Gunnar O. Fagerlund

“ The feeding of wild animals by man is harmful to their best interest. For thousands of years they have been able to feed themselves, and their continued well-being depends on their doing so now and in the future. For example, black bears in Olympic have not yet become troublesome, but bears, by nature, are inclined to become spoiled if artificial feeding habits are encouraged. Bears normally eat many kinds of plant and animal foods, but a camper’s larder contains tidbits that would tickle the palate of any bear. ”

“ Knowledge of the geological history of an area enables us to better understand the shape of the land today. It will be recalled that earth movements depressed the land on the north, south, and east, leaving the Olympic Mountains standing alone, isolated from other mountains. However, they are a segment of that elongated western fringe of 6 mountains known as the Coast Range. In all that range the Olympics are the highest; yet, for western mountains they are not high, dominating Mount Olympus being only 7,965 feet above sea level. ”

“ The animals of the park are an integral part of the wilderness scene. The principal purpose for which the park was established was to preserve and display the natural wilderness. Thus, the animals are wild, living in their natural habitat. Not only must the animals and their normal habits be preserved, but their wilderness home as well. Whether the presence of man will be disturbing to the wilderness and its dwellers depends upon how humans behave in it. Any act that would tend to break down wilderness animal behavior is harmful to wildlife and is a violation of park rules. ”

“ The Olympics are not a single range of mountains but a profusion of peaks and ridges with intervening valleys—a mountain dome 60 miles across from north to south and east to west, cut by glaciers and numerous streams into rugged peaks and steep-walled valleys. There are nearly a hundred named peaks in Olympic National Park.
Mount Olympus occupies a central position on the Peninsula. To the west the ridges descend gradually and merge with the coastal plain which varies from a few to 20 miles in width. The eastern half of the Olympics maintains a high elevation all the way to the eastern edge. ”

“ In summer, deer prefer the upper Hudsonian zone, where forest and meadow mingle to provide both nutritious food and nearby secluded shelter. Hurricane Ridge and Deer Park are favorite summering grounds, and a visit to either area at deer mealtime is likely to be rewarding.
With encouragement and repeated opportunities to sample human food, a deer will become “spoiled”—a beggar lacking the sleekness and alertness of a wild creature. ”

“ In aboriginal times, the Olympic Peninsula was a part of the Northwest Coast cultural area, which stretched along the Pacific shoreline from northern California to Alaska. The inhabitants of this extensive region shared many cultural traits, perhaps the most distinctive of which were a keen sense of personal property and a veneration of wealth. These people did little to change their natural environment, but they showed great skill in utilizing what resources their primitive technology made available. ”

“ Hemlock and redcedar seedlings take root in the forest litter or on prostrate, moss-covered trunks. They are able to live in the deep shade. The most hardy of them outstrip their rivals, and when a vacancy occurs in the forest canopy their growth speeds up. Thus a forest of hemlock and redcedar is maintained. This is the climax forest in the lowlands of the northwest coast. It is the kind of forest the climate here will produce and maintain in the absence of interference. ”

“ When the snow deepens in the mountains the elk that have summered in the high country come down into the valleys, where they gather in herds that may number 50 or more animals.
The COLUMBIAN BLACK-TAILED DEER is one of the most frequently observed larger mammals. Usually, it is seen in the early morning, late afternoon, evening, and often at night—the preferred feeding times. It remains bedded down in some secluded spot during much of the day. Anyone driving in western Washington at night is likely to see a deer suddenly bound out of the forest onto the highway. ”

“ Some plants grow on talus slides, on rocks broken and tumbled from peaks above, and on rocks laid bare by retreating glacial ice. Lichens and mosses, pioneers among plants, etch the rock with weak acids and thus start the slow conversion of rock into soil. Some flowering plants are pioneers, too. Common ones growing in crevices and soil pockets among the rocks in the Hudsonian zone are smooth douglasia, alumroot, and bluebell. Eventually, a flowered meadow or forested slope develops where first there was only bare rock. ”

“ Today, the scene at Indian villages along the Olympic Peninsula is quite unlike that of a century ago. The cedarplank communal houses are no longer built; and, as the climate is not conducive to preservation, the old ones have disappeared. White man’s clothes have replaced garments of skin and shredded bark. Customs, too, have been modified under the impact of modern civilization. Still, much of the old Indian tradition survives, though it may not be discernible on the surface. ”

“ The wildlife picture is not a static one, however, as natural disturbances, time, and man bring changes in numbers, kinds, and distribution.
Climatic changes have greatly affected the animal life. There have been periods of extreme cold and periods of warmth. At least four times the ice-age glaciers advanced and melted back. When ice sheets moved down from the north and extensive glaciers formed in the mountains, the animals left. When the ice retreated, the animals returned. Not all animal types were able to survive, so that some animals that once lived in Washington are now extinct. ”

“ The largest known trees in the park for the most common species are: western redcedar, 21 feet 4 inches in diameter; Sitka spruce, 13 feet 4 inches; Douglas-fir, 14 feet 5 inches; western hemlock, 9 feet; and Pacific silver fir, 6 feet 10 inches.
A visit to the rain forest offers a surprisingly enjoyable experience. Although it is possible to drive through some sections, this provides only a view of the trees. A forest is more than a stand of trees—it includes animal life, smaller plants, and micro-organisms, such as bacteria. ”

“ If an animal learns to associate food delicacies with campers, he will repeatedly seek experiences of that kind to the everlasting annoyance, misfortune, and even tragedy of the campers. The thoughtless camper who wilfully, or negligently, starts the bear on the road to ruin may escape the consequences. It is the bear himself and people who appear on the scene later who suffer for the deeds of earlier campers. The bear may become a dangerous nuisance and may have to be destroyed. ”

“ The Arctic-Alpine zone is the region above timberline. It corresponds to the arctic meadows of northern Canada. In the Olympics its lower limit is about 5,000 feet and its upper limit is the tops of the peaks.
It is a harsh environment. Its shallow soil and rocks, its wind and prolonged snow and cold exclude all but the hardiest perennials. Annuals cannot live there. One growing season is too short for a plant to start from seed, complete its vegetative growth, flower, and ripen its seeds. Many of the plants are surface plants, such as mosses and lichens, which do not produce flowers. ”

“ Forest fires have repeatedly exposed the forest floor to sunlight and thus allowed the development of Douglas-fir, by far the most abundant and widespread tree in northwest forests. In the regeneration of a forest after fire, logging, or other disturbance, it is Douglas-fir that is ever present.
The northwest coast is an evergreen land. This may not be apparent in summer, however, when all plants are green. Not counting the numerous mosses that are always green, there are 73 species of evergreen plants on the Olympic Peninsula. ”

“ Mammals, too, appear on the beach. Raccoons and skunks take advantage of low tides to feed on the various and abundant life available then. Deer frequently come to the beaches, perhaps to escape a cougar, to sun themselves, or to obtain salt or certain beach plants. Not infrequently a black bear is seen, and, occasionally, an elk.
Camping on the beach is pleasant during dry weather. There is ample firewood everywhere and small streams flow out of the forest, providing fresh water. ”

“ Snow is vital to mountain flowers. It provides most of the moisture for their growth and governs the length of the growing season. Spring flowers appear earliest where the snow melts first. Where snow piles up deeply, it may not melt completely till midsummer or may melt too late for plants to complete a season’s growth. On northern slopes the snow may remain all summer, and there can be no growing season. ”

“ A visit to Olympic is not complete without at least one trip into the high country. Aside from the numerous trails that lead up into the mountains, there are two high country areas that may be reached by car. These are Hurricane Ridge and Deer Park. Whether the trip is made on trail or on road, an understanding of the changing pattern of plantlife will make it more enjoyable.
The climate at the top of a mountain is unlike that at the base ”

“ Trees in this zone are much smaller than those at lower altitudes and become still smaller with every upward step. At the uppermost fringe of tree growth the winds hold them close to the ground as deformed growths. This is known as krummholz, a German word meaning “crooked wood.” The name is applied to stunted forest commonly found in alpine regions. Timberline in the Olympic Mountains is generally at about 5,000 feet, which coincides with the height of many of the ridgetops. The beginning of the Hudsonian zone is the beginning of the high country. ”

“ Mount Olympus alone has 6 major glaciers, and the total area of permanent snow and ice on it is more than 10 square miles. Several other mountains also have glaciers, notably Mounts Anderson, Christie, Tom, and Carrie.
In addition, there are numerous snow patches that remain from one winter to the next but are not thick enough to form glaciers. Viewed from a high position, a panorama of north-facing slopes presents a profusion of snow and ice patches. The presence of so much snow and ice in mountains of modest height does not mean they are enveloped with inhospitable cold. ”

“ Numerous lakes lie in basins that were scooped out by the same glaciers that carved circular hollows at the heads of valleys. Slopes sweep upward from the basins with increasing steepness and in many places end in serrated rock ridges and pinnacles.
More than a dozen streams flow out of the Olympic Mountains, returning rain and melt water to the ocean. They drop down steeply from the high level basins; after a few swift miles they flatten out and the water takes a slower pace.
Glaciers Today
A glacier is an accumulation of ice large enough to move of its own weight. ”

“ Under no circumstances offer food to a bear or leave food or garbage where he can get at it. Remember that he is powerfully muscled and can climb trees. Refuse, including cans and bottles, should be burned not only to destroy all that is edible but to destroy food odors. Then, when the charred cans and bottles are placed in refuse containers or buried, the bears will not smell them and dig them out.
While emphasis has been placed on the proper relationship with the bear, the same attitude toward other animals will help insure their well-being and your safety. ”

“ BLACK BEARS may be seen from sea level to alpine meadows in summer and early autumn. The socially disinclined bear travels alone, except for the mother with cubs. However, several bears may be in the same neighborhood for the same reason—food. From a ridgetop, the sleek, black forms may be seen against the green of the lush meadows below, where they search out ants, small rodents, and succulent herbage of various kinds. ”

“ As the Nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department works to assure that nonrenewable resources are developed and used wisely, that park and recreational resources are conserved, and that renewable resources make their full contribution to the progress, prosperity, and security of the United States—now and in the future. ”

“ By primitive standards, the Indians of the Northwest Coast were wealthy; that is, they had plenty of things to eat, wear, and use for shelter. They also had much winter leisure. This combination of wealth and leisure gave rise to a remarkable political and social system in which power and prestige generally belonged to the richest individuals. ”

“ The snowy peaks, the mountain meadows, the forests, the lakes and streams, and the salt-water shores of the Olympic Peninsula constitute a variety of habitats for birds. The kinds of birds you can expect to see depend on where you are. ”

“ They will try to avoid contact with people, and your problem will be to find them and to get close enough to see them well, without disturbing them. To do this, it is necessary to study their habits and to meet them on their own terms.
There is no scarcity of animals in Olympic; but the conditions for seeing even the larger ones, such as elk, deer, and bear, are not as favorable as in Yellowstone National Park, for instance. ”

“ Storm centers that pass eastward across Washington in winter shift to the north in summer, resulting in sunny summer weather that is delightfully cool under the influence of the ocean.
THE SOLEDUCK RIVER RUSHES THROUGH THE DEEP FOREST.
11 The Forests and Wildflowers
Our continent has a variety of climates, and each climatic area has its appropriate vegetation. Generally, the interiors of continents do not have forests, but have grass or desert vegetation. The most luxuriant forests develop near oceans where climate is sufficiently moist. ”

“ No part of it is disturbed by man. Trees felled either by uprooting or by breaking of the trunk are scattered everywhere in various degrees of decay. Rain-forest trees have shallow but widespreading roots. To obtain nourishment, there is no need for deep roots where water is available in dependable abundance. But shallow roots in saturated soil do not always anchor trees firmly enough against storm winds.
Though dead and prostrate, the fallen trees still have an important function in the forest. They are soon accepted into the forest-floor community and become covered with lichens and mosses. ”