Stehekin River
Encyclopedia
The Stehekin River is a river located in Washington state in the Pacific Northwest
of the United States
. It is the main river flowing into Lake Chelan
. Miners arrived in Stehekin River Valley in the late 19th century. They were followed by homesteaders in the early 20th century. Today, the Stehekin River Valley is still a remote area that can only be reached by way of a 55-mile boat ride up Lake Chelan
.
The river's name comes from the Columbia-Moses word stxwíkn', which means "the way through."
near Cascade Pass
in North Cascades National Park
. It collects the waters of numerous headwater tributaries such as Pelton Creek, Doubtful Creek, and Basin Creek. Major peaks near the source of the Stehekin River include Boston Peak
, Buckner Mountain
, Booker Mountain, Sahale Mountain
, Cascade Peak, Mix-up Peak, and Hurry-up Peak.
The Stehekin River flows generally west and southwest from these mountains, south of Park Creek Ridge to its confluence with Park Creek. Shortly below Park Creek the river receives Bridge Creek, one of its main tributaries. Bridge Creek joins from the north and drains northermost Chelan County in North Cascades National Park. Bridge Creek and its tributaries drain a number of significant peaks including Goode Mountain, Storm King, Mount Logan, Black Peak, and others. Bridge Creek's source is located near Rainy Pass and Washington Pass along Washington State Route 20. The Stehekin River continues generally southeast to the northwest end of Lake Chelan. Shortly above the lake it receives Agnes Creek from the west, another significant tributary. Agnes Creek drains the northernmost part of Wenatchee National Forest
. Its final mile marks the boundary between North Cascades National Park and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
.
At the Agnes Creek confluence the Stehekin River exists the national park and enters the national recreation area. The Stehekin River enters Lake Chelan near Stehekin
, a small community accessible only by boat. Roads from Stehekin follow the river up much of its valley. There are numerous campgrounds. The Pacific Crest Trail
enters the Stehekin River basin from the south via Suiattle Pass, down South Fork Agnes Creek and Agnes Creek to the Stehekin River, then up the Stehekin to Bridge Creek and up Bridge Creek to Rainy Pass.
Over the centuries, the changing course of the Stehekin River deposited rich, alluvial sediments
along the valley floor; however, it also left behind large boulders that made farming difficult. Nevertheless, early homesteaders began farming in the valley around 1910. The most desirable homesteads were located along the Stehekin River and its tributaries since these sites provided a reliable water supply for farming and natural transportation routes leading to Lake Chelan. The Bunkner Homestead
was one of the earliest farms along the Stehekin River. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Because of the harsh winters, few early settlers remained in the valley year around. In the fall most homesteaders would leave the area, choosing to spend the winter in less isolated communities like Chelan. In the spring, families would return the Stehekin Valley to work their farms. Many of the early homesteaders supplemented their incomes by guiding miners into the backcountry and packing goods to remote mining claims. In 1902, the valley's first school was opened in a cabin located at the head of the Lake Chelan. It was later replaced by structure known as the Kronk cabin. Today, the cabin is the oldest school building in the Stehekin Valley. As new families arrived, the need for a real schoolhouse became clear. In 1921, valley residents select a site for a new school. The school was a log structure, built by local volunteers. The Stehekin School
still exists, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
As mining declined, subsistence farming, logging, and tourism sustained the residents of the Stehekin Valley. Apples were an important crop in the first half of the 20th century. In the winter, hunting and trapping a part of life for year around residents. Perhaps most important to the valley's economy was the arrival of the United States Forest Service
. With the establishment of the Stehekin Ranger District in 1905, reliable seasonal work became available to valley residents.
Today, the Stehekin Valley is still quite isolated. There are fewer than one hundred year-around residents, most employed by the National Park Service. The only way into the valley is a 55-mile boat ride from Chelan. Two boats provided daily service between Chelan and Stehekin during the summer. In the winter, boat service is limited to two trips a week.
These are the main tributaries of the Stehekin River:
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the main river flowing into Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S. It is the largest natural lake in Washington state...
. Miners arrived in Stehekin River Valley in the late 19th century. They were followed by homesteaders in the early 20th century. Today, the Stehekin River Valley is still a remote area that can only be reached by way of a 55-mile boat ride up Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S. It is the largest natural lake in Washington state...
.
The river's name comes from the Columbia-Moses word stxwíkn', which means "the way through."
Course
The Stehekin River originates in the North CascadesNorth Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in Canada as the Cascade Mountains...
near Cascade Pass
Cascade Pass
Cascade Pass is a mountain pass over the northern Cascade Range, east of Marblemount, Washington, U.S....
in North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the state of Washington. The park is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Several national wilderness areas and British Columbia parkland adjoin the...
. It collects the waters of numerous headwater tributaries such as Pelton Creek, Doubtful Creek, and Basin Creek. Major peaks near the source of the Stehekin River include Boston Peak
Boston Peak
Boston Peak is a tall peak in the North Cascades in the U.S. state of Washington and within North Cascades National Park. At in elevation it is the 26th highest peak in Washington. Its nearest higher neighbor is Buckner Mountain, to the east.-Description:...
, Buckner Mountain
Buckner Mountain
Buckner Mountain is a tall peak in the North Cascades of Washington state and in the Stephen Mather Wilderness of North Cascades National Park. At in elevation it is the highest in Skagit County and one of about ten of Washington's non-volcanic peaks above 9,000 feet high...
, Booker Mountain, Sahale Mountain
Sahale Mountain
Sahale Mountain is a jagged, glaciated mountain, in North Cascades National Park, in northern Washington state. The summit of Sahale Mountain is referred to as Sahale Peak. It is just south of its higher neighbor, Boston Peak, and the saddle between the two is only lower than Sahale's summit...
, Cascade Peak, Mix-up Peak, and Hurry-up Peak.
The Stehekin River flows generally west and southwest from these mountains, south of Park Creek Ridge to its confluence with Park Creek. Shortly below Park Creek the river receives Bridge Creek, one of its main tributaries. Bridge Creek joins from the north and drains northermost Chelan County in North Cascades National Park. Bridge Creek and its tributaries drain a number of significant peaks including Goode Mountain, Storm King, Mount Logan, Black Peak, and others. Bridge Creek's source is located near Rainy Pass and Washington Pass along Washington State Route 20. The Stehekin River continues generally southeast to the northwest end of Lake Chelan. Shortly above the lake it receives Agnes Creek from the west, another significant tributary. Agnes Creek drains the northernmost part of Wenatchee National Forest
Wenatchee National Forest
Wenatchee National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Washington. With an area of 1,735,394 acres , it extends about 137 miles along the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range of Washington, USA from Okanogan National Forest to Gifford Pinchot National Forest...
. Its final mile marks the boundary between North Cascades National Park and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
Lake Chelan National Recreation Area is a U.S. National Recreation Area located about south of the Canadian border in Chelan County, Washington. It encompasses an area of approximately including the northern end of Lake Chelan and the surrounding area of the Stehekin Valley and the Stehekin...
.
At the Agnes Creek confluence the Stehekin River exists the national park and enters the national recreation area. The Stehekin River enters Lake Chelan near Stehekin
Stehekin, Washington
Stehekin is a small unincorporated community in Chelan County, Washington. It is part of Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located at the northwest end of Lake Chelan, it lies just south of the North Cascades National Park at . It is within Lake Chelan National...
, a small community accessible only by boat. Roads from Stehekin follow the river up much of its valley. There are numerous campgrounds. The Pacific Crest Trail
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The southern terminus is at the California border with Mexico...
enters the Stehekin River basin from the south via Suiattle Pass, down South Fork Agnes Creek and Agnes Creek to the Stehekin River, then up the Stehekin to Bridge Creek and up Bridge Creek to Rainy Pass.
Settlement
Because the region is so remote, the Stehekin River valley remained unsettled until the 1880s, when miners began infiltrating the region in search of mineral wealth. Between the years 1887–1910, a significant number of miners arrived looking for mineral deposits in the North Cascades. By 1890, there was a relatively large hotel Stehekin on Lake Chelan at the mouth of the Stehekin River. The hotel served tourists and fishermen as well as miners.Over the centuries, the changing course of the Stehekin River deposited rich, alluvial sediments
Alluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
along the valley floor; however, it also left behind large boulders that made farming difficult. Nevertheless, early homesteaders began farming in the valley around 1910. The most desirable homesteads were located along the Stehekin River and its tributaries since these sites provided a reliable water supply for farming and natural transportation routes leading to Lake Chelan. The Bunkner Homestead
Buckner Homestead Historic District
The Buckner Homestead Historic District, near Stehekin, Washington in Lake Chelan National Recreation Area incorporates a group of structures relating to the theme of early settlement in the Lake Chelan area...
was one of the earliest farms along the Stehekin River. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Because of the harsh winters, few early settlers remained in the valley year around. In the fall most homesteaders would leave the area, choosing to spend the winter in less isolated communities like Chelan. In the spring, families would return the Stehekin Valley to work their farms. Many of the early homesteaders supplemented their incomes by guiding miners into the backcountry and packing goods to remote mining claims. In 1902, the valley's first school was opened in a cabin located at the head of the Lake Chelan. It was later replaced by structure known as the Kronk cabin. Today, the cabin is the oldest school building in the Stehekin Valley. As new families arrived, the need for a real schoolhouse became clear. In 1921, valley residents select a site for a new school. The school was a log structure, built by local volunteers. The Stehekin School
Stehekin School
The Stehekin School is a log structure built in 1921 as a school for the community of Stehekin, Washington. The property includes two outhouses and a separate kindergarten cabin. The school was used from 1921 to 1988, when a new school was built....
still exists, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
As mining declined, subsistence farming, logging, and tourism sustained the residents of the Stehekin Valley. Apples were an important crop in the first half of the 20th century. In the winter, hunting and trapping a part of life for year around residents. Perhaps most important to the valley's economy was the arrival of the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
. With the establishment of the Stehekin Ranger District in 1905, reliable seasonal work became available to valley residents.
Today, the Stehekin Valley is still quite isolated. There are fewer than one hundred year-around residents, most employed by the National Park Service. The only way into the valley is a 55-mile boat ride from Chelan. Two boats provided daily service between Chelan and Stehekin during the summer. In the winter, boat service is limited to two trips a week.
Recreation
During the summer tourism is important since the area in now part of the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. The Stehekin River is scenic and remote, offering whitewater rafting and kayaking opportunities. There are may camp sites available along the river. The Stehekin River is known as for its excellent fly-fishing. Rainbow and cutthroat trout fishing is best in the spring, and fishermen come for sockeye salmon in the fall.Tributaries
- Agnes Creek
- Arrow Creek
- Basin Creek
- Battalion Creek
- Blackberry Creek
- Boulder Creek
- Bridge Creek
- Buzzard Creek
- Cabin Creek
- Canim Creek
- Clear Creek
- Company Creek
- Coon Creek
- Cottonwood Creek
- Doubtful Creek
- Flat Creek
- Junction Creek
- Margerum Creek
- McGregor Creek
- Moon Creek
- Park Creek
- Pelton Creek
- Rainbow Creek
- Sun Creek
- Theis Creek
- Tolo Creek