Simon Says:
Take a Look at the Coast Range

 
Ths subject is geography and geology.  The climate, life and unique shape of specific sections of the area in question.  The photos are  1. "Devils Churn north of Florence" and 2. "Munson Creek Falls south of Tillamook"

 

Location 

As its name suggests, the Coast Range is a mountain range that extends 200 miles in a north-south configuration along the western edge of Oregon and is 60 miles wide at its widest spot. The official Oregon extent is the Columbia River south to the Coquille River. Its highest point is Marys Peak at 4101 feet, located east of Corvallis.

 

History

The Coast Range formed as a chain of volcanic islands approximately 66 million years ago. These islands gradually merged with the North America continent as the continent moved westward. The volcanoes are now extinct and, thanks to enormous amounts of precipitation, these mountains are highly eroded and are much smaller than they were in the past.

 

Climate 

This mountain range captures much of the moisture streaming in from the Pacific Ocean and averages as much as 120 inches of precipitation at the highest elevations on the west slopes. The Willamette Valley (see last month’s article) is actually in the rain shadow of the Coast Range and only receives an average of 40 inches per year. The immense amounts of water falling onto and flowing through these mountains allows for dense and rapidly growing flora.

 

Ecosystem

This area of Oregon includes Douglas fir, Sitka spruce (with a much smaller range now due to extensive logging) and western hemlock forests. Until a storm last winter felled it, the Oregon Coast Range had boasted the world’s largest Sitka spruce at 206 feet tall (the honor now goes to a 191-foot tree in Washington). However, this region still lays claim to the world’s largest Douglas fir at 326 feet (see below). Trees aren’t the only form of plant life in this part of Oregon. The mountain range is home to tens of thousands of varieties of shrubs, ferns, grasses, and even carnivorous plants.

 

Varieties of fauna abound as well and include elk, deer, salmon, and even bears.

 

Human Activity

This region of Oregon has been settled for thousands of years, first by Native Americans, then later by European and Russian explorers. There are several lighthouses on the coast and dozens of small towns. Newport, the largest city, has a public aquarium and soon will be headquarters to the Pacific region office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Tillamook is home to the world famous Tillamook Cheese Factory. Be sure to include these coastal settlements on your route when exploring the natural areas of the Coast Range.

 

Things to See

There are many things to see and do in Oregon’s Coast Range, far too many to list in the space provided here. Here are a few that stand out as good starting points for exploration:

-  Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area: Sand dunes stretching from Florence to Coos Bay and up to 500 feet tall; http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/recreation/tripplanning/oregondunes/

 

-  Sea Lion Caves: North of Florence, world’s largest sea cave and home to sea lions; http://sealioncaves.com/home/

 

-  Tallest Douglas fir: On Brummitt creek in Coos county

 

-  Cape Perpetua Scenic Area: South of Yachats, large headland with numerous features to explore; http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/recreation/tripplanning/capeperpetua/

 

 

One final note: when exploring areas that are on Forest Service land, be sure to purchase a day pass at one of the ranger stations for $5.