Apples are the single largest agricultural industry in Washington--in fact, more than 50% of the fresh apples sold in the United States come from Washington. The combination of warm, sunny days and abundant irrigation water from both the Columbia and Wenatchee rivers have made Wenatchee the center of this apple-growing region. While Wenatchee, which lies at the base of the eastern Cascade slopes on the bank of the Columbia River, isn't exactly a tourist destination in its own right, anyone exploring this region of the state passes through the city sooner or later. Skiers, on the other hand, are familiar with the city as the closest town to the slopes of Mission Ridge ski area.