The trail Offers a steep ascent that ends at a view point high on
the flanks of Mount Storm King amongst old-growth fir, cedar,
maple, and Madrone trees. It climbs steeply out of the coolness of
Barnes creek ravine and onto drier slops pocketed with sunny
openings that also supply views of the cascading ridges of Aurora
Ridge. The trail continues its calf-burning climb about two thirds
the ways up where the path crests at the first of two rock
outcroppings that overlook Lake Crescent. The second outcrop is 0.5
mile farther up, which affords the most spectacular view of the
route including Lake Crescent, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and
Vancouver Island. An additional climb of .2 mile the trail reaches
its official ending point determined by Olympic National Parks
recommendations per there visitors safety. (As read on the Caution
Sign) –From here a primitive path –which is NOT
maintained, leads to the summit. There is a second earthcache
farther above for the more adventourouse, but please view it's
listing for safety disclaimers!
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.
According to the Olympic National Park General Management Plan:
Trail Classification System The proposed trail classification
system for Olympic National Park isbased on the intended purpose of
the trail, type and volume of use and terrain.Trails include seven
classes:(1) nature (2) all-purpose (3) multipurpose bicycle(4)
secondary (5) foot (6) primitive (7) way
Definitions for the seven proposed use classes of maintained trails
are described below:
Nature Trails These trails would generally be paved(outside of
wilderness) or gravel surfaced and wouldbe designed for large
numbers of relatively inexperiencedusers. Stock would be prohibited
except foroccasional administrative use, or when a nature trailwas
the only trail available for stock to access all-purposeor
secondary trails.
All Purpose Trails These trails would be through routesor loop
routes; they would be open to hikersand stock and would be
maintained to a standard forstock travel.
Multipurpose Bicycle Trails Located outside of wilderness, these
trails would be open to hikers,stock, and bicycles and would be
maintained to all-purposestandards.
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 designedonly for experienced horses and riders.
Foot Trails These trails would be open to hikersand would be
maintained to a standard for foot travel.They would be closed to
stock, except for occasional administrative use.
Primitive Trails, for hikers only,would be for high elevation or
low-use area access.Primitive trails would include both constructed
trailsand trails established by continual use. These trailswould
have minimal improvements enough to protectthe resources.
Occasional maintenance would be performed, as time and budget
allow, to keep routesopen and protect the resources.
Way Trails Paths or routes that generally receive nomaintenance.
Ongoing travel keeps these trails established.
To earn credit for this Earthcache:
1. Classify the two types of trail Mount Storm King provides to its
hikers up to the caution sign according to the Olympic National
Parks proposed trail classification system, and provide the
answer(s) in the email.
2. What is the measurement of elevation at the Caution sign?
3. What is the difference in elevation from caution sign to mount
Olympus?
4. Observe the rock formations at your location, with what you
learned what type of rock do you perceive them to be and what are
the color and textures.
5. post a funky pic of you poseing with the Caution sign and your
GPS.
DURING YOUR VISIT REMEMBER TO STAY ON THE TRAIL AND PRACTICE OUT
DOOR 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: Leave No
Trace
CONGRATS "MountainShadow" on the FTF and co-finder friend
"Searchin' Scots"
| I have earned GSA's highest level: |
 |