Eastern Washington notes

I spent much of my time while living in Bellingham, WA travling to the Colville National Forest in northeastern Washington to take the photographs for the book Columbia Highlands. The Columbia Highlands are two separate mountain ranges, the Kettle and Selkirk ranges, bisected by the system of lakes and dams formerly known as the Columbia River. The geography and vegetation of the area is quite diverse, influenced by an east west precipitation gradient and a complex fire history. The west slope of the Kettle Range, where I spent most of my time, tends to be dry, with a number of open, park-like ponderosa pine forests. The whole area is very diverese, with stands of old-growth Douglas fir, grand fir, lots of uniform stands of larch and lodgepole pine, clusters of whitebark pine and subalpine fir, and a fascinating interior basin rainforest of western hemlock and western red cedar (on the eastside of the Selkirks). The dry sites have fantastic spring wildflowers, bear grass and native fescues.

Conservation Northwest is working with local stakeholders on a wilderness proposal for the area you can read about here.

This area is completely undiscoverd by most hikers, backpackers and skiers. Some good places to visit: Any of the Kettle Crest Trail segments, especially the areas around Midnight Mountain, Copper Butte, Wapaloosie Mountain, Bald Peak and White Mountain. Also, Thirteen Mile Basin, the Abercrombie/Hooknose roadless area, and the Salmo Priest Wilderness.

I have two dozen or so additional images from the Kettles and Selkirks that you can view here.