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77-724: The Saddle Mountains was an important transportation corridor for Native Americans in the region, including the Yakama , with people passing over then to get between the Yakima Valley to the north and traditional fishing grounds along the Columbia River to the south. During the Yakima War , the United States Army constructed a road through the mountains to provide better access to forts on either side. Today it

154-654: A caldera , although geologists have failed to identify clear evidence for the formation of a caldera in this zone. Together with Mount Adams, Mount Rainier , and Mount St. Helens , the Goat Rocks volcano is part of a triangle of volcanoes, an arrangement not found elsewhere in the Cascades. This may be related to a mid- crust zone with abnormally high electrical conductivity, the Southern Washington Cascades Conductor (SWCC), which

231-726: A Tenino subtribe; perhaps another Yakama name for the Umatilla, which were known as Rock Creek Indians), Wish-ham (Yakama name: Wíshχam, now Wishram , speaking Upper Chinook (Kiksht) ), Shyiks (a Yakama subtribe), Ochechotes (Uchi'chol, a Tenino subtribe), Kah-milt-pay (Kahmiltpah, Q'míl-pa or Qamil'lma, perhaps a Klikatat subtribe), and Se-ap-cat (Si'apkat, perhaps a Kittitas (Upper Yakama) subtribe, Kittitas autonym: Pshwánapam or Psch-wan-wap-pams), confederated tribes and bands of Indians, occupying lands hereinafter bounded and described and lying in Washington Territory , who for

308-539: A reliable enough supply of snow. The Goldendale Observatory was built on a vent of the volcanic field on the north side of Goldendale by Clark College in 1973 because the site offered less light pollution and clearer skies than were available near the school in Vancouver, Washington . The observatory continues to operate, is open to the public, and sits within a state park. Underlying the Simcoe Mountains

385-687: A single coal mine were made within the Goat Rocks Wilderness, but the United States Bureau of Mines has no record of production from any of these claims. Historically, two claims have actually been staked in the area, the Mosquito lode near Walupt Lake in 1934, and later, the Glacier lode near Packwood Glacier in 1939. Neither show evidence of assessment work, and both deposits are now abandoned. Miners may have been drawn to

462-488: A wagon road between there and Fort Dalles along the Columbia River. The route largely followed Eel Road because of favorable terrain and easy access to water. Fort Simcoe, which took its name from a Sahaptin language term for a geographic saddle , was the source for the modern name of the Simcoe Mountains. Goldendale, located south of the highland area but within the volcanic field, was first settled in 1859 with

539-464: Is a vent of Goat Rocks or an independent volcano remains unclear. Hornblende andesite can also be found on top of the highest point in Goat Rocks, Gilbert Peak. Hogback Mountain, a shield volcano north of Goat Rocks and south of White Pass , was identified by Siebert et al. (2010) as a satellite vent of Goat Rocks. Rising 700 m (2,297 ft) in elevation, it erupted more than 200 m (656 ft) of olivine basalt and basaltic andesite from

616-778: Is basalt that was erupted by the Columbia River Basalt Group from vents to the east as recently as 14.5 million years ago. Rotation of the North American Plate in the Pacific Northwest during and after the Columbia River Basalt Group flows led to the rise of the Yakima Fold Belt , a series of east–west ridges upon which the Simcoe Mountains lie, most notably the western end of the anticline that created

693-525: Is considered the ancestral homeland of several Sahaptin-speaking peoples, including the Yakama, Cayuse , and Walla Walla . Yakama legend describes the role the Simcoe Mountains played in their understanding of regional history. The believed the Sun was originally a man and that he had five mountains for his wives - Simcoe Mountains, Goat Rocks , Mount Adams, Mount Rainier , and Mount St. Helens . The Sun visited

770-710: Is generally considered more difficult than Old Snowy Mountain. Most climbers opt to mount Gilbert early in the climbing season when snow levels are low. Recreational activities permitted by the Forest Service at the Wilderness include day hiking, horse riding, and backpacking . Because Goat Rocks is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System , motor vehicles and means of transport are prohibited. These include bicycles, wagons, motorboats, and helicopters. A free permit

847-447: Is linked to the region's volcanism, which has caused partial melting of the crust. The oldest Cascade stratovolcano formed after the Columbia River Basalt Group , Goat Rocks is roughly equal in volume to Mount St. Helens and smaller in volume than Mount Baker, at approximately 60 km (14 cu mi). Rough estimates place the composition of the volcano as 40% tuff and breccia . The remains of its lava flows can be found in

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924-499: Is not well understood by geologists. Scientists from the United States Geodynamics Committee hypothesized in 1994 that this anomaly is associated with the thrust of a large deposit of sedimentary rock against a continental margin . However, Hill et al. (2009) dismiss this view as it proves inconsistent with maps made from magnetotelluric readings of the area. Instead, they propose that the anomaly

1001-652: Is now classified as an extinct volcano , as its most recent eruptive activity was during the Pleistocene. The last eruption from the Goat Rocks complex occurred around 115,000 years ago. It was an effusive lava flow known as the Clear Fork Lava. The flow was primarily composed of dacite and flowed 12 km (7.5 mi) along the White Pass Highway and has an estimated volume of 0.55 km (0.13 cu mi). Land surrounding Goat Rocks

1078-472: Is required for entry to the wilderness. Mineral resources in the Goat Rocks area can be divided into three segments, each rich with certain minerals. The first two are named Packwood Glacier–McCall Basin and Glacier Basin, and are located near past volcanic vents. These areas exhibit anomalous levels of cobalt , copper , lead , molybdenum , nickel , and zinc , well-dispersed levels of pyrite , and sporadic concentrations of silver . Area C corresponds to

1155-443: Is the more accessible of the two. This, coupled with its easier ascent, makes Old Snowy Mountain the more popular climb. There are several routes up the mountain, which take 5–6 hours, rising 1,097 m (3,599 ft) in elevation. Running for 23 km (14 mi) round-trip, Old Snowy can be scrambled or climbed using glaciers , although a trail exists. From the summit, mountaineers can see Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier in

1232-487: Is traversed by U.S. Route 97 which passes over Satus Pass . The upper slopes of the Simcoe Mountains are forested while the lower slopes are covered by grassland in a more arid climate. The area provides habitat for a variety of plant and animal life in different elevation-dependant ecological zones, both on land and in streams draining the area. Waterways flow into the Yakima and Klickitat Rivers which ultimately flow to

1309-567: The Columbia Plateau ecoregion and higher elevations falling within the Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills . Bighorn sheep , mule deer , and elk are among the large mammals that have been observed in the arid region. Reptiles such as the western rattlesnake and other snakes and lizards are also present. American black bear , raccoons , and coyotes are among the medium to large mammals that can be found in

1386-498: The Horse Heaven Hills that extend eastward toward Kennewick . The rise of these ridges significantly disrupted the path of the Columbia River, which formerly flowed through the area but was absent by the time the volcanic field formed. Small earthquakes occur in the region as north–south compression related to the plate rotation causing local anticlines to continue to grow. Evidence of glaciation has not been observed in

1463-610: The Klickitat River basin. As a member of the Cascade Volcanoes , Goat Rocks was produced by the subduction of the oceanic Juan de Fuca plate under the western edge of the continental North American Plate . This fault, known as the Cascadia subduction zone , lacks the deep oceanic trench usually found at convergent plate boundaries, which can probably be explained by its slow rate of subduction. According to

1540-464: The Naches and Tieton Rivers , which has been recognized as the longest andesite flow on Earth having a total volume of 6.6 km (1.6 cu mi). About 250,000 years after this andesite flow a second flow erupted from Bear Creek Mountain, the second flow took a similar path as the older one and had a total volume of 2.5 km (0.60 cu mi). Many of the flows immediately surrounding

1617-817: The United States Forest Service . Since additional land was incorporated in 1984, it now encompasses 43,745 hectares (108,096 acres) between Mount Rainier and Mount Adams, straddling the Gifford Pinchot and Okanogan - Wenatchee national forests . It is bordered by the Yakama Indian Reservation to the southeast. The wilderness ranges from 914 to 2,500 m (2,999 to 8,202 ft) in elevation, featuring alpine tundras with glaciers, small lakes, and ponds, as well as 15 different routes that amount to 193 km (120 mi) of trails. One of these trails constitutes

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1694-601: The United States Geological Survey , the Nazca and North American plates converge at a rate of 3 to 4 cm (1 to 2 in) each year, just half of their convergence rate as recently as 7 million years ago. The Cascade Volcanoes in Washington are restricted to four belts; Goat Rocks forms one segment of the north–south trending Mount Adams belt that also incorporates Tumac Mountain, Adams, and

1771-506: The "Trachybasalt of Pretty Swamp". Most eruptive vents were shot-lived and did not erupt large volumes of material but a few sites exhibit longer lived activity. Earlier eruptions were rhyolitic in nature rather than basaltic and were thus more explosive. Some of the volcanic activity in Simcoe Mountains happened at the same time as eruptions of Goat Rocks to the northwest and the Boring Lava Field near Portland, Oregon . For

1848-609: The 14 confederated tribes and bands of the Yakama, including "Yakama (Lower Yakama or Yakama proper, autonym: Mámachatpam), Palouse (now written Palus , Yakama name: Pelúuspem), Pisquouse (P'squosa, now Wenatchi ), Wenatshapam (Yakama name: Winátshapam, now Wenatchi ), Klikatat (Yakama name: Xwálxwaypam or L'ataxat), Klinquit (a Yakama subtribe), Kow-was-say-ee (Yakama name: Kkáasu-i or K'kasawi, Tenino subtribe, todays Crow Butte, Washington, opposite of Boardman, Oregon), Li-ay-was (not identified), Skin-pah (Sk'in tribe or Sawpaw, also known as Fall Bridge and Rock Creek people or K'milláma,

1925-521: The Cascades was originally occupied by Native Americans, who hunted and fished in its vicinity and used its trails as trade routes. Goat Rocks lies in a zone of intermittent volcanism which has produced many small volcanic vents, also including the Mount Adams volcanic field and Indian Heaven . Situated in the eastern portion of the Cascade Range , Goat Rocks lies at the northwest corner of

2002-903: The Clear Fork of the Cowlitz River and lies along the area of contact between Goat Rocks volcano and older volcanoes to the east. It is distinct from the other two study areas, featuring anomalous amounts of barium , cobalt, copper, and manganese , as well as smaller quantities of lead, molybdenum, nickel, and zinc. Other minerals found in Area C include barite , boron , cinnabar , mercury , pyrite, and tin in concentrates taken from stream-sediment. The water has high concentrations of chlorine , copper, fluorine , and molybdenum, and altered rocks contain arsenic , lead, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc at especially high levels. The Goat Rocks vicinity seems to offer large base metal deposits. Outside

2079-624: The Columbia River, including the now flooded Celilo Falls . One major route was the As-sööm Trail or Eel Road. The highland area itself was fairly remote and travelers avoided it during the winter months due to frequent blizzards and other adverse weather conditions. The Yakama, Nez Perce , and Umatilla peoples ceded the southern half of the Simcoe Mountains to the United States at the Walla Walla Council in 1855 with

2156-566: The Columbia. The term Simcoe Mountains can refer to two geographical features, the highland area along the ridge that continues eastward as the Horse Heaven Hills and the entire area encompassed by volcanic material from the Simcoe Mountains Volcanic Field. The volcanic region stretches a north–south distance of approximately 45 mi (72 km) from near Goldendale, Washington in the south to include part of

2233-530: The King Mountain Fissure Zone. Of the four Cascade arcs, this belt contains the second most volcanoes, and its volcanoes are predominantly made of calc-alkalic to tholeiitic to basaltic andesite lava. Goat Rocks and its immediate vicinity are underlain by pre- Tertiary greywacke and argillite , and these deposits are cut by several prominent northward-trending faults . Overlaying these deposits are Cenozoic volcanic rocks, including

2310-543: The North American Plate. Generally speaking there are two to three ecological zones in the Simcoe Mountains depending on the source used, mostly dependent on elevation. The lowest elevations exhibit shrub–steppe with sagebrush and both native and invasive grasses present. Mid elevations experience more rainfall and are a little cooler, though still largely display grassland flora including wildflowers like elkhorns clarkia and scabland wild buckwheat while

2387-669: The Simcoe Mountains exhibits a Köppen climate classification of cold semi-arid with most of the land categorized as cold-summer mediterranean and a small area in the highest elevations with dry-summer subarctic climate. Precipitation varies significantly both from west to east and from low to high elevation. Goldendale, located within the volcanic field at around 1,600 ft (490 m) elevation experiences an average of 17 in (430 mm) of precipitation annually while Indian Rock sees an average of 41 in (1,000 mm). Precipitation most frequently falls from October to March with summer months being particularly dry. The crest of

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2464-408: The Simcoe Mountains, termed Wahkshum, first each morning followed by the Goat Rocks, referred to as Plash-Plash, and Mount Adams (Pahto) third. This order made Pahto jealous leading her to break down the earlier wives high heads, causing them to not reach the high elevations the other peaks do. The region was largely used as a travel corridor between the Yakima Valley and traditional fishing grounds on

2541-491: The Tieton, Klickitat, and Cispus river valleys, their elevation reversed by erosion to make them resemble ridges . These flows have been thoroughly eroded, but testify to the volcano's previous size. Although it may have once been a towering stratovolcano, Goat Rocks has undergone extensive erosion since its extinction. Once eruptions ceased, the ongoing forces of glacial erosion , as well as hydrothermal alteration of

2618-623: The Wilderness varies due to the mountains acting as a barrier for both weather and temperature. The Cascade Range mountains prevent wet storms from moving, forcing air to rise and then cool. This cooling air cannot hold as much moisture, causing heavy precipitation (up to 381 cm (150 in) in rainfall annually) on the western flanks of the mountains, which leads to extensive forestation. Snowfall typically totals more than 8 m (26 ft) annually, amounting to snow still being present as late as July or August. In warmer months, melted snow runs off into lakes, keeping them especially full. Because

2695-530: The Yakama Indian Reservation in the north. It is centered 28 mi (45 km) east of Mount Adams , a major Cascade Volcano, and covers a land area of 640 sq mi (1,700 km). The highest point in the volcanic complex is Jennies Butte, a cone that erupted dacite on the north end of the field with a peak elevation of 6,408 ft (1,953 m) above sea level. Within the ridge area north of Goldendale and west of Satus Pass,

2772-648: The Yakama Nation . Their Yakama Indian Reservation , along the Yakima River , covers an area of approximately 1.2 million acres (5,260 km ). Today the nation is governed by the Yakama Tribal Council, which consists of representatives of 14 tribes. Many Yakama people engage in ceremonial, subsistence, and commercial fishing for salmon , steelhead , and sturgeon in the Columbia River and its tributaries, including within land ceded by

2849-556: The area studied, coal has been identified at the Packwood and Cowlitz fields, and building stones and gravel are being quarried to the north and west of the volcano. The Goat Rocks area's potential resources for oil and gas remain unidentified. Because no volcanic activity has occurred during the Holocene (within the past 11,700 years), Goat Rocks has very little potential for geothermal resources . Claims to three lode mines and

2926-470: The area, likely owing to the highlands' comparatively low elevation and location to the east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains. Lying in the rain shadow, this region is significantly more arid than points just a short distance to the west. The lavas erupted here are more porus than the underlying Columbia River Basalt Group allowing water to collect and move. Numerous springs are located within

3003-415: The boundary between andesitic Mount Adams material and that which was erupted by the Simcoe Mountains. Eruptive material from vents in the Simcoe Mountains contains a much higher basalt content than nearby Mount Adams. This has led researchers to imply that this volcanic field is intraplate in origin rather than a part of the Cascades, which formed from subduction of the offshore Juan de Fuca Plate benith

3080-401: The distance. Because this area has a lot of loose talus and rock, an avalanche hazard exists. The climb up Gilbert Peak was first completed by Fred G. Plummer in 1899. It also rises 1,097 m (3,599 ft) in elevation, lasting 6–8 hours and running for 26 km (16 mi) round-trip. Because the routes are longer and more technically challenging due to loose rock, scrambling Gilbert

3157-599: The east flank of the existing mountain. This rhyolitic episode also produced the Devil's Horn caldera. The amount of rhyolite tuff exceeds 20 km (4.8 cu mi). Three million years ago Goat Rocks shifted to mafic volcanism, erupting olivine and basalt . As eruptions continued into the Pleistocene epoch, the lava flows became increasingly andesitic , containing mostly pyroxene with phenocrysts as well as hornblende minerals. These andesitic flows formed

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3234-514: The end of the Pliocene through the early Pleistocene. Eruptions from Goat Rocks formed a spread-out volcanic field populated by small lava domes and cinder cones as far north as an unnamed vent on American Ridge north of Bumping Lake . Spiral Butte along US 12 near White Pass is one of these vents, having erupted less than 690,000 years ago. The volcanic field's dimensions are approximately 29.9 by 15 km (19 by 9 mi). Goat Rocks

3311-592: The following local rivers were derived from Sahaptin: the Klickitat, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Palouse, Yakima, Satus, Toppenish, Tieton, and Wenatchee (in each case the original native term referred not to the river itself, which generally was left unnamed): Their lands lay within the Yakima Rivers (in Yakama: Tapteal – ″rapids″ because of the waterfalls at Prosser, Washington ) watershed and for

3388-572: The headwaters of the Yakima River (with the directly northwest living Coast-Salish-speaking Snoqualmie the Yakama bands kept family ties), in the west across the Cascade Range to the headwaters of the Cowlitz River (shch'il), Lewis River ((wl'ɫt'kh) and White Salmon River (where there were also family ties with Coast-Salish-speaking Lower Cowlitz and Upper Chinookan/Kiksht-speaking Wasco-Wishram ). The Yakama people are similar to

3465-402: The highest point is the remains of a basaltic shield named Indian Rock with a summit at 5,820 ft (1,770 m) above sea level. A handful of other vents reach above 5,000 ft (1,500 m) elevation. The region lies adjacant to the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains with more arid conditions than points a short distance to the west due to the rain shadow effect. The base of

3542-419: The highest segment of the famous Pacific Crest Trail in Washington, running for 50 km (31 mi) north–south through the middle of the wilderness area. Because this route is located at such a high elevation, its hikers may experience violent storms that could be dangerous for unprepared parties. Much of the wilderness is located above the timberline , offering views of alpine scenery. Weather within

3619-471: The highland area about 13 miles (21 km) north of Goldendale forms the southern boundary of the Yakama Indian Reservation. South of there, land is primarily privately owned with timer companies owning a large portion of the forested mid- and upper-elevations with farms and ranches in the more arid grasslands below. A few areas of public land, including small state parks and a wildlife area are present. A few farm small communities are sprinkled within and near

3696-561: The lack of permanent human habitation and farming activities in the forested region. Water is pulled from streams and the groundwater system for irrigation in the Goldendale area. Yakama The Yakama are a Native American tribe with nearly 10,851 members, based primarily in eastern Washington state . Yakama people today are enrolled in the federally recognized tribe , the Confederated Tribes and Bands of

3773-471: The last 350,000 years Simcoe was active, there was also activity in the Mount Adams region, but Mount Adams itself had not yet started forming. Indian Heaven , a volcanic field farther to the west, is also generally much younger than Simcoe, becoming active only in the most recent 200,000 years of activity at Simcoe Mountains Volcanic Field. Mount St. Helens, like Mount Adams, entirely postdates activity at Simcoe Mountains. The Klickitat River roughly delineates

3850-693: The most part east of the Cascade Range , to the south along the northern tributaries of the Columbia River (in Yakama: Nch'i-Wána – ″great river″) (here the Yakama bands frequently lived in bilingual villages together with Southern/Columbia River Sahaptin-speaking bands: Umatilla, Skin-pah/Skin, Tenino/Warm Springs), to the southwest along the Lower Snake River and Columbia River (here the Yakama bands lived also in bilingual villages together with Lower Snake River Sahaptin-speaking local groups of Chamnapam/Chem-na-pum, Wauyukma and Naxiyampam), to

3927-516: The mountains are so tall, storm clouds may get stuck even as the rest of the storm moves onward, leading to snowstorms and freezing temperatures year-round. In extreme conditions, these storm cells might endanger hikers by means of strong winds, fog, snow, and rain that can potentially make hiking nearly impossible. On the eastern sides of the mountains, air warms as it drops, producing Chinook winds , considerably lower precipitation, and less forested landscapes. Because of these conditions, temperatures on

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4004-628: The northeast their tribal territories ranged up to the Wenatchee River (because of frequently intermarriages some of the originally Interior Salish-speaking Wenatchi bands switched to Sahaptin as first language), in the north to the lakes of Cle Elum Lake (after the Upper Yakama / Kittitas name Tie-el-Lum , meaning "swift water", referring to the Cle Elum River), Kachess Lake ("more fish") and Keechelus Lake ("few fish") at

4081-463: The northern half becoming part of the Yakama Indian Reservation. The United States Army built Fort Simcoe along the Eel Road near a common gathering place and spring at the northern base of the Simcoe Mountains in 1856 to keep tabs on Native Americans utilizing the corridor during the Yakima War between Native Americans and the United States. After construction of Fort Simcoe, the military built

4158-467: The northern half of the field Eruptions from this volcanic field occurred in three periods during the Pliocene and Quaternary ; the first episode occurred 4.2–3.2 million years ago. the second was from 2.2 to 1.2 million years ago, and the most recent episode lasted from 1.0 to 0.6 million years ago. The most recent known eruption was a trachybasalt lava flow dated to 631,000 ± 27,000 years ago called

4235-628: The other native inhabitants of the Columbia River Plateau . They were hunters and gatherers well known for trading salmon harvested from annual runs in the Columbia River. In 1805 or 1806, they encountered the Lewis and Clark Expedition at the confluence of the Yakima River and Columbia River . As a consequence of the Walla Walla Council and the Yakima War of 1855, the tribe was forced to cede much of their land and move onto their present reservation. The Treaty of 1855 identified

4312-431: The peaks surrounding Goat Rocks are at most moderate in height. Goat Rocks is a stratovolcano with a somewhat complicated eruptive history. It first became active approximately 3.2 million years ago during the Pliocene epoch, undergoing explosive eruptions that ejected silicic lava with highly felsic rocks like rhyolite . One of these events produced 650 m (2,133 ft) of tuff that remains, exposed, on

4389-628: The purposes of this treaty are to be considered as one nation, under the name 'Yakama'…". (Treaty with the Yakama, 1855) The name was changed from Yakima to Yakama in 1994 to reflect the native pronunciation. Yakama is a northwestern dialect of Sahaptin , a Sahaptian language of the Plateau Penutian family. Since the late 20th century, some native speakers have argued to use the traditional Yakama name for this language, Ichishkíin Sínwit . The tribal Cultural Resources program wants to replace

4466-520: The rest of the Washington Cascades. Four major glaciers mantle the north and northeast slopes of the peaks: Conrad Glacier , McCall Glacier , Meade Glacier , and Packwood Glacier , along with numerous smaller permanent snowfields. The elevation of the Goat Rocks volcano and its immediate vicinity varies from 914 to 2,500 m (2,999 to 8,202 ft) at its highest point, Gilbert Peak . Because of extensive glaciation and erosion,

4543-423: The ridges and mountain tops can be forested with Ponderosa pine , western juniper , and Douglas fir . Native American communities were aware of berries growing in the forested region, including the huckleberry . Small streams produce productive riparian zones even in low elevations with large trees including black cottonwood present despite arid conditions. In riparian zones, plants may source water both from

4620-435: The south slopes of the highland area north of Goldendale and forest grouse are present in riparian zones and disused logging roads. Small streams draining the Simcoe Mountains on the south and west slopes form important habitat for migratory fish. Steelhead salmon utilize numerous water bodies but are at risk from low water flow and high water temperatures. Water in the mountains is relatively free from pollutants owing to

4697-410: The surface and from the groundwater system. Many streams may dry up on the surface during the summer but continue to flow underground because the porous nature of the rocks allows for groundwater movement in the region. Small cacti can also be seen in the arid elevations. Fauna exhibit a similar transition through the different elevation levels of the mountains with lower elevations making up part of

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4774-716: The thick, Eocene -aged Ohanapecosh Formation , comprised by chemically altered basalt and andesite lava flows and bedded andesite and dacite volcaniclastic rock. In turn, the Stevens Ridge Formation overlies the Ohanapecosh layer, featuring quartz -bearing silicic tuff , rhyolite , and other volcaniclastic rocks. Under both layers is the Russell Ranch Formation , 2,298 to 3,048 m (7,539 to 10,000 ft) in thickness, which contains deposits of lapilli and tuff hinting at

4851-407: The town being platted in 1872. The surrounding Klickitat Valley became a minor agricultural center, mostly producing wheat. The first rail line into the valley reached Goldendale in 1903. The town would become the largest in the Simcoe Mountains area with a population of 3,453 in 2020. A ski area and lodge opened on Satus Pass in 1952 but was only open for 24 years because the location did not offer

4928-677: The tribe to the United States . Their right to fish in their former territory is protected by treaties and was re-affirmed in late 20th-century court cases such as United States v. Washington (known as the Boldt Decision , 1974) and United States v. Oregon ( Sohappy v. Smith , 1969), though more than a century of U.S. industrial pollution has contaminated these waterways with dangerous levels of toxic chemicals. The Columbia Basin Initiative aims to improve salmon-fishing for

5005-606: The tribe's location along the Yakima River . The Yakama identify as the Mamachatpam. ″Yakima″ or ″Yakama″ was first a collective term for five (originally six) regional bands who spoke the same language or dialect of Sahaptin , also known as Ichishkíin Sɨ́nwit (″this language″). Usually they named the individual bands, village groups, local groups, and rivers after a specific rock formation, their main camps, or after an important village or fishing site. The English names of

5082-470: The tribe. Scholars disagree on the origins of the name Yakama. The Sahaptin words, E-yak-ma, means "a growing family", and iyakima, means "pregnant ones". Other scholars note the word, yákama, which means "black bear," or ya-ki-ná, which means "runaway". They have also been referred to as the Waptailnsim, "people of the narrow river," and Pa'kiut'lĕma, "people of the gap," which describes

5159-437: The upper elevations along with many of those that are also found in the lower elevations. Small rodents like the chipmunk and a few small lizards are present in the forested area. Birds are common, ranging in size from the red-tailed hawk to smaller mountain bluebird , and California quail among others. Many of the birds in the Simcoe Mountains can be observed across nearly all elevation zones. Wild turkey can be found on

5236-610: The volcanic field. The northeastern quarter drains via small streams including Satus and Toppenish Creeks into the Yakima River while the western and northwestern quarter drains to the Klickitat River with the south half flowing to the Lower Klickitat River. U.S. Route 97 passes through the field over Satus Pass, leading north to Yakima and south to Bend, Oregon . The Simcoe Mountains region has been inhabited by humans for millennia, first by Native Americans and later including European American settlement. The land

5313-498: The volcanic region and groundwater flows outward from the central highland area toward Goldendale as well as eventually flowing into Satus and Toppenish Creeks which are tributaries of the Yakima River. Topsoil is largely loess blown off the Cascades during the Last Glacial Maximum . Volcanic material from the Simcoe Mountains constitutes part of the alluvium carried downstream by Satus and Toppenish Creeks draining

5390-509: The volcano have since been cut by intrusive dikes , which form a radial arrangement around the volcano's core. As erosion occurred on a large scale, the volcano remained active, producing more hornblende andesite lava flows. Eruptive activity continued at Old Snowy Mountain into the middle to late Pleistocene, yielding hornblende andesite lava flows that were subsequently glaciated in the Cispus River valley; whether Old Snowy Mountain

5467-422: The volcano's interior, stripped away layers of volcanic ash deposits and lava flows , uncovering the rocky lava spines where magma had cooled and hardened within the conduits of the volcano. Nearly all the remaining volcanic debris has been partially covered by a younger layer of rock. The Goat Rocks area is notable for its extensive glaciers, despite its modest elevation and southerly location relative to

5544-425: The volcano's major edifice between roughly 2.5 and 0.5 million years ago, which may have resembled contemporary Mount Rainier. At this point in time, Goat Rocks's eruptions had very high volumes and extended far from the volcano, possibly because multiple satellite vents contributed to eruptions. Approximately 1.64 million years ago, Goat Rocks generated an andesitic lava flow extending 80 km (50 mi) down

5621-714: The western sides of mountains are steady, whereas temperatures on the eastern flanks fluctuate wildly. Goat Rocks obtained its name from a population of mountain goats that can be observed around the mountain. Other fauna include marmots and pikas at high elevations. Deer and elk can be found below the timberline, including mule deer , mule deer-black-tailed hybrids , Roosevelt elk , and Rocky Mountain elk that were introduced from Yellowstone National Park in 1913. Black-tailed deer are especially common. Old Snowy Mountain and Gilbert Peak, two of Goat Rocks's peaks, are frequented by hikers and mountaineers . Both are considered remote summits, although Old Snowy Mountain

5698-473: The wilderness area supports a host of wildlife, including marmots, pikas, deer, and elk. Various peaks within the wilderness can be climbed or scrambled , and other activities such as hiking are permitted. The area is rife with minerals and resources, including coal, cobalt , copper , and base metals . Goats Rocks volcano is located in southern Washington , 113 km (70 mi) west of Yakima , at latitude 46.50° N and longitude 121.45° W. This region of

5775-458: The word Sahaptin, which means "stranger in the land". Goat Rocks Goat Rocks is an extinct stratovolcano in the Cascade Range , located between Mount Rainier and Mount Adams in southern Washington , in the United States. Part of the Cascade Volcanoes , it was formed by the subduction of the Juan de Fuca Plate under the western edge of the North American Plate . The volcano

5852-402: Was active from 3.2 million years ago until eruptions ceased between 1 and 0.5 million years ago. Throughout its complex eruptive history, volcanism shifted from silicic explosive eruptions to voluminous, mafic activity. The volcano and the surrounding Goat Rocks Wilderness , established in 1964, are named after the numerous mountain goats which live in the area. The variable climate of

5929-724: Was first protected by the United States Department of Agriculture in February 1931, when approximately 18,009 hectares (44,501 acres) was set aside for preservation. In 1935, this was increased to 29,315 hectares (72,439 acres) of land, then to 33,459 hectares (82,679 acres) in 1940. In 1964, the United States Congress created the Goats Rock Wilderness as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System , delegating its management to

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