Get Lost! Lost Lake Trail Race 2018
Runners gathered at Lost Lake in the Okanogan Highlands on Sunday, July 15, 2018, to participate in the first annual Get Lost! Trail Race event. The event was a fundraiser for OHA, and offered half-marathon and 7-mile distances, in addition to a free 1k kid’s race. Twenty-six runners participated in the adult distances, which included varied terrain and ascended Strawberry Mountain for a panoramic view of the highlands.
The women’s 7-mile winner, Stella Crutcher of Tonasket, stated, “This was my first trail race, and the course was mentally and physically challenging to say the least. Whether it be the course’s 850-foot climb within the first 1.5 miles, or the mental challenge of completing the race.” The morning mountain run treated runners to cooler temperatures and wildflowers provided a serene backdrop to the challenging course. “The landscape was very beautiful and it encouraged me to keep on running.” Crutcher explained. The men’s half-marathon winner, Jason Llewellyn of Chesaw, spoke highly of the race, stating, “Running the 1st annual Get Lost trail race was an awesome experience,” later adding, “The volunteers from OHA did an amazing job putting this all together. What an awesome organization to be a part of!”
A Deeper Vision: Wes Wehr and the Okanogan Highlands
On Friday, March 1st, 2019, we explored how paleobotanist Wes Wehr experienced and helped to reveal hidden dimensions of the Okanogan Highlands.
Permit Needs Enforcement
Water quality at the Buckhorn Mine is regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, under the Clean Water Act. The continuous water quality permit violations at the Buckhorn Mine started shortly after mining operations began and have increased to the present day. The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) has the responsibility to uphold and enforce the discharge permit. Over the past decade, OHA has regularly suggested corrective actions that would increase understanding of the contaminant flows at the mine site and lead to long-term solutions to the water quality problems.
Birds
Raising the water level to the historic floodplain facilitates wildlife access to the creek!
Deer
Many White-tailed Deer and an occasional Mule Deer have been seen around the project site.
Before & After
Our most recently installed planting plot in May 2019 was a joint effort from multiple partners!
