CHELAN, WA. December 16, 2025 - A crew of eleven staff members are staying at Holden Village to finish preparing the community for the winter. Planning is underway to determine how best to protect the Village for the next few months, which will likely include an extended stay for a small skeleton crew. Co-executive directors Bjørn and Elise Peterson do not expect the Village to go completely dark over the winter. These plans are still developing and more information will be shared as it becomes available. 

Thirty-nine other staff members and three children (plus a parrot and a fish) were evacuated to Lucerne on Saturday by helicopter operated by North Wind Aviation, and then by a special run of the Lake Chelan Boat Company to Fields Point. Those staff members are either returning to their home communities or staying with generous Holden Village host families around the region. Holden Village staffing is exploring short-term and long-term employment opportunities for evacuated employees and volunteers. If you know of employment opportunities in Washington or the Twin Cities areas, please forward those to hr@holdenvillage.org.

Facing the loss of a winter guest season, and dozens of staff in need of support, one of the best things you can do is make a contribution to Holden Village. This money will go toward Holden’s continued operations and supporting the staff members who have been uprooted from their homes. You can donate directly at this link or mail your contribution to:

Holden Village

HC 0 Box 2,

Chelan, WA 98816. 

Holden Village is thankful for the incident command and leadership teams who continue to shepherd the community as it makes its transition into an unexpected winter. Holden is also thankful for the many community members who have already donated, opened their homes to displaced staff, or offered other resources and support. 

Co-executive directors Bjørn and Elise Peterson say Holden Village is more than a singular place, it is a community that extends far beyond the North Cascades. 

More information about how to support the Village, and continued programmatic offerings will be shared in the coming days.

New images show the scope of the Damage on FS 8301. Roughly a dozen slides were identified on the roadway.

Mass Erosion at Mile 4

Courtesy: Chelan Sheriff Photo

Mass Erosions between miles 4-6

Courtesy: Chelan Sheriff Photo

Mass Erosion at Mile 4

Courtesy: Chelan Sheriff Photo

Landslide at Mile 9

Courtesy: Rio Tinto

Bjørn Peterson

Co-Executive Director

(Incident Command)

Steve Johnson

Operations Manager

(Plans/Situation)

Emer Kate Sanders

Community Services Manager

Malena Evig

Program Lead

Quinn Johnston

Risk/Safety Lead

(Deputy Incident Command)

Nathan McClure

Heavy Equipment Operator

(Safety Officer)

Ryan Meany

Utilities Lead

Kristin Story

Business Lead

Paul Thorson

IT Lead

Joanna Mullins

Head Cook

Isaiah Young-Brown

Utilities Assistant

Reference herein to any specific commercial products or services does not necessarily constitute or imply its

endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Holden Village.



PHOTOS: Nathan McClure, Berit Kirkegaard, Ellen Callender, Abby Russeth, Carl Norquist

Newsletter edited by Carl Norquist and Abby Russeth