Mount Storm King EarthCache

Nature Trails These trails would generally be paved
(outside of wilderness) or gravel surfaced and would
be designed for large numbers of relatively inexperienced
users. Stock would be prohibited except for
occasional administrative use, or when a nature trail
was the only trail available for stock to access all-purpose
or secondary trails.
All Purpose Trails These trails would be through routes
or loop routes; they would be open to hikers
and stock and would be maintained to a standard for
stock travel.
Multipurpose Bicycle Trails Located outside of
wilderness, these trails would be open to hikers,
stock, and bicycles and would be maintained to all-purpose
standards.
Secondary Trails These trails would be open to
hikers and stock and would be maintained to a standard
for foot travel. These trails would be designed
only for experienced horses and riders.
Foot Trails These trails would be open to hikers
and would be maintained to a standard for foot travel.
They would be closed to stock, except for occasional
administrative use.
Primitive Trails Primitive trails, for hikers only,
would be for high elevation or low-use area access.
Primitive trails would include both constructed trails
and trails established by continual use. These trails
would have minimal improvements enough to protect
the resources. Occasional maintenance would be
performed, as time and budget allow, to keep routes
open and protect the resources.
Way Trails Paths or routes that generally receive no
maintenance. Ongoing travel keeps these trails established.

To earn credit for this Earthcache:
1. Climb the trail passed the caution sign to Mount Storm King summit. Classify the type(s) of trail Mount Storm King provides to its hikers according to the Olympic National Parks proposed trail classification system, and provide the answer(s) in an email.
2. Hike past the caution sign and scale two sets of ropes; Take a measurement of the altitude at the rock outcropping summit elevation in email.
3. What is the difference in height between where you are on Mount Storm King’s Summit to Mount Olympus?
4. Upload a picture into the gallery of you at the rock outcropping. Because this trail can be strenuous for some cacher’s we will not enforce the GPS be in the photo, if you have been here before in the past and took a photo, you deserve credit for your previous endeavor!

The Olympic mountains are not especially high - Mount Olympus is the highest at 7,962 ft - but the western slopes of the Olympics rise directly out of the Pacific Ocean and are the wettest place in the 48 contiguous states which supports its own rainforest; the hoh Rainforest. The Olympics are made up of an abducted caustic wedge material and oceanic crust. They are primarily Eocene sandstones, turbidities, and basaltic oceanic crust. Millions of years ago, vents and fissures opened under the Pacific Ocean and lava flowed out, creating huge underwater mountains and ranges called seamounts. The plates that formed the ocean floor; the plate of Juan de Fuca inched toward North America about 35 million years ago and most of the sea floor. Juan De Fuca plate went beneath the continental land mass also known as the North American plate, because it is heavier. The junction where these two plates meet is called the subduction zone. Oddly enough this subduction zone does not cause earthquakes and tremors like most which have scientists puzzled. Yet two theories have developed:The Juan de Fuca plate is young, when it subducts, it is still relatively warm and buoyant compared to older subducting plates. For this reason, considerable strain may be building by forcing the buoyant oceanic plate to squeeze under the continental plate. On the other hand, if the plate is warm enough, then the rocks at the interface may be more pliable than brittle, enabling the plates to slide without locking together. And some scientists believe the area is just building pressure and is due for a “quake of the century”. During the subduction process some of the sea floor, was scraped off and jammed against the mainland, creating the dome that was the ancestor of today's Olympics. Powerful forces fractured, folded, and over-turned rock formations, which helps explain the jumbled appearance of today’s Olympics. For this earth cache you will be getting a better look and climb one of these rock formations.

During your visit Remember to stay on the trail and practice Outdoor ethics such as “Leave-no-trace” and “cache-in-trash-out”. Also what natural resources you may find there, should not be disturbed and never taken! for more info on these outdoor ethics projects visit: http://www.lnt.org/aboutUs/index.php