Wild Sky Wilderness Air Quality Report
Wilderness ID: 442
Wilderness Name: Wild Sky Wilderness
Wild Sky Wilderness Air Quality Report
National Forest: Snoqualmie National Forest
State: WA
Counties: King, Snohomish
General Location: Central Washington Cascade Range
Acres: 105,561
Thursday, May 17, 2012
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Wild Sky Wilderness Air Quality Report
Wilderness ID: 442
Wilderness Name: Wild Sky Wilderness
Wilderness Categories
Information Specific to this Wilderness
Year Established
2008
Establishment Notes
The Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008
Designation
Clean Air Act Class 2
Administrative
Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Unique Landscape Features
The Wild Sky Wilderness is the newest addition to a 2.6 million acre wilderness
complex that straddles the rugged North Cascade Range from Canada to Snoqualmie
Pass. The southwestern portion of the wilderness is only 25 miles from Puget Sound
and adjacent to the fast growing communities of the Skykomish River Valley. The
western part of the wilderness is characterized by very steep slopes and dramatic local
relief. For example, from the North Fork Skykomish River near the town of Index,
the terrain rises from about 600 feet above sea level to over 6,000 feet, on Gunn Peak,
in less than 3 miles. Annual precipitation in this area runs between 150 to 200 inches
annually, most of it coming as snow during the wet winter months. Runoff from the
rain and snow feed streams that drop into the deep valleys below. This source of
clean water is important to salmon which spawn in these reaches and provide exciting
spring raft trips on the Skykomish River. Vegetation is dense on the valley walls,
composed of Douglas fir, western red cedar and western hemlock at the lower
elevations, grading to silver fir and mountain hemlock in the mid elevations to sub
alpine parklands in the higher reaches. Timberline in the area is relatively low,
between 4,500 and 5,000 feet. The higher peaks such as Merchant, Gunn, and Spire
sport permanent ice patches on their north and east slopes. Trails in this part of the
wilderness are few and cross-country travel is difficult.
East of the Beckler River, and the Straight Creek Fault, the terrain changes
dramatically; the local relief is less dramatic, the geology is less chaotic and
precipitation less. The ridges are more uniform in elevation and gentle enough to
support large meadows. This is trail country! Trails including Meadow Creek, West
Cady Creek and Johnson Ridge lead through forest to these flowery meadows.
Several trails are open to use by stock animals and wonderful loop trips pass through
the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness to the Pacific Crest Trail, and back to Wild Sky.
The Evergreen Mountain Lookout is a rental cabin that will continue to operate
within the wilderness. At 5,587 feet, it provides a spectacular perch to watch the
sunset over the rough peaks of Wild Sky and take in the panoramic view from Glacier
Peak to Mt. Rainier.
Stands of old growth forest cover portions of the area with large diameter Douglas fir,
hemlock and western red cedar. The West Cady Ridge Trail leads through a prime
example of these large trees which provide critical habitat for a variety of bird and
animal species. Scattered around the new wilderness are forest areas previously
roaded and logged. Logging began around 1920 and continued into the early 1990¿s.
Signs of past mining exploration are also evident, particularly in the Silver Creek
area. Young trees are now healing the scars of these past activities. The area holds
about a dozen mountain lakes that attract anglers. Lake Isabel is the largest of these at
about 1.5 miles long and 200 feet deep. The historic use of float planes is allowed to
continue on the lake.
Lakebed Geology Sensitivity
N/A
Not reported in the database.
Lakebed Geology Composition
Thursday, May 17, 2012
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Wild Sky Wilderness Air Quality Report
Wilderness ID: 442
Wilderness Categories
Visitor Use
Mean Annual Precipitation
Elevation Range
Mean Max Aug Temp
Mean Min Dec Temp
Lake Acres
Pond Acres
Lake Count
Pond Count
TES Flora
TES Wildlife
TES Fish
Ozone Sensitive Plants
Air Quality Sensitive Lichens
Cultural Resources
Status/Trends: Acid Deposition:
Status/Trends: Nutrient
Enrichment:
Status/Trends: Ozone Impacts:
Wilderness Name: Wild Sky Wilderness
Information Specific to this Wilderness
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
224 - 1888 (meters)
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
224
101
3
29
Allotropa virgata, Arceuthobium tsugense, Botrychium minganense, Botrychium
montanum, Carex stylosa, Chaenotheca chrysocephala, Coptis aspleniifolia,
Fuscopannaria saubinetii, Galium kamtschaticum, Hygrophorus karstenii,
Hypogymnia duplicata, Leptogium cyanescens, Lobaria linita, Peltigera collina,
Peltigera pacifica, Platanthera chorisiana, Platanthera orbiculata, Platismatia
lacunosa, Plectania melastoma, Pseudocyphellaria anomala, Pseudocyphellaria
rainierensis, Ptilidium californicum, Rhizomnium nudum, Rhizopogon parksii,
Schistostega pennata, Sticta fuliginosa, Streptopus streptopoides
Not reported in the database.
bull trout, chinook salmon, steelhead
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
AQRV's
Fauna
Fauna Priority: Medium
Fauna Receptor: Fish
Fauna Indicator: Concentration of methyl mercury
Fauna Trends: Not reported in the database.
Fauna Actions:
Sample fish for mercury from the most heavily fished lakes (including both people and wildlife). Collect water quality
samples from the same waters during the same site visit.
Flora
Flora Priority: High
Flora Receptor: Lichens
Flora Indicator: Changes in community composition
Flora Trends: Not reported in the database.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
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Wild Sky Wilderness Air Quality Report
Wilderness ID: 442
Wilderness Name: Wild Sky Wilderness
Flora Priority 2: High
Flora Receptor 2: Lichens
Flora Indicator 2: Concentrations of N, S, P, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg, Ni, Ti, V and Zn
Flora Trends 2: Not reported in the database.
Flora Priority 3: Medium
Flora Receptor 3: Ozone
Flora Indicator 3: Visible injury on ozone-sensitive plants
Flora Trends 3: Not reported in the database.
Flora Actions:
Increase lichen plot density by 3 more plots to achieve 1 plot/20,000 acre desired spatial density. Revisit plots once every
10 years. Consider surveying vegetation for ozone injury while on site.
Visibility
Visibility Priority: Medium
Visibility Receptor: Scenic Views
Visibility Indicator: Regional haze
Visibility Trends: Not reported in the database.
Visibility Actions
Nearest IMPROVE visibility monitor is located at Snoqualmie Pass (SNPA1).
Water
Water Priority: High
Water Receptor: Water Chemistry
Water Indicator: ANC
Water Trends: Not reported in the database.
Water Priority 2: High
Water Receptor 2: Water Chemistry
Water Indicator 2: DIN: TP
Water Trends 2: Not reported in the database.
Water Priority 3: Medium
Water Receptor 3: Diatoms
Water Indicator 3: Community Composition
Water Trends 3: Not reported in the database
Water Actions:
Collect water samples from headwater lakes. Analyze for cations, anions, and nutrients.
Challenge Points
Fauna Challenge Points: Not reported in the database.
Flora Challenge Points: 4
Total Plots: 2
Desired Plots: 5
Additional Plots Needed: 3
Data Type: Baseline
Round 1 Visits: 0
Round 2 Visits: 2
Baseline %: 38
Thursday, May 17, 2012
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Wild Sky Wilderness Air Quality Report
Wilderness ID: 442
Wilderness Name: Wild Sky Wilderness
Trends %: 0
Visibility Challenge Points: Not reported in the database.
Water Challenge Points: Not reported in the database.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
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