About The Howell Canyon Estate

Extremely private, self-contained 200-acre ecological estate nestled in the Okanogan Highlands of North Central Washington State. Located down a scenic 2-mile private driveway, the property features 360 degree views of breath-taking natural beauty and has a nearby energy vortex. Neither neighbors nor night lights are visible from this mountainous and largely forested wilderness located in a semi-desert climate (average12 inches of rain per year).

The sunsets are spectacular. The nights can be so dark that even faint stars shine brightly. It is rare to see this many stars anywhere in North America. The silence is restful and is broken only by the whisper of the wind, the songs of birds and the distant echo of coyotes. Herds of deer can often be seen on the surrounding hills.

Enclosed within the estate is its own canyon with steep rocky cliffs, 71 acres of managed Ponderosa pine forest, acres of native grass and sage brush protected within four miles of fence (the property has been recently surveyed so exact boundaries are known). There are more than 4,000 acres of adjacent, uninhabited land, much that can never be built on (State and Federal land, Nature Conservancy habitat, etc.); 1,000 acres or more that can be purchased. Miles and hours of pristine hiking or winter snow shoeing are available from the compound. The property also has room to install a quarter-mile long airplane landing strip on a level grassy field.

The entire compound has 13 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and 3 kitchens distributed in 4 buildings with well over 11,000 square feet of living space. All buildings are connected by a digital intercom phone system and have satellite internet and television.

There is the orig inal, charming 5-bedroom log house (2,800 square feet—built between 1976 and 1998) with 3 new bathrooms, a kitchen, dining area, family room, large screened porch, and a 500-square-foot sunken living room that features hand-sawn planks and beams. The log house has a traditional propane heating system in every room.

Adjacent is a separate walk-in root cellar, a large organic vegetable garden, an old barn formerly used as a saw mill and a one-car garage/storage building. Next to that is an old partly disassembled corral and, down in a wooded valley, an old stable and corral last used 7 years ago. Farther afield is a children’s log fort, a one-room play area complete with stove.

The newer (built in 2000), 5,300 square foot main house (perched on a hill 600 feet from the log house) is constructed of energy-efficient, R-45 rated RASTRA exterior walls (14 inches thick) finished with stucco and has oak-lined 14-inch windowsills and argon thermo pane windows. It features a small porch with porch swing, two ground level patios built of native stone (one with French doors leading into the dining room), a second-story deck, high ceilings, 5 bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, living room, sitting room, full basement with enormous recreation room, two huge, and two small storage rooms (one was used as a wine cellar with ideal temperature). There are 4 bathrooms (all with bidets) a large, two-person jetted tub, a deep Japanese sitting tub with shower and two separate showers. The third story “lookout tower” has windows on all four sides for spectacular views. All rooms are separated by sound board insulation for maximal privacy and all have solid core doors. Bedroom doors have key locks. Building materials and appliances are top quality, environmentally friendly and chemical free.

There is an additional RASTRA building containing a studio guest apartment with cathedral-ceiling, living/sleeping area, full kitchen (with huge commercial sink and 6-burner commercial range), full bath, and loft. Adjacent is an 8-person sauna, 6-person hot tub (cleaned with ozone filtration), a shower, the storage batteries, inverters, the heating system’s boiler room, and a storage room. Outside is a built-in barbeque (with cast-iron grill and griddle).

A third RASTRA building is zoned as a school/teaching clinic with two bathrooms (both with bidets and one with a shower), 2 offices/bedrooms, a lobby, a storage room and an attached four-car garage with automatic doors and a 400 square foot tiled shop lined with built-in storage cabinets (also with an automatic garage door). There are huge closets with custom built shelves in each office/bedroom. A 1,500 square foot attic is above.

All buildings have energy efficient appliances throughout that are included: 4 refrigerators, 1 chest freezer, 3 stoves, 1 dishwasher, 2 washers and 2 dryers. A newly rebuilt tractor with snowplow blade is included.

The following furnishings are included: 10 mattresses and box springs, some with solid pine sleigh bed frames, matching bedside tables and hope chests; custom wood built-in closet storage and Thomasville cabinet; solid alder dining table with 10 matching chairs; walnut dining table with 4 chairs, matching ch ina cabinet and buffet; assorted couches and chairs; solid wood office cabinet as well as several computer desks; three station universal gym; custom-built exercise board; sports equipment; various paintings and prints; dozens of storage cabinets; a large collection of shop tools.

The complex makes its own power with 2 windmills and 28 solar panels charging battery banks that are inverted (by 3 inverters) into normal 110 and 220 volt power as well as a propane generator and a gasoline generator. There are nine 1,000 gallon propane tanks filled for backup power.

There are four wells on the property (excellent tasting well water), and the main house/clinic complex has a Group B commercial water permit and a septic system rated for at least 1200 gallons of waste daily. Although the RASTRA buildings are unburnable, the complex has an installed fire system.

The passive solar designed RASTRA buildings have radiantly heated floors with the choice of an external wood-fired boiler or propane heat. There is a multi-lined, digital phone system with many extensions connecting all buildings, high-speed satellite Internet in a hard-wired network, and satellite television. These buildings are also connected by a concrete, fully landscaped courtyard that features a winter-time snow melt heating system (as does the exterior garage slab).

There is a space already prepared for a large swimming pool, and the snowmelt system will serve admirably as the pool’s heater. There is also a prepared area for an enclosed basketball/tennis court with a small orchard. These and many other features are precisely shown in detailed drawings prepared by a noted regional landscape architect. Nearly one acre at the main house is already formally landscaped into various garden “rooms,” most with automatic, in-ground irrigation. Features include 7,000 square feet of lawn (5,000 square feet in a single sunken rectangle surrounded by landscaped berms) plus lots of groundcover; hundreds of trees, shrubs, vines, herbs, and thousands of flowers (domesticated and wild); assorted garden ornaments; outdoor porch swing; concrete decorative fountains; man-made pond; large walled “secret garden” and much more.

The log house is also fully landscaped with lawn, trees, flowers, shrubs, stone bird baths, a circular rock garden and the large vegetable garden.

This wilderness paradise is nestled in rolling highlands (2,500 feet elevation) from which up to five layers of distant mountains are visible. The nearest neighbors (an organic wheat farmer and his wife, a large-scale organic vegetable gardener) are more than 2 miles away. Several miles farther is a grower of organic gourmet specialty vegetables, fruit and flowers that are featured in the finest Seattle restaurants. The premiere Washington gourmet specialty cheese producer (who ships all over the United States) is located in the area.

The nearest town (10 miles away) is Tonasket (population 1,000), built along the Okanogan River and full of friendly Mom and Pop shops with an inviting small town atmosphere. There is a strong local art, music, and theater community. Festivals, fairs, and farmers markets abound (especially rodeos and musical festivals). There are historical and archaeological sites, ancient pictographs, old mines, museums, and a ghost town in the area. Apple, pear, peach, apricot, and cherry orchards, cattle ranches, dude ranches, farms and rugged mountain wilderness with sage-covered foothills extend in all directions. The summer is long and very warm; skies are normally blue and clear (there are 300+ days of sunshine per year).

Numerous lakes and rivers feature excellent swimming, fishing, boating, water skiing and river rafting. There is plentiful hunting. Horseback riding, city and mountain biking, rock climbing, hang gliding and flying small planes (there is a local noncommercial airport) are popular sports. Idyllic spots for picnicking, bird watching and berry picking are easy to find. There are old growth forests and abundant wildlife areas.

Nearby is the Okanogan National Forest as well as the Pasaytan wilderness, one of the top places to hike and camp in Washington State. Nearby are numerous golf courses, parks, cross-country and downhill skiing areas. Snowshoeing, sledding, ice fishing, and snowmobiling are other popular winter sports. (There is 12” to 18” of snow each winter, which blankets the ground about 3 months a year.)

The largest wine producing region in Canada is just a short drive north, boasting over seventy award-winning wineries and vineyards, many open for tours. Numerous orchards and world-class golf courses fill the area, which features endless scenic and fine-dining opportunities. There are also miles of lakeside parks and sandy beaches in this, the warmest region of Canada, as well as extensive shopping, musical events, movie and live theaters.

These 200 acres of wild beauty (with top-quality and environmentally friendly construction) are utterly remote yet also close to endless recreational and cultural opportunities. This magical and unique property is perfect for the discrim inating individual or organization. (It could be used as a private home, retreat center, healing center, school, commune, manufacturing location, religious headquarters, etc). Priced at only $1,910,000 for quick sale.

For more information, please contact Dean & Trisha Howell: (310) 472-8643 or Trisha@TrishaHowell.com.