Winter in the Nason Ridge Community Forest
In the forest, winter is when the most frequent guests (critters, bears, or foresters, to name a few) go into hibernation for a few months. As weather gets colder, wetter, or in some cases, snow covered, the activities possible in our region’s forests change significantly.
The Nason Ridge Community Forest is a great example of how snow and winter weather doesn’t preclude forest usages. At Nason Ridge, the activities change with the seasons.
The property, which came into Chelan County Ownership in 2022, following an acquisition effort of Western Rivers Conservancy from timberland landowner, Weyerhaeuser Company, remains open to recreational access and public use year-round. In the warmer months, the property and surrounding area gets filled with hikers, birdwatchers, mountain bikers, fishers, and more. During the winter months, the Nason Ridge Community Forest turns into a picturesque winter landscape, remaining accessible to skiers and snowshoers. Those hearty enough to venture into the relatively remote area are treated to over 20 kilometers of groomed and marked trails for winter use, this grooming takes place in partnership with Washington State Parks, and is one of the eight groomed sno-park trail systems across Washington.
The short video below highlights some of the wonderful skiing available on the Nason Ridge Property.
Adjacent to Lake Wenatchee State Park, Nason Ridge maintains the balance of recreation, sustainable forest management, and habitat protection. When combined with the surrounding State lands, Nason Ridge is part of a greater 4,500-acre conservation & recreation complex, nestled within the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest and adjacent to the Alpine Lakes and Henry M. Jackson Wilderness Areas.
Photo: Nason Ridge Groom Ski Trail, Daniel Wear
As the Community Forest continues engagement efforts with local stakeholders, meetings discussing access, hunting, and future recreation plans are ongoing. Details on the status and meetings are online at the Chelan County website. The Nason Ridge Community Forest is a great example of a community forest that continues to be intentional around engaging with a wide array of community stakeholders to ensure a thoughtful public access and recreation plan is produced.