Olympic Mountains: Difference between revisions

The low Olympics contains foothills and mountains and rises to an elevation of approximately

{{convert|4000|ft|m|-2}}. Copious precipitation (up to {{convert|200|in|mm|-3}} peryear) supports a lush, [[epiphyte]]-rich [[rainforest]] of [[Western Hemlock]], [[Western Red Cedar]], and [[Douglas-fir]]. Much of the region is in the third rotation of [[logging]]. However, a portion of the region lies within the [[Olympic National Park]] and contains [[old-growth forest|ancient forests]].<ref name=western4> {{Citation | last=Pater | first=David | last2=Bryce | first2=S.A. | last3=Kagan | first3=Jimmy | last4=et al. | title=Ecoregions of Western Washington and Oregon (color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs) | place=Reston, Virginia | publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]] | url=ftp://ftp.epa.gov/wed/ecoregions/or_wa_id/ORWAFront90.pdf}} (and the [ftp://ftp.epa.gov/wed/ecoregions/or_wa_id/ORWABack.pdf Reverse side]) Sentences in this article are copied verbatim from the source, which is in the [[public domain]].</ref>

 

[[Image:Cat_Cr.jpg|center|500 px|Cat Creek Basin]]

 

The high Olympics contains steep, [[glaciated]] mountains that reach an elevation of almost {{convert|8000|ft|m|-2}}. It is characterized by rock outcrops, [[tarn]]s, persistent snow pack, [[alpine glacier]]s, and high-gradient, glacial-fed streams. Its vegetation includes [[subalpine]] [[Mountain Hemlock]] and [[Pacific Silver Fir]] forests as well as [[alpine meadow]]s. [[Subalpine fir]] occurs on the [[xeric]] soils of northeastern rainshadow areas.<ref name=western4/>