Okanogan Highlands

Ponderosa pines are a symbol of the West, being found in 16 states.

NPS Photo

Okanogan Highlands

Lake Roosevelt is a transition zone geologically as well as ecosystem wise. While the southern half of the park was flooded by the Ice Age Floods, the northern half was buried under hundreds of feet of glacial ice. These geologic differences can be seen today in the diversity found within 120+ miles of the park.

While our south district is part of the Columbia Plateau, the Okanogan highlands are an extension of the Rocky Mountains. Distinct from its southern half of the Channeled Scablands, the Okanogan highlands are a more wet, more mountainous climate. Here we find a type of Montane ecosystem, characterized by large open conifer forests and elevation typically less than 3,000ft. The best place to experience this habitat is by visiting Kettle Falls, or the Mission Trail.

Climate

	Grand Coulee	Kettle Falls
Rainfall	11 inches	20.3 inches
Snowfall	19 inches	43.5 inches
July Average High	87oF	87oF
January Average Low	21oF	21oF
Wind Speed Average High	7 mph	3.9 mph

 

The shoreline lures you to know what is right around the next bend.

NPS Photo

Ecosystem

Ponderosa pines dominate this landscape, towering over one hundred feet above, with reddish bark marked with deep fissures. Young pines can be hard to tell part, but after years they develop thick bark and deep roots, increasing fire resistance. Douglas-firs, western larch, and cottonwoods can also be found alongside ponderosas. Rose bushes and shrubs such as serviceberries can be found throughout the understory.

Fire is an important cycle in this habitat, as most natural fire clears the underbrush without killing mature healthy trees. Adult trees will drop the lowest branches, saving the ever-green needles from the highest reaching flames. As needles and lower branches begin to cover the floor once again, it becomes fuel for the next fire. Many trees will have chemicals in their needles to discourage growth of other plants as a way to keep open ground for their own offspring. Wildfire policies of early forest management focused on suppression of all fires, leading to less frequent but more intense wildfires. Modern management has begun to restore the natural, frequent, but low intensity fires the forest needs.

 

Lichen can come in many different shapes and colors.

NPS Photo

On any one tree, one may notice splotches of fuzzy or leaf-like green, yellow, or even white bits of life growing in between bark or on branches. Lichen are life forms that consist of at least 2 partners, typically a fungi and an algae. Lichen have no roots, stems or leaves and they are not plants. These little strange parts of life make up much of the winter diet of animals like moose.

Animals

Moose prefer humid forested habitat, but they have been documented throughout the park. As the largest members of the deer family, they can reach 1,100 pounds and 6 feet high at the shoulder. Due to their large size, they prefer cold snowy ranges and are most concentrated in north eastern parts of Washington. These solitary giants feed on twigs, bark, leaves, aquatic vegetation and new plant growth. This makes them a pioneer species meaning they are often one of the first to return to an area that's been burned.

 

A mountain chickadee is a common site if you have a careful eye.

NPS Photo/ J. Peaco

Open understory forests give way for the other large mammals of the area; deer, elk, bear, and mountain lions. White tailed deer are more common in the north, while mule deer prefer the open grasslands of the south. The mammal most common in the area is the red squirrel, its chirping can often be mistaken as a bird. Seemingly always on the move, these squirrels are gathering pine cones, seeds, fruits, for winter months.

Songbirds can be heard all year round in the highlands, fluttering from the high branches of the ponderosa, such as the evening grosbeak or a western tanager. Many of the birds you see are migratory, and will leave to different areas come winter. Rather than migrating, black capped chickadees are joined by pygmy nuthatches and black billed magpies who stay together in multi-species clusters.

To continue to be able to view this amazing and complex habitat, it is important to recognize it as all of our homes. By following Leave No Trace guidelines and park rules one can enjoy and not destroy.

 

Left image
The Channeled Scablands, what do you notice is different between the pictures?
Credit: NPS Photo

Right image
The Okanogan highlands, how could the density of trees in each picture change the water?
Credit: NPS Photo

Shoreline Comparison

Use the above image slider by clicking on the grey circle at the center and sliding it to the left or right. 

The most noticeable difference between the shorelines is the lack of large conifers in the Channeled Scablands. The mountainous regions of the highlands have more soft ground for the trees to grow their thick tap root below them. 

Want to compare the shoreline for yourself? Visit our each of our three districts and other nearby attractions.