The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1902-02-18
THE YAKIMA HERALD.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY IS. 1902.
MOUNT RAINIER RESERVE.
Government Geological Surveys Forthcoming
Report on Condition Of Same.

forms part of the report on forest re-
serves, by Henry Garnett, geographer,
in the twenty-first annual report of the
United States geological survey now
passing through the press, but not yet
published.
The Mount Rainier forest reserve in
cludes the crest of the Cascade range, in
Southern Washington, with its slopes
upon the east and the west. OF the to-
tai OF ,, 10000 acres, Ala per cent lies
on the eastern slope, and $50 per cent
on the western slope of the mountains.
All of the eastern slope and most of the
western slope, S3.6 per cent OF the re-
serve are drained by Is rivers into CO.
mmbia river; the remainder is drained
serve includes the great volcanic peak OF
Mount Rainier, 1l,526 feet; Mount
Adams, another great volcanic cone. H.
40 feet: Goat mountain, $500 feet and
Mount AK, 1923 feet From these
heights the land sinks down to within a
few hundred feet OF the sea level. The
bold topography of the reserve is the
cause OF wide diversities in climatic con-
ditions. The rain-bearing clouds, borne
on southwest winds, pass easily through
breaks in the Coast range to the heights
and valleys OF the Cascade range.
Hence the strong contrast between the
corn and tobacco fields OF the Cowlitz
valley and the $4,000 acres of glaciers
and perpetual snow fields OF Mount
Rainier. Only about $1,000 acres, or
per cent of the entire reserve, are fair
farming land and more than one-half OF
this is too high or too much exposed,
The Davis coal prospect on summit
creek claims vein feet wide; and
several other coal veins have been pros
pected. The principal mining for metals
is the Summit district just east Of Mount
Rainier many claims have been taken
up; none were productive at the time OF
the examination. \ number OF mineral
springs chiefly soda and iron, are found,
All the divides become beautiful parks
plentifully erased and lowered as they
approach the slopes OF Mount Rainier !;
and at least so per cent OF the areas
above 5000 feet and below the timber
line may be classed as mountain mead-
Ows.
This region in respect to its forest
cover, is sharply divided into two parts
by the crest OF the range. Upon the west
the forest is that of the Pacific coast,
with very dense undergrowth. 1t is
very heavy up to attitudes of between
5000 and 1000 feet here it begins to thin,
and above 5000 feet it is almost entirely
wanting. The forest is composed, in the
main, OF red fir with some spruce, hem
lock and cedar. 1t is heaviest in the
valleys and upon the north slopes OF the
ridges, rather than upon the south
slopes East OF the crest OF the range
the forest is comparatively light and
open, with little underbrush, and is
composed almost entirely OF yellow pine.
Mr.. Plummer notes that owing to the
bold topography OF the reserve, and the
presence of numerous perpetual snow
fields and glaciers, there is no altitude
which may be termed a timber limit
Thus upon Mount Rainier the alpine
trees reach an extreme limit of about
1900 feet but at Goat Peak the same
forms are found at an elevation of 800
feet.
The entire stand. OF timber upon the
reserve, including the park, is estimated
by Mr.. Plummer at 20 0l3 2S5 600 feet
board measure. an average per acre of
1923 feet board measure. OF the total
amount ~ per cent is red or yellow fir,
II per cent hemlock, 10 per cent yellow
pine, and 6 per cent each red cedar and
noble fir, the remainder being made up
of variety of species.
Mr.. Plummer calls attention to the
value of the humus in retarding surface
drainage. On the eastern slope, in the
watershed of the Yakima river, the sur
face flow continues to feed the river for
three months after the winter rains and
SHOWS are over. This is Of immense i'm
portance in irrigation, it being estimat-
ed that fall of one foot in this river af-
fects 800, 900 acres of land.
Fire has been very destructive in this
region. Upon the west slope restocking
after fires commonly takes place
promptly by the same species but upon
the drier east slope restocking is much
slower. Fires are started by sheep men,
prospectors, settlers Indians and camp