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65-627: The Horse Heaven Hills are a long range of high, rolling hills in Klickitat , Yakima , and Benton counties in Washington . The hills are an anticline ridge in the Yakima Fold Belt formed by north–south compression of lava flows in the Columbia River Basalt Group . The highest point is Bickleton Ridge in the west end of the hills. They lie within the rain shadow to the east of

130-562: A topographical prominence requirement, typically 100 feet (30.5 m) or 500 feet (152.4 m). In practice, mountains in Scotland are frequently referred to as "hills" no matter what their height, as reflected in names such as the Cuillin Hills and the Torridon Hills . In Wales, the distinction is more a term of land use and appearance and has nothing to do with height. For a while,

195-436: A hill). The rounded peaks of hills results from the diffusive movement of soil and regolith covering the hill, a process known as downhill creep . Various names may be used to describe types of hills, based on appearance and method of formation. Many such names originated in one geographical region to describe a type of hill formation particular to that region, though the names are often adopted by geologists and used in

260-545: A limit of 2,000 feet (610 m) and Whittow states "Some authorities regard eminences above 600 m (1,969 ft) as mountains, those below being referred to as hills." Today, a mountain is usually defined in the UK and Ireland as any summit at least 2,000 feet or 610 meters high, while the UK government's Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 defined mountainous areas (for the purposes of open access legislation) as areas above 600 meters (1,969 feet). Some definitions include

325-526: A much smaller force entrenched on the hill top. Battles for the possession of high ground have often resulted in heavy casualties to both sides, such as the 1969 Battle of Hamburger Hill during the Vietnam War , the Battle of Stalingrad and Battle of Peleliu during World War II , and the 1969 Kargil War between India and Pakistan. The Great Wall of China is an enduring example of hilltop fortification. It

390-443: A peak of around 1,200 feet (370 m) above today's sea level before all of the water flowed through Wallula Gap, which constrained the flow so that only about a fifth of the water could pass through in a day. The lake extended as far as Yakima and Moses Lake . The flood deposited glacial erratics on the lower slopes of the hills. These erratics are granite, which were pushed by the ice sheet from Alberta and then were deposited by

455-613: A semi-arid climate, into a region that can grow a wide variety of crops. Most of the irrigated land is on the southern slope of the Horse Heaven Hills. Thousands of acres within the Horse Heaven Hills are owned by government agencies. Most of the public land is controlled by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources . The Bureau of Land Management has significant holdings south of Benton City , and various local governments hold small amounts of land throughout

520-454: A ten-year period. These events can reduce visibility to near zero and force the closure of highways in the hills. In the winter, the Horse Heaven Hills are subject to more snow than the surrounding valleys. This can lead to erosion issues when large amounts of snow melt. The Horse Heaven Hills may serve as a boundary that creates air pollution problems in the Tri-Cities. On hot, calm days during

585-454: A wider geographical context. These include: Many settlements were originally built on hills, either to avoid floods (particularly if they were near a large body of water), for defense (since they offer a good view of the surrounding land and require would-be attackers to fight uphill), or to avoid densely forested areas. For example, Ancient Rome was built on seven hills , helping to protect it from invaders. Some settlements, particularly in

650-596: Is a bowl-shaped area upstream of the Meadow Springs Country Club which holds both the West Fork and the East Fork of Amon Creek. While the two forks pass within about a third of a mile of each other, their confluence is about a mile upstream. The Amon Basin has unique ecological significance to the area, especially in the wetlands along the West Fork where several different kinds of animals can be seen. Outside of

715-540: Is a small hill. Other words include knoll and (in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England) its variant, knowe. Artificial hills may be referred to by a variety of technical names, including mound and tumulus . Hills may form through geomorphic phenomena : faulting , erosion of larger landforms such as mountains and movement and deposition of sediment by glaciers (notably moraines and drumlins or by erosion exposing solid rock which then weathers down into

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780-565: Is also popular along the entire length of the creek as many migrant birds utilize the ecosystem around the creek while they are in the Columbia Basin. Below Meadow Springs Country Club, several fish species have been spotted. In some years, these can include salmon and trout , however summer water temperatures, which can exceed 74 °F (23 °C), can be lethal to fish populations. The creek also serves as an oasis with heightened amounts of vegetation around it. The basin around

845-441: Is grown. The irrigation network continues to be expanded. An example of this is a project in 2016 that allowed for 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) more land to be irrigated. Projects like this have been opposed by wheat growers that lease the land they grow on, because they lose out to farmers who grow other crops. Where irrigation water is accessible, a variety of crops can be grown. Some of these include potatoes, onions, and carrots in

910-453: Is known today as the Columbia River Basalt Group . There were over 300 individual flows with an average volume of 500–600 cubic kilometres (120–140 cu mi). This series of eruptions were unrelated to the volcanism occurring in the nearby Cascade Range. The flows gained an eventual thickness of around 1.8 kilometres (5,900 ft). The weight of the newly erupted basalt caused the underlying crust to subside. North-to-south compression of

975-476: Is native to the region and common. Some of the flowers found in the area are listed at varying levels of endangerment, including the cushion daisy , which is listed as imperiled. Invasive plant species have found a place in the Horse Heaven Hills in the absence of the large number of grazers who formerly roamed the region. Upon the arrival of horses, the Native Americans likely used them for hunting, depleting

1040-547: Is popular in hilly areas such as the English Peak District and the Scottish Highlands . Many hills are categorized according to relative height or other criteria and feature on lists named after mountaineers, such as Munros (Scotland) and Wainwrights (England). Specific activities such as " peak bagging " (or "Munro bagging") involve climbing hills on these lists with the aim of eventually climbing every hill on

1105-601: Is surely a horse heaven!" Farmers began growing dryland wheat in the hills above Prosser after a flour mill was built there in 1887. A couple of small towns were established in the late-19th Century and early-20th Century, such as Bickleton and Horse Heaven. Bickleton was first established as a trading post, with the rest of the town developing around it. Horse Heaven had a post office for about 30 years, while Bickleton's continues to operate today. Several million years ago, lava erupted from fissures in Oregon and Idaho creating what

1170-634: Is the Amon Creek Nature Preserve in Amon Basin which includes several trails for hiking and observing the wildlife. The confluence of the two forks is in the Meadow Springs Country Club, which is an 18-hole golf course . At the mouth of the creek in the Yakima River Delta there is a dense forest administered by the USACE which holds many trails for hiking and mountain biking . Bird watching

1235-641: Is tied into the Bonneville Power Administration transmission system. The Juniper Canyon Wind Project near Bickleton started construction in 2010 in two phases. The first phase is capable of producing 150 megawatts, with the second portion adding 100 megawatts. It is also tied into the Bonneville Power Administration system through a newly built 20.4 miles (32.8 km) transmission line. The Horse Heaven Hills are dominated by grasses, shrubs, and small flowering plants. Sagebrush

1300-557: Is within Benton County. The creek flows through the semi-arid climate in the rain shadow of the Cascade mountains . Because of this, the creek serves an important role as an oasis , especially outside of developed areas. The flow in the West Fork mainly comes from springs in and around Badger Canyon whereas the flow in the East Fork is primarily runoff from nearby irrigation canals. The East and West Forks of Amon Creek come together at

1365-507: The Cascade Range , making them significantly drier and hotter than regions west of the Cascades. The region has been inhabited by Native Americans for centuries, who had settlements surrounding the Horse Heaven Hills. They used the range both as hunting grounds and as a geographic boundary between different tribes. The Lewis and Clark Expedition represents the first known Europeans to reach

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1430-581: The Yakama Indian Reservation south of Yakima, Washington . The Lewis and Clark Expedition came down the Snake River to the present day site of Sacajawea State Park near Pasco in the fall of 1805. The Horse Heaven Hills are noted in their journal entry on October 16 as "a range of high Countrey which runs from S. W & N E and is on the opposite Side about 2 miles distant from the Columbia". In

1495-504: The irrigation canals are full. Above Interstate 82, the East Fork is usually dry except in times of heavy snow melt or rainfall. After passing under I-82 and entering Kennewick, the East Fork is largely used as a wasteway for canals operated by the Kennewick Irrigation District (KID). It then flows past orchards , under Clearwater Avenue, briefly through Amon Basin, and enters the Meadow Springs Country Club. Amon Basin

1560-577: The 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill (which was actually fought on Breed's Hill ) in the American War of Independence ; and Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill in the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg , the turning point of the American Civil War . The Battle of San Juan Hill in the 1898 Spanish–American War won the Americans control of Santiago de Cuba but only after suffering from heavy casualties inflicted by

1625-709: The Columbia River changed its course to flow through what is now Wallula Gap . The Yakima River then formed and flowed through Badger Canyon and the Amon Basin, which were carved by the Columbia. Around 10,000 years ago, the Missoula Floods further altered the landscape, opening up the Horn Rapids area for the Yakima River to flow through. The West Fork now utilizes the canyons left by the Yakima and Columbia Rivers. In 1970,

1690-507: The Horse Heaven Hills. The Yakama Nation has recently reintroduced pronghorn sheep near Satus Pass. A small paleontological survey in Benton County identified numerous fossilized skeletal remains, proving prehistoric mammoths , bisons , early horses , and other animals once populated the hills. The majority of the skeletal fragments were found in canyons under fine silt and sand. They date from 7,000 to 12,000 years old, with some specimens found to be even older. The higher altitudes where

1755-676: The Meadow Springs Country Club in Richland. It then flows north in a canyon through residential portions of Richland. After passing under Columbia Park Trail, the creek enters the dense forest of the Yakima River Delta before ending at the Yakima River a mile from where it meets the Columbia . Only about 1% of the discharge into the Yakima River is natural. The West Fork of Amon Creek rises in Badger Canyon southwest of Richland. It flows through

1820-517: The Middle East, are located on artificial hills consisting of debris (particularly mudbricks ) that has accumulated over many generations. Such a location is known as a " tell ". In Northern Europe , many ancient monuments are sited in heaps. Some of these are defensive structures (such as the hillforts of the Iron Age ), but others appear to have hardly any significance. In Britain, many churches at

1885-457: The US defined a mountain as being 1,000 feet (304.8 m) or more tall. Any similar landform lower than this height was considered a hill. The United States Geological Survey , however, has concluded that these terms do not in fact have technical definitions in the US. The Great Soviet Encyclopedia defined "hill" as an upland with a relative height of up to 200 m (660 ft). A hillock

1950-402: The West Fork was altered to provide irrigation to the new Meadow Springs Country Club. They built four reservoirs connected by culverts. This made fish passage through the golf course on the West Fork nearly impossible. The East Fork was left in its natural state. Conditions on the West Fork further worsened in 1998 when a KID canal broke, causing release of sediment with the floodwater. Though

2015-455: The Yakima River, a tributary of the Columbia. The rest of the range drains directly into the Columbia River itself. The Horse Heaven Hills are located in one of the hottest parts of Washington, sharing in the same semi-arid climate that is experienced in nearby cities such as the Tri-Cities and Hermiston . Throughout the range, the Köppen climate classification includes warm-summer Mediterranean in

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2080-534: The anticline ridge that roughly follows the Yakima River in the north. The Simcoe Mountains lead westward from the Horse Heaven Hills to the Cascade Range . The north slope of the hills is especially steep, with the south slope being relatively gentle by comparison. This hills form the south end of the Yakima River Valley . The highest point is Bickleton Ridge which reaches 4,327 feet (1,319 m) high near

2145-503: The area. European settlement followed, with the introduction of modern farming techniques. In recent years, wineries have become an important economic driver in the region and the Horse Heaven Hills AVA was established in 2005. North-to-south compression of flood basalts that erupted several million years ago is responsible for the uplift that created the hills. They were further shaped by massive floods that occurred toward

2210-519: The basalt group caused the Horse Heaven Hills to begin slowly uplifting around 15 million years ago. The compression has a rate of approximately 1 millimetre (0.039 in) per year. Toward the end of the last glacial maximum , a lobe of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet dammed the Clark Fork near Missoula, Montana forming a large lake termed Glacial Lake Missoula . From 15,000 to 13,000 years ago

2275-547: The canyon parallel to Badger Road until near Cottonwood Elementary School, where it breaks away and flows under Interstate 82 to the west of Badger Road. From there it flows through the Amon Creek Natural Preserve. After that it flows into the Meadow Springs Country Club where it meets the East Fork. The East Fork of Amon Creek rises in the Horse Heaven Hills south of Kennewick and typically only flows when

2340-418: The city's fog and civil engineering projects today famous as tourist attractions such as the cable cars and Lombard Street . Hills provide important advantages to an army that controls their heights, giving them an elevated view and firing position and forcing an opposing army to charge uphill to attack a fort or other position. They may also conceal forces behind them, allowing a force to lie in wait on

2405-550: The creek serves as a home to hares , quail and beavers . River otters have been spotted in the creek. In Amon Basin, there are about a half dozen beaver dams which form small ponds along the length of the creek in that area. It is believed that fish hatcheries run by the Yakama Nation have contributed to the fish population in the creek. Around 8 million years ago, as the Cascade Mountains were starting to rise,

2470-507: The crest of a hill, using that crest for cover, and firing on unsuspecting attackers as they broach the hilltop. As a result, conventional military strategies often demand possession of high ground. Because of their strategic and tactical values, hills have been the site of many notable battles, such as the Battle of Alesia in 52 BC and the first recorded military conflict in Scotland, the Battle of Mons Graupius in AD 83. Modern era conflicts include

2535-556: The dam broke under the pressure of the lake, sending all of that water downstream toward the Pacific Ocean approximately every 55 years. The discharge of this massive flood was approximately 10 cubic kilometres (2.4 cu mi) per hour, which is 13 times the flow of the Amazon River . The Horse Heaven Hills served as a dam for the water as it headed down the Columbia Basin, creating Lake Lewis . The surface of Lake Lewis reached

2600-465: The end of the last ice age . The floods contained icebergs that brought glacial erratics , which stand out from the basalt that dominates the Columbia Basin. Native grasses and shrubs dominate the range, which is mostly treeless. Flora also includes native flowers, some of which are listed as being threatened. There were at one time large numbers of big game roaming the hills, but many of them were hunted to extinction. Horses briefly roamed widely through

2665-463: The existing game, including bison, pronghorn sheep, and elk. Despite being named for being a horse heaven, wild horses can only be seen grazing in some portions of the Horse Heaven Hills, especially to the west end of the range near Satus Pass . They spent a short time as the main grazing animal within the hills, but horses have largely been pushed out of the range, both by removal and by farming activity. Deer can still be found in small numbers throughout

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2730-643: The far northeastern portion of the hills in the general vicinity of Finley and Jump Off Joe. All of these tribes spoke the Sahaptin language and were hunter-gatherer societies. These peoples were removed from their ancestral homeland by the Walla Walla Council in 1855. The Walla Walla and Umatilla peoples now live in the Umatilla Indian Reservation near Pendleton, Oregon , and the Yakamas now live on

2795-624: The flood downstream when the icebergs that they were embedded in became stuck on the slopes of the Horse Heaven Hills and nearby ridges and later melted. After passing through Wallula Gap, the water was blocked at the entrance of the Columbia River Gorge forming Lake Condon on the south side of the Horse Heaven Hills. The soils found in the Horse Heaven Hills were influenced by the Missoula floods, as well as comprising wind-blown loess and ash from volcanic eruptions from Cascade Volcanoes to

2860-407: The floodplain upstream of the golf course served its purpose well, the upper two reservoirs were filled with four feet of sediment, decreasing the depth to between 12 and 18 inches (30 to 46 cm). This starkly raised temperatures in the creek. In 2008, over 16 tons of illegally dumped trash were removed from the newly established Amon Creek Nature Preserve along the West Fork directly upstream of

2925-470: The following days, the expedition continued down the Columbia River as it goes around the Horse Heaven Hills through Wallula Gap. The first wagon trains entered the nearby Yakima Valley in 1853. The local natives were friendly to the settlers, but relations between the two groups of settlers and the entirety of eastern Washington (including the Horse Heaven Hills) was closed to white settlement. The ban

2990-411: The foothills of the range to connect I-82 to Finley , passing to the north side of Jump Off Joe . State Route 14 crossed the Horse Heaven Hills before I-82 was built, but that designation was truncated to Plymouth when the interstate was built along the same route as the highway. Several intermittent streams rise in the Horse Heaven Hills, including Amon Creek . The north slopes of the range drain to

3055-412: The ground. This also provides opportunities for orchards and wineries. There are numerous wineries in the range, some of which grow a number of Washington's cult wines . The Horse Heaven Hills AVA , an American Viticultural Area , was established in 2005 for the benefit of the wineries in the region. Chateau Ste. Michelle operates the single largest wine making facility in the state of Washington in

3120-472: The hills themselves has remained quite low compared to the neighboring valleys. The range served as an important boundary between the ranges of different Native American peoples. The first contact these people had with Europeans was during the Lewis and Clark Expedition . In the two centuries following the exploration missions, the human use of the Horse Heaven Hills transitioned from mostly hunting and grazing toward

3185-530: The hills, but they were largely removed to facilitate farming. Today, wild horses are confined to near Satus Pass . There have been recent efforts to reintroduce animals that had previously been driven from the range. The Horse Heaven Hills lead eastward from the Simcoe Mountains to Wallula Gap . The range is bounded in the west by Satus Creek near Bickleton, the Columbia River in the east and south, and

3250-569: The list. Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event in the West Country of England which involves rolling a wheel of cheese down a hill. Contestants stand at the top and chase the wheel of cheese to the bottom. The winner, the one who catches the cheese, gets to keep the wheel of cheese as a prize. Cross country running courses may include hills which can add diversity and challenge to those courses. Amon Creek The entire course of Amon Creek, as well as its two forks,

3315-497: The modern agriculture we see in the region today, with larger cities growing on the periphery. Before Europeans came to inhabit and farm in the Horse Heaven Hills, the area had been occupied by Native Americans for centuries. The hills lied within the territory of the Umatilla tribe and served as the southern boundary of the territory of the Yakama tribe. The Walla Walla tribe occupied

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3380-427: The range. In 2018, Bill Gates ' asset manager Cascade Investments purchased 14,500 acres of farmland in the Horse Heaven Hills for $ 171 million. The land is occupied by 100 Circle Farms, which produces potatoes for McDonald’s french fries. Irrigation from the Yakima and Columbia Rivers has recently made parts of the Horse Heaven Hills into an important agricultural region. Where there is no irrigation, dryland wheat

3445-554: The relative landmass, though not as prominent as mountains . Hills fall under the category of slope landforms . The distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is universally considered to be not as tall, or as steep as a mountain. Geographers historically regarded mountains as hills greater than 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) above sea level . In contrast, hillwalkers have tended to regard mountains as peaks 2,000 feet (610 m) above sea level. The Oxford English Dictionary also suggests

3510-484: The riparian zone, one finds sagebrush as well as animal life that is typical of the Columbia Basin . The basin extends further south along the West Fork than it does along the East Fork. There are several recreational opportunities along the length of the creek. South of Thompson Hill, many people make use of small two-track roads that cross the East Fork for off-roading . On the West Fork just north of I-82, there

3575-519: The specimens were found indicate the now extinct animals survived the Missoula Floods that occurred toward the end of the last Ice Age . A research foundation was established to help fund research occurring at a dig site that is unearthing a mammoth south of Kennewick. Hill A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit , and is usually applied to peaks which are above elevation compared to

3640-583: The summer, it is believed that air moves slowly from the north across the Tri-Cities, ponding at the base of the range. It is believed that this is one of the things pushing ozone levels in the area to levels that are comparable to Seattle and near the federal limit. High ozone levels are also being noted in Hermiston, though these do not reach the level being seen in the Tri-Cities. The Horse Heaven Hills and surrounding areas have been inhabited since long before European colonization, though human populations within

3705-442: The tops of hills are thought to have been built on the sites of earlier pagan holy places. The Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. has followed this tradition and was built on the highest hill in that city. Some cities' hills are culturally significant in their foundation, defense, and history. In addition to Rome, hills have played a prominent role in the history of San Francisco , with its hills being central to

3770-592: The town of Bickleton at the southwest end of the range. The area is sparsely populated, with only a handful of unincorporated communities such as Bickleton and Horse Heaven . Adjacent to the north side of the hills are much larger communities, such as the Tri-Cities and Prosser . There are numerous county roads that traverse the range. It is crossed by Interstate 82 (cosigned with US 395 ), which connects Kennewick to Plymouth , and State Route 221 , connecting Prosser to Paterson . State Route 397 travels through

3835-415: The town of Paterson . Much of the range has favorable wind conditions for power generation. As such, the Horse Heaven Hills are the site of several wind farms generating electricity for the region. The Nine Mile Canyon Project located to the south of Kennewick and Finley covers 75 acres (30 ha) and is capable of producing 95.9 megawatts. This project was built in three phases between 2002 and 2007. It

3900-576: The west considered to be part of the Palouse formation. The soils are nutrient-poor and free draining. There are small, deep canyons in the slopes of the range and other areas where the Columbia River Basalt Group is exposed. The north slope has numerous mass wasting scars. The loess contain erupted material from Mount Mazama ( Crater Lake ), Glacier Peak , and Mount St. Helens . The 1936 State Line earthquake near Milton-Freewater, Oregon

3965-686: The west of the Cascade Crest. Most precipitation falls during the winter, with the dry season occurring during the summer. Despite the low average rainfall, summer thunderstorms can stall over the hills causing flash flooding. Flooding was most severe in Kennewick before construction of the Zintel Canyon Dam in 1992. The area is among the driest wheat growing regions in the world. Strong winds cause extensive soil erosion on farmland, with blowing dust exceeding federal air quality standards twenty times over

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4030-461: The west, cold semi-arid in the east, with some smaller areas of hot-summer Mediterranean. Rainfall values are low, ranging from 9 inches (230 mm) in lower portions of the range to near 20 inches (510 mm) annually in higher elevations to the west. This is because the hills lie east of the Cascades. The Cascade Mountains cause a rain shadow that makes nearly the entirety of eastern Washington and Oregon semi-arid, and much drier than areas to

4095-464: Was built on hilltops to help defend against invaders from the north, such as Mongols . Hillwalking is a British English term for a form of hiking which involves the ascent of hills. The activity is usually distinguished from mountaineering as it does not involve ropes or technically difficult rock climbing , although the terms mountain and hill are often used interchangeably in Britain. Hillwalking

4160-496: Was lifted after a series of uprisings and battles. Early homestead parcels in the hills were 160 acres (65 ha), with all of the homestead parcels having been claimed by 1910. James Gordon Kinney, an early pioneer , is credited with officially naming the Horse Heaven Hills in 1881. He first came to the region in 1857. Impressed by the knee-high grass that fed the large bands of feral horses that roamed, he remarked "the area offers excellent forage and comparative isolation... This

4225-409: Was located on the same fault as the Horse Heaven Hills. Despite being on the same fault line, the name Horse Heaven Hills is not applied to the hills created by the fault to the east of Wallula Gap. While sparsely populated, the Horse Heaven Hills have become an important region for agriculture and power generation within the state of Washington. Irrigation has turned portions of the range, which have

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