DOCSLIB.ORG

Forest Fire History of Desolation Peak, Washington

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Forest Fire History of Desolation Peak, Washington 350 Forest fire history of Desolation Peak, Washington Jnnps K. Acn,E.Ma.nx FINNEy.IAND Ror-RNooE GouvEruarN2 Collegeof Forest Resources,University of Woshington,Seattle, WA 98195,U.S.A. ReceivedApril 17, 1989 Accepted September 26, 1989 Ac;ee,J. K., FIttNtv, M., and on GouvuNatN,R. 1990.Forest fire historyof DesolationPeak, Washington.Can. J. For. Res.20: 350-356. Forestsin the vicinity of DesolationPeak, Washington,are of specialecological interest because of their transitional nature betweencoastal and interior foresttypes. The area is westof the CascadeMountain crestbut in the rainshadow ofmountains farther to the west. Fire return intervalswere hypothesizedto be shorter than typical for coastalforest types, such as those dominated by westernhemlock and Pacific silver fir, and longer than typical for interior forest types,such as ponderosapine, owing to the closejuxtaposition of thesetypes at DesolationPeak. Sevenforest comntu- nity typeswere defined, and a 400-yearl'ire history was developedfor this 3500-haarea. The averagenatural fire rota- tion was 100 years;this varied by a factor of two by century and by topographicaspect. Forest types typical of coastal regions,such as Douglas-fir,- westernhemlock and mountain hemlock- Pacificsilver fir, had mean fire return intervals (108-137years) much lower than in other westernWashington areas.The most interior forest type, ponderosapine - Douglas-fir, had a higher mean fire return interval (52 years)than reported for similar forest typeseast of the Cascades. Historically, fire has createdstructural and landscapediversity on DesolationPeak and may be an important process in the maintenanceof such diversitv into the future. AcEE, J. K., Ftt'tNtv,M., et DEC-iouverntN, R. 1990.Forest fire historyof DesolationPeak, Washington. Can. J. For. Res.20 : 350-356. L,esior€ts de la r6gion de DesolationPeak, Washington,sont d'un inter€t ecologiqueparticulier de par leur nature de transition entre les types forestiersde la cOteet ceux de I'int6rieur. Ce territoire se situe d I'ouest de la cr€te des Cascadesmais est une rdgion sous le vent abriteede la pluie des montagnesplus a I'oucst. A causede I'etroitejuxta- position dcs types forestiersd Desolation Peak, on a 6mis I'hypothdseque les cyclesdes incendiesforestiers y sont plus courts que la normale pour les types forestierstypiques de la c6te comme ceux domindspar la Pruchede I'ouest et le Sapingracieux, et plus longsque la normale pour lestypes forestiers de I'int€rieurtels lespinddes d Pin ponderosa. Sept communaut6sforestidres ont 6tc identifieeset un historiquedes incendiesforestiers des 400 dernidresanndes a 6tedresse pour ce tcrritoire de 1500 ha. La pdriodemoyenne de rotation desincendie-s forestiers naturels est dc 100ans, valeurvariant d'un factL'urde deuxselon lc sidcleet I'expositionde la pente.Les typesforestiers typiques de la c6te, comme les associationsSapin de Douglas - Pruchc de I'ouest et Pruche subalpine- Sapin gracieux,ont des cycles desincendies foresticrs beaucoup plus courts (108-137 ans) que ceuxdes autres regions de I'ouestdu Washington.Le type forestierle plus d I'int6rieur, I'associationPin ponderosa- Sapin de Douglas a un cycle des incendiesforestiers plus long (52 ans) que celui rapporte pour des types forestierssemblables d I'est des Cascades.Dans le pass6,les incendies ont crdeune diversitdde la structureet du paysageforestiers de DesolationPeak. lls pourraientconstituer un el6ment important du maintiend'une tellediversit6 dans I'avenir. [Traduitpar la revue] Inlroduclion The North Cascadesin Washington(Fig. I ) includelow- The fire history of lorestson the westside ol the Cascade Iand forestson the moistwest side of the Cascades,subalpine Mountains in Washington is usually characterizedby forestsalong the crest, and interior forestson the dry east infrequent (200-to 500-yearinterval) fires that kill all the side. A typical zonal forest-typesequence up the coastalwest trees in the stand (Morris 1934; Hemstrom and Franklin side of the Cascadesis westernhemlock (Tsuga heterophylla 1982). Fire has been an important disturbance process (Raf.) Sarg.), Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis (Dougl.) in this maritime climate area for millennia (Sugita and Forbes),and mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensians(Bong.) Tsukada 1982;Cwynar 1987).Tree regenerationafter fire Carr). A typical zonal forest-typesequencc up the eastside is often prompt, but may extend in some instancesover of the Cascadesis ponderosapine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl.), decades(Franklin and Hemstrom 198l). At high elevation Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco), often (> 1500m), the tree re-establishmentprocess may take a rvith grand fir (Abies grandis(Dougl.) Forbes)or lodgepole century or more (Agee and Smith 1984). In the eastern pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. var. latifolia Engelm.), and Cascadesof Washington,with an interior climaticinfluence, subalpine fir (Abies lasioc'arpa(Hook.) Nutt.l (Agee and the subalpine fire regime is similar to that of west side Kertis 1987). forests,but the low-elevation( < 1000m) fire regimeis one Forestsin the vicinity of the upper Skagit River, Ross of more frequent(10- to 50-yearinterval) fires (Agee 198l), Lake area,are of a specialbotanical interest because of therr which may resultin forestswith multipleage-classes (Larson transitional nature betweenmoist coastaland dry interior l98l). forests(Franklin and Dyrness1973). The areais westof thc Cascadecrest but is in the rainshadowof mountainsfarther to the west,including Mount Baker,Mount Shuksan,and lPresent address:Department of Forestryand RangeManage- the Picket Range.The uniquenessof the arealies in the close me-nt,University of California, Berkeley,CA, U.S.A. juxtaposition 'Present of coastal and interior forest communities address:Bureau of Land Management,Palm Springs, rather than the presenceof unique community types (Agee CA, U.S.A. Pnnred in aanadi lnrpnrnrl au ( anada AGEE ET AL 351 for determinationof age; selectionwas basedon adequaterepre- sentation of speciesand sizecohorts in eachstand. Wedge samples were cut and removed from 50 trees in all locations where single or multiple fire scarswere present(Arno and Sneck 1977),except along trails. Multiple sampleswere taken in the same area only when there was an obvious differencein the number of scarson adjacent samples. Vegetation communit-v analysis Two-way speciesindicatory analysis(TwtNSpAN) was used to +-'). \, 'or,'ul classifythe vegetationdata (Hilt 1979;Gauch 1982).Species impor- tancevalues used as inputs to the programswere cover classesfor shrubs and herbs and an averageof relative basal area and relative cover (expressedon the same1-6 scale)for trees(Agee and Kertis 1987). Fire history analysis Incrementcores were mounted on boards,sanded, and counted under a binocular microscope.Total tree ageon a sarnplewas deter- mined by adding to the ageof eachcore an estimatedage lor core height. factors were on unpublished from WASHINGTON Correction based data similar sitesthroughout the region(J.K. Agee,unpublished data). At 30 cm height, for example,the correction factor was as fol- lows: Douglas-fir and grand fir, 3 years (mesic site) to 5 years Ftr;. L Locationof DesolationPeak study area (shownin (dry site);lodgepole pine, 3 years(low elevation)to 5 years(high black)within Ross Lake National Recreation Area (NRA) in the elevation).Pacific silver fir and subalpinefir correction factors NorthCascades of Washineton.Broken line is thecrest of the were basedon height and the .spacingof the innernroslrings on CascadeMountains. the sample:at 30 cm height, l0 rings/cm,the correctionfactor was 5 years,while at 30 cm height,50 rings/cm, the correctionfactor and Kertis 1987).Commonly, the west side zonal forest was 20 years. sequenceoccurs on mesicnorth and east aspects,whereas Fire dates were recorded from cores (Barrett and Arno 1988) the eastside zonal forest sequenceis found on drier south and wedges.USDA ForestService and the United StatesDepart- and west slopes. ment of the Interior National Park Servicerecords were reviewed The objectiveof this study was to definethe forestfire for additional 20th century fire occurrences.Age-class informa- tion rvas to determine dates. historyin the vicinityol'Desolation Peak jusl eastof Ross also used disturbance Distinct age- clas.sseparations between groups of treeson a plot were determined Lake. It was hypothesizedthat the fire frequenciesfor east from clustersof'tree agesfrom each plot. Each defined age-class sideand westside forest communities would reflectthe close was representedby the oldest tree age in the cluster for plotting proximity of thesequite different fire regimes:on the low on the site map. Recruitmentperiods after disturbancein multiaged end of the rangefor forest typescommon on the west side, standswere usually lessthan 30 years.Age-class coverage across and on the high end of the range for typescommon to the the study area was mapped using I : 12 000 aerial photography east side of the Cascades.To achievethis objective it was and the mapped age groups in the plots. necessaryto define the forest community typeson Desola- Although fireswere dated to specificyears (e.g., ca. 1648),there tion Peakand reconstructthe disturbancehistory over the wasa lack of correspondencebetween dates among wedgesamples study area. For thc purposesof this study, a low severity owing to unusualannual ring patternsin the vicinityof .scars(Arno and 1977); trees were fire is defined as one that kills primarily understorytrees. Sneck otdest in cohortsof age-classdata
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Upper Skagit
    A GUIDE TO PEOPLE AND PLACES OF THE UPPER SKAGIT BOB MIERENDORF AND GERRY COOK NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE COMPLEX NORTH CASCADES INSTITUTE JULY 22–25 2010 1 CLASS FIELD DAYS ITINERARY PEOPLE AND PLACES OF THE UPPER SKAGIT RIVER JULY 22–25, 2010 FRIDAY 9 am Drive from ELC to Ross Dam Trailhead parking lot 9:15–10:00 Hike to Ross Lake (end of haul road) – Brief stop on trail at a Ross Dam overlook – Load ourselves and gear on the Mule 10:30 am Welcome to the Wild Upper Skagit – Rules of the Mule and other safety matters – Instructor and participant introductions Noon Lunch on the Mule near Big Beaver Creek 2:45 pm Second stop near May Creek (no rest rooms here) 6 pm Arrive at Lightning Horse Camp (our base camp for two nights) 7 pm Potluck dinner SATURDAY 7 am Breakfast 8 am–Noon Ethnobotany hike along Eastbank Trail – About a two mile hike, rolling terrain – Gerry will pick us up with the Mule – Lunch on the Mule 1 pm Quick rest room stop at Boundary Bay Campground 3 pm Arrive at International Boundary 3:15 pm Stop at Winnebago Flats – There are toilets here – Get drinking water and fill water jugs 3:45 pm Depart Winnebago Flats on return trip 5 pm Arrive back at our camp 6:30 pm Potluck dinner SUNDAY ABOUT THE COVER 7 am Breakfast U.S. Forest Service, Mt. Baker 8 am Break camp and load Mule Ranger District, 1931 oblique 9 am Depart on Mule aerial facing 182o (south), of pre-impoundment Skagit River 10 am Arrive at Big Beaver Campground flood plain; Skymo Creek canyon – There are rest rooms here in lower right, Devil’s Creek canyon – Hike up Big Beaver to old growth cedar grove emerging from middle left.
    [Show full text]
  • Helmy Beckey, 1925 – 2019 Helmut Fritz Beckey, Known As Helmy, Was Born in Seattle and Died in Munich, Germany, at Age 93
    AAC Publications Helmy Beckey, 1925 – 2019 Helmut Fritz Beckey, known as Helmy, was born in Seattle and died in Munich, Germany, at age 93. In his youth, he established first ascents and new routes throughout the Cascades and elsewhere. Helmy learned the basics of climbing as a member of the Mountaineers, where his aptitude was recognized early. In 1940, he and his brother Fred, who was two years older, made two extensive excursions into the Picket Range. The teenagers climbed the west ridge of Mt. Thompson and made the first ascents of Forbidden Peak, Phantom Peak, Whatcom Peak, Mt. Challenger, Crooked Thumb, Luna Peak, Mt. Fury’s East Peak, McMillan Spire’s West Spire, and Inspiration Peak. In 1941, along with the numerous first ascents and new routes in the North Cascades he did with Fred, Helmy joined Lloyd Anderson, Lyman Boyer, and Tom Campbell in the Bugaboos of British Columbia, where they completed the first ascent of the South Tower of Howser Spire. In the summer of 1942, Helmy and Fred embarked on a six-week expedition into the Coast Mountains of British Columbia. Here, the teenage brothers famously climbed the remote and challenging Mt. Waddington. It was only the second ascent of the peak, which had repelled a multitude of summit attempts. Fred Beckey wrote in the 1943 AAJ about the descent: “Helmy was hit on the knee by one of a flurry of rocks that sped down the mountain side. All hope of reaching camp that night was gone because of a heavily bleeding cut. This was Helmy’s 17th birthday present, donated by Mt.
    [Show full text]
  • Washington State's Scenic Byways & Road Trips
    waShington State’S Scenic BywayS & Road tRipS inSide: Road Maps & Scenic drives planning tips points of interest 2 taBLe of contentS waShington State’S Scenic BywayS & Road tRipS introduction 3 Washington State’s Scenic Byways & Road Trips guide has been made possible State Map overview of Scenic Byways 4 through funding from the Federal Highway Administration’s National Scenic Byways Program, Washington State Department of Transportation and aLL aMeRican RoadS Washington State Tourism. waShington State depaRtMent of coMMeRce Chinook Pass Scenic Byway 9 director, Rogers Weed International Selkirk Loop 15 waShington State touRiSM executive director, Marsha Massey nationaL Scenic BywayS Marketing Manager, Betsy Gabel product development Manager, Michelle Campbell Coulee Corridor 21 waShington State depaRtMent of tRanSpoRtation Mountains to Sound Greenway 25 Secretary of transportation, Paula Hammond director, highways and Local programs, Kathleen Davis Stevens Pass Greenway 29 Scenic Byways coordinator, Ed Spilker Strait of Juan de Fuca - Highway 112 33 Byway leaders and an interagency advisory group with representatives from the White Pass Scenic Byway 37 Washington State Department of Transportation, Washington State Department of Agriculture, Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife, Washington State Tourism, Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and State Scenic BywayS Audubon Washington were also instrumental in the creation of this guide. Cape Flattery Tribal Scenic Byway 40 puBLiShing SeRviceS pRovided By deStination
    [Show full text]
  • Toolstone Geography in the Northern Cascades of Washington and Adjacent Areas
    CHAPTER 6 Toolstone Geography in the Northern Cascades of Washington and Adjacent Areas Robert R. Mierendorf National Park Service (Retired), U. S. Department of Interior, 810 SR 20, Sedro Woolley, WA 98284- 1239 ([email protected]); Kevin E. Baldwin 1014 151st Ave SE, Bellevue WA 98007 ([email protected]) Background to the Study of North Cascades Toolstone The northern Cascade Mountain Range, or North 1986). The park and its immediately adjacent lands Cascades, extends 220 km from northeast of the encompass the core area of a distinctive toolstone town of Hope, British Columbia, to Snoqualmie landscape whose rich suite of rock types offered a Pass in Washington State. The geographic center of variety of utilitarian options to pre-contact the North Cascades is within the North Cascades populations. Reflecting for the most part National Park Service Complex (the park) and geographic variation in bedrock lithology, this suite adjacent lands. The park (Figure 6-1) takes in of toolstone types differs from the variety of remote alpine terrain comprising the most heavily toolstone used in the foothill, lower riverine valley, glaciated portion of the range in the convergent and littoral landscapes that surround the North headwaters of the three largest regional rivers - the Cascades. Even within the North Cascades interior, Columbia, the Fraser, and the Skagit. Park lands on the abundance and type of toolstone in the western slopes extend from the border with archaeological assemblages vary significantly Canada, south along the upper Skagit River; park within and between watersheds. land extends east across the Cascade crest to Archaeological evidence indicates that, hardly include the upper end of Lake Chelan.
    [Show full text]
  • 1968 Mountaineer Outings
    The Mountaineer The Mountaineer 1969 Cover Photo: Mount Shuksan, near north boundary North Cascades National Park-Lee Mann Entered as second-class matter, April 8, 1922, at Post Office, Seattle, Wash., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Published monthly and semi-monthly during June by The Mountaineers, P.O. Box 122, Seattle, Washington 98111. Clubroom is at 7191h Pike Street, Seattle. Subscription price monthly Bulletin and Annual, $5.00 per year. EDITORIAL STAFF: Alice Thorn, editor; Loretta Slat­ er, Betty Manning. Material and photographs should be submitted to The Mountaineers, at above address, before Novem­ ber 1, 1969, for consideration. Photographs should be black and white glossy prints, 5x7, with caption and photographer's name on back. Manuscripts should be typed double-spaced and include writer's name, address and phone number. foreword Since the North Cascades National Park was indubi­ tably the event of this past year, this issue of The Mountaineer attempts to record aspects of that event. Many other magazines and groups have celebrated by now, of course, but hopefully we have managed to avoid total redundancy. Probably there will be few outward signs of the new management in the park this summer. A great deal of thinking and planning is in progress as the Park Serv­ ice shapes its policies and plans developments. The North Cross-State highway, while accessible by four­ wheel vehicle, is by no means fully open to the public yet. So, visitors and hikers are unlikely to "see" the changeover to park status right away. But the first articles in this annual reveal both the thinking and work which led to the park, and the think­ ing which must now be done about how the park is to be used.
    [Show full text]
  • The Wild Cascades
    THE WILD CASCADES August-September 1969 2 THE WILD CASCADES TRAMWAYS AND THE NORTH CASCADES BY KIMBLE S. ERDMAIM Editor's Foreword Dr. Erdman, N3C member and a professor of biology at Slippery Rock State College in Pennsylvania, has traveled extensively in the North Cas­ cades and has worked there as a summer fire lookout. Here he expresses his personal opinions about tramways in the North Cascades, a subject that will be much-studied and discussed in years ahead. Because many aspects of the matter are still wide-open, we are pleased to present his thoughtful remarks, even though they do not at every point reflect cur­ rent N3C policies, and may at some points conflict with policies now being evolved. Following his article is a commentary. Let the debate continue. The establishment of the North Cascades National Park provides a fine opportunity to explore new approaches for handling high tourist visitation. Since most of the park is a wilder­ ness of the most rugged nature, conventional development of roads for visitor access would impair both the beauty and isolation of the region. Hopefully even the existing Stehekin Valley road will be maintained at its present primitive state. The Park Service has suggested that the major means of transportation should be public conveniences of some sort. This would help eliminate the automobile congestion and noise so typical of Yosemite. The National Park Service has also tentatively proposed the development of three tram­ ways or similar facilities to take visitors to high-altitude vantage points. The reaction of con­ servationists to such proposals has generally been negative, not just in regards to the specific sites, but to the tramway concept in general.
    [Show full text]
  • Distribution and Abundance of Mountain Goats Within the Ross Lake Watershed, North Cascades National Park Service Complex
    ' I ; q£ 04. & 9) -~o3 Distribution and Abundance of Mountain Goats within the Ross Lake Watershed, North Cascades National Park Service Complex Final Report to Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission Sarah J. Welch Robert C. Kuntz II Ronald E. Holmes Roger G. Christophersen North Cascades National Park Service Complex 2105 State Route 20 Sedro-Woolley, Washington 98284-9314 December 1997 1997 SEC #10 . ' Table of Contents I. Introduction 1 2. Study Area 3. Methods 3 4. Results. 4 5. Discussion 5 6. Recommendations 6 7. Literature Cited 7 List of Figures 1. Figure 1: Mountain goat study area in Ross Lake watershed, North Cascades National Park Service Complex (1996-1997) 2 List of Tables 1. Table l: Mountain goat observations. 4 2. Table 2: Habitat characteristics where mountain goats were observed 5 Distribution and Abundance of Mountain Goats within the Ross Lake Watershed, North Cascades National Park Service Complex Introduction Mountain goats (Oreamnus americanus) are native to northwestern North America and can be found throughout the North Cascades National Park Service Complex (NOCA). Their habitat requirements are quite specific and suitable habitat is patchily distributed across the landscape. During a11 seasons, mountain goat habitat is characterized by steep, rocky terrain. Summer habitat is generally above 1525 m (5000 ft) elevation, and features rock outcrops in or near subalpine meadows and forest (Welch, 1991; Holmes, 1993; Schoen and Kirchoff, 1981; NCASI, 1989; Chadwick, 1983; Benzon and Rice, 1988). Many mountain goat populations in Washington have declined during the last 20 years. Although specific causes have not been identified, several factors may have contributed to the regional decline.
    [Show full text]
  • Newhalem Area Day Hikes Information
    North Cascades National Park 2105 Highway 20 Ross Lake National Recreation Area Sedro Woolley Lake Chelan National Recreation Area Washington 98284 Newhalem Area Day Hikes Information Welcome Many hours can be spent exploring trails in the Newhalem vicinity. From valley paths to accessible boardwalks, there is variety and reward for everyone. Be well prepared, have current information. Do you have proper shoes, clothes, first aid kit, extra water, food, map, flashlight? Be sure a responsible person knows your route and schedule. Enjoy the North Cascades! Sterling Munro Trail Trailhead is just outside the northwest corner of the North Cas­ (1) cades Visitor Center. This 330 foot boardwalk trail offers excellent views of the Picket Range up the Goodell Creek drainage. Wheel­ chair accessible. Newhalem Creek This .4 mile access trail connects the North Cascades Visitor Campground/ Center to loops A & B in Newhalem Creek Campground, the Amphitheater Trail (2) amphitheater and trails: including the River Loop and "To Know a Tree" nature trails. The 1 mile loop west of Newhalem Creek Campground River Loop Trail (3) leads through a variety of forest growth to a peaceful river bar with sweeping views. Caution is advised near the Skagit River since it is extremely swift and cold. "To Know a Tree" Accessible from points near the Newhalem Creek Campground Nature Trail (4) entrance station and amphitheater. Mostly level, .5 miles, with packed gravel surface. Skirts the campground, follows the river, wanders among large trees, and lush understory growth. Find plaques interpreting common trees and plants along the way. Lower Newhalem Starts .3 miles along the service road past Newhalem Campground loops Creek Trail (5) C and D, 40 yards beyondthe steel grated Newhalem Creek Bridge.
    [Show full text]
  • Washington Trails Jan+Feb 2012
    Reader Resolutions, p.6 Hit the Slopes, p.20 Winter Hiking, p.43 WASHINGTON TRAILS January + February 2012 » A Publication of Washington Trails Association www.wta.org » $4.50 Northwest Exposure Photo contest winners revealed! Olympic Discovery Trail Volunteer Appreciation Trail-Tested Hiking Boots January + February 2012 » Washington Trails This Month’s Cover » Northwest Exposure Grand Prize Winner, Ruby Beach, by Todd Mortensen (For the full image, turn to p.24) » Table of Contents Jan+Feb 2012 Volume 48 Issue 1 News + Views Backcountry The Front Desk » Karen Daubert The Gear Closet » Hiking Boots New Year’s resolutions » p.4 Start the year in some of these trail-tested hiking treads » p.34 41 The Signpost » Eli Boschetto Meet the new editor » p.5 Nature on Trail » Tami Asars Managing wildlife in King County » p.38 Trail Talk » Lace Thornberg From Mount Rainier to D.C. to Yosemite: Snapshot » Dave Schiefelbein Q&A with Mike Gauthier » p.7 Composing the perfect photo » p.41 Hiking News » Trail Eats » Sarah Kirkconnell Dave Schiefelbein Restoring the Nisqually Estuary » p.8 Warm up your winter camp with one of The Olympic Discovery Trail » p.10 these tasty recipes » p.42 WTA at Work Take a Hike Trail Work » Sarah Rich Winter Hikes and Snowshoes » 43 Looking back on 2011 » p.12 Suggestions spanning the state » p.43 Volunteer Appreciation » Featured Trail » Susan Elderkin Props to these milestone volunteers » p.15 Take a winter stroll on the new Evans Creek trail » p.49 Southwest » Ryan Ojerio Remembering Jim Proctor » p.17 A Walk on the Wild Side » Roy Hughes Inspiration in the North Cascades » p.50 Paul Raymaker Action for Trails » Jonathan Guzzo Why all the funding issues? » p.18 On Trail Northwest Explorer » Joan Burton Snowshoe adventures across the state for every experience level » p.20 Northwest Exposure » Ten pages of winning photos from our ninth annual photo contest! » p.24 Find WTA online at wta.org or call us at (206) 625-1367.
    [Show full text]
  • Climbing Notes 2002 National Park Service U.S
    North Cascades National Park Service Complex Climbing Notes 2002 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Whidbey Island 2001 Search and Navy helicopter search and rescue Rescue Incidents team training with North Cascades National Park’s search NPS Rangers. and rescue personnel responded to 18 In 2001 search incidents in 2001, including assistance given and rescue to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office personnel responded with two incidents on Mount Baker . to 18 incidents The total unprogrammed emergency including a fatality cost to the National Park Service was on Mt. Baker. $15,225, of which 47% was for contract helicopter services. These figures do not include costs assumed by military and volunteer programs that also work on Park incidents. The 2001 accidents were consistent in the long-standing trend that the majority of climbers evacuated are injured in the non- technical approach or descent, not the actual climbing routes. Also noted in 2001 was that more trail hikers were injured and evacuated than those with mountaineering objectives. Five of the 2001 incidents are summarized below. Klawatti Glacier, May 22 A ski-mountaineering party reported NPS photo a non-critical, but disabling knee injury to one member. The skier had taken a slow, Addressing Wilderness Climbing Impacts tumbling fall near the base of Klawatti Peak Rangers of the North Cascades National was designated by as Wilderness. after a descent of Klawatti’s south face. He Park Wilderness District have measured and During the summer of 2001, patrols were was evacuated by helicopter to inventoried human impacts in “trailless” ar- conducted in areas such as the Picket Range, Marblemount.
    [Show full text]
  • North Cascades
    North Cascades NATIONAL PARK Ross Lake & Lake Chelan NATIONAL RECREATION AREAS • WASHINGTON Established by an act of the 90th Congress in A BRIEF DESCRIPTION wolverine, marten, fisher, grizzly bear, cougar, 1968, the North Cascades group has four distinct The section of the Cascade Range encompassed and moose. White-tailed ptarmigan and a host of units—North and South Units of the park and Ross by North Cascades National Park and the two Na­ other smaller birds and mammals make their home Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. tional Recreation Areas has an array of alpine here. In winter, large numbers of bald eagles can scenery unmatched in the conterminous 48 be seen along the Skagit River where they feed on This magnificent area of 1,053 square miles con­ States: deep glaciated canyons, more than 300 salmon. serves an outstanding part of the extensive North glaciers, hundreds of jagged peaks, mountain Cascades mountain range near the Canadian bor­ lakes and streams, and plant communities. der. More than 99 percent of the land in the North Cascades group is federally owned. The Cascades rank among the world's great moun­ WEATHER AND SEASONS tain ranges. Extending from Canada's Fraser River Outdoor recreation can be enjoyed year around. Included within the park are two former wilder­ south beyond Oregon, they are major topographic The lower elevations and the big lakes are acces­ ness study areas —Picket Range Wilderness in features, shaping the climate and vegetation over sible from early April to mid-October, but at higher the North Unit and Eldorado Peaks Wilderness in much of the Pacific Northwest.
    [Show full text]
  • Washington Trails Jul+Aug 2011
    Trail Work Myth-Busting, p.12 Maps You Need, p.33 Trappers Peak, p.51 WASHINGTON TRAILS July + August 2011 » A Publication of Washington Trails Association www.wta.org » $4.50 Head to the Crest Hike the Pacific Crest Trail for stellar views and soul repair INSIDE PCT Feats and Firsts Trail Angels Trail Magic Plus, How to Tell Better Tales Make Fish Tacos in the Backcountry This Month’s Cover » Photo by Karl Forsgaard Hiker Greg Jacoby amidst lupines and » Table of Contents bistort on the Pacific Crest Trail near White Pass July+August 2011 Volume 47, Issue 4 News + Views Backcountry The Front Desk » Craig McKibben The Gear Closet » Susan Ashlock, Why we need the PCT, even if we never Adam Scroggins hike it.» p.4 Navigate to the right map.» p.33 Family-friendly camping gear.» p.35 The Signpost » Lace Thornberg What motivates a PCT thru-hiker?» p.5 Sage Advice » Chris Wall How to tell spell-binding tales.» p.38 Trail Talk » Reader survey results and a Q&A session Trail Eats » Sarah Kirkconnell Dinner for two trailside.» with search and rescue.» p.6 p.40 Hiking News » 12Susan Elderkin Anniversaries and road closures.» p.8 Take a Hike WTA at Work Day Hikes and Overnights » Suggested hikes statewide.» p.41 Trail Work » Diane Bedell We take a pulaski to our favorite trail main- Nature on Trail » Sylvia Feder tenance myths.» p.12 22 You’ve seen krummholz before, but did you know what it was?» Action for Trails » Jonathan Guzzo, p.49 Ryan Ojerio A legislative session look back.» p.16 A Walk on the Wild Side » Why the Dark Divide goes too often unex- Elizabeth Lunney plored.» p.17 The essence of trail magic.» p.50 Membership News » Kara Chin Featured Landscape » Buff Black Hike-a-Thon—it’s on!» p.20 Why you really must visit Trappers Peak.» Heidi Walker p.51 On Trail Special Feature » All about the Pacific Crest Trail Best bets for a day or weekend.» p.22 PCT personalities.» 24 p.25 The PCT across a lifetime.» p.28 The PCT’s bold trendsetters.» p.31 Volunteer Vacations on the crest.» p.32 Find WTA online at www.wta.org.
    [Show full text]