King Range, California
Encyclopedia
The King Range is a mountain range located on the California North Coast entirely within Humboldt County
. Part of the Northern Coast Ranges, the King Range runs parallel to the coast, and its western slopes fall steeply to the Pacific Ocean
. Due to its rugged terrain, the engineers assigned the task of building State Route 1
in 1936-37 were inclined to force the road inward toward the town of Leggett when they reached the King range at Westport. Subsequently, the inaccessible coastal wilderness, known as the Lost Coast
, is the longest undeveloped stretch of coast in California. The King Range is adjacent to the Mendocino Triple Junction
, where three tectonic plates (the Pacific Plate
, the North American Plate
, and the Juan de Fuca Plate
) meet, and the area experiences frequent earthquake
s.
The range is part of the Northern California coastal forests
ecoregion, and largely forested, with important trees including Coast Douglas-fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii ssp. menziesii), Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), and Tanoak
(Lithocarpus densiflorus). The rivers and streams that drain the range, including the Mattole River
, have runs of Coho Salmon
, Chinook Salmon
, and Steelhead Trout.
Historically, the King Range was home to the Native American
Mattole and Sinkyone peoples. In the 19th century, the region was opened to commercial logging
, fishing
, ranching, and tanning
. In 1970, the US Congress designated 60,000 acres (240 km²) of the range as the King Range National Conservation Area. It is located primarily in coastal southwestern Humboldt County
, but extends into the extreme northwest corner of Mendocino County
. In 2006 Congress designated 42585 acres (172.3 km²) of the area as the King Range Wilderness
.http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=pubLawLibResults&PLID=150&WID=0
Most mountains and ridges in the range are low to moderate in elevation. King Peak at 4,088 feet (1,246 meters) is the highest mountain in the range. Snow falls above 3,281 feet (1,000 m) a couple times per year.
Humboldt County, California
Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located on the far North Coast 200 miles north of San Francisco. According to 2010 Census Data, the county’s population was 134,623...
. Part of the Northern Coast Ranges, the King Range runs parallel to the coast, and its western slopes fall steeply to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Due to its rugged terrain, the engineers assigned the task of building State Route 1
California State Route 1
State Route 1 , more often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along much of the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. It is famous for running along some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, leading to its designation as an All-American Road.Highway 1 does not run...
in 1936-37 were inclined to force the road inward toward the town of Leggett when they reached the King range at Westport. Subsequently, the inaccessible coastal wilderness, known as the Lost Coast
Lost Coast
The Lost Coast is a mostly undeveloped section of the California North Coast in Mendocino and Humboldt Counties, which includes the King Range. It was named the "Lost Coast" after the area experienced depopulation in the 1930s...
, is the longest undeveloped stretch of coast in California. The King Range is adjacent to the Mendocino Triple Junction
Mendocino Triple Junction
The Mendocino Triple Junction is a geologic triple junction where the San Andreas Fault meets the Mendocino Fault and the Cascadia subduction zone, separating three tectonic plates: the Pacific Plate, the North American Plate and the Gorda Plate...
, where three tectonic plates (the Pacific Plate
Pacific Plate
The Pacific Plate is an oceanic tectonic plate that lies beneath the Pacific Ocean. At 103 million square kilometres, it is the largest tectonic plate....
, the North American Plate
North American Plate
The North American Plate is a tectonic plate covering most of North America, Greenland, Cuba, Bahamas, and parts of Siberia, Japan and Iceland. It extends eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and westward to the Chersky Range in eastern Siberia. The plate includes both continental and oceanic crust...
, and the Juan de Fuca Plate
Juan de Fuca Plate
The Juan de Fuca Plate, named after the explorer of the same name, is a tectonic plate, generated from the Juan de Fuca Ridge, and subducting under the northerly portion of the western side of the North American Plate at the Cascadia subduction zone...
) meet, and the area experiences frequent earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s.
The range is part of the Northern California coastal forests
Northern California coastal forests
The Northern California coastal forests are a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of coastal Northern California, USA.-Setting:The ecoregion lies close to the Pacific Ocean, and is kept moist by Pacific Ocean storms during the winter months, and by coastal fogs in the summer months...
ecoregion, and largely forested, with important trees including Coast Douglas-fir
Coast Douglas-fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii, known as Douglas-fir, Oregon Pine, or Douglas spruce, is an evergreen conifer species native to western North America. Its variety Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii, also known as coast Douglas-fir grows in the coastal regions, from west-central British Columbia, Canada...
(Pseudotsuga menziesii ssp. menziesii), Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), and Tanoak
Tanoak
Tanoak, formerly known taxonomically as Lithocarpus densiflorus, was recently moved into a new genus, Notholithocarpus, based on multiple lines of evidence....
(Lithocarpus densiflorus). The rivers and streams that drain the range, including the Mattole River
Mattole River
The Mattole River is a river on the north coast of California, that flows northerly, then westerly into the Pacific Ocean. A short section of the river flows through upper Mendocino County, but the vast majority of its 62-mile run is through southern Humboldt County...
, have runs of Coho Salmon
Coho salmon
The Coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, is a species of anadromous fish in the salmon family. Coho salmon are also known as silver salmon or "silvers". It is the state animal of Chiba, Japan.-Description:...
, Chinook Salmon
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
, and Steelhead Trout.
Historically, the King Range was home to the Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
Mattole and Sinkyone peoples. In the 19th century, the region was opened to commercial logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, ranching, and tanning
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
. In 1970, the US Congress designated 60,000 acres (240 km²) of the range as the King Range National Conservation Area. It is located primarily in coastal southwestern Humboldt County
Humboldt County, California
Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located on the far North Coast 200 miles north of San Francisco. According to 2010 Census Data, the county’s population was 134,623...
, but extends into the extreme northwest corner of Mendocino County
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
. In 2006 Congress designated 42585 acres (172.3 km²) of the area as the King Range Wilderness
King Range Wilderness
The King Range Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area within the King Range National Conservation Area in northern California, United States. The area was set aside with the passage of the Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act of 2006...
.http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=pubLawLibResults&PLID=150&WID=0
Most mountains and ridges in the range are low to moderate in elevation. King Peak at 4,088 feet (1,246 meters) is the highest mountain in the range. Snow falls above 3,281 feet (1,000 m) a couple times per year.