Misty Fiords National Monument

Misty Fjords National Monument is a protected area by the type of National Monuments in the southeast of the U.S. state of Alaska. The terms of area by far the largest national monument in the United States covers the tip of the Alaska Panhandle, the southern part of Alaska. It is characterized by the coastal mountains of the Boundary Ranges, which are cut by deep fjords and overgrown with rain forest of the temperate latitudes.

The reserve is located entirely within the Tongass National Forest, a national forest, and as interpreted by the U.S. Forest Service manages. It was established in 1978 by U.S. President Jimmy Carter under the name " Misty Fiords National Monument" and confirmed in 1980 by the Congress of the United States in the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act under the present notation. It almost its entire surface was found to be Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness among the more extensive protection than Wilderness Area.

Description

The largest part of the reserve is on the mainland in the mountains of the Boundary Ranges, between the Portland Canal to the east and the Behm Canal in the west. The Portland Canal and the crest of the mountain range forming the boundary of the protected area and Alaska to the Canadian province of British Columbia. To the north extends the Salmon Glacier, North America's fifth largest glacier, from Canada across the border and into the National Monument. In the West, a strip of Revillagigedo Iceland belongs to the reserve.

The mountains of the area consist of granite by glaciers predominantly rounded mountains and deep valleys trough was milled. Tectonic subsidence and sea level rise after the last ice age ( glaciation in North America as the Wisconsin called ), the bottoms today up to 300 m below sea level, the valleys have become fjords. Over water the steep walls project typically between 600 and 900 m, rush out of hanging valleys diverse waterfalls. The highest falls from the Big Goat Lake 300 m deep in the Wilson Lake. Given the comparable granite which similar geological formation and further similarities between the California naturalist and philosopher John Muir compared the fjords, he saw on his travels, 1879-1899, with the Yosemite Valley in California's Sierra Nevada.

The mountain range gets through orographic rainfall annual rainfall of about 4000 mm, the forests of the slopes are therefore classified as rainforest. The character of the area tree is the Sitka Spruce, next you will find the Western Hemlock, rock - fir, purple - fir and red cedar. Deciduous trees are rare, growing in sheltered places the Western balsam poplar.

The wildlife is virtually unaffected by human influences. The protected area live grizzly bear and American Black Bear, wolf, moose, mountain goats and mule deer and spruce marten, lontra and wolverine. Five types of salmon inhabit the rivers and estuaries of the area.

Visits

Misty Fjords National Monument is easily accessible to visitors. There is no road connection. Cruise ships make regular trip to the Behm Canal, the protected area can also be reached on day trips from Ketchikan by catamaran or on outings with seaplanes. A view of the mountains and the fjords also allow the ferries of the Alaska Marine Highways that pass through the Inside Passage to the West Coast National Monuments.

The protected area is an excellent area for driving a sea kayak, with up to 7.50 m tidal range must be considered. The Forest Service hired 14 log cabins on the coast and larger lakes, in their environment, some trails are maintained rudimentary. Visitors to the huts have to be flown.

Conservation and conflict

Due to the wilderness character and the remoteness of the area only a few protective measures are required. The Ranger of the Forest Service Search within regularly trodden by visitors areas sporadically neophytes, introduced by humans alien plant species. In addition, committed parts of the route are secured so that no landslides occur in streams that could silt up by the entry of what it would damage as spawning grounds for fish.

The problem is the high frequency of seaplanes on the field and the number of landings on lakes in the wilderness sanctuary. In the scenically most attractive parts of the noise from overflights and the frequency of encounters with humans and human influences negative impact on the experience of ' solitude, seclusion and uninterrupted recovery " from.

1980 with additional protection status as a wilderness reserve a central part of the monument was excluded around the quartz mountain, because there probably largest deposit of molybdenum of the earth is assumed. Any use of the deposit has so far not taken, but should also not be excluded.