Sixes River
Encyclopedia
The Sixes River is a river, approximately 30 mi (48 km) long, in southwestern Oregon
in the United States
. It drains a rugged region of the Coastal Range
along the Pacific
coast south of Coos Bay
.
It rises in the mountains of northern Curry County
, south of Sugarloaf Mountain in the Klamath Mountains
in Siskiyou National Forest. It flows generally west, through Grassy Knob Wilderness
, the town of Sixes
, and eventually enters the Pacific just north of Cape Blanco
. The mouth of the river is along the coast in Cape Blanco State Park.
Accounts vary as to the origin of the name "Sixes". One local postmaster said Sixes was named for a Native American
chief. Another source said that in 1851, the river was usually called the "Sikhs River" after the Chinook Jargon
word for "friend", and on maps it was called the "Sequalchin River". Another source says the Native American name for the river was "Sa-qua-mi". Hodge's Handbook of American Indians says that one of the variants of the name of the local tribe, the Kwatami (a subdivision of the Tututni), was "Sik-ses-tene", which is said to mean "people by the far north country". Though this is most likely the real source of the name, the spelling "Sixes" was probably used by miners drawn to the Oregon gold rush
who were familiar with the Chinook word "sikhs". The current spelling was used as early as 1855.
and the upper Middle Fork of Sixes River were designated as the Copper Salmon Wilderness
. The area contains one of the nation's largest remaining stands of low-elevation old-growth forest and one of the healthiest salmon
, steelhead, and cutthroat trout
runs in the continental United States along the north Fork of the Elk River, as well as stands of vulnerable Port Orford cedar and endangered marbled murrelet
s and northern spotted owl
s.
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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It drains a rugged region of the Coastal Range
Oregon Coast Range
The Oregon Coast Range, often called simply the Coast Range and sometimes the Pacific Coast Range, is a mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, in the U.S. state of Oregon along the Pacific Ocean...
along the Pacific
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...
coast south of Coos Bay
Coos Bay, Oregon
Coos Bay is a city located in Coos County, Oregon, United States, where the Coos River enters Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The city borders the city of North Bend, and together they are often referred to as one entity called either Coos Bay-North Bend or the Bay Area...
.
It rises in the mountains of northern Curry County
Curry County, Oregon
Curry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. In 2010, its population was 22,364. The county is named for George Law Curry, a governor of the Oregon Territory. The seat of the county is Gold Beach.-Economy:...
, south of Sugarloaf Mountain 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...
in Siskiyou National Forest. It flows generally west, through Grassy Knob Wilderness
Grassy Knob Wilderness
Grassy Knob 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 1984 and now comprises a total of...
, the town of Sixes
Sixes, Oregon
Sixes is an unincorporated community in Curry County, Oregon, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 101 and the Sixes River, east of Cape Blanco and the Cape Blanco Lighthouse....
, and eventually enters the Pacific just north of Cape Blanco
Cape Blanco (Oregon)
Cape Blanco is a prominent headland on the Pacific Ocean coast of southwestern Oregon in the United States, forming the westernmost point in the state. It contests with Cape Alava in Washington for the title of westernmost point in the contiguous United States...
. The mouth of the river is along the coast in Cape Blanco State Park.
Accounts vary as to the origin of the name "Sixes". One local postmaster said Sixes was named for a 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...
chief. Another source said that in 1851, the river was usually called the "Sikhs River" after the Chinook Jargon
Chinook Jargon
Chinook Jargon originated as a pidgin trade language of the Pacific Northwest, and spread during the 19th century from the lower Columbia River, first to other areas in modern Oregon and Washington, then British Columbia and as far as Alaska, sometimes taking on characteristics of a creole language...
word for "friend", and on maps it was called the "Sequalchin River". Another source says the Native American name for the river was "Sa-qua-mi". Hodge's Handbook of American Indians says that one of the variants of the name of the local tribe, the Kwatami (a subdivision of the Tututni), was "Sik-ses-tene", which is said to mean "people by the far north country". Though this is most likely the real source of the name, the spelling "Sixes" was probably used by miners drawn to the Oregon gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
who were familiar with the Chinook word "sikhs". The current spelling was used as early as 1855.
Copper Salmon Wilderness
On March 30, 2009, 13700 acres (55.4 km²) along the North and South Forks of Elk RiverElk River (Oregon)
The Elk River is in southwestern Oregon in the United States. Approximately 25 miles long, the river drains a remote area of the Coastal Range into the Pacific Ocean....
and the upper Middle Fork of Sixes River were designated as the Copper Salmon Wilderness
Copper Salmon Wilderness
The Copper Salmon Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in the Southern Oregon Coast Range and is part of the Rogue River – Siskiyou National Forest...
. The area contains one of the nation's largest remaining stands of low-elevation old-growth forest and one of the healthiest salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, steelhead, and cutthroat trout
Cutthroat trout
The cutthroat trout is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is one of the many fish species colloquially known as trout...
runs in the continental United States along the north Fork of the Elk River, as well as stands of vulnerable Port Orford cedar and endangered marbled murrelet
Marbled Murrelet
The Marbled Murrelet is a small seabird from the North Pacific. It is a member of the auk family. It nests in old-growth forests or on the ground at higher latitudes where trees cannot grow...
s and northern spotted owl
Northern Spotted Owl
The Northern Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis caurina, is one of three Spotted Owl subspecies. A Western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus Strix, it is a medium-sized dark brown owl sixteen to nineteen inches in length and one to one and one sixth pounds. Females are larger than males...
s.