You say you purchased the seedlings last fall, so I assume you planted them in the fall as well. One thing that might influence the condition of these seedlings coming through the winter is whether they were bare-root seedlings vs. containerized (potted or "plug" seedlings). Frost heaving can be an issue with fall planted seedlings - where the wet ground freezes and newly planted seedlings that have not grown many roots to anchor them can get pushed up a bit by the freezing.

Also, conifer foliage often looks its worst at the end of winter, right before they bud out and grow new foliage. So the best evidence of your seedling health will be how they break bud and grow new leaves this coming growing season. The size and color of the current year foliage after it develops (by July or so) will tell you a lot about how well the seedlings are doing.

Another good indicator of seedling health would be the amount of root growth they put on. Healthy seedlings should grow a lot of new roots in fall and spring prior to budbreak. But you have dig up a sample seedling or two to examine this. You can always re-plant them, but it will add stress to their lives...

While Hood River can be relatively dry, the local climate changes a lot depending on your elevation and how far east or west you are. Lower elevations in your area (below 1,000 ft) and the eastern side of Hood River and Hood River valley are pretty dry and you might want to water your trees if possible, especially in the first couple of years and perhaps beyond that to keep them from drying out too much.

Feel free to contact me directly for further consultation about your trees - <personal data hidden>