Subject: Colockum Pass
Date: May 8 19:44:12 2002
From: Douglas Canning - dcanning at nisquallyestuary.org


On 7 May 2002, Gayle Benton wrote:

> I have heard that Coluckum Pass is a very good birding area. I am
> going over there this weekend and would like to know if there are any
> particular spots that are special. Can't seem to find much information
> on that area.

Here's the directions and description I've entered into the
http://birdnotes.net Site Guide for "Colockum Road Corridor," largely
courtesy of Charlie Wright:

"The Colockum Road Corridor begins about 17 miles NE of Ellensburg,
Kittitas County, at Erickson Road near Cariboo Creek, from where it ascends
the ridge line between Cariboo Creek and Cooke Canyon, crosses Colockum
Pass (5371 feet), and then descends a ridge line to Colockum Creek, Chelan
County, and thence to the Columbia River south of Rock Island Dam. An old
stagecoach road, it is for high clearance vehicles, but 4WD is only rarely
needed. DeLorme 67.

"Colockum Road crosses the southeastern fringe of the Wenatchee Mountains.
Charlie Wright reports that "the road goes through highly varied habitat
from shrub-steppe and sagebrush on the Ellensburg side; to dry Ponderosa
Pine forests; to Lodgepole Pine, Engelman Spruce, and Western Larch forests
around the pass; to aspen groves and riparian areas. Birds typical of this
area are all 3 nuthatches; both bluebirds; Blue, Ruffed, and rarely Sage
Grouse; chats and catbirds; orioles, White-headed Woodpeckers, and many
more!" "

Charlie's entered data into BirdNotes from one trip through the area in
April of this year. Diann MacRae describes the area at page 207 in her
"Birders Guide to Washington."

The BirdNotes Site Guides for birding locations in Adams, Asotin, Benton,
Cowlitz, Okanogan, Thurston, and Wakiakum counties all have at least basic
directions and descriptions. I'm still picking away at directions to
birding locales in the other Washington counties.


*****************************
Douglas Canning
Olympia, Washington
dcanning at nisquallyestuary.org
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