OHA’s 5th Annual Get Lost Trail Race took place on July 9, 2023. A record number of participants, their trusty supporters, a slate of business sponsors, and a whole cohort of enthusiastic volunteers kept the event running smoothly and safely!
The Get Lost Race represents an opportunity for our community to gather in the beautiful Okanogan Highlands, exercise, recreate and meet up with new and old friends and every year gets better and better! Camping at the Group Camp of the USFS Lost Lake Campground allows us to make a whole weekend out of it! We have such fun, and can’t wait for next year!
The Get Lost! Trail Race and campout has become one of the most anticipated events of OHA’s year, and this year was no exception! On the weekend of July 9-10, 2022, friends and families gathered from far and wide to enjoy the peaceful setting at Lost Lake, compete on the Strawberry Mountain, Big Tree, and OHA’s wetland trails, share a meal, and build community.
This event could not happen without the many volunteers who share their time and resources to prepare a delicious post-race lunch and pinata, guide participants through the race course, take photos, supply the aid station, help with communications and first aid, time the racers, organize the kids activities. Thank you volunteers!
Sponsors contribute food, prizes, and help support race expenses! Thank you to our 2022 race sponsors: Spring Creek Ranch, Lee Frank Mercantile, Iron Grill Restaurant, Tonasket Natural Foods Co-op, REI Co-op, and Big 5 Sporting Goods!
We are so fortunate to be able to host the race at the beautiful US Forest Service Lost Lake Group Campground. Thank you to the USFS and camp hosts!
Click Here for full race results! (Including new course records in the 3 mile, 7 mile and 14 mile women’s races)
Save the date, and join us next year: July 9, 2023!
On Sunday, July 11th, 2021 fifty runners and walkers assembled at Lost Lake for the 3rd Get Lost! Trail Race, hosted by Okanogan Highlands Alliance (OHA). Supported by friends, family, and a host of volunteers stationed throughout the trails, participants navigated either a three-mile, a seven-mile, or a 14-mile race course, while the kids took on a fun run on OHA’s Lost Lake Preserve. There was something for everyone!
Bill Kresge, participating for his third time says, “it is a beautiful venue, the woods were shady and cool, the lake great for a dip after the run or walk. What could be better? You get to support a great organization, spend the day with wonderful people, all while challenging yourself on a 3, 7, or 14 mile run (or walk).”
The atmosphere on the race course was relaxed, supportive and friendly, with both experienced and first-time trail runners hitting the trail together. Runners broke course records, they set new personal records, and had fun doing it. Danika Smith of Tonasket reports, “It wasn’t even a question whether I was going to participate in the annual OHA event. As a family we look forward to it every year. Finishing the race feels like a victory, and it is really rewarding to support an organization that helps to preserve some of my most favorite places in our region.” Korbin Forsman (Republic) set a new men’s course record for the 5k (3 mile) race, with a time of 22:23, and Jody Evans (Oroville) set the women’s record at 28:09. The seven-mile women’s title was taken by Chelsea Shaefer (Oroville), who set a new course record of 1:07:13, while Rich Beukema (Wenatchee) held onto his title, winning the men’s division with a time of 58:02. Kirsten Casey (Poulsbo) blazed through the course, setting a new women’s in the 14-mile race with a time of 2:10:11, and Sibley Simon (Santa Cruz, CA) led the men’s division, finishing in 2:40:08. Special recognition goes out to the fleet of kids under 12 who challenged themselves on the 5k and in the kids race! Full race results can be found at: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=83316.
Trail races have many moving pieces, and this event happens smoothly thanks to volunteers who donate their time, expertise and resources every step of the way. Volunteers took on: managing runner registration and designing unique race merchandise (Rick Massey), clearing and marking the trail in advance of the race (Rose and André Corso, Marija Welton, Owen, Andrew and Jordon Weddle and Indigo Tetrick), providing aid stations and runner support during the race (Rick Massey, Charles Walker, Sarah Kaiser, Marija Welton), preparing and serving a nutritious and delicious post-race meal (Hanna, Sarah and David Kliegman), and cleaning up after the event (too many people to count). The kids had an amazing day, thanks to Tyler Graves, Jordon Weddle, Alisa Weddle, John McReynolds, and Norm and Diana Weddle who guided kids through their race, made shaved ice, and helped with a piñata! Kate Miller and Kevin Lepley stepped into many roles throughout the day, from timing, to maintaining an aid station, to photographing the event.
Many thanks go out to the business sponsors who helped to support this year’s runners. Lee Frank’s Mercantile, the US Forest Service, and North40 Outfitters contributed to race prizes, and Big 5 Sporting Goods contributed to runner nutrition.
Jen Weddle, co-director of OHA says, “The Get Lost Race is a great representation of how we can be inspired by the natural world and by each other. The Okanogan Highlands are a beautiful place to meet up, spend time outside, and challenge one another to reach new heights. We want to thank everyone for their help and participation in supporting the event and OHA, and we hope to see you out on the course next year!”
Runners came from far and wide to enjoy Lost Lake, support outdoor recreation, and learn more about Okanogan Highlands Alliance. OHA is a non-profit organization that works to educate the public about watershed issues, including the environmental threats of large-scale mining. For more information go to okanoganhighlands.org
Students use iPads for field monitoring at the Triple Creek restoration site with George Thornton (2016)
Many of us carry smartphones as cameras and for a few of our favorite apps, but are you curious about other apps that might help you explore the natural world?
Learn how to make your phone or tablet into a suite of resources for identifying a wide variety of natural elements, from wildflowers and wildlife to trees and mountain peaks. Participants can choose from our list of apps prior to the event, depending on what aspects of the natural world community members most want to explore. If you have a favorite app you think we should include on our list, email info@okanoganhighlands.org with your suggestion. See for a full list of
The group will visit a site with a panoramic view of the Pasayten Wilderness, and practice identifying peak names. We will then explore the Lost Lake Wetland and Wildlife Preserve, using apps appropriate for the species we encounter. After the event, participants are encouraged to enjoy Lost Lake with swimming, canoeing, or kayaking, and continued observations of the beautiful and diverse plant and animal species that make the lake and forest their home.
The group will explore plants and animals at Lost Lake using a variety of apps
Due to the nature of the outdoor event, participation is limited, and priority registration is currently being offered for OHA members. A waiting list will be generated on a first-come, first-serve basis. To begin or renew OHA membership and be first in line to register for the summertime events, community members can donate online, or contact OHA for more information.
One indicator OHA uses to measure change over time at our restoration sites is the migratory songbird population, using a timed point-count method.
We conduct a point-count bird survey at our Myers Creek mitigation site near Chesaw for one morning in late May or early June. We visit several stations and record which bird species we observe at each — near and far, during two different timeframes. Some interesting species we have seen in past years include the Black-headed Grosbeak, Gray Catbird, Eastern Kingbird, and Clay-colored Sparrow, among many others.
Pre-registration is required, and event details are provided to those who sign up. The survey route covers just under two miles of very uneven terrain with some sidehill hiking and no established trail; please ensure that this kind of activity suits your fitness level and stamina if you wish to participate. There are no restroom facilities onsite, but there is an outdoor toilet available in the town of Chesaw (bring your own TP).
If you bird by ear and/or sight and would like to share your skills, please contact info@okanoganhighlands.org. Let us know if you’d like to be invited to other bird surveys in the future, and we’ll be sure you are on our email list!
See below for photos from the annual event at Myers Creek over the years. Thank you to all the volunteers who have contributed to this important effort since 2011! We hope that as the habitat improves, it will be capable of supporting an increasing diversity of bird species! In our 2019 survey, we observed 30 different species!
On Friday, March 24th 2017, OHA celebrated 25 years by hosting a fundraising concert, variety show, and dinner at the Community Cultural Center of Tonasket for the release of OHA’s Highland Voices CD. We enjoyed an evening of delicious locally-sourced food, original music, and appreciation for the people who have been a part of OHA over the years.
OHA hosted Tonasket’s first ever “Trashion Show” at the Community Cultural Center as a fundraiser in 2013. Today, the annual April event is coordinated by the Green Okanogan recycling center.
