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!
In April, 2023, Sarah was interviewed for an episode of Attention Please! a radio program out of KPTZ Port Townsend. This 28 minute interview provides interesting insights to the 30 year history of OHA and the hows and whys of the work that we do in our community and beyond. Please listen, enjoy, and share!
Look for this podcast art on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or Anchor.fm
Special for Washington State Educators!
Welcome to the Highland Wonders Podcast Season 1 Clock Hour Course! These podcast episodes are a fun opportunity to learn more about the iconic species and ecosystems of the Okanogan Highlands, and to get to know a bit about some of the local people who study them. We hope you enjoy, learn a lot, and share the podcast with your friends and family!
Here are some additional details about Okanogan Highlands Alliance and this clock hour course: please feel welcome to ask questions or give input or ideas at any time (jen@okanoganhighlands.org). Thank you for your interest!
About this Highland Wonders Podcast Clock Hour Course: We are thrilled to be able to offer this clock hour course to educators who are interested in learning more about wildlife, ecosystems and natural history! While Season 1 (this course) does not qualify as STEM clock hours, we are investigating ways to add technology, engineering and/or math in a tangible way to future podcast seasons and clock hour courses.
This course is free of charge, but donations are always welcome: visit our Support Page to learn about the different ways you can contribute to OHA’s programs and activities.
This is a self-paced course. When you complete all five podcasts and reflections you will have earned the full 5 clock hours. If you want to opt out of one or more episodes, that is fine too – just let me know when you are done and we will process the paperwork!
If you are not sure how to access podcasts yet, check out the document attached below. If you are still stumped, send an email to info@okanoganhighlands.org.
Course Calendar: Registration: December 1-December 31, 2022 Course is Open: January 1-March 15, 2023
Course Criteria 1. Register: click here to join the Google Classroom
2. To earn one clock hour, listen to one podcast episode and complete the accompanying Reflection (Google Form).
3. You can earn between 1 and 5 clock hours by listening to the podcast, then filling out and submitting the Reflection/Evaluation.
Podcast Episodes Eligible for Clock Hours in this, Season 1: 1. Great Gray Owls: the phantom of the north, with Matt Marsh 2. Grouse of the Okanogan, with Michael Schroeder 3. Bighorn Sheep of the Okanogan, with Jeff Heinlen 4. The Secret Life of Bats, with Roger Christopherson 5. Washington’s Not-So-Common Loons, with Ginger and Dan Poleschook
About Okanogan Highlands Alliance (OHA): OHA is a conservation non-profit that seeks to increase awareness, appreciation and protection of the diverse ecosystems and wildlife of the Okanogan Highlands. While our homebase is in Tonasket, most of our work takes place in the Okanogan Highlands to the east of town. Our programs include: mine monitoring, habitat restoration and natural history education. To learn more about OHA, to donate, or to learn more about our volunteer opportunities, loop back and check out our website at okanoganhighlands.org.
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!
OHA partners with US Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct topographic surveys of the stream channel and banks to measure (even small) changes in elevation of the creek bed and shifts in the streambanks over time. The topographic surveys show how silt, sand, and gravels have accumulated, scoured, and moved throughout the project reach as the force of water carries the sediment downstream, recruits it from the streambanks, and deposits it on the creek bed.
Graph above shows topographic survey (elevation data) plotted versus the relative distance in the thalweg of the stream. Points A-D on the graph are comparable to those points on the map below.
Aerial view (above) of Triple Creek Project area. Cooler colors signify aggradation and warmer colors signify erosion. Both processes are critical to the restoration of this stream and wetland.
The aerial view above shows that the reach is significantly longer and more sinuous now than it was before the project started.
Progress By The Numbers:
3800 yd3 = 271 dump trucks of sediment deposited in the reach!
1500 yd3 = 107 dump trucks of sediment eroded in the reach!
5300 yd3 = 378 dump trucks of sediment shifted within the reach!
2300 yd3 = 164 dump trucks of sediment carried from outside the project area and deposited in the reach!
Adamera is an exploration company that seeks to develop mining prospects on Buckhorn Mountain near the Buckhorn Mine. They have acquired the mining claims from Kinross in the 9600 acres of public land surrounding the Buckhorn Mine, as well as information and data related to Kinross exploration efforts. Adamera has submitted Notices of Operations to the BLM Wenatchee Field office and to the Colville National Forest for exploration core drilling. Adamera seeks to conduct their exploration under rules that: a) allow exploratory drilling without a reclamation permit if less than one acre of area within eight acres is disturbed through exploration drilling and, b) related to a Categorical Exclusion for exploratory mining activities of less than one year.
OHA is very concerned that the exploration drilling proposed by Adamera, combined with the ongoing pollution generated by the Buckhorn Mine, would have significant environmental impacts. The companies should be required to collect baseline water quality data before engaging in potentially polluting exploration activities. They should also analyze the cumulative impacts associated with the proximity of the exploration to the polluted water at the Buckhorn Mine site, as well as impacts from multiple (Forest Service and BLM, so far) exploration projects as part of a more extensive environmental review. OHA encourages the state and federal agencies to coordinate on this issue, to engage in a full interagency environmental review process, and to require the mining companies to collect baseline data on the areas that they seek to explore. For more information including the scoping notice, map and plan of operations, see below. OHA encourages public participation in decisions involving the integrity, sustainability,and prosperity of our community and the environment.
Please submit comments to the U.S. Forest Service by September 5, 2022. Direct comments, questions, or concerns to Minerals Administrator, Anna Lowell, at anna.lowell@usda.gov or 509-684-7266.
On a beautiful Sunday in June, 2022, Dr Karl Lillquist led an enthusiastic group on a tour of the Okanogan Highlands, observing and discussing evidence of ice sheets and glaciers that are visible on our landscape today. From glacial sediments, to sinuous eskers, to unexpectedly flat areas where ancient glacial lakes and river deltas once covered the land, Dr Lillquist explained how scientists puzzle out the processes that contribute to the geology and geography of a place. As if leading a field trip isn’t enough, Dr Lillquist developed the attached field guide, which is available for all to enjoy!
On June 4, 2022, OHA teamed up with the Highlands Nordic Ski Club to clear the Antoine Loop – making it accessible and enjoyable for summertime use by bicycles and hikers. Ten volunteers cleared about a half a mile of mulch and branches from the trail! It was a beautiful, misty day and we got a lot done! The trail is ready for you to enjoy! Here is more information about how to find it:
This map will take you to the main Highlands Sno Park Parking area (vault toilet and information kiosk can be found here).
For a complete (printable) map of the Highlands Sno Park Trails, click here to visit the Highlands Nordic Ski Club website. Please note that some of the trails are not available in the summer months, as they travel over private property. The Antoine Loop, on the east side of the park, is fully on National Forest land and is accessible year-round.
Volunteers clearing the trail of mulch and branches
OHA is celebrating Earth Day 2022 with gratitude for everything you do to support OHA’s work and to honor and protect the earth wherever you are!
A sampling of the beauty of the Highlands this Earth Day
Check out our calendar of upcoming events, and join us as a participant or volunteer! For more details on our upcoming events, reply to this email or contact us at info@okanoganhighlands.org.
We are inspired by the circle of generations working together to make the world a better place. This photo shows the kickoff of a field trip to the Triple Creek Restoration Project!
Upcoming opportunities to get involved with OHA!
Saturday, May 28: Trail Stewardship (Location TBD)
Saturday, June 4: Trail Stewardship (Sno Park Pond – Fence repair)
Saturday, June 11: Trail Stewardship (Virginia Lilly Trail)
Tuesday, June 14-Thursday, June 16: Forest Ecology and Stewardship with Upward Bound (Lost Lake)
Saturday, June 18: Trail Stewardship (Pine Chee Trail)
Saturday, June 25: Trail Stewardship (Virginia Lilly Trail)
Saturday, June 25: Family Nature Hike with Kim Kogler (Beth/Beaver Lake Trail)
Sunday, June 26: Geology Field Trip with Karl Lillquist
Saturday, July 9: Trail Stewardship (Strawberry Mountain Trail)
Saturday, July 9: OHA Annual Membership Meeting/30th Year Celebration (Lost Lake Group Camp)
