta Lake is the logical third round on a Gamble Sands trip: different terrain, different mood, and the drive up through the orchards is part of the experience.