Trask Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trask Mountain |
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 Trask Mountain
Location in Oregon
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,426 ft (1,044 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 3,424 ft (1,044 m) |
| Listing | Oregon county high points |
| Geography | |
| Location | Yamhill County, Oregon, U.S. |
| Parent range | Northern Oregon Coast Range |
| Topo map | USGS Trask Mountain |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Trask Toll Road to just below the summit. |
Trask Mountain is the tallest mountain in Yamhill County, Oregon. It is part of the Northern Oregon Coast Range. You can find it in the northwest corner of the county. The mountain was likely named after Elbridge Trask, who settled nearby in Tillamook County in 1852.
Contents
How Trask Mountain Was Formed
Trask Mountain is mostly made of rocks that came from volcanoes. It also has some rocks that formed from sand and mud. Like other mountains in the northern Oregon Coast Range, Trask Mountain started forming about 40 million years ago.
Ancient Rocks and Volcanoes
During a time called the Eocene period, sand and mud built up in this area. Hot, melted rock (magma) from volcanoes also flowed out. This magma cooled and hardened into strong rocks like basalt. These volcanic rocks came from cracks in the ground in central Oregon. They spread out and covered a large part of the state. More rocks formed from sand and mud about 20 million years ago.
Moving Earth Plates
The entire Coast Range sits on a special place where two huge pieces of Earth's crust, called tectonic plates, meet. The Juan de Fuca Plate is slowly sliding underneath the North America tectonic plate. This movement pushes the land upwards, creating the mountains we see today.
Plants and Animals of Trask Mountain
Trask Mountain is home to many different kinds of plants and animals. The area has a rich variety of life.
Mountain Plants
You can find many trees like Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, Western hemlock, and western redcedar. Other plants include salmonberry, red alder, western sword fern, and vine maple. Smaller plants like Coptis laciniata, salal, Oregon-grape, and bracken fern also grow here.
Mountain Animals
Many insects live on the mountain, such as spiders, beetles, and centipedes. Mammals you might see include weasels, chipmunks, black bears, hares, and deer. Birds like kinglets, chickadees, woodpeckers, and jays also make their home here.
Interesting Facts About Trask Mountain
Trask Mountain is located on private forest land owned by Weyerhaeuser. It plays an important role in the local water system.
Water and Weather
Water from Trask Mountain flows into the North Yamhill River, which then goes into the Willamette River. On the north side, water drains into the Trask River, which flows west to the Pacific Ocean. The mountain gets a lot of rain, over 135 inches (3,429 mm) each year!
Science and History
Since 1991, a U.S. Geologic Survey station has been on the mountain. It has a seismograph that measures earthquakes. Long ago, there was a fire lookout station on the peak, but it was closed in the 1970s. There are also plans to build a wind power facility on the mountain.
