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Olympic Mountains

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47°50′N 123°50′W / 47.83°N 123.83°W / 47.83; -123.83 Template:Geobox

The Olympic Mountains are a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. The mountains are not especially high - Mount Olympus is the highest at 7,962 ft (2,427 m) - but the western slopes of the Olympics rise directly out of the Pacific Ocean and are the wettest place in the 48 contiguous states. The Hoh Ranger Station in the Hoh Rain Forest records an average of 360 cm (142 in) of rainfall each year. Areas to the east of the mountains, however, are located in a rainshadow and are much drier relative to other places in coastal Washington. Most of the mountains are protected within the bounds of the Olympic National Park. Physiographically, they are a section of the larger Pacific Border province, which in turn are part of the larger Pacific Mountain System physiographic division.

The Bailey Range high alpine traverse from Hurricane Ridge in the fall.

Geography

The Olympics have the form of a cluster of steep-sided peaks surrounded by heavily-forested foothills and incised by deep valleys.

The climax forests consist of Sitka spruce and western hemlock. Douglas fir occurs in groves. Other types of firs may be seen also. Due to high precipitation, clearings in the forest quickly become covered with vine maple, slide alder, and devil's club, making cross-country travel most challenging.

Another consequence of the high precipitation is the large number of snowfields and glaciers, reaching down to 1,500 m (5,000 ft) above sea level. There are about 266 glaciers crowning the Olympics peaks. The most prominent glaciers are those on Mount Olympus covering approximately 10 square miles (26 km2). Beyond the Olympic complex are the glaciers of Mount Carrie, the Bailey Range, Mount Christie, and Mount Anderson.[1]

Geology

The Olympics are made up of an obducted clastic wedge material and oceanic crust. They are primarily Eocene sandstones, turbidites, and basaltic oceanic crust.[2]

Millions of years ago, vents and fissures opened under the Pacific ocean and lava flowed forth, creating huge underwater mountains and ranges called seamounts. The plates that formed the ocean floor inched toward North America about 35 million years ago and most of the sea floor went beneath the continental land mass. Some of the sea floor, however, was scraped off and jammed against the mainland, creating the dome that was the forerunner of today's Olympics. Powerful forces fractured, folded, and over-turned rock formations, which helps explain the jumbled appearance of the Olympics.[1]

In the Pleistocene, a vast continental ice sheet, descended from Alaska, south through British Columbia to the Olympics. The ice split into the Juan de Fuca and Puget ice lobes, as they encountered the resistant Olympic Mountains. A glacial outwash stream surged around the southern end of the peninsula to the Pacific Ocean. This isolated the Olympic Peninsula from the nearby Cascade Mountains and limited species from entering and exiting the peninsula. When the ice sheet reached the Peninsula, large areas of the continental shelf were also exposed by the lower sea levels since so much water was trapped as ice. This created a coastal refuge. The distance from Mount Olympus to the Pacific Ocean may have been double that of today.[1]

Ecology

The ecosystems of the Olympics vary depending on elevation: the lower elevations are quite different from the higher ones.

The low Olympics contains foothills and mountains and rises to an elevation of approximately 4,000 feet (1,200 m). Copious precipitation (up to 200 inches (5,000 mm) 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 ancient forests.[3]

File:Cat Cr.jpg
Cat Creek Basin. Photo courtesy Steve Holm

The high Olympics contains steep, glaciated mountains that reach an elevation of almost 8,000 feet (2,400 m). It is characterized by rock outcrops, tarns, persistent snow pack, alpine glaciers, and high-gradient, glacial-fed streams. Its vegetation includes subalpine Mountain Hemlock and Pacific Silver Fir forests as well as alpine meadows. Subalpine fir occurs on the xeric soils of northeastern rainshadow areas.[3]

History

Main article: History of the Olympic Mountains

The Olympic Mountains first became known to Europeans in 1774, when they were sighted by the Spanish explorer Juan Perez, who named them the "Sierra Nevada de Santa Rosalia". The mountain range was subsequently given its final name by the English explorer John Meares, in 1778. The name became official in 1864 through lobbying of a local Seattle paper.

Though readily visible from most parts of western Washington, the interior was almost entirely unexplored until the 1890s. Mount Olympus itself was not officially ascended until 1907. The first well-documented exploration was performed by Army Lieutenant Joseph P. O'Neil in 1885, who spent a month hacking through forest to reach Hurricane Ridge.

In 1890, a second exploration was organized by the Seattle Press, a Seattle newspaper. The exploration party met with misfortune, including sinking boats, blizzards, and running out of food. The Press Expedition was forced to hunt and eat bears. The party took 6 months to cross the mountains. Due to the expedition, many of the peaks in the Olympic mountains are named after prominent newspaper publishers and editors of the late 18th century.

Members of various expedition parties recommended protecting and conserving the Olympic mountains. By 1897, most of the forested land of the peninsula was included in the Olympic Forest Reserve (later Olympic National Forest). In 1909, just before leaving office, President Theodore Roosevelt issued a proclamation creating Mount Olympus National Monument within the national forest to protect the summer range and breeding grounds of the Olympic Elk. With the support of national conservation organizations, Washington Congressman Monrad C. Wallgren in 1935 sponsored a bill for the establishment of a national park.After a visit to the Olympic Peninsula in the fall of 1937, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt added his enthusiastic support to the movement for a national park, and the act establishing Olympic National Park was signed on June 29, 1938.

Herb Crisler was notable for exploring the Olympic Mountains in the first half of the 20th century, and popularizing the location through making a film distributed by Walt Disney.

Activities

Rock climbing

Most of the rock climbing is done on the eastern side of the Park -- although there are very few peaks available which are actually rated technically. "The Needles" (the northernmost section of Gray Wolf Ridge) and Mt. Deception are easily accessed from US Forest Service roads (FS 2800) and the Upper Dungeness River Trailhead, (which is accessed via the Palo Alto Road in Sequim). Climbing above and beyond Royal Lake and the Upper Royal Basin can provide a significant challenge to the novice or amateur climber. It should be noted here that a number of fatal accidents have been reported on the slopes of the 7000-foot Mt. Deception over the years by unprepared or overanxious beginners.

Boulder Ridge (including the Gargoyles, Charlia Lakes, Cloudy Peak, Alphabet Ridge, and Warrior) and Home Lake / Constance Pass are readily accessed via the Buckhorn Wilderness Area (U.S. Forest Service) side of the Upper Dungeness River Trail and Marmot Pass. An alternative approach to the Mount Constance massif -- including Inner Constance and the twin peaks of Warrior -- is via the Dosewallips River Trailhead off of US 101 and Hood Canal. A third alternative is to access the Constance massif via Quilcene logging roads (FS 2700 aka "Penny Creek Road" off US 101) leading to a brief 6 - 7 mile ascent to Tunnel Creek Ridge and the high alpine shores of Harrison Lake. In fact, the most stunning views of the east side of Mount Constance and Warrior are readily available from these roads (the lower portions of which are paved) which actually connect to FS 2800 and the Dungeness / Sequim area via the 5000-foot Bon Jon Pass.

The 60-foot vertical summit block of Mt. Constance provides a far greater technical challenge to the average climber than the more subtle snow-covered peak of Mt. Olympus and the neighboring Valhallas. Failure to sucessfully cross the legendary (and highly exposed) "Terrible Traverse" on snow to the nearby vertical summit block of Mt. Constance can result in a 1000-foot vertical drop into the unforgiving Tunnel Creek drainage below.

For detailed maps, updated information on road conditions and trailheads in this area (road closures are frequent), contact the Olympic National Forest (Hood Canal Ranger District) Office near Quilcene on US 101 @ (360-765-2200).

File:Mt Oly.jpg
Mount Olympus in winter from the High Divide. Photo courtesy Steve Holm on cross-country skis.


Winter sports

The Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area is located in higher elevations the beautiful Olympic National Park. Nearly a mile high, the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center offers spectacular winter recreation and activities on the north Olympic Peninsula, and features winter vistas unmatched anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.

The day facility built atop ONP's Hurricane Ridge consists of a small, family oriented ski area for both downhill and cross-country skiers. The area is equipped with tow rope tows and one poma lift -- offering to Olympic Peninsula residents and visitors a quality winter sports experience without the cost and crowds of larger commercial ski areas. The Ridge boasts some groomed area -- and for the accomplished skier or snowboarder the steeps, bowls and glades are well worth the hikes to get there. With a summit elevation of 5,240 feet, there is generally an annual snowfall of 400-plus inches.

 
A view of the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center taken from the Intermediate Ski Slope and Rope Tow Area in the summertime. The Poma Lift drops down directly into the basin hidden in the right of the photograph, while the Beginner's (or "Bunny Slope") Rope Tow is set up on the gentler slopes near the road and parking lot. All lifts are taken down by the Park in the winter for aesthetic purposes.

Unmatched vistas are available for snowshoers or cross-country skiers who can pursue the old lookout landmark on the summit of Hurricane Hill while accessing direct views of the backside of Mt. Carrie and (on a clear day) partial views of the summit of Mount Olympus. A longer, and possibly more satisfying trip for the serious winter traveler, can be accessed in the opposite direction by following the 12-mile snow covered high mountain road to the Obstruction Point trailhead area. Passing the legendary Steeple Rock summit, overnight skiers (and/or snowshoers) have the option of staying in the A-frame Hut at "The Waterhole" located 4-5 miles down the road -- complete with split wood for the iron stove on a first-come-first-served basis.

The Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club was formed as a non-profit corporation in 1986 for the purpose of promoting and providing organized leadership for winter sports activities at Hurricane Ridge. The HRWSC operates the ski lifts under permit with Olympic National Park, and strives to be a good steward of the environment while promoting healthy outdoor activities for the youth, community and visitors of the Olympic Peninsula.

From Seattle or Olympia, follow Highway 101 into Port Angeles, turning south onto Race Street, watch for the sign, and make a slight right onto the Hurricane Ridge Parkway. The National Park charges an entrance fee, $15 per car, or purchase a yearly pass for $30. The road generally opens to uphill traffic at 9am and closes to uphill traffic at 4pm. For further details, contact the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles.

List of summits

Principal summits:

Other Summits

References

  1. ^ a b c "Olympic Mountains". USGS. Retrieved 2009-03-01.
  2. ^ Alt, D.D. (1984). Roadside Geology of Washington. pp. 249–259. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b Pater, David; Bryce, S.A.; Kagan, Jimmy; et al., Ecoregions of Western Washington and Oregon (color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs) (PDF), Reston, Virginia: United States Geological Survey {{citation}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |last4= (help) (and the Reverse side) Sentences in this article are copied verbatim from the source, which is in the public domain.
 
The Olympic Mountains in winter, as seen from the east. The Brothers is the large double peak on the left, and Mount Constance is on the right.


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