Roaring River Wilderness is a wilderness area in the Mount Hood National Forest in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. Southwest of Mount Hood, Oregon's tallest mountain, the 36,500-acre (14,800 ha) area was created in 2009.[1] The wilderness area is named after the Roaring River that flows through the area and is a tributary of the Clackamas River.[1]
| Roaring River Wilderness | |
|---|---|
| Location | Clackamas County, Oregon, United States |
| Nearest city | Government Camp |
| Coordinates | 45°12′N 121°54′W / 45.2°N 121.9°W |
| Area | 36,500 acres (14,800 ha) |
| Established | 2009 |
| Governing body | United States Forest Service |
History
editIn 2004, Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon introduced legislation to add the area around the Roaring River to the Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness.[2] That bill did not pass and the next year several members of Oregon's delegation to the U.S. House proposed protecting the area as well.[3] Sponsored by Earl Blumenauer and Greg Walden, this bill would have created a new wilderness area for the river's valley and received unanimous support in committee.[4] The Bush administration supported some expansion of the wilderness areas around Mount Hood, but not as much as proposed by the bill.[5] This bill also failed to become law, and in February 2007, Wyden and fellow Senator Gordon Smith introduced another bill to create the Roaring River Wilderness.[6] The area officially became a protected wilderness area in March 2009 when the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 was signed into law by President Barack Obama.[7]
Details
editLocated southwest of Mount Hood, the area includes 1,000-year-old trees in its old-growth forest.[4] Prior to designation as a wilderness area the Dry Ridge, Grouse Point, Serene Lake, Shellrock Lake, and Shining Lake trails were open to use by mountain bikes.[1] Lakes in the area include the Rock Lakes and Serene Lake, while Cache Meadow is one of the many alpine meadows.[1] The river itself is a spawning habitat for several salmon species and is a tributary to the Clackamas River.[1] Flora and fauna include spotted owls, pileated woodpeckers, bears, cougars, elk, mule deer, salamanders, huckleberry, salal, and sword ferns among others.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f Preusch, Matthew (April 6, 2009). "No cars, no roads, no kidding". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
- ^ US Fed News (July 22, 2004). "Sen. Wyden introduces 'Lewis and Clark Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2004". US Fed News. HT Media Ltd.
- ^ Milstein, Michael. "Leaders offer blueprint to protect Mount Hood", The Oregonian, November 30, 2005, p. B1.
- ^ a b Milstein, Michael. "Mount Hood bill over a hump", The Oregonian, July 20, 2006, p. D1.
- ^ Milstein, Michael. "Mt. Hood bills grapple with size of land parcels", The Oregonian, October 9, 2006, p. B1.
- ^ US Fed News (February 15, 2007). "Sens. Wyden, SMith introduce 'Mount Hood Wilderness Act of 2007". US Fed News. HT Media Ltd.
- ^ "Obama signs public lands reform bill". CNN. 30 March 2009. Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2009.