Tamaracks in autumn color overlooking Lake Chelan from Big Hill Camp.

The elevation at this location is approximately 6,700 feet and at the lake below, 1,400 feet. Notice the stark landscape between these tamaracks and the lake below. In July 1994 we had the most devastating forest fires in Washington state history with the loss of millions of acres; known as the Washington Hatchery Creek/Round Mountain fire.

Yesterday we drove from the Entiat Valley north to Lake Chelan (31 miles of forest service roads over Shady Pass) through the heart of the fire zone and its sad to say that there are still relatively few new trees in much of the fire zone. However, there are indeed new pine trees coming up and eventually this area will recover. That coupled with the devastating pine beetle this area has suffered greatly. The absence of wildlife is very indicative of the tremendous losses.