Kalmiopsis Wilderness
Encyclopedia
Kalmiopsis Wilderness is a wilderness
area in the Klamath Mountains
of southwestern Oregon
, within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
. It was designated wilderness by the United States Congress
in 1964 and now comprises a total of 179755 acres (72,744.3 ha). There are approximately 153 miles (246.2 km) of trails on 24 established hiking trails in the area.
The Kalmiopsis Wilderness was named for Kalmiopsis leachiana
, a slow-growing plant related to the rhododendron
, which was discovered in the area in 1930.
, North Fork Smith
Rivers, as well as part of the Illinois River
canyon. All three of these rivers have been designated Wild and Scenic
.
The Kalmiopsis Wilderness is part of the Klamath Mountain geologic province of northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. The eastern half is part of the Josephine "ultramafic" sheet, meaning it has a very high iron
and magnesium
content. The western half of the Wilderness is underlain by the sedimentary rocks of the Dothan formation and by the igneous intrusive rocks of the Big Craggies. Most of the rocks in this province were formerly parts of the oceanic crust and included serpentine, submarine volcanic flow rocks, intrusive granite-like rocks, and sedimentary rocks such as shale
and sandstone
. Historic mine sites for gold
and chromite
can still be found in the form of cabin sites, mines, and ditches.
Diversity of topography and geology provide excellent habitat for a wide variety of botanical species. The Kalmiopsis leachiana
plant was discovered in 1930 by Lilla Leech in the Gold Basin area. The plant is a relict
of the pre-ice age and the oldest member of the Ericaceae Family, and is the namesake of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. In 2002 the nearly 500000 acres (202,343 ha) Biscuit Fire
burned the entire wilderness area. The environment has changed dramatically and provides a unique opportunity to observe a natural response to fire disturbance through plant succession, erosional and depositional occurrences and changed habitat for flora and fauna.
Wilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
area in the Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
of southwestern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
The Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest is a United States National Forest located on both sides of the border between the states of Oregon and California. The formerly separate Rogue River and Siskiyou National Forests were administratively combined in 2004...
. It was designated wilderness by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in 1964 and now comprises a total of 179755 acres (72,744.3 ha). There are approximately 153 miles (246.2 km) of trails on 24 established hiking trails in the area.
The Kalmiopsis Wilderness was named for Kalmiopsis leachiana
Kalmiopsis leachiana
Kalmiopsis is a rare flowering plant endemic to the Siskiyou Mountains of southwest Oregon, where it is specially protected in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness reserve. It was discovered in 1930 by Lilla Leach in the Gold Basin area. It is related to Kalmia in the family Ericaceae...
, a slow-growing plant related to the rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
, which was discovered in the area in 1930.
Topography
Elevations in Kalmiopsis Wilderness range from 500 to 5098 ft (152.4 to 1,553.9 m), at Pearsoll Peak. The area is characterized by deep, rough canyons, sharp rock ridges, and clear rushing mountain streams and rivers, including the headwater basins of the ChetcoChetco River
The Chetco River is a stream located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Oregon. It drains approximately of Curry County. Flowing through a rugged and isolated coastal region, it descends rapidly from about to sea level at the Pacific Ocean. Except for the lowermost , the river is...
, North Fork Smith
Smith River (California)
The Smith River is a river on the Pacific coast of northern California in the United States, approximately long. It drains a rugged area of the Pacific Coast Ranges west of the Siskiyou Mountains just south of the Oregon border and north of the watershed of the Klamath River. The catchment area is...
Rivers, as well as part of the Illinois River
Illinois River (Oregon)
The Illinois River is a tributary, about long, of the Rogue River in the U.S. state of Oregon. It drains part of the Klamath Mountains in northern California and southwestern Oregon. The river's main stem begins at the confluence of its east and west forks near Cave Junction in southern Josephine...
canyon. All three of these rivers have been designated Wild and Scenic
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
.
Geology
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
and magnesium
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
content. The western half of the Wilderness is underlain by the sedimentary rocks of the Dothan formation and by the igneous intrusive rocks of the Big Craggies. Most of the rocks in this province were formerly parts of the oceanic crust and included serpentine, submarine volcanic flow rocks, intrusive granite-like rocks, and sedimentary rocks such as shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
and sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. Historic mine sites for gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and chromite
Chromite
Chromite is an iron chromium oxide: FeCr2O4. It is an oxide mineral belonging to the spinel group. Magnesium can substitute for iron in variable amounts as it forms a solid solution with magnesiochromite ; substitution of aluminium occurs leading to hercynite .-Occurrence:Chromite is found in...
can still be found in the form of cabin sites, mines, and ditches.
Vegetation
Kalmiopsis leachiana
Kalmiopsis is a rare flowering plant endemic to the Siskiyou Mountains of southwest Oregon, where it is specially protected in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness reserve. It was discovered in 1930 by Lilla Leach in the Gold Basin area. It is related to Kalmia in the family Ericaceae...
plant was discovered in 1930 by Lilla Leech in the Gold Basin area. The plant is a relict
Relict
A relict is a surviving remnant of a natural phenomenon.* In biology a relict is an organism that at an earlier time was abundant in a large area but now occurs at only one or a few small areas....
of the pre-ice age and the oldest member of the Ericaceae Family, and is the namesake of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. In 2002 the nearly 500000 acres (202,343 ha) Biscuit Fire
Biscuit Fire
The Biscuit Fire was a wildfire that took place in 2002 that burned nearly 500,000 acres in the Siskiyou National Forest in southern Oregon and northern California, in the Western United States...
burned the entire wilderness area. The environment has changed dramatically and provides a unique opportunity to observe a natural response to fire disturbance through plant succession, erosional and depositional occurrences and changed habitat for flora and fauna.
See also
- List of Oregon Wildernesses
- List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
- Wilderness ActWilderness ActThe 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...
External links
- Summary of Biscuit Complex Fire - Wilderness Society
- National Public Radio - Audio story after the Biscuit Fire.
- Kalmiopsis leachiana | survival in a land of extremes