Okanogan Highlands



Washington State Physiographic Features

Okanogan Highlands

The Okanogan highlands are foothills of the Rocky Mountains and are located in the northeastern corner of Washington. The area consists of 7000-foot summits separated by glacial valleys. The highlands are rich in minerals and ore deposits while the valleys are suitable for farming.

Mount Saint Helens

Since 1857, Mount Saint Helens had been a 9,680 feet tall, dormant volcano. In the spring of 1980 it began to create bulges and shake with earthquakes. On May 18, 1980 an earthquake of 5 points on the Richter scale caused the North Slope to fall away and a subsequent blast of hot air blew rocks, ash and debris out over 12 miles. The blast caused the mountain to lose 1,300 feet in height. Today the mount saint Helens National Volcanic Monument covers over 110,00 acres allowing the mountain to recover without interference from others. Wildlife, plants and trees have made their reappearance.

Puget Sound

Puget sound stretches 100 mile south from Whidbey Island to the Olympia. It is connected to the Pacific Ocean by the strait of San Juan de Fuca. The water way is home to many deep-water ports such as Seattle, Tacoma, Everett and Port Townsend. It is the most densely populated area of Washington. The economy relies on manufacturing such as Boeing and Paccer, computer companies such as Microsoft and , and many government jobs. The average temperature ranges from 41 in January to 66 in July with a typical rainfall of 30-40”

Cascade Mountains

The Cascades are a part of the 700 mile pacific Mountain system that stretches from Lassen Park in California to the Fraser River in British Columbia Canada. The western slopes of the Cascades receive an average of 100” of rain. An abundance of Douglas fir creates an economy based on lumber while the many rivers produce hydroelectric power for the region using dams. The area also relies more on tourism and outdoor recreation.

Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains are named for the deep dark blue of the pine trees that covered the area. The gentle slopes and board valleys of the Blue Mountains extend from southeastern Washington into Oregon. The highest peak is Rock Creek Butte at 9,105 feet but the average height in the area is about 6,500 feet. This area is home to farmer and rangers to a thriving tourist and outdoor recreation industry.

Strait of San Juan de Fuca

The strait is a channel that connects the Pacific Ocean with e the Puget Sound. It is home to the San Juan Islands and forms the border between the US and Canada. It is a narrow passage that is only 11 to 17 miles wide.

Columbia Plateau

The Columbia Basin is a volcanic basalt plateau that rises 1,200 to 2,500 feet about sea level and covers most of Eastern Washington. The Columbia River and its tributaries such as the Snake, Yakima, and Spokane Rivers cut the plateau. Multiple dams have provided irrigation to this otherwise dry area and created a productive farming environment. The average temperature in the basin is 25˚ - 30˚ in January; 70˚ - 75˚ in July.

Columbia River

At 1,240 miles long, the Columbia River is the largest river in North America to drain into the Pacific Ocean. It is the firs deepwater harbor north of San Francisco. Its headwaters and first 500 miles are in British Columbia. Some dams along its route are the Grand Coulee, Priest Rapids, Wanapum, and Bonneville. It provides 1/3 of Potential US hydropower.

Olympic Mountains

Located on the Olympic Peninsula, the Olympic Mountains are home to over 60 glaciers and a great variety of trees such as Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, Western red cedar, big leaf maple and Western hemlock. Because of the rain shadow effect, the western Olympics receive an average of 160” of rain in places. This abundance of rain causes some of the trees to grow over 300 feet tall with diameters of as big as 7 feet. Olympic National Park was created in 1938 preserving some of these tree specimens. The highest point is Mount Olympus at 7,965 feet.

San Juan Islands

The San Juan Islands are part of a submerged (underwater) mountain chain and create part of the border between the US and Canada. Tourism and fishing are the main industry with popular daily outings to watch for resident Orca whale pods. There are more than 170 islands and the total population is a little over 14,000. Ferry service provides public transportation to the largest islands including Orcas, San Juan, and Lopez.

Yakima River

The Yakima River rises in the Cascades and runs for about 200 miles before emptying into the Columbia. It irrigates over 460,000 acres of farmland and orchards.

Mount Rainier

Originally called Mount Tahoma by local tribes, Mount Rainier stands 14,411 feet tall. It is the tallest mountain in Washington and is part of the Cascade Range. Holding 41 glaciers, it is the largest single mountain glacier system in the US, outside of the Alaska. A dormant volcano, it covers 100 square miles to the southeast of the Puget Sound and can be seen on both sides of the Cascades. Its lower slopes are covered with coniferous trees while higher up is home to alpine meadows, waterfalls, and lakes. It was first climbed on August 17, 1870.

Snake River

The Snake River is the largest tributary of the Columbia. It begins in Yellowstone at an elevation of 10,000 feet, wanders 1,040 miles, and drops 300 feet above sea level before meeting with the Columbia. It cuts the deepest river gorge in North America (1 miles deep) through Hells Canyon. The Snake forms part of the Oregon-Idaho and the Washington – Idaho borders and is a major provider of hydroelectric power and irrigation water.

Willapa Bay

Willapa Bay is located on the southwestern coast of Washington. It is separated from the Pacific Ocean by a 25-mile strip of land called Long Beach. The bay is the delta of the Willapa River and home to a thriving oyster bed

Lake Chelan

Lake Chelan is located on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountains. It is 55 miles long and extends down glacier-carved Stehekin Valley. At 1486 feet deep, it is the third deepest lake in the US. It is heavily visited at the southern end of the lake where the town of Lake Chelan is located. The northern part of the lake was designated a National Recreation Area in 1968.

Mount Baker

Mount Baker is located 80 miles north of Seattle in the Cascade Mountain Range. It reaches a height of 10,781 feet. It is an active, steaming volcano but its last eruption was in 1870. it has the second largest glacial system (after Mt. Rainier) in the US, outside of Alaska. Because of its large glaciers and heavy snowfall (over 600 inches of snow annually), Mt. Baker is great place to ski and snowboard.

Palouse Hills

These rolling hills provide much of WA’s productive wheat-farming land. They are home to Pullman, site of Washington State University. These hills are located in the southeastern part of the state, just north of the Blue Mountains.

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific is the largest of the Earth’s oceans encompassing 63,800,000 square miles and ranging from Antarctica to the Bering Strait. It is the deepest at the Mariana’s Trench, which is 36,201 feet deep. It averages 14,040 feet in depth.

Hoh Rain Forest

The Hoh Rain Forest is located on the western side of the Olympic Mountains. It is a temperate forest with rainfall ranging from 140 to 170 inches every year. It is home to large Sitka spruce and Western hemlock that grow to 300 feet tall and 23 feet around. The trees are draped with epiphytes, plants that take their nutrients from the air not from the tree or the earth. The forest is also home to more than 100 species of plants and over 10 species of tree.

Grays Harbor

Grays Harbor is Washington’s primary Pacific Ocean sea port. This fishing port is formed by the Chehalis, Wishkah, and Hoquiam Rivers and marks the southern boundary of the Olympic Peninsula. The Port of Grays Harbor welcomes cruise ships and cargo ships.

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