Cabinet Mountains

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Cabinet Mountains
Cabinet Mountains as seen from Bull River Road

Cabinet Mountains as seen from Bull River Road

Highest peak Snow Shoe Peak ( 2655  m )
location Montana (71%), Idaho (29%) United States
part of Rocky mountains
Cabinet Mountains (Montana)
Cabinet Mountains
Coordinates 48 ° 13 ′  N , 115 ° 41 ′  W Coordinates: 48 ° 13 ′  N , 115 ° 41 ′  W
Age of the rock 1,600-1,400 mya
surface 5,527 km²
particularities no roads, ore deposits
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The Cabinet Mountains are a mountain range that extends about 80 mi (129 km) along a northwest-southeast axis of Montana and extends into the Idaho Panhandle . They are part of the Rocky Mountains and run in the west near the state line with Idaho . Parts of the Kootenai National Forest and Lolo National Forest extend over the mountains. To the south, the Cabinet Mountains are delimited by the Clark Fork River , to the east and northeast by the Thompson River , the upper reaches of the Fisher River , Libby Creek and the Kootenay River . The US Highway 2 runs along the eastern border of the Thompson Lakes for Kootenay River.

description

The name “Cabinet Mountains” comes from early French explorers who thought the rock formations of the mountains were like boxes or boxes. The "Cabinet Mountains Wilderness" was placed under protection by the United States Congress through the Wilderness Act in 1964 . With its area of ​​around 94,272  acres (38,151  ha ), it forms the center of the chain. It consists of rugged peaks and high mountain lakes. These peaks are among the lowest in Montana, the highest point being 8,736  ft (2,663  m ) high "Snowshoe Peak". Other peaks are the "A Peak" 8,634 ft (2,632 m), "Bockman Peak" 8,174 ft (2,491 m), "Elephant Peak" 7,938 ft (2,420 m), "St. Paul "7,714 ft (2,351 m)," Treasure Mountain "7,694 ft (2,345 m)," Ibex "7,676 ft (2,340 m)," Bald Eagle "7,655 ft (2,333 m) or" Mt. Snowy "7,618 ft (2,322 m). The formation was created during the glaciation in the last glacial period in the Pleistocene . The rocks formed from the “ Precambrian Belt Supergroup” that was formed in the Mesoproterozoic . Some of the rocks in this supergroup contain significant deposits of lead , gold , copper , silver , zinc and other metals. Fossils such as stromatolites can also be found.

The Cabinet Mountains are the highest peaks between Glacier National Park and the Cascade Range in Washington, rising to the west . Since they form a mountain barrier for eastward flowing Pacific storms, the amount of precipitation is up to 100  in (approx. 2,540  mm ) per year. The extension is 79 mi (127 km) in north-south direction and 69 mi (111 km) in east-west direction.

Wildlife

In the mountain region there are a variety of larger mammals, including pine marten , pumas , mountain goats , bighorn sheep , elk , mule deer , lynxes , pikas , black and grizzly bears or wolverines and wolves .

particularities

The Wilderness Areas Cabinet Mountain and the adjacent Scotchman Peak are among the roadless areas ( English roadless areas ) that provide a protected space with no through traffic the wildlife.

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The southern Cabinet Mountains as seen from Swede Mountain near Libby

Mining plans

Since the area is considered to be very ore-rich, the mining company "Hecla Mining" is planning to develop two huge copper and silver mines that would tunnel under the "Cabinet Mountains Wilderness" and parts of the "Kootenai National Forest" in western Montana. The fact that these mines would undermine the subsurface of a “wilderness area” or that populations of threatened animal species could be disrupted does not seem to be an obstacle. The Forest Service indicates by the General Mining Act of 1872 ( english General Mining Law of 1872 ) to be bound so that a permit should be issued. Huge underground halls are planned from which the ore would be extracted. The protected area above should be supported by massive rock pillars. It is also necessary to lower the groundwater level to keep the tunnels dry during the dismantling phase. This would have an impact on the rivers above and represent an intervention in the ecosystem. Furthermore, a landfill protected by a dam is planned that will permanently accommodate around 100 million tonnes of toxic mine waste (tailings). This landfill is to be created on 346 acres approximately 1/4 mile from the Clark Fork River. Organizations such as “Save Our Cabinets” or “Earthjustice” try to prevent this and are committed to preserving unspoiled nature.

literature

  • Frank C Calkins: A geological reconnaissance in northern Idaho and northwestern Montana . Govt. Print. Off., Washington 1909, OCLC 4874923 , pp. 14th ff . (English, babel.hathitrust.org ).
  • Thaddeus Laird: Climber's guide to north Idaho and the Cabinet Wilderness . Keokee Books, Sandpoint, Idaho 2007, ISBN 978-1-879628-30-4 .
  • Erin Madison: Cabinet Mountains Wilderness offers solitude . In: Great Falls Tribune (=  Geological Survey bulletin . Volume 384 ). Washington June 4, 2015 (English, greatfallstribune.com ).
  • John D. Wells, James A. Domenico: Geochemical survey of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, Lincoln and Sanders Counties, Montana. In: US Dept. of the Interior, Geological Survey (Ed.): Studies related to wilderness - wilderness areas (=  Geological Survey bulletin . Volume 1501 ). Reston, Va. / Washington, DC 1981, OCLC 7490885 (English, books.google.de ).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 1964 Wilderness Act. Wilderness.net, September 3, 1964, accessed July 3, 2018 (American English).
  2. ^ Cabinet Mountains - Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering. summitpost.org, accessed on July 4, 2018 .
  3. ^ John W. Lydon, Geology and metallogeny of the Belt-Purcell Basin . In: Wayne David Goodfellow (Ed.): Mineral deposits of Canada: a synthesis of major deposit types, district metallogeny, the evolution of geological provinces, and exploration methods. (=  Geological Association of Canada, Mineral Deposits Division . Volume 5 ). 2007, ISBN 978-1-897095-24-9 , pp. 581-607 ( researchgate.net ).
  4. ↑ This is Montana. In: UM Department of Geography. umt.edu, accessed on July 3, 2018 .
  5. ^ Cabinet Mountains. Peakbagger.com, accessed July 3, 2018 .
  6. ^ Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, Montana ( visitmt.com ).
  7. ^ Montana Wilderness Association: Cabinet Mountains & Scotchman Peaks. ( wildmontana.org ).
  8. ↑ 1872 Mining Law. montanariveraction.org, accessed July 3, 2018 .
  9. ^ Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. ( earthworks.org ).
  10. ^ Save Our Cabinets
  11. ^ The Cabinet Mountains Wilderness & The Montanore Mine. - A summer visit gives a glimpse of places that could be forever altered by the Montanore Mine. ( earthjustice.org ).