Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
A volcano
Active during 1820 and 1854
Highest mountain (4,392 m a.s.l.) in the Cascades that are a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire
Mount Rainier National Park established on March 2 1899
Vegetation
Federation Forest Stage Park
Lowland old-growth vegetation on the Natches Trail (Tsuga heterophylla zone).
Trees-Shrubs: Tsuga heterophylla-Acer circinatum. Pseudotsuga menziesii-Oplopanax horridum. Pinus contorta-Rosa nootkatensis. Picea sitchensis-Vaccinium parvifolium. Thuja plicata-Gaulteria shallon. Abies grandis-Berberis nervosa. Alnus rubra-Holodiscus discolor. Acer macrophyllum-Salix sp. Taxus brevifolia. Lonicera ciliata
Herbs: Achlys triphylla. Adenocaulon bicolor. Athyrium flix-femina. Blechnum spicant. Clintonia uniflora. Coralorhiza sp. Cornus unalaschkensis. Goodyera oblongifolia. Hieracium albiflorum, Lactuca muralis. Linnaea borealis. Lysichitum americanum. Polystichum munitum. Prunella vulgaris, Pteridium aquilinum. Rubus ursinus. Smilacina stellata. Streptopus roseus, Tiarella trifoliata, Trientalis latifolia. Trillium ovatum, Viola spp.
Silver Fir Campground (elevation ca 650 m)
Old growth Tsuga heterophylla zone forest at upper near limit. Soils are derived from various volcanic activities.
Trees-Shrubs-Herbs: Tsuga heterophylla-Acer circinatum-Achlys triphylla, Pseudotsuga menziesii-A. glabrum-Asarum caudatum, Thuja plicata-Aruncus sylvestre-Athyrium flix-femina, Abies grandis-Berberis nervosa-Blechnum spicant, Pinus contorta-Gaulteria shallon-Clintonia uniflora, Alnus rubra-Chimaphila umbellata-Cornus unalaschkensis, Populus trichocarpa-Linnaea borealis-Fragaria virginiana, Oplopanax horridum-Galium triflorum, Rosa gymnocarpa-Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Rubus parviflorus-Hieracium albiflorum, Salix sp.-Maianthemum dilatatum, Sambucus racemosa-Petisites frigida, Taxus brevifolia-Polygonum munitum, Vaccinium parvifolium-Prunella vulgaris, Pteridium aquilinum. Rubus ursinus. Smilacina stellata. Tiarella trifoliata. Trientalis latifolia. Viola glabella. Streptopus sp.
White River Road (1200 m)
Vegetation in this area falls into the Abies amabilis zone.
Trees-Shrubs-Herbs: Abies amabilis-Alnus sinuata-Anaphalis margaritacea. Abies lasiocarpa-Gaulteria shallon-Asarum caudatum. Abies procera-Mensiesia ferruginea-Chimaphylla umbellatum. Rubus parvifolia. Chamaecyparis nootkatensis-Gaultheria humifusa. Pinus monticola-Rubus spectabilis-Linnaea borealis. Populus trichocarpa-Salix hookeri-Pyrola secunda. Pseudotsuga menziesii-Sorbus sitchensis-Viola spp. Thuja plicata-Vaccinium membranaceum. Tsuga heterophylla-Vaccinium alaskense. Tsuga mertensiana. Sambucus racemosa. Taxus brevifolia. Vaccinium parvifolium
Sourdough Ridge (1800 m)
Vegetation here begins to resemble that of the Abies lasiocarpa zone.It is too dry for a Tsuga mertensiana zone, though this species occur in favorable sites.
Trees-Shrubs-Herbs: Abies lasiocarpa-Alnus sinuata-Anapaahlis margaritacea. Tsuga mertensiana-Juniperus communis-Arnica diversifolia. Abies amabilis-Sorbus sitchensis-Aster foliosus. Chamaecyparis nootkatensis-Spirea densiflora-Castilleja miniata. Pinus albicaulis-Cassiope mertensiana-Luetkea pectinata. Picea engelmannii-Vaccinium membranaceum-Luina stricta. Lupinus latifolius. Luzula sp. Polemonium pulchellemum. Sitanion hystrix. Veratrum viride. Vaccinium deliciosum
Sunrise (1900 m)
This is a dry subalpine meadow complex, with isolated tree groups. The substrate is a recent pumice. Disturbance easily destroys the vegetation and recovery is very slow. We will view a 40 years old disturbance to determine the degree of recovery.
Trees-Herbs: Pinus albicaulis-Lupinus latifolius. Abies lasiocarpa-Potentilla flabellifolia. Picea engelmannii-Anemone occidentale. Chamaecyparis nootkatensis-Antennaria lanata. Aster alpigenus
Shrubs: Aster foliosus. Cassiope mertensiana-Carex mertensiana. Phyllodoce empetriformis - Castilleja parviflora. Juniperus communis-Hieracium gracile. Sorbus sitchesis-Juncus parryi. Vaccinium myrtillus-Agoseris sp. Ligusticum grayii
Herbs: Phlox diffusa. Festuca viridula-Polygonum bistortoides. Sitanion hyxtrix-Polygonum newberryi. Pedicularis contorta. Veronica cusickii