Exploring Washington's last frontier

The Mountaineers Books and Conservation Northwest are proud to present Columbia Highlands: Exploring Washington’s Last Frontier, the first book to highlight the Upper Columbia region of Washington in the northeast corner of the state.

The book, by noted outdoor writer Craig Romano with thoughtful photography by James Johnston, Paul Bannick, and others, takes the reader on a photographic journey to the place where the Cascades meet the Rockies east of the Okanogan River in Washington. One hundred rich images portray an intimate portrait of the landscape, plants, animals, and people in a beautiful but largely undiscovered corner of the American West.

Protecting a landscape of forest, people, and wildlife

Through image and narrative, Columbia Highlands delves into the importance of protecting this rich landscape as a wildlife bridge for wolves, bears, moose, and lynx and other animals who must roam to survive. And it brings home the importance of protecting the social fabric of our rural communities, along the way highlighting one of the most successful community collaborations in the West, the Columbia Highlands Initiative. The book features biographies of people in the local community who are deeply connected to the land and its future.

Emerging here in the northeast corner of Washington is a new and compelling kind of conservation blueprint that preserves the health of the ecosystem while sustaining a viable rural economy and lifestyle.

Available now in bookstores in Washington. Ordering your book through Conservation Northwest supports our work to keep the Northwest wild; thank you for your support.