Olympic National Forest

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The Olympic National Forest is a National Forest ( National Forest ) in the U.S. state of Washington. With an area of ​​2564 km ² it partially surrounds the Olympic National Park and Mount Olympus. The Olympic National Forest is located in the counties of Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson and Mason. The landscape of the National Forests varies from temperate Olympic rainforest to salt water fjord of the Hood Canals and the peaks of Mount Washington. The average annual precipitation is about 5.6 m, the currents as the Humptulips River generated.

The Olympic National Forest was originally founded in 1897 as the Olympic Forest Reserve and then renamed " Olympic National Forest" in 1907. A study by the U.S. Forest Service in 1993 showed that the forest originally stretched to about 108,000 ha. The forest is of two ranger districts from managed: the Pacific Ranger District on the west side of the Olympic Peninsula and Hood Canal Ranger District on the east side.

The head office of the forest is located in Olympia and the offices of ranger districts in Forks, Quinault and Quilcene. The former office in Hoodsport graduated in 2005 and now houses the local chamber of commerce. Other places on the edge of the forest are Port Angeles, Sequim and Amanda Park.

Attractions

• Lake Cushman
• Quinault Rain Forest
• Wynoochee Dam
• Seal Rock

Wilderness areas

Through the Washington Wilderness Act 1984 five Wilderness Area was created in the area of the Olympic National Forest. Together, they include 357 km ², which is about 15 % of the area of the National Forest. All five protected areas are managed by the U.S. Forest Service and are accessible without fees, but as in all Wilderness Areas is also available in these no roads and other infrastructure, but only footpaths. People are allowed to enter the area for a natural use and only on foot or on horseback. Vehicles of any kind (including mountain bikes) are not permitted.

The Brothers Wilderness

The The Brothers Wilderness is located north of the Lena Lake in the eastern part of the Olympic National Forest. The Wilderness Area is bordered on the north by the Buckhorn Wilderness and south to the Mount Skokomish Wilderness, on the west by the Olympic Wilderness in Olympic National Park. The Dosewallips River in the north and the Hamma Hamma River in the south are still outside the Wilderness era. Except for a section of the valley of the East Fork of Lena Creek, there is a 6750 -acre area from a densely forested wilderness in steep, hilly terrain. The lowest point is 213 m near the Dosewallips River, the highest point is the summit of the 2092 m high double summit of The Brothers. Through the Wilderness of the Duckabush River flows through a wide, shaped by glaciers and forested valley. From the valley the land rises steeply to the north to Jupiter and Lake to 1737 m high Mount Jupiter in the south to the peaks of The Brothers. The reserve is located in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, so that with a year 2032 millimeters fall relatively little rainfall. The climate is temperate with summer temperatures up to 26 ° C and rarely frost in the valleys in winter. The lower layers are densely wooded with West American hemlock, Douglas fir and giant trees of life, at higher altitudes with purple fir and mountain hemlock -, ​​which give way to subalpine meadows and alpine rock zones. Through this area only a few ways for day and multi- day tours. The Brothers trail leads over the Lena Lake Trail to The Brothers, which are a popular climbing area.

Buckhorn Wilderness

The Buckhorn Wilderness is located in the northeastern portion of the Olympic National Forest. To the west it borders the Olympic Wilderness in Olympic National Park and on the south by The Brothers Wilderness. Due to the Dungeness River and a 87 acre mining area 179 km ² Wilderness is divided into a smaller northern part and a larger southern part. The name derives from the 2130 meter high Mount Buckhorn in the southern part of the protected area. The highest mountain is 2174 m high Mount Fricaba, other mountains are the 2118 m high Iron Mountain and the 1935m high peak Tyler. In the lower zones of the protected area with a forest of Douglas fir, Western American hemlock and giant living trees and dense undergrowth of ferns and berry bushes is forested, at higher altitudes to grow Western Weymouth pine and subalpine fir trees, to the forest in subalpine meadows, and finally in steep, rocky terrain goes. Due to the northern part of the Gray Wolf River flows. South of the river the terrain turns into a very steep and rugged mountain range. The southern part is still steep and impassable than the northern part. By glacier -formed valleys flow of Dungeness and the Quilcene River. Approximately 95 km routes for day and multi- day trips through the area.

Colonel Bob Wilderness

The Colonel Bob Wilderness lies to the east of Lake Quinault in the southwest corner of the Olympic National Forest. To the north it borders the Olympic Wilderness in Olympic National Park. By 4840 acre Wilderness Aera run two mountain ranges, the majority of the area is above an altitude of 500 m. The lowest point lies at 90 m height in the Quinault Valley and then rises steeply within 1.5 kilometers to over 1200 m. The highest elevation is at 1374 m on the eastern border area. The name derives from the lying right in the area 1369 m high Colonel Bob. Several small rivers flow north to Quinault River, or southward direction Humptulips River. The Colonel Bob Wilderness receives an annual rainfall up to 3800 mm and is mostly wooded with a dense temperate rain forest of western hemlock and American Purple -fir, interspersed with giant trees of life, Douglas fir and Sitka spruce. The dense understory consists of ferns, shrubs and wildflowers. In the higher zones, the vegetation transitions to subalpine meadows and alpine, rocky terrain. Through this area about 19 ​​km mostly steep and difficult trails, including the Colonel Bob trail. From the summit of Colonel Bob offers a panoramic view of Lake Quinault.

Mount Skokomish Wilderness

The Mount Skokomish Wilderness is located north of Lake Cushman in Mason County in the southeastern area of ​​the Olympic National Forest. The Wilderness Area is bordered on the north by the Olympic Wilderness of Olympic National Park. By 5267 hectare area running from northeast to southwest two ridges. The area consists of very steep, mountainous terrain, the lowest 250 m high point is located on Lake Cushman, the highest point is the summit of the 2,015 m high Mount Stone. The eponymous 1961 m high Mount Skokomish, which lies on the northwestern border of the protected area to the Olympic National Park. Other peaks are 1828 m high Mount Henderson, the 1814 m high Mount Ellinor, the 1875 m high Mount Pershing and the 1907 m high Mount Washington. The lower zones are wooded with forest of Douglas fir, western hemlock and American giant trees of life. In the higher parts of the Wilderness of the forest consists of Subalpine Fir and Western Weymouth pines, which eventually give way to a barren alpine vegetation and bare rock. Through the valley between the mountain ranges of the Hamma Hamma River flows whose origin lies in the Mildred Lakes. Through the area run only four steep paths with total length 20 km. The peaks in the conservation area are popular climbing destinations.

Wonder Mountain Wilderness

The Wonder Mountain Wilderness is located in Mason County west of Lake Cushman in the southeastern corner of the Olympic National Forest and bordered to the north by the Olympic National Park. The smallest with 950 acres of wilderness area of the Olympic National Forest has the shape of a triangle. The southern tip of the triangle formed by the abruptly rising 1477 m high rocky peaks of the Wonder Mountain, at the lowest point is the Park 530 meters high. Annual fall in the park area about 1,500 millimeters of precipitation, much of it as snow. Temperatures rarely reach more than 26 ° C. The mountain slopes are densely forested with western American hemlock, Douglas fir, and purple, and an understory of Beernesträuchern. In the Wilderness, the headwaters of the McKay Creek and other streams are. The streams are covered with a dense forest of alder, willow and vine leaf maple. Through this area not developed ways. Only two forest paths lead to the southeast and Südewesten in the vicinity of where to enter the wilderness is only possible across country.

• Website of the National Forest
• Fact Sheet for Buckhorn Wilderness
• Www.wilderness.net: Buckhorn
• Fact Sheet for The Brothers Wilderness
• Www.wilderness.net: The Brothers
• Fact Sheet for Colonel Bob Wilderness
• Www.wilderness.net: Colonel Bob
• Info Sheet on Mount Skokomish Wilderness
• Www.wilderness.net: Mount Skokomish
• Fact Sheet for Wonder Mountain Wilderness
• Www.wilderness.net: Wonder Mountain