SHRUBS

SITKA SPRUCE CONES HANG IN CLUSTERS AT THE ENDS OF BRANCHES.

PACIFIC SILVER FIR(Abies amabilis) is a tree of middle elevations, or the Canadian zone. In favorable sites, it attains a height of 140 to 160 feet and a diameter of 2 to 4 feet. The record tree, 6 feet 10 inches in diameter, is by the Bogachiel River about 8 miles by trail from the end of the road. A striking characteristic of this needle-leaved tree is its smooth, ashy-gray bark, conspicuously marked with chalky-white areas and numerous resin blisters.

ALPINE FIR(Abies lasiocarpa) is the spirelike tree of the highest life zone, the Hudsonian. Under favorable conditions it reaches a height of 60 to 90 feet, but at timberline it is a twisted, stunted growth only a few feet high. Its narrow crown extends to the ground, which makes this tree particularly susceptible to crown fires. Many ridgetop areas have “silver” forests of bleached trunks of fire-killed alpine fir. The purple to gray-purple cones, 2 to 4 inches long, stand upright on the branches as in all true firs.

NUMEROUS SMALL RESIN-FILLED BLISTERS ON A PACIFIC SILVER FIR.

ALASKA-CEDAR(Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) is a Hudsonian zone tree, easily identified by its foliage. The slender, drooping branches and flat, weeping sprays appear to be wilted. The leaves are of tiny, overlapping scales. This tree could be confused with the western redcedar, but as the two grow at different elevations identification should be easy. The largest specimen recorded, 7 feet 8 inches in diameter, is on the trail to Hart Lake above Enchanted Valley.

THIS SITKA SPRUCE STARTED LIFE ON TOP OF A HIGH STUMP WHICH ROTTED AWAY LEAVING THE GROWING TREE STANDING ON STILTLIKE ROOTS.

PACIFIC MADRONE’S REDDISH-BROWN BARK SCALES OFF IN THIN LAYERS.

PACIFIC MADRONE(Arbutus menziesii) is a tree of the lower elevations distinguished by its smooth, reddish-brown trunk and branches and its shiny, leathery, broad-leaved, evergreen foliage. The bark of the trunk may be loosely scaly, peeling off in long, thin, irregular pieces. This is especially noticeable in late summer when new, light-green bark is exposed by the flaking away of the older red bark.

SALAL(Gaultheria shallon) is the most common shrub in the forests of the Olympic Peninsula. Near the coast it grows 6 to 10 feet high in nearly impenetrable stands. Inland and at higher elevations up to about 3,000 feet, it is much smaller. Its evergreen, leathery leaves with finely toothed edges are easily distinguished from those of other shrubs. They are oblong and mostly 2 to 3 inches long. Urn-shaped, white to pink flowers in 1-sided racemes become black, edible berries later in summer. These berries were gathered by coast Indians and made into syrup or thick, dried cakes.

PACIFIC RED ELDER(Sambucus callicarpa). This large shrub becomes noticeable along roadsides in summer because of its large, dense clusters of brilliant red “berries.”

CREAMBUSH ROCKSPIREA(Holodiscus discolor) is an erect shrub, growing 5 to 14 feet high. In June it becomes conspicuous in lowlands because of its numerous, large, dense, drooping sprays of cream-colored flowers. Ocean spray is another common name for this shrub.

SALAL IS ONE OF MANY BROAD-LEAVED EVERGREEN PLANTS.

FIREWEED(Epilobium angustifolium). The rose-colored, spirelike, flowered tops attract attention wherever it is found. The name fireweed has been given because it comes up quickly in burned areas. It is not restricted to burned places, however, for it grows wherever there is unpreempted space in sunny locations, as along roadsides. It may be seen in flower throughout the summer, since it grows from sea level to 5,000 feet in elevation. The blooming progresses to higher elevations as the season advances. Its leaves are similar to those of willow, which accounts for another common name—willowweed.

WESTERN SWORDFERN(Polystichum munitum). This is the western counterpart of the common Christmasfern. It is a large, conspicuous, evergreen fern—the most prominent fern in these forests. The individual leaflets are lance-shaped, have fine-toothed edges, and are attached to the stem of the frond by means of a short stalk.

DEERFOOT VANILLALEAF(Achlys triphylla). This is probably the most common herbaceous, flowering plant in these forests from sea level to about 4,000 feet in elevation. It is a foot or more in height and commonly forms extensive patches. It can be identified easily by the three broad, fan-shaped leaves at the top of the slender, wiry stem. If the central leaf is bent back, the other two represent a spreading, green-winged butterfly. The small flowers form a slender, white, upright spike above the leaves. The foliage contains a compound which has the fragrance of vanilla. This is given off when the leaves wilt and accounts for another popular name—sweet-after-death.

OREGON OXALIS(Oxalis oregana). This small, delicate, white-flowered plant, has leaves that resemble a three-leaf clover. It grows among the mosses in the moist, shady forest and is especially noticeable in the plant carpet on the floor of the rain forest. The plant contains oxalic acid, which gives the leaves a pleasant sour taste. Another common name is wood sorrel.

QUEENCUP BEADLILY(Clintonia uniflora). The hiker will find this attractive plant in flower at middle elevations, mostly in the Canadian zone. Each plant has two or three prominent, narrowly oblong, lilylike leaves growing from the base of the plant and one clear-white, lilylike flower. The fruit is a single turquoise berry.

OREGON WINTERGREEN(Pyrola rotundifolio). This handsome pyrola is found up to about 3,000 feet elevation. Several leathery, roundish leaves, which have stems as long as the leaves, arise from the base of the plant and spread out to form a rosette. They are glossy green on top. From the center of this rosette rises a reddish flower stalk, 8 to 16 inches tall, that bears pink to reddish, waxy flowers about a quarter of an inch in diameter.

DEERFOOT VANILLALEAF.

OREGON OXALIS.

QUEENCUP BEADLILY.

WESTERN SWORDFERN.

SUBALPINE LUPINE(Lupinus subalpinus). Early in July the mountain meadows become ornamented with large patches of this blue-flowered plant. Its flowers are the shape of pea blossoms. Lupine can be identified by the leaf, which consists of many leaflets radiating from a central point like the spokes of a wheel. This lupine is a leafy plant 8 to 24 inches high.

LYALL LUPINE(Lupinus lyallii). This small lupine grows in dry, rocky soil at higher elevations, mostly above timberline in the Arctic-Alpine zone. Its small, but typically lupine, leaves are hairy and spread out to form a rosette. The blue flowers, in many short, compact spikes, usually are spread in rosette manner.

SUBALPINE LUPINE.

AVALANCHE LILY(Erythronium montanum) is a white lily, with a yellow center, abundant in early summer on mountain meadows and in woods near timberline.

GLACIER LILY(Erythronium grandiflorum). This plant is similar, except that the flowers are yellow and slightly smaller. It blooms earlier than its white counterpart and one must look for it where the snow is melting. Both the avalanche and glacier lilies have two basal leaves.

MAGENTA PAINTBRUSH.

SCARLET PAINTBRUSH(Castilleja miniata). The brilliant color of this plant is not in its flowers, which are hidden, but in the leafy bracts that surround them. One can imagine that the “flowers” are brushes dipped in scarlet paint and then turned upward.

MAGENTA PAINTBRUSH(Castilleja oreopola) is similar to the scarlet paintbrush, except in color.

AVALANCHE LILY.

TIGER LILY.

OWLCLOVER(Orthocarpus imbricatus) is a relative of the paintbrushes; it may be incorrectly identified as one of them. The “flower” is magenta-colored, but it differs from that of the paintbrush in being compact and nearly ball-like. Each plant has only one flower stalk, while paintbrush usually has more than one. Paintbrush and owlclover bloom in the mountain meadows in midsummer.

TIGER LILY(Lilium columbianum) is a tall, leafy plant of the rich meadows that bears from two to many large, orange, brown-spotted flowers. On the lowland meadows the flowers appear in May, but in the meadows of the Hudsonian zone, they do not bloom until July.

MOUNTAIN BUCKWHEAT(Polygonum bistortoides). Although this flower is not especially attractive, its abundance in mountain meadows gives it importance among the common plants of the park. It grows thickly among grasses and sedges, is 10 to 20 inches tall, and in July and August bears a compact, oblong spike of white flowers at the top of the slender stem.

SPREADING PHLOX(Phlox diffusa) is a prickly, mosslike plant that forms cushions or mats on dry, gravelly slopes above timberline. In early summer, it bears numerous, small, white-to-lavender flowers close to the foliage. Entire hillsides may be covered with a patchwork of this hardy alpine plant.

BLUEBELL(Campanula rotundifolia) grows from sea level to the dry, rocky slopes above timberline. At the higher elevations it blooms from July to September and can be recognized easily by its pale blue, nodding, bell-like flowers about three-quarters of an inch long.

SPREADING PHLOX.

ROOSEVELT ELK. THE BULLS GROW NEW ANTLERS EACH YEAR.

One of the reasons for establishing Olympic National Park was to insure “protection and preservation of interesting fauna, notably the rare Roosevelt elk....” There are 54 species and subspecies of wild mammals occupying their primitive homes on the Olympic Peninsula (Murray L. Johnson and Sherry Johnson,Check List of Mammals of the Olympic Peninsula). Probably all of these occur within the park. The wildlife picture is not a static one, however, as natural disturbances, time, and man bring changes in numbers, kinds, and distribution.

Climatic changes have greatly affected the animal life. There have been periods of extreme cold and periods of warmth. At least four times the ice-age glaciers advanced and melted back. When ice sheets moved down from the north and extensive glaciers formed in the mountains, the animals left. When the ice retreated, the animals returned. Not all animal types were able to survive, so that some animals that once lived in Washington are now extinct. One of these was the mastodon, resembling the present-day elephant. In 1950, a fossil skeleton of a mastodon was found in an excavation on a farm near Port Angeles, and tusks and parts of skeletons have been found from time to time in the bluffs east of Port Angeles.

Because the Olympic Mountains are isolated from other mountains, some animals of the Pacific Northwest have never found their way to the park. For instance, several kinds of animals in the Cascade Mountains are unknown in the Olympics. These include the mantled ground squirrel, pika or cony, and red fox. The wolverine, now rare in the Cascades, has never been seen in the Olympics. But animals move about, and it is entirely possible that there will be natural additions to the Olympic fauna. Dr. Victor B. Scheffer has stated that the red fox and the porcupine are expected to invade the Peninsula sometime in the present century. During 1951, two porcupines were seen on the Peninsula near the ocean—one at Kalaloch and another south of Queets Village.

Other changes have been brought about directly or indirectly by man. The Olympic wolf—a big, gray, magnificent animal—was once fairly numerous, but, because of merciless poisoning and hunting before the park was established, it is now probably extinct.

The coyote, renowned for his ability to survive civilization, has invaded the Olympic Peninsula during the present century. To some extent this animal fills the ecologic niche left vacant by the disappearance of the Olympic wolf.

Long before the National Park was established, mountain goats were brought from British Columbia and Alaska and released on Mount Storm King, near Lake Crescent. The transplanted animals have thrived and multiplied, and have spread eastward across the park.

The animals of the park are an integral part of the wilderness scene. The principal purpose for which the park was established was to preserve and display the natural wilderness. Thus, the animals are wild, living in their natural habitat. Not only must the animals and their normal habits be preserved, but their wilderness home as well. Whether the presence of man will be disturbing to the wilderness and its dwellers depends upon how humans behave in it. Any act that would tend to break down wilderness animal behavior is harmful to wildlife and is a violation of park rules.

Proper behavior of park visitors in the presence of national park animals may need explanation. The feeding of wild animals by man is harmful to their best interest. For thousands of years they have been able to feed themselves, and their continued well-being depends on their doing so now and in the future. For example, black bears in Olympic have not yet become troublesome, but bears, by nature, are inclined to become spoiled if artificial feeding habits are encouraged. Bears normally eat many kinds of plant and animal foods, but a camper’s larder contains tidbits that would tickle the palate of any bear. If an animal learns to associate food delicacies with campers, he will repeatedly seek experiences of that kind to the everlasting annoyance, misfortune, and even tragedy of the campers. The thoughtless camper who wilfully, or negligently, starts the bear on the road to ruin may escape the consequences. It is the bear himself and people who appear on the scene later who suffer for the deeds of earlier campers. The bear may become a dangerous nuisance and may have to be destroyed.

The only intelligent and humane solution is to refrain from all practices which tend to disturb or change the animal’s normal way of life. Self-restraint and good camping practice are necessary in order to accomplish this. Under no circumstances offer food to a bear or leave food or garbage where he can get at it. Remember that he is powerfully muscled and can climb trees. Refuse, including cans and bottles, should be burned not only to destroy all that is edible but to destroy food odors. Then, when the charred cans and bottles are placed in refuse containers or buried, the bears will not smell them and dig them out.

While emphasis has been placed on the proper relationship with the bear, the same attitude toward other animals will help insure their well-being and your safety. Any attempt to feed a deer or a bear invites injury. Proper conduct in relation to wild animals is so important that regulations now prohibit the feeding, touching, teasing, or molesting of any bear, deer, elk, moose, bison, bighorn, or pronghorn in National Parks. The first three are found in Olympic.

As long as animals remain completely wild there is little danger from them. The majority of mammal species are small, rare, secretive, or nocturnal, so for these or other reasons they may not easily be seen. They will try to avoid contact with people, and your problem will be to find them and to get close enough to see them well, without disturbing them. To do this, it is necessary to study their habits and to meet them on their own terms.

There is no scarcity of animals in Olympic; but the conditions for seeing even the larger ones, such as elk, deer, and bear, are not as favorable as in Yellowstone National Park, for instance. Olympic has less open country where unobstructed views may be enjoyed, especially in the lowlands. Even in the high country the rolling or rugged topography allows animals to move quickly out of sight behind ridges or rock outcrops.

Do not let these difficulties discourage you. The following suggestions may help you to see some of the more interesting mammals:

TheROOSEVELT ELKis also popularly known as the Olympic elk, because the largest remaining herds of this animal are on the Olympic Peninsula. The number here totals approximately 6,000 animals. These elk, however, still are found in various other parts of their original range, which includes the coastal forests from southern British Columbia to northern California.

The elk is the largest of the American deer family, except the moose. The bulls sometimes weigh as much as 1,000 pounds and the cows, 700. Both sexes have a heavy brown mane and a pale, yellowish rump patch. The bulls carry antlers, which are shed in late winter.

ROOSEVELT ELK IN A LUSH MOUNTAIN MEADOW IN OLYMPIC’S WILDERNESS.

Generally, the elk spend winters in the lowland forests and summers in the higher mountain meadows. Many of them, however, remain in the lowlands even in summer, so that it is possible to see elk in some of the western valleys of the park the year round.

During certain times of the year they are vocal. In May and June when the calves are born the cows sometimes bugle, and more frequently the calves give a high-pitched squeal.

Elk are polygamous and during the rutting season a bull will gather a harem, consisting of a few to a dozen or more cows, which he attempts to hold against all other bulls. There is much bugling by the bulls then—thrilling wilderness calls. You will probably recognize the source of this call the first time you hear it. The bulls become less shy during the rutting season and will permit closer approach. This should be done cautiously, however.

Almost any high-country meadow, except in the north to northeast part of the park, may hold a herd of elk from July through September. Cows, calves, and yearlings gather and remain in large herds until split up by the bulls when the mating season begins in the autumn. During summer, bulls remain apart from the cows, either in small groups or alone. The rutting period lasts from early September to mid-November, tapering off in the last month.

When the snow deepens in the mountains the elk that have summered in the high country come down into the valleys, where they gather in herds that may number 50 or more animals.

TheCOLUMBIAN BLACK-TAILED DEERis one of the most frequently observed larger mammals. Usually, it is seen in the early morning, late afternoon, evening, and often at night—the preferred feeding times. It remains bedded down in some secluded spot during much of the day. Anyone driving in western Washington at night is likely to see a deer suddenly bound out of the forest onto the highway. Where highways pass through localities having large deer populations, signs warn motorists of this danger.

In summer, deer prefer the upper Hudsonian zone, where forest and meadow mingle to provide both nutritious food and nearby secluded shelter. Hurricane Ridge and Deer Park are favorite summering grounds, and a visit to either area at deer mealtime is likely to be rewarding.

With encouragement and repeated opportunities to sample human food, a deer will become “spoiled”—a beggar lacking the sleekness and alertness of a wild creature. It is then no more than a specimen—like a plucked flower about to wilt. Also, it is potentially dangerous to the person who tries to feed it, for it can, and may, strike damaging blows with its sharp hooves. In the autumn mating season, males, “tame” or wild, can be dangerous.

BLACK BEARSmay be seen from sea level to alpine meadows in summer and early autumn. The socially disinclined bear travels alone, except for the mother with cubs. However, several bears may be in the same neighborhood for the same reason—food. From a ridgetop, the sleek, black forms may be seen against the green of the lush meadows below, where they search out ants, small rodents, and succulent herbage of various kinds. On mountain slopes covered with ripened huckleberries in late summer, bears become so engrossed with gorging on the delectable fruits that they may be stalked from downwind. A bear’s keen nose quickly distinguishes nonwilderness odors. Should a shifting breeze waft a scent message his way, you will have to find yourself another bear to stalk. A bear’s hearing is good, but his vision is less acute.

COLUMBIAN BLACK-TAILED BUCK.

Bears frequent valley bottoms and other lowland areas during late autumn, winter, and spring and may be seen along streams during salmon runs. Apparently, bears in the Olympics do hibernate, but the mild winters make a long dormancy unnecessary. It appears that all Olympic bears are black—the brown pelage phase has not been reported.

A black bear is not a dangerous animal unless he has learned to seek food from people or from their camps. Although a mother bear with cubs is not to be trifled with, a bear without those family responsibilities is easily frightened by a shout or other sudden loud noise.

DEER FAWNS ARE COMMONLY LEFT ALONE WHILE THE MOTHER FEEDS.

OLYMPIC MARMOTSlive just above or below timberline usually near well-watered meadows bordered by alpine fir clumps. Some are found on windswept ridgetop meadows or on rockslide areas. Marmots come out of hibernation in May and remain active until early September. They are most active in the early morning or evening during warm summer days. They have many burrows, which are easily spotted on alpine meadows. While they may feed long distances from their home dens, they are seldom far from burrows down which they can scurry at the first sign of danger.

Although marmots can best be seen and photographed on Hurricane Hill or Deer Park, they also occur in other high-country locations. The marmot blends well with his surroundings. You may not be aware of his presence until you hear his shrill alarm whistle, which at first you may mistake for a human whistle. It is so frequently heard in marmot territory that the name “whistler” has been given the animal.

OLYMPIC MARMOT LIVES IN BURROWS AND ROCKPILES NEAR TIMBERLINE.

BLACK BEAR. AN UNSPOILED ANIMAL IN ITS NATIVE WILDERNESS.

The snowy peaks, the mountain meadows, the forests, the lakes and streams, and the salt-water shores of the Olympic Peninsula constitute a variety of habitats for birds. The kinds of birds you can expect to see depend on where you are.

In summer, there are approximately 140 species on the Olympic Peninsula. The following list includes birds most easily identified and most likely to be seen, and those of special interest. Many common birds are not included.

GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCH—a rose-colored, sparrowlike bird, tame and easily observed. It feeds characteristically on or near open, rocky slopes and snowbanks.

HORNED LARK—a brownish ground bird, whitish beneath, a little larger than a sparrow. Usually in pairs on bare field and open ground; they utter a plaintiveteewhen startled into flight. At close range, the forehead and throat show a pale yellow, bordered and striped with black. The male has two black, hornlike feather tufts on the head.

SPARROW HAWK—a small, slender hawk with pointed wings and a rusty-red tail and back. It commonly hovers in the air above fields and meadows and is numerous on the ridges during grasshopper season.

BLUE GROUSE—a dark, hen-shaped bird commonly seen feeding on the ground in meadows and woodland.

GRAY JAY—a usually silent, gray bird with a whitish area on top of the head and a black patch behind the white. It is a little larger than a robin. This jay appears at your camp or picnic expecting food and sometimes helping himself to it.

COMMON RAVEN—distinguished from the crow by its greater size and coarse, guttural croaks. It is seen on the meadows when grasshoppers are abundant.

MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD—“... a flash of azure blue—a crumb from the blue sky above!” (E. A. Kitchin inBirds of the Olympic Peninsula.)

OREGON JUNCOis the size of a sparrow, with black head, rusty-brown upperparts and white underparts. The blackish tail has white outer tail feathers.

RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD—the smallest bird in the park. It can be identified by the rapid, darting, humming flight.

COOPER’S HAWK—a medium-sized hawk with short, blunt wings and a long tail. Its flapping, darting, twisting flight, with comparatively little soaring, is characteristic.

RED-TAILED HAWK—a large, soaring hawk with broad, blunt wings. In adults the tail is red on top.

Few birds live in the deep forest, but many prefer its edges near streams and openings.

OREGON JUNCO—described inBirds of the Mountain Meadows and Timberline.

WINTER WREN—a tiny, dark-brown, short-tailed wren of the deep quiet woods. It sings a trill song from atop a snag or small tree during nesting season and scolds passers-by with staccato, rasping notes.

RUFFED GROUSE—similar to the blue grouse, but reddish-brown, with broad, blackish band toward tip of the tail.

PILIATED WOODPECKER—a big, black, crow-sized woodpecker with a white streak down each side of head and neck. The male has a scarlet tuft on top of head. This bird is found in the deep forest, particularly where there are many dead trees and snags.

GRAY JAY—described inBirds of the Mountain Meadows and Timberline.

STELLER’S JAY—a harsh-voiced blue bird with black head and conspicuous black crest.

VARIED THRUSH—somewhat resembles a robin, but has a black bib across the breast. It is a bird of the deep forests, where it is more often heard than seen. “... out of the silence comes a long-drawn quavering note with something of the quality of escaping steam; after a short interval the note is repeated in a higher pitch, again in a lower.” (Ralph Hoffman inBirds of the Pacific States.)

RED-SHAFTED FLICKER—a stoutly built woodpecker with a black bib across the breast and a white rump. Orange underwings can be seen when bird is in flight, which is markedly undulating.

HAIRY WOODPECKER—a medium-sized, black and white woodpecker. It is distinguished from a downy woodpecker by its slightly larger size and the lack of black bars on the white outer tail feathers.

DOWNY WOODPECKER—a smaller edition of the hairy woodpecker; the white outer tail feathers are barred with black.

SWAINSON’S THRUSH—distinguished by its russet back and brown-spotted, buff breast; it is smaller than a robin but larger than a sparrow. It sings in the late afternoon and evening; prefers a moist, shady streamside habitat.

RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD—described inBirds of the Mountain Meadows and Timberline; it is abundant in the spruce forests along the coast during nesting time.

DIPPER—a chunky, dark slate-colored bird, with a short, wren-like tail, seen among boulders along swift-running streams. It bobs up and down as it stands near the water and then plunges into the streams to feed on the bottom.

BELTED KINGFISHER—a grayish-blue bird with white underparts and a blue band across the breast; the female has a reddish sash. This bird is distinguished by its large head, stout bill, and loud rattling call. It dives from a tree into the water for fish.

HARLEQUIN DUCK—a rather small, dark-colored duck seen on the rivers in spring and summer. The male is bluish above, has reddish-brown flanks, a crescent of white in front of the eye, and various other striking spots and streaks on head and neck—hence its name. The female, though duller, also has white spots on the head.

GREAT BLUE HERON—a tall, lanky, slate-blue bird usually seen walking knee deep in water. In flight, the neck is drawn back in an S-shape.

BALD EAGLE—a large, powerful hawk with slow wing beats. Mature birds, but not the younger ones, have white head and tail. Seen along streams when fish are spawning.

GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL—common along the shores even in summer.

GREAT BLUE HERON—described inBirds Along the Streams.

BALD EAGLE—described inBirds Along the Streams; it is common along roadless stretches of the Pacific Coast area, where it nests in trees near the shore.

BLACK OYSTERCATCHER—a large, black, sandpiperlike bird with a long red bill and pink legs and feet, about the size of a half-grown chicken.

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT—a large, slender, black bird with a slender, hooked bill; it is often seen with body nearly erect on a rock in the water.

COMMON CROW—occurs in flocks; it caws, while ravens croak.

COMMON RAVEN—described inBirds of the Mountain Meadows and Timberline; it is much larger than a crow and occurs chiefly in pairs, singly, or in small groups; not in flocks.

YOUNG RACCOONS SEARCHING FOR A MEAL DURING LOW TIDE.

The Olympic Peninsula is noted for its many miles of beautiful streams. This water provides an abundant world for fishes and gives joy to the fisherman. In these coastal streams the fisherman’s fishes are trout and their relatives, the salmon.

Trout found in the streams include cutthroat, rainbow, brook, Dolly Varden, and steelhead. The steelhead spends the greater part of its life in the ocean, but enters fresh-water streams to reproduce. After spawning, it returns to salt water. During its life span it may make several winter spawning trips up the fresh-water streams. The lives of sea-run cutthroat follow the same pattern, except they spawn in autumn.

In autumn or spring, salmon of several species swim up-stream, driving hard to reach the tributaries where they were hatched. Their mission is to spawn. This is their grand and final act, for unlike the steelhead, they do not return to the sea after spawning, but die. Sport fishing for salmon is done chiefly in salt water, and the waters around the Olympic Peninsula have become famous for the excellent salmon sport fishing they afford.

Some mountain lakes contain rainbow and brook trout. Lake Mills, which is impounded water, contains rainbow, brook, and Dolly Varden trout.

A COHO SALMON JUMPING THE RAPIDS OF THE SOLEDUCK RIVER.

The largest lake in the park, Lake Crescent, formerly contained two varieties of trout that have not been found to be native anywhere else. These were the Beardslee and the Crescenti, varieties of the rainbow and cutthroat, respectively, which frequently reached a weight of between 10 and 15 pounds. These varieties of trout probably no longer exist in the pure state. Recent studies indicate that presenttrout stocks, contaminated by plantings of hatchery fish that were made before the park was established, are now hybridized from crossbreeding. This is the usual story that follows upon man’s interference with natural waters—a story which has been repeated over and over again in the United States.

A license is not required for fishing in the park. There are regulations, however, pertaining to the season, open water, catch limit, and method of fishing. A copy of these regulations may be obtained at the superintendent’s office or at a park ranger station.

In addition to mammals and birds there are other animals which, though smaller and with less apparent personality, may be equally interesting. They are part of the native wild fauna of the park and are accorded the same protection as the larger forms. The few listed below are frequently seen along trails.

NORTHWESTERN TOAD.This warty animal can be distinguished by the light-colored line that runs down its back. It is common on forest trails, but blends so well with the ground that it may not easily be seen.

PACIFIC TREEFROG.This delicate, moist animal can be identified by the adhesive pads on its toes with which it can cling to smooth surfaces. It has a black line on each cheek, running through the eye. The eyes have a bronze iridescence.

PACIFIC COAST NEWT.This attractive species of salamander can be identified easily by its color—brown on top and orange underneath. They are commonly seen in the spring when they congregate in ponds and small lakes to spawn.

There are several other species of salamanders in the park that live among the rotting logs in the damp woods.

GARTER SNAKE.This is probably the only snake you will see.There are no poisonous snakes on the Olympic Peninsula.

COMMON SNAIL.If not disturbed, this shelled creature of the woods can be seen moving about carrying its “house” on its back. The shell is about an inch across. The eyes are on the ends of two long stalks, enabling the snail to see over obstructions.

COMMON SLUG.The grayish-green slug with its shiny mucous track is abundant on many forest trails. Some of these slugs are blotched with black.

There is a detached section of the park known as the Pacific Coast Area. It is a narrow strip of land that borders the ocean for 50 miles—a scenic coastline of unusual interest. The Olympic Highway (US. 101 and Wash. 9) runs through the southern 12 miles of it, but the rest is roadless except for the road to the village of La Push.

The shore is broken by many rocky points separating sandy beaches. Numerous needle rocks and small islands, having survived the abrasion of the encroaching sea, rise offshore.

In places where ocean waves have worn back the land there are rocky platforms that are under shallow water when the tide is in and uncovered when the tide is out. Myriads of animals may be seen among slippery sea plants, under rocks, and in pools left behind when the water recedes. This is a between-the-tides museum, with mussels and barnacles in dense communities holding to rocks near shore, purple shore crabs scurrying for shelter under rocks, ochre and purple starfish (blondes and brunettes of the same species), and numerous limpets clinging tightly to rocks farther from shore. Colorful hydroids, brilliant nudibranchs, chitons, sea urchins, and anemones in pools also thrive where the shore is rocky and protected from strong waves.

Other creatures prefer the sandy beaches. On a weekend in clam season, when the tide is low, the miles-long Kalaloch Beach becomes pock-marked with holes and bumpy with piles from clam diggers’ “guns.” A clam “gun” is a spade with a long, narrow blade set nearly at right angle with the handle. Each year, seasons and limits for razor clams are prescribed by the Washington State Department of Fisheries. The season, which runs from spring to autumn, generally coincides with the most favorable tides and surf for clam digging.

Quileute and Quinault Indians dip silver smelt out of the surf with nets. These small fish ride in on the surf to spawn in the sand, especially during the highest spring tides. Anyone may engage in this fishing sport, with a hand dip net, under certain restrictions. Current regulations pertaining to razor clam digging and smelt dipping can usually be obtained in the immediate area.

Three Indian reservations lie within the ocean strip and a fourth adjoins it on the south. One of these, the Ozette at the northern end, is no longer inhabited, but there are still signs of the village site. An unimposing bit of rock juts into the water here. This is Cape Alava, which is distinguished by being the western extremity of our country, exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii.

Numerous birds nest on the offshore islands. Many others make rest stops during migration, as the strip lies within a major migration flyway. Birds, including gulls, crows, oystercatchers, and cormorants, are always present along the shore. Usually several bald eagles maybe seen during a hike along the beach. They build their nests mostly in the tops of tall snags.

Mammals, too, appear on the beach. Raccoons and skunks take advantage of low tides to feed on the various and abundant life available then. Deer frequently come to the beaches, perhaps to escape a cougar, to sun themselves, or to obtain salt or certain beach plants. Not infrequently a black bear is seen, and, occasionally, an elk.

Camping on the beach is pleasant during dry weather. There is ample firewood everywhere and small streams flow out of the forest, providing fresh water. Some of the streams may be contaminated, however, and the water should be either boiled or treated chemically if its purity is doubtful.

There are several trails leading to the beach. Starting at the north, the most important of these are the following:

INDIAN VILLAGE TRAIL, starting at Lake Ozette and extending 3 miles to the Ozette village site at the beach, leads through delightful forest and prairie. Much of the trail is a boardwalk made of split cedar puncheon.

SAND POINT TRAILalso starts at Lake Ozette and is 3 miles long. The distance between the Indian Village Trail and this trail is also 3 miles along the beach. Thus, a triangular 9-mile round trip is possible.

SECOND BEACH TRAILis about one-half of a mile long.

THIRD BEACH TRAILis about three-quarters of a mile long. These two latter trails start from the road near the village of La Push and lead to attractive, clean, sandy beaches.

GIANTS GRAVEYARD, SOUTH OF LA PUSH, IS COMPOSED OF REMNANTS OF RESISTANT ROCKS THAT HAVE SURVIVED THE FORCES OF THE SEA.

THIRD BEACH, BORDERED WITH DRIFTWOOD, IS ACCESSIBLE BY TRAIL.

In aboriginal times, the Olympic Peninsula was a part of the Northwest Coast cultural area, which stretched along the Pacific shoreline from northern California to Alaska. The inhabitants of this extensive region shared many cultural traits, perhaps the most distinctive of which were a keen sense of personal property and a veneration of wealth. These people did little to change their natural environment, but they showed great skill in utilizing what resources their primitive technology made available. Their dug-out canoes, for instance, fashioned from tree trunks, were probably the finest which have ever been made by any aboriginal people.

This remarkable culture was possible largely because the environment provided an abundance of the necessities of life. Food was easily obtained, and 3 or 4 months of gathering provided enough for the balance of the year. Fish were the staple food. Salmon swarmed up the streams of the Olympic Peninsula each summer and were trapped or speared in great quantity. Smelt were dipped from the surf, and clams and other shelled creatures were taken from the seashore. The diet was augmented by berries and roots from the woodlands. Elk, deer, and birds provided meat. Some of the Olympic Indians hunted seals, porpoises, and whales. The capture of the whales required daring journeys on the open sea in dug-out canoes 30 to 40 feet long and accommodating 6 to 8 men.

The great forests of the Peninsula were vitally important to the Indian economy. Cedars provided hulls for canoes or were split into planks for houses. From cedar bark were made baskets, mats, sails, cordage, clothing, and other household necessities.

Most of the year these Indians lived in villages located above the beaches along the ocean or arms of the sea, generally at the mouths of rivers. Their permanent houses were stoutly built of planks. Some of these rectangular structures, designed to accommodate several families, were more than 60 feet long and 30 to 40 feet wide. Many of them were beautifully decorated with painted designs. During summer it was a common practice of these people to migrate, either inland to gather berries and hunt, or along the watercourses to fish.

By primitive standards, the Indians of the Northwest Coast were wealthy; that is, they had plenty of things to eat, wear, and use for shelter. They also had much winter leisure. This combination of wealth and leisure gave rise to a remarkable political and social system in which power and prestige generally belonged to the richest individuals.

An important feature of the social structure was the giving away of possessions during a feast, called a potlatch. Years, even a lifetime,of saving and privation were frequently endured in order to accumulate sufficient wealth for this purpose. Guests were invited from many tribes. The host gave such valuable gifts as canoes, slaves, food, fishing equipment, and, in more recent years, commercial blankets. As a rule, gifts were given only to guests who could afford to give a return potlatch. Gift-giving was a good investment for the host because the recipient was obligated to give a larger gift in return. This act of giving away one’s possessions elevated the giver and his family in the social scale. Wealth was measured not so much in terms of what was owned as by what was given away.

In recent years the Bureau of Indian Affairs has exerted pressure to discourage the potlatch system, and it has declined greatly; but potlatches are still held in modified form.

Today, the scene at Indian villages along the Olympic Peninsula is quite unlike that of a century ago. The cedarplank communal houses are no longer built; and, as the climate is not conducive to preservation, the old ones have disappeared. White man’s clothes have replaced garments of skin and shredded bark. Customs, too, have been modified under the impact of modern civilization. Still, much of the old Indian tradition survives, though it may not be discernible on the surface.

The main source of livelihood still is fishing. The Indians prefer to use dug-out canoes, but now these are usually propelled by outboard motors. Nearly every family owns a canoe, although only a few expert canoe makers build them. They are similar to the oldtime canoes in design, but the tools used to carve them are steel rather than the stone, shell, or bone used for blades in primitive tools.

Thrilling dug-out canoe trips on the Quinault River are available in summer for a moderate fee. The Quinault Indians at Amanda Park, where the river flows out of Lake Quinault, offer such trips over the entire distance of 35 miles to the ocean.

The first white men to explore the Olympic Peninsula came by sea. Spanish navigators venturing northward from Mexico may have coasted the shoreline as early as the 16th century. Juan de Fuca, said to have been a Greek pilot in the service of Spain, claimed to have entered the strait, which bears his name, in 1592, but satisfactory proof of this discovery is lacking.

Extensive exploration of the Northwest Coast did not begin, however, until the latter part of the 18th century, when rumors that the Russians were venturing southward from Alaska stirred the Spaniards to fresh efforts. In 1774, during the first of these renewed voyages,Juan Perez saw the present Mount Olympus and named it “Santa Rosalia.” He was the first European to name a geographic feature in what is now the State of Washington.

During the next 25 years the Northwest Coast, including that of the Olympic Peninsula, was widely explored and mapped by Spaniards, Englishmen, and Americans. The Spaniards were the first actually to set foot on the Peninsula. During a voyage made by Bruno Heceta and Juan de la Bodega y Quadra in 1775, Heceta landed at Point Grenville, near the mouth of the Quinault River.

Capt. James Cook was the first of several English navigators to explore the Northwest Coast. In 1778, during his search for the Northwest Passage, he named Cape Flattery, in the northwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula. While on the coast, some of Cook’s crewmen obtained furs from the natives and later sold them in China for high prices. This event turned the eyes of English and American businessmen toward the Pacific Northwest, and thereafter exploration of this region was stimulated by the fur trade.

In 1788, Capt. John Meares, an English trader, saw the mountain which Perez had named 14 years earlier. Not knowing of the earlier discovery, he christened the peak “Mount Olympus.”

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