About the Park:
Olympic National Park bears a lovely beach and rocky coastline that reaches over 55 miles long. One could possibly argue the beaches found here are some of the oldest and most pristine due to their difficulty to reach by land and the stability of the weather. The wildlife here additionally proves the importance of the ecosystem as between 150-200 animal species call the intertidal zones of the coastline 'home'.
An Introduction to the Geography:
The features of the Olympic Peninsula originated from the water and ice of the ice ages long ago. The rocks forming the area first developed under large quantities of water within the Pacific Ocean: we see proof of this in the sea creature fossils we discover within the rocks. A specific rock type, known as basalt, carries no fossils as it originated from lava vents deep in the ocean and was eventually carried via tectonic movement toward the surface.
The winds of the Pacific not only erode the beaches, but also cause the low, wet climate of the West. Mount Olympus (see 'Mountains') receives an average of 200 inches of precipitation per year.
Beaches:
These beaches are often referred to as cobble or shingle beaches because they tend to carry mostly pebbles, rocks, and gravel. There are also large amounts of driftwood coming from the rivers through the rainforests. The trees already on the beach receive hefty shaping and damages caused by the wind, which is why many of them grow beyond the storm beach (an area up shore where larger rocks are deposited due to large wave force). However, the trees give back to the beach by helping to stabilize the land. The coastal erosion is delayed by these features, yet sea stacks (rocks and small off-shore islands) are proof that erosion still occurs, as they were once part of the mainland: they are particularly eroded by the waves carrying large sand particles.
Olympic National Park bears a lovely beach and rocky coastline that reaches over 55 miles long. One could possibly argue the beaches found here are some of the oldest and most pristine due to their difficulty to reach by land and the stability of the weather. The wildlife here additionally proves the importance of the ecosystem as between 150-200 animal species call the intertidal zones of the coastline 'home'.
An Introduction to the Geography:
The features of the Olympic Peninsula originated from the water and ice of the ice ages long ago. The rocks forming the area first developed under large quantities of water within the Pacific Ocean: we see proof of this in the sea creature fossils we discover within the rocks. A specific rock type, known as basalt, carries no fossils as it originated from lava vents deep in the ocean and was eventually carried via tectonic movement toward the surface.
The winds of the Pacific not only erode the beaches, but also cause the low, wet climate of the West. Mount Olympus (see 'Mountains') receives an average of 200 inches of precipitation per year.
Beaches:
These beaches are often referred to as cobble or shingle beaches because they tend to carry mostly pebbles, rocks, and gravel. There are also large amounts of driftwood coming from the rivers through the rainforests. The trees already on the beach receive hefty shaping and damages caused by the wind, which is why many of them grow beyond the storm beach (an area up shore where larger rocks are deposited due to large wave force). However, the trees give back to the beach by helping to stabilize the land. The coastal erosion is delayed by these features, yet sea stacks (rocks and small off-shore islands) are proof that erosion still occurs, as they were once part of the mainland: they are particularly eroded by the waves carrying large sand particles.
Information Gathered From:
http://www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/Olympic/Olympic5.html#rubybeach
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/olympic-national-park/
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/geology/publications/state/wa/1973-66/sec2-14.htm
http://www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/Olympic/Olympic5.html#rubybeach
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/olympic-national-park/
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/geology/publications/state/wa/1973-66/sec2-14.htm