The History and Art of the Central Cascades
Explore the rich history of our sacred lands.
A Legacy of Community and Conservation
From its earliest days as “Na-sik-elt,” or Narrow Bottom Canyon, home to the Yakama and P’squosa (Wenatchi) tribes, the land upon which our resort is built has long been a place of gathering and renewal. Over the decades it evolved from a Civilian Conservation Corps camp to a family ranch and youth retreat, before Harriet Bullitt reimagined it as Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort in 1995. In 2019, she gifted the property to Icicle Fund, ensuring that today every stay supports the environment, arts, and cultural heritage of North Central Washington, continuing a legacy of stewardship, connection, and inspiration.
The Yakama and P’squosa Native American tribes were the first human inhabitants of the site known as “Na-sik-elt”, or Narrow Bottom Canyon, which eventually became home to Sleeping Lady. The P’squosa tribe is now recognized by the Yakama name for them, Wenatchi.
The site was home to the 983rd Company of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and was known as Camp Icicle. The barracks and buildings housed 200 young men and many of these structures remain on-site today.
In 1946, the CCC cabins were redeveloped into a private, family-oriented ranch named Icicle River Ranch.
The property was sold to the Yakima Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in 1957 and renamed Camp Field. It operated as a camp for young people ages eight and up, as well as an off-season adult retreat center. Honor Plaques, awarded to one lodge at the final campfire of each session, adorn walls in the Hearth Room in Kingfisher.
In 1991, the property was once again put up for sale and Harriet Bullitt, longtime owner of neighboring property, purchased all 67 acres to preserve the land. Bullitt named the property Sleeping Lady after the mountain profile above the narrow valley. Historical and environmental considerations saved all 18 of the original buildings for the new site plan. Sleeping Lady welcomed its first guests in August 1995.
In 2019 Harriet Bullitt gifted Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort to Icicle Fund. Her gift was not a one-time transaction but a continuous gift to the community through the work of the Fund. Today, 100% of the Resort’s net profits is dedicated to the environment, the arts, and the cultural and natural history of North Central Washington.
Share Your Story
See Our Art, Know These Lands
Our art at Sleeping Lady Resort is a portal through which our guests may learn the history and culture of the Central Cascades region. To experience this art is to become closer to the land which we call home, and knowing the history of these forests and mountains and their people is the way we can truly connect to the spirit of the Sleeping Lady experience.
Heather Murphy
We are delighted to welcome longtime friend and supporter Heather Murphy as Artist-In-Residence. A wildlife biologist, watercolorist, and nature writer, Heather blends art and science through migratory bird paintings, journals, and conservation work. As founder of Walleye Cards and Wildtales Journals, she donates over 10% of sales to arts and environmental causes. A former U.S. Forest Service biologist, Heather continues to inspire through workshops, residencies, and citizen science programs.
Wildlife Biology
Migratory bird specialist
Nature Writer
Wildtales Journals founder
Watercolor Artist
Nature-inspired works
About the Art
(Watercolor on paper, 30" w x 23" h). This painting is found behind the Front Desk at Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort. Heather spent five months painting the wildflowers, as she paints in the out-of-doors, capturing the flowers as they bloomed, between March and August. She met with Harriet Bullitt at several stages to share progress. The wonderful words at the bottom, come from Heather's travels to California where she was touring John Muir's home and found the quote tucked into his writing desk "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and souls alike." -- John Muir 1908 (1838-1914)
Artist In Residency Program and Application
Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort is proud to offer an Artist in Residence program welcoming creators of all disciplines to immerse themselves in the quiet beauty of the Cascades. This opportunity provides dedicated time and space to create within a setting defined by nature, stillness, and inspiration.
In exchange for their stay, each participating artist contributes a finished piece of work that becomes part of the resort’s permanent collection, shared with guests and visiting artists for years to come. It is a celebration of creative exchange, place-based inspiration, and the lasting connection between art and landscape.
Image Release and Consent
I hereby give my authorization and consent to Columbia Hospitality Inc. (“CHI”) to use my name, image and likeness and any photographs, video and/or audio recordings that I have submitted may be taken of me (my “Likeness”) by CHI, or third parties with CHI’s express permission, in conjunction with the CHI, its services or sponsored activities. CHI has my permission to use, modify, publish, copyright, and disseminate, publicly or otherwise, such Likeness in any media and in combination with other materials and without my further approval or compensation or obligation to me of any kind. The rights granted in this Consent are perpetual and irrevocable. I further agree that my name may appear in text associated with the Likeness, as long as the text accurately describes the activities and/or services of CHI.
I waive any and all right I may have to inspect or approve any use of my Likeness. I will not be entitled to receive any compensation for the use of my Likeness. I understand that I am not required to appear in any photograph, video or recording, and that such participation is not a condition of employment. I will inform CHI in writing if I prefer to opt-out of appearing in a particular photography, video or recording session or activity and agree that CHI may reassign me so that I do not appear in the session or activity.
I also acknowledge that CHI is the owner of all trademarks, copyrights and all reproduction rights of artwork, text, images and logos held by CHI or displayed on its services and promotional material.
I also forever waive and release, discharge and hold harmless CHI and its affiliates, directors, officer employees, agents, contractors and authorized representatives (“Releasees”) from, any and all claims, suits, causes of action, costs and damages (together, “Claims”) arising out of Releasee’s use of my Likeness for the purposes described above, including any Claims for copyright infringement, right of publicity infringement, libel, invasion of privacy or other tortious act. The foregoing waver, release, discharge and hold harmless applies to all Claims, whether known or unknown to me at any time.
Likeness is released to: Columbia Hospitality Inc.
