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
Logistics
Field Trip 3 Lower Wenatchee Exploration
Guest scientist leader
Brent Cundera, retired BLM geologist
Featured Organization
Community Science Project
Resources
Drive and Discuss Geology Guide
CDLT Jacobson Plant Species List
CDLT Mountain Home Plant Species List