Mount Thielsen Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Mount Thielsen Wilderness is a wilderness area located on and around Mount Thielsen
in the southern Cascade Range
of Oregon
, United States
. It is located within the Deschutes
, Umpqua
, and Winema
National Forests. It was established by the United States Congress
in 1984 and comprises 55100 acres (22,298.2 ha).
. The mountain was carved by glacial activity
and is sometimes referred to the "Lightning Rod of the Cascades." To the south of the Wilderness is Crater Lake National Park
. The rest of the Wilderness consists of flat and moderately rolling hills, which change to very steep and sharply dissected ridges toward the crest of the Cascade Mountains.
Popular lakes in the Wilderness include Lake Lucille or Maidu Lake. The headwaters of the Wild and Scenic
North Umpqua River
can be found at Maidu.
dominate the lower portion of the Mount Thielsen Wilderness. A forest of mountain hemlock
and fir
grows at higher elevations, up to the timberline at about 7200 feet (2,194.6 m).
.
Mount Thielsen
Mount Thielsen, or Big Cowhorn, is an extinct shield volcano in the Oregon High Cascades, near Mount Bailey. Because Mount Thielsen stopped erupting 250,000 years ago, glaciers have heavily eroded the volcano's structure, creating precipitous slopes and its horn-like peak...
in the southern Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
of Oregon
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located within the Deschutes
Deschutes National Forest
The Deschutes National Forest is a United States National Forest located in parts of Deschutes, Klamath, Lake, and Jefferson counties in central Oregon. It comprises 1.8 million acres along the east side of the Cascade mountains. In 1908, the Deschutes National Forest was established from parts...
, Umpqua
Umpqua National Forest
Umpqua National Forest, in southern Oregon's Cascade mountains, covers an area of one-million acres in Douglas, Lane, and Jackson Counties, and borders Crater Lake National Park. The four ranger districts that comprise the Forest are Cottage Grove, Diamond Lake, North Umpqua, and Tiller Ranger...
, and Winema
Fremont-Winema National Forests
The Fremont–Winema National Forests are two United States National Forests, Fremont National Forest and Winema National Forest, that were administratively combined in 2002. They cover territory in southern Oregon from the crest of the Cascades on the west, past the city of Lakeview to the east. ...
National Forests. It was established by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in 1984 and comprises 55100 acres (22,298.2 ha).
Topography
Mount Thielsen Wilderness ranges in elevation from 5000 feet above sea level to 9182 feet at the summit of Mount ThielsenMount Thielsen
Mount Thielsen, or Big Cowhorn, is an extinct shield volcano in the Oregon High Cascades, near Mount Bailey. Because Mount Thielsen stopped erupting 250,000 years ago, glaciers have heavily eroded the volcano's structure, creating precipitous slopes and its horn-like peak...
. The mountain was carved by glacial activity
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
and is sometimes referred to the "Lightning Rod of the Cascades." To the south of the Wilderness is Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park is a United States National Park located in southern Oregon. Established in 1902, Crater Lake National Park is the sixth oldest national park in the United States and the only one in the state of Oregon...
. The rest of the Wilderness consists of flat and moderately rolling hills, which change to very steep and sharply dissected ridges toward the crest of the Cascade Mountains.
Popular lakes in the Wilderness include Lake Lucille or Maidu Lake. The headwaters of the Wild and Scenic
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
North Umpqua River
North Umpqua River
The North Umpqua River is a tributary of the Umpqua River, approximately long, in southwestern Oregon in the United States. It drains a scenic and rugged area of the Cascade Range southwest of Eugene, flowing through steep canyons and surrounded by large Douglas-fir forests...
can be found at Maidu.
Vegetation
Lodgepole pineLodgepole Pine
Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta, also known as Shore Pine, is a common tree in western North America. Like all pines, it is evergreen.-Subspecies:...
dominate the lower portion of the Mount Thielsen Wilderness. A forest of mountain hemlock
Mountain Hemlock
Tsuga mertensiana, known as Mountain Hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Tulare County, California....
and fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
grows at higher elevations, up to the timberline at about 7200 feet (2,194.6 m).
Recreation
Primary recreational activities in Mount Thielsen Wilderness include camping, hiking, wildlife watching, and rock climbing. There are approximately 78 miles (125.5 km) of hiking trails in the Wilderness, including a 26 miles (41.8 km) portion of the Pacific Crest TrailPacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The southern terminus is at the California border with Mexico...
.
See also
- List of Oregon Wildernesses
- List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
- List of old growth forests
- Wilderness ActWilderness ActThe Wilderness Act of 1964 was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected some 9 million acres of federal land. The result of a long effort to protect federal wilderness, the Wilderness Act was signed...
External links
- Mt. Thielsen Wilderness - Deschutes National Forest
- Mt. Theilsen Wilderness - Umpqua National Forest
- Mt. Thielsen Wilderness - Winema National Forest