Wenatchee River Valley Exploration

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Jacobson Preserve

Jacobson Preserve

Field trip description

This is a day of up-valley exploration of the Wenatchee River from the Wenatchee Foothills to the Lower Icicle River, led by guest geologist, Brent Cunderla and Wenatchee Naturalist Susan Ballinger.

We start with a foothills shrub-steppe walk on the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust Jacobson Preserve and to the Balsamroot Trailhead in the north Foothills that experienced wildfire in 2015, learning about CDTL’s post-fire plant monitoring Citizen Science project.

Weather permitting, we drive 3 miles up to higher elevation viewpoint walk on the Trust’s Horse Lake Reserve for a panoramic geologic view tour.

The next stop is Peshastin Pinnacles State Park to view rock formations up-close.  Lunch is at Wenatchee River Institute’s (WRI) sustainably certified building, the Barn and learn about WRI’s mission, programming, and volunteer opportunities.

After lunch, we drive to Chelan-Douglas Land Trust’s Mountain Home Preserve to walk a 2-mile loop, focusing on native trees and shrubs, and at overlook of the lower Icicle River Valley we explore its geologic formation.  Our final stop is at the USFS Snow Creek Trail head, located in a glacier-carved valley beneath cliffs.  Leavenworth Bird Fest is the featured education program

View NW from Horse Lake of Lower Wenatchee River

View NW from Horse Lake of Lower Wenatchee River

Logistics

Field Trip 3 Lower Wenatchee Exploration

Guest scientist leader

Brent Cundera, retired BLM geologist

Featured Organization

Wenatchee River Institute

Community Science Project

CDLT ebird routes

Resources

Drive and Discuss Geology Guide

Wenatchee River Institute

CDLT Jacobson Plant Species List

CDLT Mountain Home Plant Species List

Photos