Ch16a

THE NORTH PACIFIC COAST(Chapter 16)

Elizabeth J. Leppman

Introduction

• Strong appeal of “Ecotopia”– Coastal– Lofty, snow-capped mountains– Attractive cities– Migration destination—locals’ concern with

overpopulation

• Beauty and bounty of landscapes• Relative location (situation): Isolation from North

America– Distance– Arid or mountainous terrain

North Pacific Coast

(page 323)

Physical Geography: Climate Precipitation

– Average > 190 cm (>75 inches) per year– Western slopes of Olympic Mountains, Washington,

coastal mountains of British Columbia: 380 cm (150 inches)

– Northern Vancouver Island: 600 cm (230 inches) Olympic Peninsula rain forest

– Moss, ferns– Trees: western hemlock, red cedar, Sitka spruce,

Douglas fir (to 60 meters/200 feet)– Possibly more weight of living matter than anywhere

else on earth!

Pacific Northwest Topography and Precipitation

(page 324)

Precipitation Patterns

• Northern Pacific Ocean spawning ground for moisture-laden air masses– Move south and east– Blocked by high-pressure cell off the coast of Mexico– Most moisture over Pacific Northwest

• Seasonal pattern: most precipitation in winter, especially farther south

• Role of mountains– Air forced up western (windward) mountain slopes: heavy precipitation– Warming of air descending eastern slopes: less moisture-carrying

capacity, less rainfall– Lowlands semi-arid, greatest aridity east of Cascade Mountains

• Less rainfall north and west of Alaska’s panhandle

Temperatures

• Moderating effect of ocean– Mild winters– Cool summers

• Snow uncommon south of Vancouver• High winds, especially Oregon, northern

California, southwestern Washington

Topography Dominance of mountains

– Mt. McKinley (6200 meters/20,300 feet) highest in North America

– St. Elias Mountains world’s highest coastal mountains– Mt. Logan (6000 meters/19,700 feet) highest mountain

in Canada Coast Ranges: Oregon and Washington

– Reach elevations of 1200 meters (4000 feet)– Responsible for the rain shadow effect

Topography (continued)• Klamath Mountains (northern California, southern

Oregon): rugged, empty area• Lowlands of western British Columbia, Oregon:

structural trough • Cascades

– Uplifted plateau topped with volcanic peaks (e.g., Mt. St. Helens)

– Coast Mountains in Canada, impeding coastal land travel– Mountains and islands of Alaska panhandle

Topography: Alaska

• Division in mountain ranges– Chugach and Kenai Mountains along coast– Alaska Range in interior

• Anchorage on Cook Inlet, south of gap in Alaska Range, largest city

• Alaska capital (Juneau) on narrow coastal lowland in panhandle

• Moving capital to new location 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Anchorage?– More central, accessible location– Cost of construction and move

American Indians Pre-European population of the area relatively large

– Moderate climate– Abundant food year-round

Economy– Hunting and gathering, based on deer and salmon,

berries, roots, shellfish– Many distinct ethnic groups clustered in small valleys

along the coast– Large, impressive houses and dugout canoes built of

red cedar planks– Potlatch: Ritual giving of gifts– Totem poles: Record of person’s life carved into

vertical log

European Exploration

Last area (besides poles) to be explored by Europeans– Distance from Europe– Vitus Bering (1740) for Russia– Captain James Cook (1778) for Britain

Russians– First settlements late 1700s– Fur-trading posts from southeastern Alaska to northern

California– Never self-sufficient in food, expensive to maintain– U.S. purchase of Alaska (1867)

British and American Settlers

• Hudson’s Bay Company– Fur-trading operation in Columbia River Basin (early

19th century)– Dominant influence between northern Oregon and

British Columbia until 1830s• American settlers– Oregon Trail from Missouri to Willamette Valley– Manifest Destiny: Boundary dispute with British– Agreement to boundary at 49° latitude

• Politically acceptable• Disrupted north-south movement in Puget Sound, Columbia

River transportation corridors

British Columbia and Railroads

• Vancouver Island: British focus on Victoria (established 1843)

• Vancouver– Mainland location– Terminus of first Canadian trans-continental railroad

(1886)• Railroad to Seattle (1883)– Ended dependence on ocean shipping– Stimulated large numbers of immigrants

• Oregon: from other parts of North America, especially New England

• Washington: Europeans, especially Scandinavians

Population Distribution

• Faster growth than national averages in U.S. and Canada

• Most in lowland from Fraser River to Willamette Valley

(page 330)

Vancouver

• Canada's third largest city• More than 1.2 million people, may double in 10 years • Western headquarters for Canadian businesses• Serves as western outlet for Interior Canada• Canada's busiest port

– Wood products – Wheat destined for Asia

Seattle Largest city of the North Pacific Coast since late 1800s Founded as a logging center, became dominant with

coming of railroads Since World War I, the home of Boeing Aircraft

– Sometimes called “world's largest company town”– Major employer

Diversification: Computer software, especially Microsoft

Portland

Ranks high among livable cities More diversified economy than

Seattle’s with better access to interior via Columbia River Shipment of grain from eastern

Washington Better port than Seattle’s

Regional Economy

• Dominant characteristics– Production of staple products– Distance from major markets of U.S. and Canada

• Population– 3% of U.S. population– 10% of Canadian population

• Freight-rate structures– Limits to transferability– Raises costs compared to closer sources

Agriculture

• Similar crops to areas farther east– Competition with suppliers closer to market– Much production for local consumption– Aggressive marketing for some specialties

• Agricultural areas– Willamette Valley• Forage crops• Dairy products (local markets)• Strawberries, hops, grass for turf seed, cherries,

spearmint, grapes for wine

Agricultural Regions (continued)

– Puget Sound lowland• Dairying• Peas

– British Columbia: dairying– East of Cascades

• Semi-arid, grasses, desert shrubs• Rolling hills with steep-sided coulees (canyons)• “Inland Empire”• Palouse: Wheat (dry farming)• Irrigated

– Yakima and Wenatchee valleys: apples– Grand Coulee: Sugar beets, potatoes, alfalfa, dry beans

Forestry• Production

– British Columbia: 54% of Canada's timber.– Washington, Oregon, and California: > 50% of the

U.S. total • Douglas fir major lumber tree (houses,

plywood)• Types of trees highly regional• Large-scale logging

– Size of trees– Distance to markets

• Markets– All parts of both countries– Japan, especially for British Columbia, Alaska lumber

Power and Dams

• Hydroelectric potential unmatched in North America– Rugged topography (40% of U.S. potential in

Oregon and Washington)– Precipitation

• Grand Coulee Dam (1933), The Dalles• Inexpensive electricity