WENATCHEE u LEAVENWORTH u CHELAN u AND ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON
oothills May-June 2015
Land Trust Volunteers Building Trails, Community
Inside
Family Fun
Summer reunion tips
Hitting the Green
Alta Lake course reopens
EDITOR’S LETTER
An important mission T
o me, the three-month stretch of April-May-June is the sweet spot in the calendar. It’s the time of year when the valley seems most alive, most vibrant, with blossoms of all sizes and colors popping everywhere. The surrounding hills are typically at their greenest, and river flows are usually at their peak. Gardeners are planting and tending the fruits and vegetables that will fill our tables in the months to come. It also happens to be the stretch of year when I’m most inclined to hit area trails. Now, I’m the first to admit that I don’t get out as much as I should, but when I do, I’m always amazed at all the different treasures nature provides — insects, animals, flowers, rock formations, native plants. I’m reminded that it’s a delicate balance when man encroaches on nature. It’s hard to make this next statement without sounding like a public service announcement, but we owe it to our children to set a good example and respect our natural surroundings so future generations can experience the same joys. The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust is one of many groups that works to preserve our connection with nature in a respectful manner. In this issue — on Page 20 to be exact — you will find a story on the Land Trust, which is celebrating its 30th year. The organization has been especially active in helping acquire properties to maintain their natural state and allow access to those areas. The organization also relies on a large volunteer base to maintain existing trails and build new trails with the least impact to the surroundings. I’m grateful that the Land Trust — and other groups with similar missions — exist to preserve our surroundings. Without those vistas, those special interactions with nature, this place we call home would be significantly less special.
Marco Martinez, editor
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oothills
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Foothills Magazine is published bi-monthly by World Publishing, 14 N. Mission St., Wenatchee, WA, 98801. Subscriptions: $14.99 annually Send check or money order to: Foothills, Subscriptions 14 N. Mission St., Wenatchee, WA, 98801 or email foothills@wenatcheeworld.com Copyright 2015 with all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission.
On the cover: A Chelan-Douglas Land Trust volunteer builds trail in the Horse Lake Preserve area. Chelan-Douglas Land Trust photo
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Page 8
Contents Page 12
4
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Page 20
Page 28
6 8 12 20 28 36 44
Fast Five
Best public spots for flower watching
‘Bird is the Word
This 1956 Thunderbird is a daily driver
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Happy Reunions
Tips for this summer’s family gathering
Trail Troops
Land Trust volunteers are on the right path
After the Fire
From Garden to Gourmet
Alta Lake Golf Course is beyond recovery mode
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Bottle Business
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FAST FIVE
BY MIKE IRWIN
Flower Power EDITION
1
Dam fine flowers
Aside from charging up the ol’ foot massager, hydropower’s chief benefit could be the stunningly beautiful flower displays at Rocky Reach Dam’s visitor center. Every year, gardeners with the Chelan County PUD plant thousands of annuals in the shapes of a giant American flag, the PUD logo and some kind (it’s different every year) of cleverly-themed floral masterpiece that’s crafted out of — no lie — petunias. And that’s just the beginning. At the center of the dam’s landscaped acres is an award-winning dahlia display that’s been known to make die-hard dahlia enthusiasts swoon. Toss in hundreds of other flowering perennials and a 40-species arboretum, and you’ve got an hours-long visit of bloomin’ delights. Details at chelanpud.org/visitor-center.html.
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Petal peddlers
It’s shocking to look up from our yummy Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market breakfast burrito to find vendor booths already exploding with colorful blooms. Not just daffodils, mind you, but flowering varieties that have only begun to unfurl in our own meager gardens. Tulips, lilies, snapdragons, even roses. Big bouquets of gorgeous God-knowswhat-kind of blossoms, all watered and wrapped
for travel at around $10 each. Makes us brown-thumbed novice gardeners question why we bother. The Farmers Market opens this year on May 9 at the foot of Orondo Avenue in Wenatchee’s Pybus Public Market. Details at wenatcheefarmersmarket.com.
5
Seeds of knowledge
Its name is waaaaay too long, but the Washington State University Chelan County Master Gardeners Community Education Garden is a compact oasis chock-full of greenthumb guidance. Dozens of blooming beauties — including multiple varieties of roses, dahlias, tulips, crocus and more — highlight carefully chosen demo plots of what grows here best, with info on how to help them thrive. Don’t miss the rows of multi-colored echinacea and sprays of lavender, which love our semi-arid climate. Also check out specific areas for attracting butterflies, choosing shade-loving plants and nurturing native species. 1100 N. Western Ave., Wenatchee. Details at http://ow.ly/ KEcfl.
3
Wildflower walks
We can tell that you perambulating petal practitioners are getting restless with all this garden talk. Why toil away in the backyard when you can tip-toe through some tiger lilies on the Ingalls Creek Trail (Blewett Pass) or pussy-foot through alpine pussytoes up at Hart’s Pass (near Mazama)? Closer to home, the Wenatchee Foothills Trails offer excellent bloom-spotting opportunities, including colorful palettes of bluebells, shooting stars, larkspurs and arrowleaf balsamroot. Remember to step gingerly past all these beauties and resist the temptation to pluck a handful — it reduces the plant’s chances for survival. Learn more at http://ow.ly/KEpVl.
4
Low-water wonders
Hey, who needs water to make a garden grow? Turns out there are oodles of plants that have adapted well to our sparse rainfall yet still produce clusters of those colorful sex organs we call flowers. Locally, there’s no better place to learn about lowwater techniques than Riverfront Park’s Xeriscape Demo Garden just off the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail
in Wenatchee. It offers tons of bloomin’ suggestions on how drippy-drop irrigation can fuel a profusion of color. Some of our favorite-named species pop their blossoms there, including the shrubby cinquefoil, the dwarf candytuft and (this one reminds us of Uncle Carl) the Prairie dusk beard tongue. Get more info at chelanpud.org/xeriscape-plants.cfm. May / June 2015
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WHEELS OF WONDER
Her daily ride is an eye-catching classic
O
ld cars were in the stars for Tamie Boersema and her husband, John. She was ferrying expensive vehicles for dealers and working at a drive-in theater in Everett, and he was drag racing in Kent at the time their paths crossed 40 years ago. “I was into cars before I met him. He obviously made it better,” Tamie says. Her daily driver, and one of four classic vehicles owned by the Wenatchee couple, is a champagne 1956 Ford Thunderbird. Tamie, 57, drives it to and from her job as a paraeducator for the Wenatchee School District. “I’ve just always loved Thunderbirds. If I had the choice of any car on the planet, I would have one. “He’s always loved them, too,” she says of her husband, John Boersema, a former meat cutter who now delivers for O’Reilly Auto Parts. The couple’s storyline is intertwined with now-classic vehicles. From her post at the drive-in, 16-year-old Tamie waved at 18-yearold John driving by, thinking he was a former customer. Upon realizing he wasn’t, she decided to be a “smart aleck” and keep waving whenever she saw him. Eventually, John came by to say hello. Right away, Tamie asked if she could drive his car, a kind of test she gave her suitors. He said yes, so they temporarily traded vehicles. His car at the time was a brand new 1974 Chevrolet Nova — silver with black and gold stripes. She was driving a “pretty standard” brown 1962 Chevrolet Impala that belonged to her grandmother. 8
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A ‘Bird
STORY BY SHARON ALTARAS PHOTOS BY MIKE BONNICKSEN
for all
seasons
Tamie Boersema and her 1956 Thunderbird. May / June 2015
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The dash of Boersema’s 1956 Thunderbird.
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Boersema has always liked the lines of her car.
After they started dating, John built Tamie a black 1961 four-speed Volkswagen bug with black interior. “My first real car, my own car,” she remembers. It was love — even when she blew the engine on the freeway. “He just put another motor in it,” she says. Tamie’s Thunderbird was all but gutted when the Boersemas found it five years ago. It came from the estate of a man with an eccentric hobby; he collected Thunderbirds, then took the tops off and stored them out in the sun on his property near the California/Nevada border, Tamie says. “He wouldn’t part with them,” and when he died, “his family didn’t know what to do with them,” she adds. A business associate of John’s at the time acquired the lot of ‘Birds – 22 “little” ones with two seats and two “big” ones with four seats – and relocated the cars to Oregon. The couple took out a loan to pay $9,000 for a little ‘Bird that was black with red interior. It had a big crunch in the back fender, and no motor, transmission, heater or wiring. Tamie remembers the day well —
The logo on the front fender. walking through all the cars and getting to pick out her very own. “It was way cool,” she says. “Towing her home and everything, I kept looking behind me and thinking ‘Wow! I can’t believe this. That’s my car!’” The Boersemas gravitate to older vehicles with character. The couple, who moved to Wenatchee 12 years ago, raised their kids in a torpedo-back 1950 four-door Chevrolet. The latest-model car they’ve ever
EXPERIENCE
owned was a new 1974 Toyota fourwheel drive, which they sold after just six months. “The payment itself and the insurance were more than our house payment was. We couldn’t stomach it,” Tamie says. Her Thunderbird is now appraised for $20,000, “but I couldn’t get another one for that.” It’s the size and body style that Tamie says she loves — how it has just two seats and sits so low to the ground.
Although friends tell her she is crazy for driving it every day, she says, “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t get into it and appreciate having it. “Every time I go out there I think, ‘Wow you get to drive this; how lucky are you?” F Know of a North Central Washington ride that’s classic, quirky or cool? Email s.altaras@yahoo.com or foothills@wenatcheeworld.com.
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NCW FAMILY
Argh! These Webley mateys successfully recovered the hidden pirate’s booty.
A family reunion It’s almost summer — time for barbecues, picnics, family reunions 12
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F
done right
or some lucky families who live in close proximity, gathering with relatives happens, well, relatively frequently and easily. If your family is scattered further afield, read on to gain insight for planning a successful family reunion. Debbie Webley of Quincy is a seasoned family organizer. Her extended family numbers almost 70 people and spans four generations. This impressive family has managed to gather every other year for a week-long family reunion for the past 13 years. The first Webley gathering happened in 2003 at Sun Lakes State Park. Two summers ago, they reunioned at Daroga State Park and camped, but in previous years they have gathered in various states, including Hawaii, and until recently managed to squeeze into one house. This year’s reunion will take them to a horse ranch west of Ellensburg.
STORY BY M.K. RESK
Carter Johnson, left, and Tate Webley pal around on the water slide during the family’s 2013 reunion.
PHOTOS BY MARY ANNE WEBLEY
May / June 2015
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“The reunion’s success depends on everyone’s attitude,” says Debbie. “We don’t go to reunions because it’s our ideal vacation, and heaven knows we can’t please everyone at every reunion. It’s a success because we each want to spend time together and build family relationships. We choose to make family our top priority.” Here are Debbie’s practical tips for a fabulous family reunion: Divide and conquer: Each Webley reunion is led by a second-generation family head. They rotate the position with each reunion. The main task is
❶
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Above: Nyah Child shows off her bubble skills at the 2013 Webley reunion. Schedule free time into the reunion schedule, says veteran planner Debbie Webley. Right: Free time allows the “connected” generation, like Logan Child here, to do their thing.
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Some activities, such as making tie-dyed T-shirts, are not only fun, but can also generate a reunion memento. to find and reserve a gathering spot and then delegate organizing responsibility as the event approaches. Each arm of the family is responsible for feeding the entire group breakfast and dinner for one day of the week. Lunch is always on your own. Debbie says they also typically have one or two community meal days where something like tacos is served. Each family brings enough fully cooked meat for their family and all the toppings. Then the group combines things into slow cookers and serves the food buffet
style. Debbie loves the way they share meal preparation. Families work together and then serve each other and share the expense.
â?ˇ
Plan plenty of fun activities: There are children of all ages in attendance and activities abound for all ages and interests. Debbie says the Webleys like to be close to water to enjoy boating and swimming. Besides these activities, Daroga offered great areas for biking, scootering, playing basketball, Frisbee and whiffle ball. The group usually
Ramona Webley enjoys the water during the family’s 2013 reunion at Daroga State Park. Involving all generations is important at reunion time, says Debbie Webley.
Each arm of the Webley family was responsible for serving everyone breakfast and dinner one day during reunion week. Tara Johnson uses a grill to heat up breakfast burritos that were made in advance. 16
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Ella Webley is serious about safety, and adults should be also when planning reunion activities.
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The Webleys gather for a photo at their 2013 family reunion at Daroga State Park. makes excursions to nearby locations. When they camped at Daroga State Park two summers ago, they visited Slidewaters in Chelan. The Webleys divide their days and assign people to plan kids’ crafts and activities. They have made keepsakes like tie-dyed T-shirts with an iron-on decal noting the reunion year, superhero capes from T-shirts and visors with foam decorations. They also organize week-long relay games with the winning family taking home a coveted trophy for the year’s bragging rights. In the evening, the Webleys usually have a group game, contest or talent show “to bring us all back together,” says Debbie. “Talent shows, whether planned or spontaneous, are a great way to break the ice, and kids love to perform,” she adds. One clever activity they have done is decorate cupcakes to resemble a family member and then guess who it represents. They also love minute-to-win-it-type games and movie night. During their Daroga reunion, they projected a movie onto the picnic shelter wall. 18
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❸ Have unplanned time, too: Family gatherings are a time to reminisce, reflect, enjoy each other’s company and create new traditions. It’s great to have lots to choose from but it’s equally important for people to have time to visit, read or just enjoy downtime to relax. That said, “free time is important but group time is imperative,” according to Debbie. “Plan the day so you have prime time reserved to play games or participate in a group activity that people can work together on or laugh with. But be sure to allow time for people to enjoy their individual family time, too.”
in future reunions. The hope is that every family unit will eventually have a memory quilt in their homes, she says. Families are sent squares to decorate in advance, and children learn the art of quilting by helping to sew, tie and finish the quilt during the reunion. Debbie won a two summers ago and enjoyed having her grandchildren sign their names on it. Now when they visit, they can reminisce and admire the family quilt together.
❹ Create traditions: A few re-
unions ago, one of Debbie’s sisters-inlaw started making quilt tops and then setting them up during reunion week for the group to finish making the quilt. During their Daroga reunion, three quilts were made. At the end of the week, names are drawn from a hat and each quilt is given away. Once your name is drawn, you don’t enter
The best family reunions involve multiple generations in activities
She says kids really enjoy a reunion memento such as this or a commemorative T-shirt, which can help them connect with their family better. Debbie recommends teaching them about their roots through videos, oral histories and including them in the family in every way possible.
❺
Location, Location, Location: It’s been fun for the family to gather across the west, but since most of the family is back in the Washington region, Debbie found that having a nearby location to gather was easier on everyone. In past years, some locations have been up to an 8-hour drive from home. Some participants haven’t been able to get time off of work for the week, so they had to miss all the fun. Since most in the Webley family lives near enough to drive to Daroga when they could, more people were able to come for part of the time. Their fullest day saw 54 people in attendance. Debbie says it’s vital to make the reunion as accessible and affordable for the entire family as possible. The focus should be: “we want to see everyone participate.” F
Cousins Katy Webley and Sofia Webley show off their bracelet creations. Wellplanned craft and activities will keep all family members happy during a reunion.
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OUTDOORS
Protecting
The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust relies on an army of volunteers to achieve its mission
W
hether you call the Wenatchee Valley home or have visited here, you have been impacted by the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust’s work to maintain or open recreational access to some of the area’s most iconic landscapes. The group and its 1,200-plus members have worked on land projects that include Saddle Rock, the Wenatchee Foothills and 6,439 acres of scenic areas. Started in 1985 as an entirely volunteer organization out of a personal residence, the CDLT now has a staff of nine and an office at 18 N. Wenatchee Avenue. The change to the downtown location in 2010 was a strategic move by executive director Bob Bugert and the organization’s Brad Lane photo board memThe Land Trust opened its downtown bers. In essence, they wanted the Wenatchee office in 2010.
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the future
STORY BY BRAD LANE
Chelan-Douglas Land Trust photo
A trio of hikers makes its way through the Sage Hills area. May / June 2015
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headquarters to represent the overall theme of the CDLT: to be at the center of the community. And based on the unprecedented number of new members walking through the door these days, Bugert will agree that the community is responding. “Our membership base has grown substantially over the past two or three years, which is integral to our work,” said Bugert. “When we get that support, I believe what it says is that we really manifest the perspectives and the pulse of the community.” Perhaps the best voice for the true values behind the Land Trust might be found from the people who donate 22
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their time and energy to the cause. At the heart of this member-driven organization lies the passion of its volunteers, their insights on a better tomorrow and their own ways of working with the land.
A Livable Community Andy Dappen has been in the Wenatchee Valley for 15 years, and is the driving force behind WenatcheeOutdoors.org, arguably the valley’s most comprehensive online guide to the local outdoor adventure scene. Besides cataloging every recreational outlet in the region, Dappen also
volunteered his time as president of the Land Trust’s board of directors for 10 years (2004-2013). It’s no surprise that Dappen got involved with the CDLT for the same reason he moved to Wenatchee. “For me it started primarily because of recreation,” he said. “A lot of prime habitat that makes Wenatchee a really livable community doesn’t fall into the domain of state and federal agencies, and to have an entity that can advocate for these areas — it fit into what I was looking for.” And while acknowledging that like himself, many people initially interface with the Wenatchee landscape
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for recreation, Dappen also refers to recreation as the “gateway drug” for conservation. “When you are out riding the trails and getting involved with the Land Trust, you realize that the CDLT is filling a huge vacuum where there is no other organization that can protect this front country. It becomes more than enjoying the landscape; it becomes an investment into it,” he said. Dappen served his time as Land Trust president, but there are many ways to get involved. Whether you help build the trails, serve on the board of directors or contribute to the sense of community — no matter the role, anyone can make a big difference.
An Important Asset Diane McKenzie began volunteering for the Land Trust in 2007 by participating in the group’s annual Make a Difference Day project. She quickly became an active member and donated her time however she could, including a project finding and cataloging deer scat in the area. As the years progressed, so did McKenzie’s volunteering. And when the CDLT put notice out it needed help organizing its legal files, McKenzie, with a background as a medical librarian, knew she could help. And although the idea of office work
Brad Lane photo
The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust relies on volunteers to do a variety of work aimed at preserving public access to area trails.
Chelan-Douglas Land Trust photo
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Restoring trail impacted by people is some of the work done by the Land Trust, like this area in the Jacobsen Preserve.
wasn’t as appealing as being outside, McKenzie’s personal philosophy of volunteerism led her decision making. “My theory of volunteering is that everyone wants to do the fun stuff, the work outside, but sometimes what you need to do to help is look for the things that no one wants to do,” she said. And while this commitment to the less glamorous volunteer opportunities is noble, McKenzie enjoys every moment of it, thanks to not only the people she works with, but also the overall goal the Land Trust is trying to accomplish. “I’m passionate about the CDLT’s mission of not only preserving land, but doing it in a way that makes it a part of the community,” she said. “Wenatchee is right on the edge of being not so small anymore, and it’s really important as a community asset to have this organization that can speak for the land.”
For Centuries to Come While the backgrounds of the volunteers vary from person to person, everyone who donates their time seems to share a common theme: an appreciation for the area’s landscapes. And that is the case for Paul Hessburg, an active Land Trust volunteer for the last 15 years. Hessburg’s long list of conservation
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Brad Lane photo
accomplishments includes 160-plus forestry research publications, a decade of forest pest management work with the U.S. Forest Service and his current job for the past 25 years as a Forest Service research scientist here in Wenatchee. In his free time, as chairman of the CDLT’s Lands Committee, Hessburg helps the Land Trust work through land transactions. “The land ethic of the CDLT really resonates with me,” he said. “We’re interested in transactions with willing land owners who share common interest in caring for the land and protecting key habitats and open spaces. We protect high quality salmon, steelhead and wildlife habitats, and open spaces that provide vital recreation access, great vistas and that people in the local community really want to be able to keep open to public use.” Hessburg and the Lands Committee worked on the land transactions that naturally flowed from the recent CDLT Foothills Campaign. The campaign protected a handful of key parcels within the Wenatchee Foothills (Castle Rock, Saddle Rock, Broadview Canyon and the Horse Lake Reserve) for public access and trails development. “The Foothills Campaign protected important areas that are great mountain biking, hiking and equestrian trails, and they’ll be there for our kids and their kids for centuries to come. And it could have gone the other way. I am just really excited I got to participate and help out in that effort.”
A Wonderful Engagement There are a number of ways to get involved with the Land Trust. The minimum donation for a yearlong membership is $35, and the CDLT website (cdlandtrust. org) lists the different scheduled volunteer opportunities and events offered by the organization. But as both Bob Bugert and volunteers encouraged, the best way to find out how to help is to stop by the downtown Wenatchee offices and introduce yourself. “It’s a wonderful engagement,” said Bugert. “The volunteers clearly help us, and in return we give them an opportunity to engage in a meaningful way.”
Top: Maintaining trails is one of the many endeavors of the Land Trust.
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Chelan-Douglas Land Trust photo
Bottom: The Wenatchee School District leads an annual outdoor classroom experience for elementary students at Saddle Rock.
The Land Trust’s Track Record The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust has partnered with a variety of groups and landowners on a myriad of projects over the years, including these: Horse Lake Reserve: This 1,500-acre reserve represents a critical piece of protected open lands in the Wenatchee Foothills. Wildlife can move from mountains to the valley. Mule deer will always find a winter haven here. People can hike for miles on trails that start right out the city’s back door. Peshastin Pinnacles Park: This popular rock climbing destination was closed to the public in 1986 due to liability concerns. CDLT brought together the involved parties to negotiate a sale, ensuring a unique public park for all to enjoy. Foothills Trail: Working with private citizens and government agencies, CDLT is helping build trails and preserve access to thousands of acres on the doorstep of the City of Wenatchee. Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail: CDLT advocated for this trail on the west side of the Columbia, to connect with the trails and parks on the east side of the river. Saddle Rock: Working together, the Land Trust helped accomplish the 100-year community goal of acquiring and protecting Saddle Rock forever. F Source: Chelan- Douglas Land Trust
Chelan-Douglas Land Trust photo
Chelan-Douglas Land Trust photo
Cyclists take in one of the many trails in the Horse Lake Reserve, an ongoing project maintained by the ChelanDouglas Land Trust.
This beautiful scene is accessible through the Day Drive Trailhead. May / June 2015
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NCW RECREATION
A bright ray among the
ashes
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STORY BY GARY JASINEK
PHOTOS BY REILLY KNEEDLER
The burned remains of a house sit on the edge of the Alta Lake Golf Course. Many houses in the area were destroyed last summer.
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Top: A fleet of golf carts were among the many assets lost in the fire. Bottom: All 40 replacement carts sit on the edge of the Alta Lake Golf Course parking lot, ready for the start of this season.
B
ecause wildfires are random, a wing of last July’s devastating Carlton Complex fire left the Alta Lake Golf Resort’s hotel intact, but destroyed the clubhouse a few feet to the south and a residence on the other side. Many of the pines that line the course’s front nine still stand green
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and healthy, but they’re interspersed with many more that are now just thin towers of charcoal. Also converted to smoke and ash were the course’s maintenance building and dozens of brand new golf carts. Course pro and president Parker Barth, whose family owns the course, lost his house, as did 55 of the 90 other
owners whose primary or second homes line the course. This spring, many are being reconstructed. Some are still just scorched foundations. Others went unscathed. So yes, the fire itself was random, but how the Barth family is responding to it is anything but. Parker’s father, Don, bought the course four miles out of Pateros in 1984. It’s the family’s home course — Barth also has ownership interest in the Rock Island, Desert Canyon and Bear Mountain courses. The Barths emerged from the fire’s devastation feeling not just a need to recover, but to make the course whole again. They viewed it as an opportunity to look around, take stock, be grateful, and rebuild it even better than it was. “The fire was a disaster, sure, but good things are coming out of it,” said Parker on a clear-blue March afternoon, while standing in the parking lot near the under-construction pro shop. “It brought the Alta Lake community closer together. It’s a chance to have positive energy — we certainly can’t be stagnant.”
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The front nine of the Alta Lake Golf Course was ready for the April 3 opening this year.
So instead of just using the insurance settlement to buy golf carts similar to those lost in the fire, the Barths restored the fleet with a few dozen from Desert Canyon — and 40 top-of-the-line, fuel-injected Yamahas. They’re beyond what insurance would pay for. When the pro shop burned, the fire took with it Don Barth’s second-story residential digs. The pro shop is being reborn with two luxurious rental
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suites upstairs instead, to supplement the 32 units at the surviving hotel. There will be a new pond feature on the front nine that will serve three purposes: bolster the irrigation system, act as a floating-ball driving range (the course currently has none), and provide a distracting aesthetic feature — “You’ll see water fountains spraying into the air, not burned trees,” Parker said. Plus, golfers who are length-challenged will enjoy the new, closer, fourth set of tees that are planned to enhance and speed up the game for short hitters. The family feels it owes Alta Lake’s faithful following to bring the course back better than before, Parker said. That loyalty has been more than evident since the fire.
Some regulars have offered to have work parties during their annual stay-and-play vacations. A group of teachers from Snohomish made sure the hotel was booked for its opening weekend in April. Local church members came to the course over the winter to help clear out burned snags. “We’ve been in business for 35 years here,” Parker said. “When people have that kind of outpouring of support, you realize it’s worth it. Curiously, in some ways the fire improved the course — if you’re a duffer. Trees that previously presented obstacles on holes No. 2 and 7 are no longer there. On the back nine, the fire cleared brushy areas lining the fairways that had guaranteed a wayward drive would be a lost ball. Now? Just a sketchy lie. Toasted Titleists and Top-Flites that had been hidden under brush for years are now exposed by the hundreds. Some waste areas around the course look like a sick version of an Easter egg hunt. The course itself — its grass short and long, in rough and on fairways and greens — actually has weathered
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Here’s the one guide to everything in North Central Washington, it’s the 2015 NCW Visitor’s Guide. With 100 pages of great ideas for things to see, do and experience throughout the region, it’s almost overwhelming. Featuring stunning photography, the entire lineup of events throughout the year during all four seasons, maps and much more. Pick up a free copy at the Wenatchee World office, or at many locations in these cities: WENATCHEE EAST WENATCHEE ENTIAT ORONDO WATERVILLE
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Bob McCallister drives the ball on the back nine. the fire quite well. It’s an emerald in a black setting. After the firestorm, the golf course “wanted to come back,” Parker said. The family obliged. Their biggest push, immediately after the July conflagration, was to restore the irrigation system and make sure the grass survived. The Barths brought in five
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10,000-pound generators to run the pumps, and dealt with repeated main breaks that Parker thinks were related to the fire. The spraying water rejuvenated more than the fairways, Parker recalled. “For a while there were five bears on the course that didn’t know what to do. After we fired up the sprin-
klers, the bears just walked up and down the fairway, cooling their paws.” Usually, he discourages ursine visitors, which cause problems at his nearby orchard (30 percent of which burned), but “this year, they got a pass.” The fire left too many challenges for the course to reopen last year. Sep-
Steve Cotterill, a retired teacher from Snohomish, reacts to a shot on April 3, the course’s season opener. tember, sometimes its second-biggest revenue month, was a bust. But on the bright side, the fairways, tees and greens avoided half a year’s divots, ball marks and cart tracks. The course enters this spring in perhaps its best shape ever, Parker said. Parker, who turns 36 this May, has a nearly lifelong connection to the
Alta Lake course. He was about to enter kindergarten when his family bought the course, and he spent a lot of his childhood parking golf carts and schlepping hoses (in those days, there was no irrigation system). He’s been busy rebuilding his home course, and also his home, where he lived with his wife and two sons. Oh, and they’re
expecting a third in June. The prospect of new life seems apt, given Parker’s approach to rejuvenating the golf course. “This is an opportunity to recalibrate,” he said, “to reconsider everything we’ve been doing for the past 30 years, so we can do it better for the next 30.” F
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THE VINE
Using grapes purchased from some of the state’s best vineyards, winemaker John Morgan crafts more than 20 different wines. 36
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Photo provided
Fine wine
STORY AND PHOTOS BY RICK STEIGMEYER
in cowboy country
S
trolling over the plank walks of the cowboy theme town of Winthrop, you might expect the drink of the day to be rotgut whiskey in one of the local saloons. What you might not expect to find is one of the finest wineries this side of Amarillo. That would be the Lost River Winery, located on the western edge of Winthrop. Winemaker and co-owner John Morgan purchases grapes from some of the best vineyards in the state to
produce world-class wines in a setting of world-class scenery and recreation. The bold woodcut labels by artist Dan Tuttle depict North Cascade landscapes that capture the rugged beauty of the Methow Valley. The wine inside those bottles captures the aromas and flavors of Old World Europe wine country. Morgan grew up in a wine family. His father collected fine wines from the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions of France, as well as from early Napa
Valley, California, wine producers. But it took a couple species of endangered salmon to make him achieve his long-fermented dream of starting his own winery. Where he and partner Barbara House chose to build their winery in 2002 is just as unlikely as why he started it. Lost River Winery is the Methow Valley’s only commercial winery. The barn-style tasting room fits nicely in the Western-theme town of Winthrop, attracting droves of visitors who
Lost River Winery specializes in Old World red and white wine varieties, sourced from some of Washington’s best and oldest vineyards.
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Lost River Winery, started in 2002 by John Morgan and Barbara House, is the Methow Valley’s only commercial winery. Photo provided
aren’t concerned that the surrounding hills aren’t likely to be landscaped in rolling vineyards anytime soon. Barbara’s son, Liam Doyle, manages the tasting room and the winery’s sales and marketing. Lost River also has a Seattle tasting room at 2003 Western Ave. It’s just fine with Morgan to leave grape growing to skilled viticulturists. He’s developed contracts with some of the state’s most renowned vineyards in areas where soils, conditions and results are equivalent, he believes, with some of the best vineyards of France and California. Morgan was schooled in engineering, which may offer a clue to his love for the chemistry and machinery involved in winemaking. Previous to diving into the wine business, he was
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“Washington is a very good place to be right now.” John Morgan Lost River Winery’s Winemaker & Co-Owner an engineer for Whatcom County in Bellingham. Building bridges and roads was his specialty. When Pacific salmon were added to the endangered special list in the 1990s, bridge building came to a near halt, Morgan said. His work as an engineer grew more tangled in political red tape than concrete and steel stress factors. He and
Photo provided
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Rio Vista on the River
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Photo provided
Morgan thinks European-style wines are a good fit for western theme town Winthrop. Barbara had been building a second home near Mazama since 1994. In 2001, they decided to take the plunge and start a new career as vintners, adding a winery addition to their Lost River home. The politics involved with building bridges turned out to be good preparation for wrestling with state and federal liquor laws, Morgan said. His engineering background enabled him to build the winery, first at the couple’s home west of Mazama, and later at the Winthrop tasting room. Winemaking expertise came from course work through University of California at Davis and much mentoring with other winemakers in the state. “Washington is a very good place to be right now,” he said. In addition to having an ideal grape-growing climate and an exploding interest in wine, winemakers in the state are excited about learning and sharing knowledge. “We’re not in competition with each other. The competition is with California and bulk producers that can make wine so cheap,” he added. Lost River Winery has tried to come up with ways to lower the cost of its own wine for community members and visitors who want top-shelf
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Photo provided
Oysters on the half shell pair nicely with Lost River Winery’s 2013 Pinot Gris. The wine won the 2014 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition.
quality at a reasonable price. The winery’s Community Red is now available in 1.5-liter plastic bags. The wine — a rustic blend of all Lost River’s red varietals — and its packaging have proved to be a hit with hikers, bikers, skiers, campers and other outdoor enthusiasts who don’t want to lug in — or out — a crate of fragile bottles to their destinations. 40
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Community Red is also available in a 1-liter refillable growler. Since the winery sells some of its red and white wines in kegs to restaurants and bars, it can have kegs on hand to refill growlers — or even the plastic bags — at the tasting room. “We like them because the refills bring people in over and over again,” Morgan said. F
Top: The Lost River Winery tasting room in Winthrop is a popular spot for Methow Valley tourists.
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Bottom: Lost River Winery is on the western edge of Western-themed Winthrop.
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UPON FURTHER REVIEW
Cairdeas Winery 2012 Counoise, $36 I’m happy to report that the “Coonwahz” grape is popping up here and there in Washington. I enjoy Rhône wines from France and this is a grape varietal that they often blend into the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines. The French also make Rosés from Counoise, including the well-known Tavel bottlings. Cairdeas brought their grapes up from the Yakima Valley and mixed the Counoise with 25 percent Petite Sirah. Counoise tends to be a tart, light red wine and the Petite Sirah grounds the wine, creating an interesting mix of cherry, black fruits, Red Delicious apple and spices including pepper. In fact, there is a bit of the earthiness of an orchard after a light rain. If you don’t know what that smells like, shame on you. You should grab a bottle of this wine and go for a picnic near an orchard and enjoy the gift of living in this beautiful area.
PHOTOS BY MARCO MARTINEZ
Benson Vineyards 2013 Curious, $19
Milbrandt Vineyards 2013 Traditions Riesling, $13
Most wine geeks get caught up in wine because they are curious people. They have this desire to investigate and gain knowledge. Wine is something that you can never quite grasp in its entirety because it constantly evolves. It creates a never-ending cycle of tasting. Obviously, this is a hard way to live and sometimes you just need to end your day with what I call a “porch” wine. These are wines that you can bust out when you have family and friends over that usually don’t drink wine, and they also work well for sipping on your porch or deck, by yourself with a good book. The Bensons’ Curious is a medium to full bodied blend of 50 percent Viognier and 50 percent Chardonnay. Honeysuckle, mango, and melons (doesn’t that just sound like sunshine) play around on the palate with a nice balance of acidity and crème brûlée sweetness. Treat yourself to Curious and put your feet up.
Riesling is one of the workhorses for the Washington wine industry because we grow it very well. Many of us started sipping Riesling, probably a Ste. Michelle, before jumping into the vast array of varietals and blends. The funny thing about this is that many wine lovers do a full circle and come back to having a relationship with Riesling. It’s a lovely grape that is actually a noble varietal, and even though we typically drink it young, it can age a long time if made right. The Milbrandts have been growing this grape for a while and know what they are doing. Their Traditions version is a good representation of Washington Riesling with fresh apple, nectarine, orchard blossom and citrus aromas. The palate is off dry and echoes the fruit aromas. Spicy foods such as Asian and Indian cuisines need a little bit of sweetness to offset their heat and the Milbrandt Traditions Riesling makes a great match.
Barb Robertson City: Wenatchee Credentials: Earned advanced certification through London-based Wine and Spirit Education Trust; currently working toward higher level diploma through WSET. Earned 42
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degree in marketing from Central Washington University. Owned The Wine Bin retail shop in Wenatchee for five years. Has worked in the Northwest wine industry more than 10 years, including distribution, sales, production and marketing. Was a judge for the 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 North Central Washington Wine Awards.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
Lost River Winery 2012 Barbera, $26 Any winemaker will tell you that a great wine starts with the fruit. The grapes for this wine come from the south-facing Wallula Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills region. It starts on a bench above the Columbia River and then heads up the hill to an elevation of nearly 1,400 feet. Wallula is considered one of the best vineyards in the state because of its location. The river helps maintain ideal growing temperatures for red in the lower elevation and white in the higher elevations. The winemaking team at Lost River let the fruit shine through, and as a result there are full flavors of dark cherry, blueberry, pomegranate, a touch of spice and some hidden floral I couldn’t identify. The finish lingers nicely with cherry as the predominate flavor. The tannins are moderate but Barbera has plenty of acid, which begs for food. You could pair this up with just about anything with a red sauce. but because of its versatility it could also go with a dish such as salmon. Well done John, Barbara and Liam.
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STORY BY RICK STEIGMEYER
PHOTOS BY MARCO MARTINEZ
Message in the bottle M
ost everyone knows by now that North Central Washington wineries produce some of the nation’s, if not the world’s, finest wines. But there’s much to be appreciated even before that wine’s fragrant bouquet and intense flavors are unleashed. There’s a lot of thought that goes into a wine’s presentation. Decisions regarding choice of bottle, cork or screwcap, and label design can affect what’s in the bottle as well as why and whether you may decide to purchase it. Screwcaps are becoming more widely accepted by the public. They’re less expensive and in many ways more reliable than a cork for wines meant to be consumed within a few years of bottling. But there’s no denying the impression of a well-corked wine, said Angelo Tavernaro, a master sommelier now living in Richland who often leads wine classes in NCW.
Different presentations of wine; bottle, label and cork.
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Don Seabrook photo
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“You pull the cork, show it to your guest and offer it to smell. How do you do that with a screwcap?” laughed Tavernaro, who used to serve $1,000 wines to the likes of Frank Sinatra while working as wine director for Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Natural corks have been used to stopper wine since the 1400s. A great wine made to stow away in the cellar for decades deserves nothing less than a first-class, long cork made whole from the bark of the cork oak tree, Tavernaro said. “I would use a cork for any wine to be stored more than five years, while a screwcap may be the best thing for wines meant to be drunk young,” he said. Corks are subject to a condition known as cork taint that can spoil the taste of a wine even when stored under ideal conditions. Certain bottle styles, shapes and
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colors have been married to specific wines for centuries. Dry red wines are traditionally sold in broad shouldered, darker-colored bottles. The shoulders of the bottle trap sediment as the wines are poured. The colored glass, usually green, keeps the red wine from fading or oxidizing if exposed to sunlight. Dry white wines usually come in light-green bottles, sweeter wines often in clear to show off their clarity. White wines shouldn’t have sediment. Chardonnay and fuller whites almost always are in slopeshouldered bottles. Riesling is most often sold in taller bottles with long, elegant necks. Champagne requires thick glass, a pronounced punt (indented bottom) and a different style of cork to deal with the pressure created by ongoing fermentation that creates the bubbles.
The variety of wine largely determines the size and shape of bottle used. White wines, which have little or no sediment, end up in slopeshouldered bottles. Red wines, like this ‘37 Cellars Merlot, typically find a home in broad-shouldered bottles.
GREAT WINE. GREAT FOOD. GREAT FUN.
It’s the largest gathering of wineries in the region, and the only professionally-judged wine event dedicated to wines produced in Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties. And this year it’s bigger than ever—more food, wine, beers, ciders, distilleries and eateries.
Saturday, August 22 6pm to 9pm Town Toyota Center, Wenatchee Tickets $45 each • A limited number of VIP tickets available for $65 each Available online at wenwineandfood.com Presented by Foothills Magazine
oothills
Interested in having a booth at this event? E-mail us at info@wenwineandfood.com
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May / June 2015
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Top: Chuck Egner and Frank Dechaine named their winery ‘37 Cellars for a rare and celebrated vintage of Martin guitars. Right: There’s a story behind nearly every wine label. To find out the story of Icicle Ridge Winery’s “Wine & More Sangiovese Port,” you’ll need to read the back label.
Tavernaro said good wines will age better in larger bottles and a magnum (1.5 liter or twice the size of standard wine bottle) or double magnum (3 liter) can be very impressive to open for a special occasion with several guests. Winemakers often bottle their wine according to their intended market segment. Rob Newsom of Leavenworth uses heavy, impressivelooking bottles and the best available corks for his Boudreaux Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon that he sells for between $60 and $100 a bottle. After corking, the bottle necks are dipped in red wax to seal from bacteria and give the wine ultimate protection for long storage. It’s a beautiful presentation, packaged to store well for a special occasion.
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Chuck Egner inserts a new roll of labels during a June bottling session for his winery’s 2012 Merlot.
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“It’s all about how good you feel about the wine you put in the bottle,” Newsom said about the Cabernet Sauvignon he sources from the state’s most reputable vineyards. “It’s like putting a roof on your home. Why would you want to put something shoddy over something that’s so important. We want to carry the quality of our wines right to the glass.” Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards in Manson also uses the handdipped red wax seal and a unique squat bottle for its Land Ho! port-
style dessert wine. Some label offerings are more personal. Malaga Springs Winery labels its wines with a colorful scene of the ranch painted by owner Al Mathews’ mother. Rio Vista Wines have labels from paintings of NCW landscapes by the owners’ daughter, Kerry Siderius. Stemilt Creek Winery names and labels its wines after family ancestors, with Horan Estates Winery doing the same for some of its varieties. Chuck Egner and Frank Dechaine named their winery ‘37 Cellars for a rare and celebrated vintage of Martin
guitars. Both men are accomplished musicians — as well as winemakers — who own 1937 Martin guitars, considered the Holly Grail of acoustic guitar making. The label on their wines includes the abstract shape of a guitar to symbolize their intent to make the finest wines possible. “We’ve always made wine that we like to drink from the best grapes possible,” Egner said. “By putting that guitar on the label as the reflection of quality, we’re trying to put a little bit of ourselves into each bottle.” F
Bottles wait to be filled during a summer bottling session at Icicle Ridge Winery.
May / June 2015
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FOOTHILLS CATALOGUE
SHOPPING
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PARTING SHOT
PHOTO BY MICHELLE NARANJO
Flowering quince cameo flowers show off their colors at the Riverfront Park Xeriscape Garden in Wenatchee.
oothills WENATCHEE u LEAVENWORTH u CHELAN AND ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON
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FREE Design!
4TH OF JULY EVENTS 9:00-11:00 am Annual River Run Cashmere Valley Bank’s Pancake 9:00-11:00 am Breakfast Wenatchee Youth Circus 11:00 am 1:00-3:00 pm Cherry Pit Spitting Contest “Extraordinary Ordinary People”: 1:00-5:00 pm Exhibit & Patriotic film about the founding of Wenatchee
Pybus Market Pybus market Eastmont Park Pybus Market Wenatchee Museum
Numerica Performing Arts Center Apple Sox play Klamath Falls 7:05 pm Paul Thomas Field Hosted in Chelan County PUD’s Walla Walla Point Park (all below) 4:00-11:00 pm Food, arts and crafts vendors L-Bow the Clown Time TBD 4:00-9:00 pm Elite Hoops Fest 4:00-11:00 pm Veteran Pavilion, hosted by Keyes Fibre 4:00-9:40 pm Live Music Leon “Abe Lincoln” McKinney presentation 9:40 pm 9:50-10:15 pm Salute to Military Veterans 9:40-11:00 pm Wenatchee Valley Symphony, simulcast on KOHO-FM FIREWORKS! 10:15 pm 2:00 pm
“Just Say No to the USO” by Stage Kids
Wenatchee Valley Independence Day Celebration
May / June 2015
Foothills
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It’s All Here! Macy’s Ross Dress For Less
Marshalls Sportsman’s Warehouse Sears Hometown Buckle The Children’s Place & more
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Valley Mall Parkway, East Wenatchee
Foothills
May / June 2015
www.WenatcheeValleyMall.com