Diamond Peak Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Diamond Peak Wilderness is a wilderness area straddling the Cascade
crest and includes the Diamond Peak
Volcano. It is located within two National Forests - the Willamette National Forest
on the west and the Deschutes National Forest
on the east.
in 1964 it was reclassified as wilderness. With the passage of the Oregon Wilderness Act of 1984, Diamond Peak Wilderness increased in size to its present 52337 acres (21,180.1 ha)
At 8744 feet (2,665.2 m), Diamond Peak is the most prominent peak in the Wilderness, followed by Mount Yoran at 7138 feet (2,175.7 m) and Lakeview Mountain at 7057 feet (2,151 m). Diamond Peak is a shield volcano
formed as the entire Cascades mountain range was undergoing volcanic activity and uplift. Glaciers carved the large volcanic peak and when they receded, the bulk of the mountain remained, with snowfields near the summit and dozens of small lakes surrounding the peak. These lakes range from one to 28 acres (11.3 ha) in size. Approximately 14 miles (22.5 km) of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail pass through this wilderness. Another 38 miles (61.2 km) of trail, including the 10 miles (16.1 km) Diamond Peak Trail, stretches the length of the west side of the peak.
, lodgepole
and western white pine
, and silver
, noble and other true fir
s. Alpine flowers, including varieties of mimulus
, trillium
, lupine
, penstemon
, heather
, and Indian paintbrush
, are common along trails, lake shores, streams and in the meadows. Huckleberry
and dwarf manzanita
are common in the dense underbrush.
Diamond Peak Wilderness is home to black-tailed deer
, mule deer
, and elk
. In winter, the mule deer migrate eastward out of the Wilderness to the sage desert, while black-tailed deer and elk drop down the west slope. Black bear
and small mammals including marmot
s, snowshoe rabbits, squirrel
s, pine marten
s, fox
es, pika
s, and conies inhabit the area all year long. The raven
, Clark's nutcracker
, Oregon jay, and water ouzel frequent the forest and streams year-round. Bufflehead
and goldeneye ducks
occasionally nest near the lakes.
along the east slope of Diamond Peak. Marie Lake, Divide Lake, and Rockpile Lake are popular base camps for the climb up Diamond Peak. Mount Yoran and Lakeview Mountain can also be climbed. Winter is popular for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
crest and includes the Diamond Peak
Diamond Peak (Oregon)
Diamond Peak is a shield volcano in south west Oregon and is part of the Cascade Range. The mountain is located near Willamette Pass in the Diamond Peak Wilderness within the Willamette National Forest....
Volcano. It is located within two National Forests - the Willamette National Forest
Willamette National Forest
The Willamette National Forest is a National Forest located in the central portion of the Cascade Range of US state of Oregon.It comprises 1,675,407 acres making it one of the largest national forests. Over 380,000 acres are designated wilderness which include seven major mountain peaks...
on the west and the Deschutes National Forest
Deschutes National Forest
The Deschutes National Forest is a United States National Forest located in parts of Deschutes, Klamath, Lake, and Jefferson counties in central Oregon. It comprises 1.8 million acres along the east side of the Cascade mountains. In 1908, the Deschutes National Forest was established from parts...
on the east.
Designation
On February 5, 1957, the Forest Service established the 36637 acres (14,826.5 ha) Diamond Peak Wild Area. Upon passage of the federal Wilderness ActWilderness Act
The Wilderness Act of 1964 was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected some 9 million acres of federal land. The result of a long effort to protect federal wilderness, the Wilderness Act was signed...
in 1964 it was reclassified as wilderness. With the passage of the Oregon Wilderness Act of 1984, Diamond Peak Wilderness increased in size to its present 52337 acres (21,180.1 ha)
Geography
Shield volcano
A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their large size and low profile, resembling a warrior's shield. This is caused by the highly fluid lava they erupt, which travels farther than lava erupted from more explosive volcanoes...
formed as the entire Cascades mountain range was undergoing volcanic activity and uplift. Glaciers carved the large volcanic peak and when they receded, the bulk of the mountain remained, with snowfields near the summit and dozens of small lakes surrounding the peak. These lakes range from one to 28 acres (11.3 ha) in size. Approximately 14 miles (22.5 km) of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail pass through this wilderness. Another 38 miles (61.2 km) of trail, including the 10 miles (16.1 km) Diamond Peak Trail, stretches the length of the west side of the peak.
Vegetation
Nearly the entire Diamond Peak Wilderness area is covered with mixed stands of mountain hemlockMountain Hemlock
Tsuga mertensiana, known as Mountain Hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Tulare County, California....
, lodgepole
Lodgepole Pine
Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta, also known as Shore Pine, is a common tree in western North America. Like all pines, it is evergreen.-Subspecies:...
and western white pine
Western White Pine
Western White Pine, Pinus monticola in the family Pinaceae, is a species of pine that occurs in the mountains of the western United States and Canada, specifically the Sierra Nevada, the Cascade Range, the Coast Range, and the northern Rocky Mountains. The tree extends down to sea level in many...
, and silver
Silver Fir
Abies alba, commonly known as the European silver fir, is a fir native to the mountains of Europe, from the Pyrenees north to Normandy, east to the Alps and the Carpathians, and south to southern Italy and northern Serbia.-Description:...
, noble and other true fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
s. Alpine flowers, including varieties of mimulus
Mimulus
Mimulus is a diverse plant genus, the monkey-flowers and musk-flowers. The about 150 species are currently placed in the family Phrymaceae. The genus has traditionally been placed in Scrophulariaceae. The removal of Mimulus from that family has been supported by studies of chloroplast DNA first...
, trillium
Trillium
Trillium is a genus of about 40–50 species of spring ephemeral perennials, native to temperate regions of North America and Asia....
, lupine
Lupine
Lupine may be one of several things:*Something that is like, or relating to, a wolf .*A variant spelling for lupin, a flowering plant.*Lu Pine Records, a record label in Detroit.*Lupine Games, a computer game company....
, penstemon
Penstemon
Penstemon , Beard-tongue, is a large genus of North American and East Asian plants traditionally placed in the Scrophulariaceae family. Due to new genetic research, it has now been placed in the vastly expanded family Plantaginaceae...
, heather
Calluna
Calluna vulgaris is the sole species in the genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing perennial shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on acidic soils in open sunny situations and in moderate shade...
, and Indian paintbrush
Indian Paintbrush
Indian Paintbrush most often refers to:* Castilleja spp.Indian Paintbrush may also refer to:* Butterfly weed* Hawkweed* Steven Rales' production company, whose productions include The Darjeeling Limited, Towelhead and Fantastic Mr. Fox...
, are common along trails, lake shores, streams and in the meadows. Huckleberry
Huckleberry
Huckleberry is a common name used in North America for several species of plants in two closely related genera in the family Ericaceae:* Vaccinium* GaylussaciaHuckleberry may also refer to:-Plants:...
and dwarf manzanita
Manzanita
Manzanita is a common name for many species of the genus Arctostaphylos. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees present in the chaparral biome of western North America, where they occur from southern British Columbia, Washington to California, Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, and...
are common in the dense underbrush.
Wildlife
Black-tailed Deer
Two forms of black-tailed deer or blacktail deer occupying coastal temperate rainforest on North America's Pacific coast are subspecies of the mule deer. They have sometimes been treated as a species, but virtually all recent authorities maintain they are subspecies...
, mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
, and elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
. In winter, the mule deer migrate eastward out of the Wilderness to the sage desert, while black-tailed deer and elk drop down the west slope. Black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
and small mammals including marmot
Marmot
The marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
s, snowshoe rabbits, squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
s, pine marten
Pine Marten
The European Pine Marten , known most commonly as the pine marten in Anglophone Europe, and less commonly also known as Pineten, baum marten, or sweet marten, is an animal native to Northern Europe belonging to the mustelid family, which also includes mink, otter, badger, wolverine and weasel. It...
s, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, pika
Pika
The pika is a small mammal, with short limbs, rounded ears, and short tail. The name pika is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae . One genus, Ochotona, is recognised within the family, and it includes 30 species...
s, and conies inhabit the area all year long. The raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
, Clark's nutcracker
Clark's Nutcracker
Clark's Nutcracker , sometimes referred to as Clark's Crow or Woodpecker Crow, is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae. It is slightly smaller than its Eurasian relative the Spotted Nutcracker . It is ashy-grey all over except for the black-and-white wings and central tail feathers...
, Oregon jay, and water ouzel frequent the forest and streams year-round. Bufflehead
Bufflehead
The Bufflehead is a small American sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Anas albeola.-Description:...
and goldeneye ducks
Goldeneye (duck)
Goldeneye are small tree-hole nesting northern hemisphere seaducks belonging to the genus Bucephala. Their plumage is black and white, and they eat fish, crustaceans and other marine life....
occasionally nest near the lakes.
Recreation
Recreational activities in the Diamond Peak Wilderness include hiking, horseback riding, camping, hunting, fishing, and mountain climbing. Some 125 mile of trails cross the Wilderness, including 14 miles (22.5 km) the Pacific Crest TrailPacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The southern terminus is at the California border with Mexico...
along the east slope of Diamond Peak. Marie Lake, Divide Lake, and Rockpile Lake are popular base camps for the climb up Diamond Peak. Mount Yoran and Lakeview Mountain can also be climbed. Winter is popular for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
External links
- Willamette National Forest - Diamond Peak Wilderness
- Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests - Diamond Peak Wilderness
- USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory - Diamond Peak
- Willamette National Forest - Diamond Peak Trail Area