Tour climbs along the slopes of the west bank of the Okanogan River. Along the river cottonwoods rustle in the wind and willow and aspen quiver in rhythm with the stream’s current. Narrow side roads struggle through canyons to valleys supporting small farms, surrounded by split-rail fences, their houses mottled by the weather and warped from their cornerstones. The frontier spirit, quaint humor, and dialect of the inhabitants of these interior settlements recall the mountain regions of the southern United States.