Aye, Chiwawa!

That's what the natives called the Chiwawa River Valley, which begins at the base of Chiwawa Mountain (above).

On one side of the valley is Chiwawa Ridge (below, in the background).On the other side is the Entiat Range, running from the Glacier Peak Wilderness (bottom) to the Columbia River, from high alpine terrain to desert lowlands.

The Chiwawa River Valley has a decidedly different climate and ecosystem compared to the valleys to its immediate west. It's dryer, with more sunny days and pine trees, and backcountry snows leave more quickly than the mountain country on the west side.