Private charter to & from Wenatchee

Wenatchee sits where the Wenatchee River joins the Columbia on the sunny east side of the Cascades, surrounded by orchards that have earned it the title of Apple Capital of the World. Fruit growing, packing and shipping are still central to the economy, along with healthcare, hydropower from the Columbia River dams and the large data centers that have clustered in the region for its inexpensive electricity. Pangborn Memorial Airport carries a bit of aviation history: it is named for Clyde Pangborn, who landed near Wenatchee in 1931 after the first nonstop flight across the Pacific.

From Seattle, the drive crosses Stevens Pass or Snoqualmie Pass and takes around three hours in good weather, much longer when winter storms close the passes. Flying private turns that into a short hop over the mountains, landing at Pangborn just east of the river. From there, the Bavarian-style village of Leavenworth is about half an hour away, Lake Chelan a little farther, and Mission Ridge’s ski slopes rise just southwest of town. Visitors come for skiing, mountain biking, river rafting, orchard stands and the region’s fast-growing wine scene.